shard81 0 Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hi all, hope you all had a blast at Otakon 2008, I know I did! Anyway, some friends and I are out of college and love anime. Problem is, our area, Berks County, has an unfortunate lack of anime clubs outside of college. I helped found my college's anime club and am looking to do the same for Berks County, PA. I'm looking for two things. 1: Members in the Berks County area. We currently have members as "far" away as Lancaster, but most of us are in the greater Reading area. Anyone interested in joining, feel free to pm me. 2: Advice. Starting a club outside of college is new to me. In college it was easy to arrange for a room and advertise. Not so much outside college. Reserving a space can be costly and we want to keep membership dues low. Anyone with experience creating a club or group outside of college, please feel free to offer advice. Anyone with suggestions, please offer away as well. Our club is called Otaken, and basically we want to create an organization of people with similar interests. There isn't much to do around here except drink, and while fun can get old. We want to gather people together to discuss, watch and read anime, manga, and games. Thanks in advance for any help/advice -Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cousinsue 0 Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hi all, hope you all had a blast at Otakon 2008, I know I did! Anyway, some friends and I are out of college and love anime. Problem is, our area, Berks County, has an unfortunate lack of anime clubs outside of college. I helped found my college's anime club and am looking to do the same for Berks County, PA. I'm looking for two things. 1: Members in the Berks County area. We currently have members as "far" away as Lancaster, but most of us are in the greater Reading area. Anyone interested in joining, feel free to pm me. 2: Advice. Starting a club outside of college is new to me. In college it was easy to arrange for a room and advertise. Not so much outside college. Reserving a space can be costly and we want to keep membership dues low. Anyone with experience creating a club or group outside of college, please feel free to offer advice. Anyone with suggestions, please offer away as well. Our club is called Otaken, and basically we want to create an organization of people with similar interests. There isn't much to do around here except drink, and while fun can get old. We want to gather people together to discuss, watch and read anime, manga, and games. Thanks in advance for any help/advice -Sean I know there are a number of members who come to Otakon from that area, so you should be able to find others with Similar Interests. Being from The Lehigh Valley (and a Kutztown grad), I know there are a ton of Otaku out there, but we only see each other at Otakon. Check out your public library for space, and see if the librarians might be interested in including you on anime and manga that are being purchased. If you're advertising, you might get more people from there. You can also advertise on the public bulletin boards at the Redners and other supermarkets, once you've got your space and a regular time set up. If you can do it for free, with librarian help, then that's a plus for both you and the public library. Good luck! I'm thinking though, that you might want to consider a different name. That's awfully close to Otakon, and because of trade mark issues... Something with local flavor. I was going to make a Dutchy "choke", but being farm related, it would have been risque and probably not in the best of taste. But there has to be something distinctive and fun that you could come up with. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon 0 Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 I don't know a lot about getting spots to run an anime club, but I am very well versed in website related stuff. Message me if you need advice or guidance making a website. As for social networking, I've found that shooting photos of other's events is an easy way to start networking on a good note. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cousinsue 0 Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 I don't know a lot about getting spots to run an anime club, but I am very well versed in website related stuff. Message me if you need advice or guidance making a website. As for social networking, I've found that shooting photos of other's events is an easy way to start networking on a good note. And setting a post for a Meet up of Reading Area Otaku at Otakon, or Katsucon, or so forth on the BBS, or on the AMV website... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ramothhe 0 Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 (edited) There are also club running resources available such as the Anime Clubs Unite Yahoogroup where club presidents from all over gather and are available to answer questions about how to run clubs and problems with clubs etc. We also assembled databases regarding popular activities to feature in your club, fund raising ideas, and contact info for the companies to get screening permissions for their titles. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/animeclubsunite Edited August 19, 2008 by Ramothhe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shard81 0 Posted August 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Thank you all for the great advice! I'll be sharing this with the rest of the group. Thanks again Sincerely Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cousinsue 0 Posted August 23, 2008 Report Share Posted August 23, 2008 Thank you all for the great advice! I'll be sharing this with the rest of the group. Thanks again Sincerely Sean My spouse suggested The Pagoda Club (he also said they might have rooms there that you could meet. But I think those would have to be rented, and be a drive for people), or the Pagodataku or something of that nature. I think changing your name definitely would be a good idea though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Samiki 0 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Berks County. ;_; The whole way across the state. My anime club search in the Pittsburgh area continues... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cousinsue 0 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Berks County. ;_; The whole way across the state. My anime club search in the Pittsburgh area continues... I know there are tons of Otaku who come to Otakon from there, so they must be around! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
behindirisheyes 0 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 my friend and i are trying to start one too around the philly burbs area were just getting started so more info TBA Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimay 0 Posted August 26, 2008 Report Share Posted August 26, 2008 *raises hand* yes i am from berks county lol. if you need help, i can lend a hand. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nan 0 Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 Hi all, hope you all had a blast at Otakon 2008, I know I did! Anyway, some friends and I are out of college and love anime. Problem is, our area, Berks County, has an unfortunate lack of anime clubs outside of college. I helped found my college's anime club and am looking to do the same for Berks County, PA. I'm looking for two things. 1: Members in the Berks County area. We currently have members as "far" away as Lancaster, but most of us are in the greater Reading area. Anyone interested in joining, feel free to pm me. 2: Advice. Starting a club outside of college is new to me. In college it was easy to arrange for a room and advertise. Not so much outside college. Reserving a space can be costly and we want to keep membership dues low. Anyone with experience creating a club or group outside of college, please feel free to offer advice. Anyone with suggestions, please offer away as well. Our club is called Otaken, and basically we want to create an organization of people with similar interests. There isn't much to do around here except drink, and while fun can get old. We want to gather people together to discuss, watch and read anime, manga, and games. Thanks in advance for any help/advice -Sean There is a club out at King of Prussia (http://www.sos-anime.org/), and I think they building some sort of high speed line from close to out there into the city that will go through KOP but I'm not quite sure about that since I haven't heard about it for almost a year now. Berks County. ;_; The whole way across the state. My anime club search in the Pittsburgh area continues... Try contacting the York College Anime Club (http://www.yorku.ca/anime/) They should be able to put you in contact with a non-university club in your area or help you find a club closer to you. my friend and i are trying to start one too around the philly burbs area were just getting started so more info TBA There is a club out at King of Prussia (http://www.sos-anime.org/). The people who run it have a few cultural events a year that I try to get people from the anime club that I run at Drexel University to go to. If you are starting your own club in the area let both myself and the contact person for sos know we would be happy to meet with you and help get your club off the ground. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WildSpice 10 Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 My community college has an anime club (that I actually founded lol). http://www.bucks.edu/~anime We have a message board if you want to spread the word about your club =). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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