Putting KAG Recruitment to the
Forefront
by
Mistress of House Koloth (Theresa Parker)
With no recent Trek series in sight, it’s hard to keep that Star Trek
vibe going and recruiting can become a challenge. What do you do? The
bigger conventions where most of us rely on for more members have
become more expensive and in this time of economic challenges become
harder to find new recruits. Plus with the burst of new fandom like
Steampunk, Dr. Who and other genres, some people have decided to drift
towards other prospects.
Right now to see big name guests you have to go to a Dragoncon or a
Creation Convention. Both will get you that experience but it also gets
you that big time price tag. Dragoncon has come to the point where they
discourage fan tables and I understand the same with Creation. These
two conventions are prime examples of how enlisting new members has
become not only a major price tag but a hassle as well.
There are smaller cons out there that mix a bunch of genres together
but not all can get big name guests. They do however present great
opportunities for recruitment. But then you also have to compete with
other fandoms. With big conventions it’s hard to find people to man the
tables because one spends so much money to enjoy the con and not sit at
the table for hours. Most con rules say that a fan table MUST be manned
at all times. This can be a problem. Smaller cons you can be a bit more
flexible so a few people can pull off a good fan table.
Here in the Atlanta area we have had some snags with recruitment at
Dragoncon. Mostly because there are people from all over the country
and the fact that fan tables are really being discouraged. But we are
hoping to change that around with the venue of a new Trek only
convention. We are gong back to basics. A one genre type convention and
Col. Amar Koloth has been given a great opportunity to not only promote
Klingon fandom but to also make it the key focal point on not just
recruiting but bringing Klingon back to being a popular again.
Trek Trax (http://www.trektrax.org) is a Trek
only convention in Atlanta, GA, with great emphasis on Klingon fandom.
The cost is pretty typical but the guests for the first year are not.
Tim Russ, Barbara Marsh and Gwynyth Walsh (The Duras sisters) all have
played Klingons and unlike Dragoncon and Creation where autographs can
cost upwards of $50+ their autographs won’t be more than $25. Since it
is a smaller con the chances of meeting and actually seeing an actor
are much greater. With a more personal approach to fandom, we are
hoping to not only recruit more members but to bring Klingon fandom to
the forefront.
We have some great panels in the works that we have been wanting to do
at Dragoncon but because of time restraints were never able to pull
off. From talking about JJ Abrams new direction in the new version of
Star Trek and how it relates to the future of Klingons all the way to
why do Klingons hate Kirk so much.
We are hoping that Trek Trax will be a new springboard in showing the
strength of Klingon fandom and also put KAG out there as the place to
find a Klingon community for those diehard fans and for new ones as
well. What does this convention need? Support, attendance but most of
all a rallying point where we show that Klingon fandom is not dead, not
waning but strong and vibrant enough to last generations more..
Mistress of House Koloth
Com. Officer IKAV Nemesis
Asst. Director Trek Trax
www.housekoloth.com
http://www.trektrax.org
