Our IBM Ring meets at a local university that charges us $360 a year to meet in a classroom. We only have 16 members and our dues are $20.00 a year. So we only bring in $320 in dues a year, so we're automatically in the red every year. We make a little extra money by holding auctions and flea markets, but it's not that much.

I'm looking for ideas from other IBM Rings for places to meet.
I went through some Ring reports in _Linking Ring_ of other clubs and came up with these meeting place statistics:
TALLY OF RINGS AND MEETING PLACES
RECREATION CENTERS: 2
CHURCHES: 12
CaféS/RESTAURANTS: 9

Anyone have any suggestions for other possible more economical meeting locations?
I guess we could always raise our dues.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

Try:

local VFW or American Legion halls
Library
Members homes (basement)

We meet at a local library. We are able to reserve a meeting once a month through the local library system at no charge. Afterwards those that choose to go out for a slice of pizza or something similar.

Thank you, Dave and ActionJack. My apologies for not responding sooner.
The last couple of Ring 103 meetings have been at one of the members' church.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

Neil Foster Ring 89 is very fortunate. During non-COVID times, we get to meet at the American Museum of Magic in Marshall, MI. We do a show every year and donate a portion of the proceeds to the museum, as well as pitch the museum during our shows and place their donation box in the theater lobby. Plus, we get to do shows for their visitors at the museum in their summer season. It’s a great symbiotic relationship. Perhaps you can work out something similar with a school or library or other venue.

We meet via zoom currently, like most other rings.

In non-covid times Ring 13 meets in the backroom of a diner on a weekday evening. We don't pay anything to use the space, but we all order dinner or at least a drink or dessert. It's been a well-working relationship between the ring and the venue for years and years.

P!

Ring 55 (and Assembly 248) in the Phoenix area meet in a private room of a local Denny's restaurant. We have to guarantee at least $50 in orders for each meeting or we make up the difference, but I don't think that will ever be an issue. (Our last place, also a Denny's, had to be guaranteed $150 in orders per meeting -- which is one of the reasons we're no longer there.)

Jay

Ring 76 (San Diego) has been very fortunate. One of our members arranged for us to meet in the large recreation hall at a church. The rec hall even has a real stage. Best of all, our cost to use the room is very affordable. This was shot on the day the Ring's Board of Directors met to see the rec hall for the first time.




Mark

Super summer theater

We used to meet at a local church that allowed us to meet for free. We've since moved to a local college space that allows us to rent the room. Try local community centers, art centers, churches, colleges, etc.

Our Ring (186) has met in a few places due to various circumstances. We met for a while in a church classroom and also met in the back room of a diner. Our usual place to meet is in a meeting room at a fire department who generously allow us the use of the room at no cost.

Dave

Ring 211 Meets at a local steak house in Grand Rapids Michigan the fourth Monday of each month.