South/Central Puget Sound LUG Interest

Dread_Pirate

Hey guys, This is mainly aimed at us guys that live in the JBLM, Tacoma, Puyallup, Lacy, Dupont and Olympia areas that dont have a local or nearby LUG to participate in. Yea I know there is SEALUG which is for some of us almost 2 hours drive. I am wondering if there is any interest in starting a LUG a little farther south that will work with the other local LUGS and give us who live in the South/Central Puget Sound area an outlet to share our creations and collections.

Any interested parties?

BombTec

Would this be an official sanctioned LUG or just a local group of Lego enthusiasts? Too bad I will not be available until mid-March when I redeploy.( and not busy building a yrs worth of new legos that have been piling up in the corner waiting on me.)

To answer the question; yes I would be interested. :oP

Dread_Pirate

I am thinking start small and if we can get a few regular members then become an official LUG. Not sure what that takes as of yet but I think small steps are the best way to go.

BombTec

Quoting from @sidersdd in another discussion on what is needed to start an official LUG.

sidersdd said:

What do I need to start (other than interested members)? Does LUGs enjoy any benefits with the Company, or get any support from LEGO for events and such? I'd like to know more about LUGs, so I could, maybe, start one here in South Florida.

One of the benefits that LEGO provides LUGs is something called LUGBULK. They allow LUGs to purchase bulk amounts of parts at bulk prices once a year (it used to be twice a year). Here are the requirements for a LUG in order to qualify:

(*) LUG needs a minimum of 10 members
(*) LUG needs to feature at least 2 public displays a year
(*) LUG needs to exist for at least 1 year (so get your LUG started now to qualify for next year)
(*) LUG needs to have an official website (Facebook, flickr, and other social media web sites do not count)
(*) LUG needs to have a 1 page description of the LUG and its activities on the web site

Prices are typically better than Bricklink/PaB (although not always). Keep in mind that whatever you buy thru LUGBULK is *not* for reselling. It's for LUGs needing large quantities of parts for building MOCs. Not all LUGs are for this purpose, but I wanted to share this to make you aware of the benefit. Let me know if you want more info.

In a year I will be retiring after 22yrs and leaving the area. So no help from me on this :o(

But am still very interested in starting something in our area.

Dread_Pirate

Well I guess that makes 2 members of a start up in this area!

Not a bad start for only a couple of hours on the web.

I can design simple HTML4 based websites but the limit of my skills in web creation without WYSIWYG tools is limited. PHotoshop or Photography is not an issue.

Displays should not be too hard as we have BrickCON every year, and we may be able to set up a mall show/display easy enough. I used to do HO scale model train shows back in VA with a club there and gained a little experience in the workings of things of that nature.

bmwlego

@Dread_Pirate
I was in the same boat as you back in 2009. I emerged from my Dark Ages in '06 and once I began learning about LUGs I knew I wanted to be in one. The only LUG in NY at the time that I could find info about was either defunct or inactive as their website hadn't been updated for a few years.
I met up with some other builders on Flickr and within a year had 5 total members. I went to a Pirate Building event at a LEGO store and met up with 3 other guys who were in a LUG that also wasn't terribly big but had been around for several years but had grown inactive. I went to the Pirate build because I was hoping to meet other AFOLs and am glad I did because this was what helped I LUG NY get off the ground a year later.
I was of the same mindset as you in that I wanted a LUG close to home. My friend Mike (who I met at the Pirate build) and I eventually grew to realize the same vision of a LUG for the state of NY so we combined the guys we had from Long Island and the guys he was friends with from Nyack and with a few others who joined during that year to form I LUG NY.
2 years later and we have done 5 public shows as the featured LUG, library displays, library workshops, countless LUG Showcase windows at the 4 NY and some at a few NJ LEGO stores, and last year many of us attended Brick Fair down in Virginia together.


Long story short, keep up at it! Ask around like you are doing here on Brickset. There is a LUG group on flickr that is a good resource for people trying to either build a LUG or find one in their area:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/[email protected]/

Try to set up a Library display with your LEGO creations and place flyers in the showcase targeting other adult fans of LEGO with your email so they can get in touch with you.

One of our members found us through the LEGO Community liaison.

Try smoke signals and morse code!

Anything to get a LUG off the ground-it is worth it! You get to share your hobby with friends and countless others at public displays. Don't be afraid to join up with SEALUG or attend a meeting. You might learn that others are in the same boat as you when it comes to the travel time and you can carpool if possible. Ideally we would all have LUGs within a short commute fom our homes but we don't live in an ideal world.

PM the Bricksetters who have said they are from your area. One of the recent discussions on the forum about LEGO Store displays had several people chime in from Lacy I believe so you might have the makings of a very small LUG right here on Brickset.

Hope this helps.

Dread_Pirate

Oh god, You mean I have to remember Morse Code?

Thanks for the tips I will put them to good use

BombTec

.-.. / . / --. / ---
.-. / ..- / .-.. / . / ...

Dread_Pirate

.. / .-.. --- ...- . / .-.. . --. ---

bmwlego

--. --- --- -.. .-.. ..- -.-. -.-

cheshirecat

.. - ... -. --- - -... .. --. .- -. -.. .. - ... -. --- - -.-. .-.. . ...- . .-.

;)

Dread_Pirate

LOL OK guys enough with the morse code!!

Makbrick

There is now a LUG for South Puget Sound! check us out at spslug.org or our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1581166858805136/

We're a great group and have been involved in many of the local shows.