MAKC at OTR

By Tom Metzgar

The MAKC has set up our booth at OTR every year since 1997. The Robertson Association (TRA) generously provides space for cave conservancies on Vendor’s Row. One of the TRA’s numerous volunteers, vendor coordinator Norma Dee Peacock, makes sure that we get a prominent spot next to the Forks of the Cheat Winery, in front of the shower houses. Almost everyone attending OTR comes past our booth on the event’s “Main Street.”

Here’s a picture of our 2016 booth. What’s missing in this photo? Volunteers to staff it! Many of our board members take turns occupying the booth. Set-up starts on Wednesday, before OTR opens. We must keep the booth open every day of OTR, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, starting about 9:00 AM up through about 10:00 PM. Tear-down happens Monday morning while everyone is breaking camp and heading home. Staffing the booth is work, but it’s also fun. Your friends stop in to see you, and you get to meet well-known and not-so-well-known cavers you’ve read about or heard about, but never spoke to. Most importantly, the booth brings in substantial support from sales items, donations and membership renewals at this largest caving event in the United States. Prospective booth volunteers can contact Tom Metzgar.