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Donors luncheon

ZapMePlease

Student
Z
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
37
Hi there,

I'm going to my first TAM this year and I'm pretty excited. I'm taking my wife and I've got my brother and his wife coming along too. They're not 'foaming at the mouth' skeptics like I am but I figure once they get a taste of what skepticism is all about they'll jump in with both feet.

Anyways, I've been thinking about this donor's luncheon thing and am tempted to do it. It's a lot of money but I'd love to be able to count having lunch with some of my 'intellectual heroes' as one of my life experiences when I'm old and decrepit.

I'm just not sure what the whole experience is like. The description says 'having lunch in close proximity to Randi and some speakers'. That could mean anything from sitting at a table with them to being somewhere in the same ballroom.

Has anyone been to one of these that can tell me what they thought of it? Whether as a reply this post or as a pm it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Thanks for the reply.

That sounds like a decent way to do it. Do you know anyone personally who's done it that may be willing to share their experience/opinion?
 
Last edited:
The Central Scrutinizer said:
I haven't been to one, but from what I understand, they divide X speakers among Y tables and rotate.
Click to expand...
I've been to two of them, for TAM 8 and 9, and they had one long table for both. If they changed it to multiple tables since, I haven't heard.

But, everyone got to sit so close to one or more of the speakers, that everyone had the opportunity to chat with them while dining.

Don't expect to talk with them a lot. Although I was sitting directly across from Richard Dawkins (TAM 8), the person who got to sit right next to him sorta hogged most of the conversation time with him. (I would have interjected more, but it was an interesting conversation, at least.)

Sometimes they'll do interesting, spontaneous things for the crowd. Bill Nye (TAM 9), gave us luncheon folks a demonstration for how to blow out a match when there is a wine glass between you and the match.

And, after dining, there is time for a private session of photos and autographs, among the luncheonaires.

It was GREAT the first time, but I discovered during the second one that the returns on the luncheon sorta diminish. So, I never bothered doing it again.

If you have the money to donate, then I say go for it! It's a good cause, and a good opportunity for first-TAMers to gain some extra time with folks they aren't tired of seeing, already.
 
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