| The team from Gold Coast Mac turned in a stellar performance at the Spring Conference of the Florida Association of Computer User Groups, leading roundtables, representing Apple at the conference Vendor session, and even assisting Apple in the staging of the Apple sponsored breakfast on the final day.
 President Dave Game, Vice Presidents Jan Barkan and Esver Camacho, past President Rose Lynn, and member Richard Lynn were joined by Apple Worldwide User Group manager Garr Reynolds and event planner CZ Robertson in making the trip to the Kissimmee event, traveling on the now famous MacBus, ably piloted by bus owner Richard Lynn.
At the event, it was impossible to miss the GCMac crew. After volunteering to help pour wine at the opening dinner sponsored by Corel, Gold Coast Mac volunteers were up at the crack of dawn Saturday. Early arrivals for the first roundtable sessions Saturday encountered the MacBus, decked out with Apple and Gold Coast Mac banners. In the Kissimmee Civic Center, GCMac members led the way in presenting roundtable discussions. Rose Lynn gave her ever popular presentation on Vendor and Retailer relationships, Esver took part in one discussion on Special Interest Groups and stepped in for an ill presenter to lead a seminar on PDA's, and Dave Game led a roundtable presentation on creating an effective user group website.
In addition to the Gold Coast Mac crew, the Apple presence was bolstered by Apple User Group Advisory Board member Gail Glore, who led a roundtable on User Group emissaries, and Garr Reynolds, who helmed a session on branding for user groups.
 If the FACUG participants weren't aware of the Apple presence Saturday, they couldn't miss it Sunday. Gold Coast Mac Members joined Garr, Carmela, Gail and other volunteers at the MacBus after Saturday's program to prepare materials for Sunday's breakfast and raffle, while Richard Lynn helped prepare displays and hang signs for the breakfast. Sunday morning, Gold Coast Mac coordinated a raft of Apple User Group volunteers, dressing every place at the breakfast with a Gold Coast Mac mug, Apple stickers and product literature, and a ripe red Apple for each person attending. Gold Coast Mac balloons mingled with Apple balloons over the stage, as nearly 200 people were treated to a hot breakfast and an even hotter demonstration of Apple's digital hub concept.
 In a darkened hall bedecked with red spotlights, Garr Reynolds introduced Apple Senior System Engineer John Allen, who led the mostly Windows oriented audience through iPhoto, iTunes, and iDVD. The audience clearly appreciated his brief look at the hot Apple iPod. However, his greatest response came during the demonstration of iMovie, when the audience laughed and applauded during Allen's presentation of an iMovie featuring his son.
That set the stage for Gold Coast Mac's part of the breakfast. While a number of the weekend's presenters offered door prizes to the participants, Gold Coast Mac took the stage to present16 door prizes, including Apple T-shirts, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and two different PC Video Editing programs. However, GCMac President Dave Game, acting as Master of Ceremonies, brought down the house when he announced to the crowd that a lucky winner would go home with an iPod, donated by MacCenter. As CZ Robertson drew the tickets, and Rose handled the prizes, runners took the gifts to the winners, including the iPod, which, ironically, went to one of the members of the Atlanta Macintosh User Group who helped Gold Coast Mac set up the breakfast.
 While many of the prizes were usable by members of either Macintosh or Windows, one winner who received a Macintosh copy of Office 2001 was unable to use it, and donated it back to the group for use in our "Mac a Difference" computer donation program.
The buzz created by the impressive Apple breakfast carried through into the afternoon, when vendors set up booths to connect with conference participants. Apple chose to have Gold Coast Mac staff its booth, and partnering with Mac Center and board member Rafael Marerro, the team turned out one of the most impressive booths of the event.
At the main booth, participants lined up four deep to get a first hand at G4 desktop and laptop machines, taking home lots of Macintosh answers and goody bags presented by MacCenter. Across the hall, a second table highlighted Apple's new iMac and the updated iBook line, with free posters, product literature, and information from MacCenter and two Apple Solutions Experts.
 No other vendor made such an involved presentation, and much of the credit goes to MacCenter and Rafael Marerro, who drove through the night from Fort Lauderdale to bring boxes of computers, gift bags, and displays for the event.
The concerted effort by Gold Coast Mac members, both in supporting Apple and in contributing leaders for the weekend of user group information exchange, impressed the head of Apple's User Group Program.
"You all did yourselves, and the whole Mac community very proud," said Reynolds. "I was amazed at the energy and commitment GCMac and MacCenter brought to the event. With out you FACUG would not be half the event it is today. I am now very much sold on GCMac and on helping out FACUG in the future."
The point of the FACUG conference is to share, and Gold Coast Mac members took part in that aspect of the weekend as well, joining discussions on common user group issues led by other User Group leaders, watching demos by Microsoft, Adobe, and other developers, and taking part in Saturday's free for all discussion with participants and representatives from vendors and developers.
 Gold Coast Mac will also be a part of efforts to extend future leadership conferences to other user groups across the state, after GCMac president Dave Game agreed to the board's request to produce a video presentation highlighting the conference and why FACUG membership can benefit user groups. The finished product will be used to solicit groups to join, and to help existing member groups share with their own members the benefits of taking part in FACUG.
In all, nearly 200 people attended the three day event, with more than 60 leaders attending for the first time. Major developers including Microsoft, Apple, Corel, and Adobe helped sponsor the weekend, joined by smaller companies like user group supporter Casady and Greene, Intuit, JASC, and Borland.
Many of those vendors were treated to private gatherings in the MacBus, where they enjoyed refreshments including award winning Cheddar cheese brought all the way from Vermont by Gail Glore.
 User groups were honored with awards for community service, newsletter presentation, and website offerings, and the Board held its required annual meeting. Taking part in the session was GCMac Past President Rose Lynn, elected to a two year term and named Membership Chairman.
Gold Coast Mac members participating in the weekend paid their own expenses to attend, spending upwards of $200 each for transportation, hotel, and conference fees.
The weekend met its goals of promoting Macintosh to the statewide community of users, assisting Apple in it's support of the user community, and showcasing Gold Coast Mac to potential meeting presenters. In addition, the information exchange with other user groups will help improve the effectiveness of our leaders, benefiting all members of Gold Coast Mac.
March 2002
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