The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) is one of my two major professional societies. I served on its Board of Directors for four years (2002 through 2005), was a Vice President (2002 and 2003), and chaired its largest division, the Scientists and Engineers Division, in 2002 and 2003.
Each year in early December, NGWA convenes its signature event, the Ground Water Expo, which is generally held in Las Vegas every other year. It's the place to see the latest equipment and meet members from across the groundwater industry: scientists and engineers, contractors (well drillers, pump installers), manufacturers, and suppliers - the four groups comprising the NGWA's divisions. NGWA also convenes the Ground Water Summit, held each spring since 2005, the main event of the S & E division.
Imagine my surprise (not really) when I when I read about a certain Community Event at this year's Expo:
How accurate is your shot? Find out when you shoot a fully automatic machine gun and your choice of handgun. Join your fellow groundwater professionals at The Gun Store and receive a complimentary T-shirt, VIP accommodations, private instruction, and complimentary (nonalcoholic) beverages.
Before and after your time at the range, challenge your colleagues to a game of pinball at the nearby Pinball Hall of Fame. Here you can play more than 200 vintage pinball machines…and all the quarters you put into the games help to support the Las Vegas Salvation Army.
Preregistration and ticket required—cost on or before October 28 is $95; thereafter $125. The shuttle to and from The Gun Store and Pinball Hall of Fame begins at 8:30 a.m., departing from the convention center
Western Rubber and Manufacturing is the official sponsor of The Gun Store sharpshooter competition.
When I told Mary Frances about this event, I got the same look as the one she gave me upon learning that she was a member of NGWA's (Ladies') Auxiliary (since disbanded) when I became the S & E Division chair and a Vice President of NGWA. No words were necessary - just a disdainful 'WTF?' look.
Given the battles over NGWA governance that I recall [the Contractors had the system gamed so that their division, with 25% of the membership, controlled things] I'm not sure a sharpshooter competition is a good idea. On the other hand....
In fairness to NGWA, the leadership of the Contractors' Division has changed and is now far more progressive than when I was on the national board. It's no longer 1955. And rumor has it that a revised governance plan will be unveiled at the 2011 Expo.
Unfortunately, I cannot go this year because I am committed to attend the UNESCO-IHP and UC-Irvine groundwater conference [Note added on 6 September 2011: The UNESCO-UCI conference has been canceled and will not be rescheduled] which they scheduled to coincide with the Expo, a stupid move on their part.
For now, I've got to get AWRA on board with this machine gun stuff! What a legacy!
"There is no distance on this earth as far away as yesterday." - Robert Nathan
Oooh! I guess we know what our Thursday night social event in Albuquerque will be. Pay your $100 bucks, get three seconds of furious action, then you're chamber's empty. Sounds like something else? :-)
Posted by: Ken Lanfear | Tuesday, 30 August 2011 at 12:45 PM