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December 2000

Happy Holidays!!

Thank you to all who were able to join us for the pool party last month. Special thanks to everyone for bringing so much good food and munchies. It was great seeing so many new people at the meeting as well. Hope you all can come again soon! And, now, for the latest...

Registration News - In recognition of the holidays, our $25 adult pre-registration deadline has been extended to January 31, 2001. For more information on how to register for MarsCon, please try this link to registration.

Charities & Marscon - Since this is the "season of giving" and all, now seems the appropriate time to announce our designated charities for MarsCon 2001. For the third year in a row, our Charity Auction will benefit the Camp Heartland Project. This is a national organization, with a permanent campsite in Minnesota, dedicated to assisting children and families impacted by HIV and AIDs. Camp Heartland's website may be found at: http://www.campheartland.org.

Thank you to all who helped by donating items for the auction these past two years. We hope you will consider helping out again. Anyone who wishes to donate items for the 2001 Charity Auction for Camp Heartland is encouraged to contact us at the address below for further information.

There will also be a food drive at MarsCon 2001. We will be collecting non-perishable food items by the Registration desk throughout the convention. All food will be donated to the St. Paul Second Harvest Food Shelf. Thank you in advance for your donations.

FAQ: What's MarsCon All About? - Every once in awhile we get inquiries from folks who are new to conventions asking why people come to and participate in volunteer-run SF/Fantasy conventions like MarsCon in the first place. Con veterans know the answers well, but for those of you who are new to conventions, here's a list of a few of the reasons why people come to MarsCon:

TOP TEN REASONS TO COME TO MARSCON

#10 - Gaming, anime, comics, television, movies and just plain fannish zaniness & fun...it's all there!

#9 - I love to sing and dance... especially in costume. MarsCon has concerts, karaoke, filk, and a masquerade ball as well as other activities that provide me with many opportunities to do both.

#8 - The Dealers Room is full of the kinds of books, toys, jewelry, and novelty items that I like to admire and collect.

#7 - I want to hear news about the space program and prospects for future manned space missions and colonization of other planets, and I'd like to see the exhibits on display in the Science Room.

#6 - MarsCon is a wonderful place to display the costumes I've created and admire the costumes of others. I might even compete in the Masquerade costume contest this time around.

#5 - Discussing concepts like time travel, alien invasion, and alternate universes with open-minded people is my favorite way to spend a weekend, whether in a structured programming setting or during a casual conversation held in the Con Suite or a party room.

#4 - Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Farscape, Xena, Babylon 5 and <<insert favorite sf / fantasy tv series or movie here>> are my all-time favorites, and I'd like to meet other people who enjoy these shows as much as I do.

#3 - I collect science fiction and fantasy artwork, and MarsCon has an art show that seems designed just for me!

#2 - The Guests of Honor are diverse and interesting, and I want to meet them all.

#1 - It's a great place to play, with lots of theme party cabanas centered around a hot tub and swimming pool. The people there are friendly and fun.

There are many more reasons to come to MarsCon, and, of course, the best way to learn them is to come and discover them for yourselves. Hope to see you at MarsCon!

Upcoming ConCom Meetings - Here are dates & times for upcoming ConCom meetings. At ConCom Meetings we talk about the status of the convention and its various departments. We look to see what areas need help, what policies need to be set, and how closely we are following our deadlines and goals. If you want to know a lot about planning MarsCon, or if you want to volunteer for a particular department in advance of the convention, a ConCom Meeting is a good place for you to be. ConCom Meetings are held on Sunday afternoons at the Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota, the same place where the convention is held. (Directions & other information about the Radisson South) ConCom meetings are open to the public, and you are welcome to attend whether as a spectator or an active participant in planning the convention. The more the merrier!

ConCom Meeting - Dec. 17, 1-4pm, Radisson South, Bloomington, MN

ConCom Meeting - Jan. 21, 1-4pm, Radisson South, Bloomington, MN

ConCom Meeting - Feb. 18, 1-4pm, Radisson South, Bloomington, MN

ConCom Meeting - Mar. 18, 1-4pm, Radisson South, Bloomington, MN

ConCom Meeting - Apr. 15, 1-4pm, Radisson South, Bloomington, MN

ConCom Meeting - Apr. 29, 1-4pm, Radisson South, Bloomington, MN

ConCom Meeting - May 6, 1-4pm, Radisson South, Bloomington, MN

MarsCon happens - May 11-13, 2001!

Hope to see you there!

(See contact info at the bottom of this page.)