October 1st is the start of my busiest time of the year at work, so attending the fall meet is no longer an option for me. I am in a very seasonal business and taking time off between Oct. 1 and Dec. 7 would be foolish. Only the spring meet is a possibility anymore. Instead of the 3rd weekend in October, I want EDTCA to change the fall meet to be the 3rd weekend in September so I can go.
Ok.........enough sarcasm, but the point I'm trying to make here is that no matter what days the meet is held, EDTCA is never going to please everyone. The meet is twice a year. When I was a kid, my Dad used to take me out of school for a day to go to York, starting in 4th grade and right through high school. Yes, I missed some classes and extracurricular activities, but it all worked out. One day out of school every 6 months is probably not going to ruin a kid's academic future. As for time off of work, York was just about the only train meet my Dad could attend all year; he was a minister, and back then, most meets were on Sundays. He wasn't happy about it but accepted it for what it was. On the rare occasion that he had a Sunday off that coincided with a train meet within a reasonable drive, he was there.
There are logistics involved that we most likely don't know about, such as rental rates for the fairgrounds and fees for security guards, that may make the meet cost prohibitive if it is held over Saturday and Sunday.
Do we know how many new members the TCA has acquired as a result of public dealer halls? Yes, York is a big event, but relying on it to grow membership is foolish in my opinion. Each one of us needs to promote TCA membership if it is to grow. There is more to membership than just going to York once or twice a year. Removing the "two signature" rule has, in my opinion, diminished the value of membership. Many other organizations have a vetting process for prospective members, and I see nothing wrong with that. Now that anyone can join, the TCA has become, like so many aspects of modern life, disposable, because anyone can join at any time.