Wikipedia:Meetup/Evansville/Wiknic/2012

This will be the first official Wikipedia event in the Evansville area. Previously, the nearest Wikipedia events have been in St. Louis, which is a ridiculous distance for an Evansvillian to drive for a hot dog and a hangout with strangers. It will be held on 30 June 2012 from 12 p.m. central daylight time to 4 p.m at the West Branch Library. The library's auditorium in the basement has been graciously reserved for us. Get directions.

What is this?
Think of it as an opportunity to meet people and have fun. You don't have to know anyone to come. The idea is to meet people once you arrive! This is a great opportunity to meet other editors from Evansville and maybe even a few non-editing fans of Wikipedia (non-editors are welcome, too!).

Currently the game plan is this:
 * We'll all show up and hop in line for some hot dogs or whatever we decide to prepare (Some of us might be vegetarians.)
 * While eating, we'll meet one another
 * Whatever we feel like doing-- frisbee, board games, talking, do research, teach each other how to edit, you name it.

Interested in coming?

 * Bob the WikipediaN (talk • contribs) Wikimedia staff (Education Program community liaison), Education Program volunteer (regional ambassador to KY/WI/MI), loves paleobiology, zoology, music, and computer science
 * Crtew (talk) 23:13, 1 May 2012 (UTC) I use Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikinews in my teaching at USI. I am a Wikipedia Teaching fellow. I am a reviewer at Wikinews. (Unrelated: But I'm also interested in the use of OpenStreetMap for journalism and other mashups.)
 * User:mattcshaw I am a student at usi and would like to attend and one of the best things about Evansville is Wesselmans Park so i vote to have it there. I a Econ and Journalism major and would be interested in meeting people who share the same interest as me.--Matthew C Shaw (talk) 16:35, 2 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Joshua Claybourn Definitely count me in as ready and willing to attend and to help out. As President of the library board of trustees, I'd love to hold it at one of our libraries.--YHoshua (talk) 05:47, 7 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Lori Phillips - US Cultural Partnerships Coordinator for the Wikimedia Foundation, based out of Indianapolis. Wikipedian in Residence at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Would love to meet some more midwest Wikipedians!
 * Brenda Burk -- Campus Ambassador at IUPUI and Philanthropy Archivist at IUPUI University Library. Just interested in meeting up with other Wikipedians.
 * Nyttend — Grad student at IU-Bloomington. What library is meant?  Willard and its park come to mind, but there are plenty of others, including one just north of the Lloyd in Lamasco that's in a park.  Or have we considered Garvin Park?
 * Sarah 16:03, 25 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Glimmer721 - I can't come because I'll be on vacation, but I am interested and would like to be informed on future plans in Evansville. Nice to know there's some editors here!
 * Vmenkov - I might, if I am still in the area.
 * Starvinsky - I wish I could... Yet, alas, I live approximately 200 miles away, and am busy that morning.
 * Anand - *update* Very sorry I won't be able to make it. The excessive heat just makes me want to sit in one place and do nothing -- and I just took on an internship with the Chem-IT department here at IUB.  However, BenKovitz will be saying 'hi' on my behalf, and we hope to have some sort of Wikipedevent in B'ton in mid-autumn, when it's a bit cooler.
 * tlws - Would love to come, though I haven't edited in a long while. Still use this site all the time. Just moved out of Evansville a year ago, but I'm only in Fort Branch so it isn't that far of a drive.
 * Ben Kovitz — I'm a grad student in Bloomington. My car is not in great shape, so I'd be interested in sharing a ride and helping pay for gas. Leave me a message on my talk page or send an email if you're interested. Carpooling with Nyttend and Vmenkov.

Interested in helping?
We'll need to make sure the location is finalized, the event gets advertised (via Wikipedia, Facebook), and also figure out who can bring/prepare the food.
 * Bob the WikipediaN (talk • contribs) helping organize the event
 * Crtew (talk) 23:14, 1 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Lori Phillips - I can distribute via the GLAM-US Facebook and other social media and local email lists. Also if you need a geonotice let me know.
 * Nyttend (talk) I can bring chips or something along those lines.
 * tlws (talk) - I can totally make cookies. Let me know what people like! ;)
 * Hard to go wrong with chocolate chip. Bob the WikipediaN (talk • contribs) 14:49, 20 June 2012 (UTC)