Wouldn't that be fun? We could have it either centrally located somewhere in the middle/north US, or do a poll on where the most celiacs happen to be, and have it there the first time. Get all the gluten-free companies to have booths there.

We could have a cooking competition using gluten-free products. It could just be one basic thing that we can't eat mainstream versions of. Best cookie, best mac & cheese, best onion rings. Something like that.

I'm not the organizing type, but just thought I'd throw the idea out.

Nancy

I am SO DOWN with the gluten-free Iron Chef! Kick ass!

I think that is a great idea! Hopefully others will be interested and we can get the ball rolling

I can't cook well enough with or without gluten to enter a cooking contest but I'm all about a conference and if I can swing it I'll be there. What about Chicago as a centralized location? CA is too far for most (I think) but Chicago is fairly central and always has lots of great hotel offers for groups. I may be able to help with planning starting this summer. Until I'm snowed under with work and learning my new lifestyle.

Also, some Celiac awareness group (maybe GIG) meets each year for a conference but it's always in Salt Lake City which is NOT centrally located in the US.

I wuld definitely go- I can see it now CchelsE and me in a smack down iron Chef style. Seriously, it would be so fun to organize even just a central place to meet for a long weekend. Chicago would probably be PERFECT. Or we could go Canadian which would be fun too! Montral, toronto?

They managed to pull of a gluten free beer festival http://www.glutenfreebeerfestival.com/, so it sounds like a good idea to me! I'd be there!

Guhlia- Thaat is so cool! If we could combine the two, I'd die andgo to heaven.

I am seriously there!!! I love cooking!! Chicago sounds good.

I don't know what I'd do if I were in a convention hall full of *safe* food and *safe* beer... I think I'd just burst into tears knowing that I could have anything I wanted in that room. Please tell me I wouldn't be the only dry eye... Does anyone have really good organizational tools to set something like this up? Think the gluten-free beer festival would be interested in joining hands with an entire gluten-free convention? We could have all the gluten-free companies bring samples and do ribbons like the gluten-free beer festival did. How better to get the word out about their product?!?!?!

Okay, I must go now... I'm drooling all over my computer just thinking about it...

I'm in.

TO WIN!

Ha!
Just joking, but really, I'm in. I can help organize!

Do you think the mainstream product producers would have any interest in this? Maybe if we marketed it correctly to them? I know that Grandma Utz potato chips label as gluten free. So do Lays Stax, Thai Kitchen, and so many others. Maybe they would be interested in setting up booths with samples and coupons??? Just a thought. I think if we can somehow get the mainstream group to join us, we'll be able to reach out to so many more people. In addition, it may in turn raise celiac awareness. We already have the governmental labeling laws kind of on our side. This could be the perfect time for a breakthrough.

Maybe I'm thinking bigger than I should... So if this just sounds like an aimless pipe dream, please ignore it... I just desperately want the word to get out. And let me tell you, a room full of gluten free goodies is driving me up a wall!

i agree with guhlia 100%.

i am pretty confident i would start crying if i were surrounded by a convention hall full of gluten-free food and sympathetic celiacs. cook-off = brilliant! (sponsored by ...etc etc etc); booths thing = genius. that would be *so* much better than ordering food online to taste it.

guhlia, i see your pipe dream and raise you one implausible fantasy: celiac celebrity speakers/performers.


paula

Think Kid Rock would perform in memory of his little friend (sorry, can't remember his name right now). I'm not a Kid Rock fan, but is sure would be cool to have someone of that stature perform.

Paula *hugs* we can cry together. I think if I saw a convention hall of all that, I'd just be down on my knees sobbing with relief.

i think that, in the least, the initial idea of a get together, where we all bake and have a mini-convention sounds fun.

Would it be possible for one of the moderators to move this topic into the "coping with" forum to get more attention? I think you guys have an awesome idea here and that seems to be the most popular forum on here.

I just love the idea for us all (as many that can) to get together for a weekend and visit face to face. If it were at all possible, I would be there. I think it would be great!

i was doing some more thinking about this.
in the summer, i am opening up business at our farmer's market with all gluten-free and dairy-free stuff. if it takes off, i want to open business, officially.

anyway, i would be willing to cater the whole event.

I'll def. go!

It would be so AMAZING to be surrounded by people who UNDERSTAND (really understand) what I go through every day of my life. My eyes would def. not be dry!

And Chicago sounds perfect, since it's the biggest city right in the middle.

Can we really do this? It's sounds too good to be true!

We can do it! We just need to get a group of people who have good organizational skills (and some free time). We need to pin down exactly what we want to do (ie: booths for gluten-free manufacturers, entertainment, contests, convention hall location, etc). I'm good at coming up with ideas and I'm good at coming up with an action plan to carry out those ideas, but I'm HORRIBLE at following through with things. I think that if we want this to happen, we can make it happen. It just takes a group of dedicated individuals with good resources. A sponsor wouldn't hurt either. Maybe Celiac.com would be willing to sponsor the event. It would be expensive to pull off without sponsorship. I imagine the convention hall would be pretty pricey, plus insurance, permits (I imagine we'd need permits if food or drink were involved, even if it were informal), plus whatever else is involved in something like this.

If we do it... Can we have one big group hug for all the pain and suffering that all of us have been through before, during, and after our diagnosis?

I'm so excited that everybody thinks this would be fun too. I was thinking a weekend thing would be good at first. I know we could fill a whole week, but that's kind of a lot at first.

I actually posted this in the Coping With section originally because I didn't know where the best place for this was either. But it got moved here by a mod. It's funny that someone else thought that Coping With was a better area than this. But most people here just go to view new posts anyway, so I'm sure most people will see it.

I'm like you Guhlia. I can think of all sorts of ideas, but following though, organizing and all that stuff is just more than I can do right now.

Lorka, catering the event would be amazing. My mouth is already watering...

Okay, more ideas from me.

Try to find at least one or two mainstream food manufacturer to send a representative at the very least. Maybe if they seem interested when we contact them, we could even see if they would be willing to create or modify a product to be gluten-free, and test market it at the convention. Imagine gluten-free Campbells soups or gluten-free Ranch Dressing. Mmm.... Suggest that they offer it by internet order at first, since most of us order our gluten-free foods that way anyway.

Special invitation to General Mills for starting to put out gluten-free Trix and Cocoa Puffs. (Read those labels though, they're not everywhere yet).

Booths, booths, booths for established gluten-free companies, and discounted prices for booths for people who have celiac / gluten intolerance and are thinking about starting (or started) a small or local business that they want to market.

I would love to find a reasonably-priced hotel company that always has in-house restaurants that would be willing to really go all out to provide gluten-free food, and develop a permanent gluten-free menu. I haven't traveled much in recent years, but I don't think Holiday Inn always has a restaurant. My main idea with this being that wouldn't it be nice when traveling to know that Hotel XYZ always has a gluten-free menu and trained staff, and it's a safe place to stay for us.

Nancy

I live down the street from a market that is really, really big on selling gluten-free stuff.
In addition, Sherk's is here, too.

They have a conference in SLC?!?! When?? Do you have a website with GIG's info on it? I used to live in SLC...then moved to St.George, Utah (4 hours south)....now in Vegas (2 hours south of that)....so it's not TOO far for me! I would love to go to some type of convention! Unfortunately I doubt I'd be able to travel far - with a toddler in tow (not sure I'd leave her and go that far yet). But, if someone could clue me in to that conference in SLC thag GIG does, I'd really appreciate it!

What about Baltimore? Maybe the University of Maryland Center For Celiac Research would be interested in organizing something like this. Just think of all the data they could collect with all of us in one place.
Cindy

Okay, this is WAY too weird. My son asked me today if it would offend me if he organized a convention here for all my gluten-friends on the forum. He said it would be a get-together with nothing but STRICT gluten-free food (he is an EXCELLENT cook), and he wanted to get as many people as he could to get together. He wanted ideas for getting something started. I'll ask him if it's okay to publish his e-mail address, and if you want to start giving him ideas, he'll get the ball rolling. He was so jazzed about the idea. Weird that it happened the day that I get to use the computer and see this, huh? (Actually, it kind of freaked me out when I read the title -- it was that "goosebumps" moment -- think "Twilight Zone" music in your head!)

I'm THERE! Anywhere. I would be willing to help organize, whatever. I think Chicago would be great because it's sort of a midway point, but I think U of M in Baltimore might really have an interest in doing something like this. Let me know if you want to start a letter writing campaign. I'd be happy to write to them.

Lynee- Where are you? I know you'e south of me but I forget where.

HI guys
I just saw this..what an amazing idea.
Lynne, did you get your computer backtoday...?? or am i looking at an old thread?
I'd be in depending on where it is?
Judy in Philly

Naw, she didn't get it back yet. I talked to her on the phone today, she said she was going to try to get a hold of someone's laptop to pop in here.......

Hugs.
Karen

I'm popped in! I live in Kentucky -- and evidently sound like it, as well (so I've been told ) I told that to my son -- he was howling laughing and reminded me of what hick I sounded like when I was little!!! At least I've TRIED to northern it up, but it's futile. I live in Louisville -- we wear shoes, have indoor plumbing, go to the dentist regularly, etc. And we do have our share of rednecks -- in some parts of the outskirts of our city, bright blue eye shadow is a staple.

That being said, we do have a great convention board, lots of good hotels, and some pretty cool things around here. However, I may be just too far away -- maybe we do need to be more centrally located. B-man would still love to be in on it -- he is like Super Gluten-Free Man! He has become such an advocate. His support and determination to help have been unbelievable.

I'm using my hubby's work laptop tonight -- he went to bed with a sinus headache and I said, "Oh, I hope you feel better -- can you connect me to the internet first?" He thought my sympathy was feigned, at best!

At any rate, I'M IN -- WHEREVER IT IS. If I have to wheel my fat butt there myself, I'll be wherever it is!!

I would so do this, i love iron chef!

I think having it at the U of M would be a really good idea with their celiac research center. That would probably be a great place to kick off an annual thing. Plus, they would maybe help with funding??? We could have it at a different hospital/research center every year until it got too big and we had to rent a convention center for it.

Does anybody know who the guy that does the Christmas lights for Celiac is? Maybe he could televise the convention online for those of us that couldn't make it???

WOW DO YOU REALIZE WHAT BRIGHT PEOPLE ARE ON THIS BOARD???
YOU ALL HAVE SUCH AMAZING IDEAS
IT WOULD SO A 'DREAM COME TRUE' TO ACTUALLY PULL THIS OFF.
I KNOW I FOR ONE CAN'T AFFORD THAT 'CRUISE' GREAT IDEA BUT I COULDN'T DO IT.
IT WOULD BE SO WONDERFUL TO SEE EACHOTHER AND EAT FOOD WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
NERVANA..
JUDY IN PHILLY

It would be great if we could find a way to get together! I am afraid to go on a cruise --my anxiety has improved, but not that much! If the convention was on dry land, and I could get there by car, I would be there . I'll be happy to help any way I can to make it happen.

BIG 'DITO' TO JERSEY NO CRUISE'S FOR ME. CALL ME CHICKEN BUT I WANT TO SEE LAND.
I'LL HELP TOO. HOPE IT'S SOME WHERE I CAN DRIVE TO ALSO.
JUDY

Ok- I'll email U of M today and see what they say. I'm into this.

I'm getting excited!!!!!

Judy, if we have to fly, we can always fly together so it won't be so nervewracking. I haven't been on a plane since 10th grade in high school, I'm not into the flying idea unless I have to. I'd be probably going out of the Philly or Baltimore airport though if I had to fly. We could just try to get everyone from the area on the same plane so it's not so bad...

I think we can definitely do this. I'd love to be involved in some way. I have a few ideas too that I haven't put on here. Why don't we form a committee to organize the event. I'd be happy to join. We could start a chat on AIM (I'm thinking most people probably have that or could download it free from AOL). Then we could all talk together without spending big money on phone bills. Plus, after spending a year after college doing telemarketer work, I'm a little phone shy. Nothing like getting yelled at all day long!!! Does good for the self-esteem...

Anyway, I'm thinking early April of 2007. That gives us a year to plan, get funding, sponsors, etc... We may also want to look at getting speakers and/or entertainment depending on the location. Do any of you celiacs have any special talents or know someone with a special talent that would perform?!?!?!

Oooohhhhh... One more idea.... At the first conference, we could ask for everyone to "donate" their favorite gluten free recipe. Then, we could compile the recipes into a book and sell it to benefit the hospital/research center that housed the convention OR sell it at the next convention while accepting new recipe submissions. I'm sure a ton of you have some totally awesome recipes that we would all love to prepare for our own families.

First question is; when would this be planned for 2007?
I will do exactly what I was doing for the cruise. I will donate a gift bag of gluten-free products from my business. By then if it is next year, I should have my makeup formulated so, each bag will have trial sizes of assorted things. This means of course that I will need official tallies of all men and women.
We would have to set up hotels and a place that would have portable kitchens for the competitions.We would have to go to our Celiac Associations to see if they will advertise it on their web sites, see if we can get a donation of t-shirts or at least get them cheap Etc.

This is sounding better all the time!!

CHECK THIS OUT! I know it's a bit late notice, but when i went to the U of M website, I found this. It's a start. Could anyone make it for this? I'm going to talk to my hubby about going. I'll still email them about setting up a larger convention.
The link is: http://www.celiaccenter.org/events.asp

Come and Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Center for Celiac Research and support the wonderful work that is being done here!!! Don�t Miss It � It's Going to be Great!!

*

Friday, May 12th � Marriott Baltimore Inner Harbor at Camden Yards, 110 South Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Wonderful gluten-free dinner, entertainment & silent auction (including gluten-free beer) � 7:00 pm
Child friendly � clown and some entertainment by children
$65.00 per person
$25.00 for children

*

Saturday, May 13th � Center for Celiac Research, 20 Penn Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Tour of Center for Celiac Research,
Drs. Fasano & Catassi to talk on the Center�s accomplishments and Update on research
Dr. Robert Anderson will speak on a possible vaccine
We will have exciting new updates on the Center
Possibly speaker from FDA re: new food labeling law (waiting for confirmation from FDA) & Gluten-Free vendors
NO CHARGE
Tours 10:00am
Speakers begin at 11:00am

Oriole pregame barbeque � 3:00 pm
Camden Warehouse 6th floor overlooking the field
Gluten-free menu (gluten-free beer included)
$23.50 Adult
$16.50 Children

Oriole game Orioles vs Kansas City Royals � 4:35
Group Rate - Oriole game tickets � Upper reserved $12.00; Lower box - 24.00

Tickets are available online or by calling the Center at 410-706-8021.

Special parking rate for all day (including Oriole game) - $6.00 � Pratt Street Garage

Whoops, I missed that April Part. Also, just as I said I would do for the cruise I will post bulletins in health food stores etc. We should have contacts in different states or east, west in the US and Canada. As for messenger things, I have ICQ and Yahoo will not and can't download it anyway onto my Mac butt we could all do Yahoo.

For t-shirts we can hit up LOCAL screenprinting joints.... I MAY (big may) be able to get my family do donate vinyl stickers. I'm thinking we should probably do goodie bags for all participants in any contests, maybe even for all attendees if we can get enough sponsorship. We can probably get a local embroidery shop to do sweatshirts for us for little or nothing.

We'll need to come up with a program for all attendees. I have the Adobe CS pro, so I could help with this if anyone would like to work with me on it. This would also be another great place to make money to fund the convention. We can sell ad space in the program. We could even sell personal space in the back (like at our one racetrack they do a listing of patrons that donated money to go towards the "big race" purse). It would be just a listing of people who helped out by donating like $5 and they would get x amount of line space (xx characters per $5). This would allow people to spend the year getting "sponsors" like family members and friends to donate small amounts of money and it would be very little work compiling those pages. I definitely would like to volunteer to help with a program.

Do we have any journalists in the house? Any marketing people (I do marketing)?

I'm thinking we should probably do a raffle (though we'll have to look into state laws on this). A raffle would be a great way to pay for hall rental and insurance. We can raffle off donated products (like Rusla's gift bag), t-shirts, sweatshirts, even non-gluten related items. I'm sure we can get a ton of companies to donate things. We could likely get cooking utensils/instruments donated too if we approach things right... That would be so cool.

I think this could potentially be HUGE.

Rusla, I didn't know you had your own business... That's so cool!

Okay, I'm so excited now that I can't sit still!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My business is Pagan in nature, however; since my dx of Celiac,I added my handmade gluten-free lotions, soaps, deoderants, shampoos, lipsticks,animal shampoos etc., to it along with environmentally friendly cleaning products and fabric softeners. All which I make, I also design clothes. I have a fashion show in late 2007 that I am designing clothing for in Calgary.

What I would do would be to have a small gift bag for everyone attending with some trial sizes and I could do up a couple of baskets for raffles. Those would contain a mix of more products.

We would need to get Radman there to dance on the table.

Oh my gosh, I would love to meet Radman! As well as the rest of you... You've become my dearest family over the past few months and I know that no one will ever understand what I go through every day like you guys do. That's why I proposed the gluten free group hug, because you all are my big, caring, sensitive, loving, gluten free family.

My dad said he would probably be interested in donating a small amount of stickers (like 100 or so). He owns a very small sign shop. He also had a GREAT idea for t-shirts. Why don't we do a celiac convention logo on the FRONT of the shirt, and then sell sponsorship spots on the BACK of the t-shirt. That's how a lot of organizations pay for their t-shirts... I could design a few logos for a committee to look over...

If we want to do this, let's develop a committee of about 10-20 people. Let's do that first so that we can assign responsibilities. If we want to try to get something together for 2007, we need to start soon. I've organized a lot of local events (way back when, we did benefits for our local AIDS project) and it's really time consuming. Anyone have any nominations??? Who's the person on this board that's always calling companies for everyone else??? Is that you, JudyinPhilly??? I can't remember... I'd like to nominate whoever that person is...

The t-shirt thing is a good idea and below the name their phone number or website. I we can get the shirts donated, then the embroidery or silk screening donated, those companies would be sponsors. Now, as we already had a website up for the cruise in 2008, I have to get a hold of Deborah and see if there is a way we could also add this convention on for 2007.

Now for the logo we should have under it the year also. As for food donations they would more than likely have to come from down in the US, you guys have more choices down there anyway. Just look at some of the advertisers on this site and get a hold of them. Like the guys who do those pies. They were trying to find a way to get them into Canada but they are in the US and maybe they will donate some.MMMMMM

We also need to decide and I suspect a weekend would be good to hold this on like Friday to Sunday. Not a long weekend though.

Rusla, I totally agree with you on all counts...

I can create a website if I have some help with content. I think we need to gather up some more information first, but a website is VERY doable. I could probably get one together within a week or two of having all the information. I would be happy to pay for the web hosting also (just don't tell my husband). I just really want to get this thing rolling. I don't think I've ever been so excited about anything before in my life.

One of the moderators... So the post doesn't get moved, could we please put a post up in the Coping With section since that seems to be the most popular section of the board?

I totally agree that it should be a weekend. If we're thinking of doing it in Maryland, it will probably need to be after February (for weather). I'm thinking either late late March or early April to avoid conflict with sports, summer vacations, mid term and final college exams, etc... I'm thinking it should probably be a Saturday and Sunday. That way people could take vacation Friday and Monday (a long weekend) to get there and get back home. We want to make this as easy as possible for people to attend. Maybe we could do 10-8 on Saturday and then 10-2 on Sunday??? That way people could still make an early church service if so desired and still have time to get home for Monday. Just an idea...

Should find a hotel that is very close to where we plan to hold it unless we hold it in a convention room in the hotel. That way, us who come from other planets aren't getting lost. Of course depending on the amount of people going will determine whether I have to ship anything ahead of time or not.

Websites are cheap to buy, Deborah got a webhost to donate the hosting as that is usually very expensive. That is why I was thinking perhaps we could tie the two in together. On the Friday we could do a meet and greet or something like that, depending on when all the planes get in from those of us who would be flying in (to cold to ride my broom that far in April) and a dinner get together.

I have 4 other websites and it would only cost me like $2.99 additional for another domain name... I can do the website no problem...

Rusla, great idea on a casual meet and great on Friday night. I like that. Since most of us have never met, it would be really cool to get to meet with our online friends before the big day. And for those that can't make it in on Friday evening, there will always be Saturday and Sunday to get acquainted. Maybe we could even have local restaurants reserve space for us and do gluten free meals??? Just a thought...

Where exactly is College Park, MD in relation to Baltimore??? Might we not want to do one of the convention centers in Baltimore??? They're HUGE with lots of hotels and parking garages around...

That is a good question, we need all those in Maryland to post that. Well, Maryland is one of the States I have not been to yet. I will have my camera so I can get pictures of everyone and Radman dancing on the table if he comes.

Okay, on mapquest I found...

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlo...%20%28K%2d12%29

It looks like it's pretty close to Washington DC for those of you that like to sightsee... It's not close to Baltimore though. However, I would imagine that there are plenty of hotels and what not in the town since it is a college town AND it's right by DC...

Well I have never been to DC either. I really haven't been down the East Coast at all of the US. I have been to every state that looks like Saskatchewan and the beautiful states on the West Coast.

I like getting pictures of derelicts and derelict buildings. Got any of those in DC?