The Pre-Swap Meet Checklist
1. Express your interest in hosting a swap by contacting your Area Coordinator (list is located on the inside cover of the IBCA Journal). They will contact the IBCA Vice-President who has the task of scheduling both dates and locations of upcoming swaps. They will then let you know if your location and date are feasible. A non-holiday weekend is preferred to ensure maximum attendance.
2. Be sure to check for large conflicting local or regional events that would make motel rooms for the IBCA swap difficult to obtain in your area. Sporting events, fairs, conventions, holiday events, regional festivals, golf tournaments, etc. would all be examples of competing events. Your local Chamber of Commerce or perhaps the Mayor’s office might offer assistance in identifying these events.
3. Swaps are usually granted at least one year in advance and a precise swap date should be committed to soon after in order to allow the IBCA adequate time to advertise your swap through our IBCA Journal and website.
4. Items to consider:
A. Be sure that your swap site will accommodate at least 50 vehicles and 100 IBCA members. Adequate restrooms at the swap site are a must. This can be rented portable toilets, if no others are available.
B. Probably six months to a year in advance of your swap, arrange for a pre-priced (usually discounted) block of rooms at a convenient, acceptable, safely located local place of accommodation. You will need to speak directly to the motel manager to be sure that everyone is clear on the date and number of rooms, etc. The motel should give you something in writing confirming everything including a cut-off date for reservations, a phone number and /website and possibly a “keyword” like “IBCA” to ensure that our members are being placed in that block of rooms. You will not be personally charged for the rooms as you are facilitating use of their accommodations. If your market allows, providing a choice of two or more motels can be helpful and perhaps necessary to achieve a sufficient number of rooms.
C. Expensive meals are not necessary. As the host, you might choose a place that offers a wide range of foods and prices to meet any need for a Friday night meal. You might research good reasonable caterers to provide a meal for the visiting IBCA members. If you location and the weather allow, a good cookout will suffice. Think about what you would like if you were a stranger in your own town. The price should be as low as possible so as many people as possible can afford to attend. You might consider requesting pre-payment by mail prior to the swap if you need to get an accurate and advance count for the meal.
D. Be sure to have plan for rain, if possible. If your Saturday swap site is in a field, consider an alternative paved site with permission from the owner. Park shelters, barns, rented tents, etc. should all provide enough shelter to get us through our swap.
E. If you would like to arrange for a speaker about bricks or something unique to your area, if available. A side trip to a natural or historical attraction in your area might be considered in your area. Details should be included in your swap flyer.
F. The IBCA treasury will reimburse swap expenses up to $600. This money could be used for renting a shelter, tent or a portable toilet. Other examples would be Friday snacks, Saturday morning donuts, host gift, etc. Submit your receipts to the IBCA Treasurer for reimbursement. The IBCA treasury will pay for the publication and distribution of the swap flyer. The flyer itself can be prepared by the host of the Journal Editor.
G. Swap auctions help keep our treasury healthy and our journal published. Plan to have some things to auction and reach out to IBCA members to bring desirable items. Be sure to have a plan for your auction shortly after the Saturday AM swap. The IBCA Secretary provides the accounting function and the paddles. A volunteer can serve as the auctioneer, if desired.
H. Your Swap Flyer should include:
1. Your name, phone number, swap date, location and map
2. Motel information including names, address, prices, phone number, website, keyword to obtain block rooms and cut-off date for blocked rooms. Also, list any alternative choices, (i.e. camping, etc.)
3. Explain arrangements for meals with entrée item(s), cost, location, address and any cut-off date for reservations.
4. Explain any special event or side trips: including maps, address, cost, phone numbers, payment arrangements, cut-off date, etc.
5. A list of good local eating establishments, points of interest, shopping malls or favorite bricking areas (if you’re willing to share the wealth!) would be nice.
6. It is best for you as a host to drive the approach you will map for the members so that route signs, distances, and directions are accurate. Use your GPS to verify that your route is the most common route and that addresses you need are appropriately routed by GPS. An alternate route should also be available in case of unexpected route impediments. A good map is the best insurance for a well attended swap. Remember you are probably the only one that really knows where they are going.
7. Use old swap flyers to model yours after. This should help you avoid overlooking something.
8. Put your own touch on your swap, if you like. Beyond motels, bathrooms, a place to eat, and a place to swap bricks and stories, there are not a lot of true requirements for hosting a swap.
9. Call on IBCA friends for questions. There is a wealth of experience at your disposal to bounce ideas off. Even consider a co-host that might be in your area to share the tasks.
10. Have fun. That is what this is all about.
February 23, 1997 (reviewed and approved by Peggy French 1/2000 and again by Jeff Nickels 01/2018)Tips To Enjoying Bricking More
Acquiring Bricks:
Look for landfills, dumps, excavating companies, street projects, demolition sites, etc. (get permission, if needed)
Search Craigslist, Ebay, local newspaper want ads, etc.
Network with friends and relatives. Once they get beyond how crazy you are they will bring you bricks.
Use your IBCA Directory to contact fellow members and see if you can trade through the mail. The USPS Large Bulk Rate box will hold three bricks if packed properly.
Carry traders in your vehicle in case you encounter someone while traveling that you can offer a trade to get bricks that you want.
Have a business card printed to show people that you are an IBCA member (i.e. crazy)
Check your local auction listings for bricks. Also, auctionzip.com can be searched by location and date and can be very easy and effective to use.
Attending Swaps:
Bring a friend/spouse/partner. It certainly makes the miles go easier and it is good to have help when unloading and loading the bricks.
Plan a side trip to help entertain your co-pilot or yourself. Research another hobby or interest and see what might be on the route.
Plan to sight see in route to the swap. Niagara Falls and Yellowstone are great examples when in route to recent swaps.
Bring snacks, GPS, camera (both might be included in your phone), swap flyer, motel information, lawn chairs, sunglasses, gloves, etc.
Make an IBCA sign to let everyone know who you are and where you are from.
Get an IBCA T-shirt and then you will look like the rest of us.
Bring something the group might find interesting to the auction. The auctions generate the majority of our funds.
Try to bring a variety of bricks that you consider traders, but at the same time will be desirable to others. It’s important that we maintain a good selection to keep everyone interested and active.
Try to attend the Friday social and dinner, if possible. It’s great to see the host’s collection and socialize with fellow IBCA members prior to the Saturday AM swap.
Consider bringing your host a gift. Hosting is not easy, but it is necessary that we continue to have members willing to host swaps.
Displaying Bricks:
Probably the best way is on shelves and alphabetized by state. This will help keep you organized. Some of the grander collections occupy entire buildings floor to ceiling. It’s fine to start out with a couple of shelves in your garage or basement. You might also consider sidewalks, patios, driveways. Whatever your choice start small and as your collection grows you can always adjust. Be creative and have fun with your collection!
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