ConiFur NorthWest Newsletter Update

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COONTRAX
Official newsletter of ConiFur NorthWest
October 26th-28th
Fife, WA (15 miles south of SeaTac Airport)

In this issue:

FROM THE TOP - Conchair James "Tibo" Birdsall
FURSUIT MASQUERADE - Announcing plans and recruiting fursuits
CHARITY AUCTION - Help out local ferrets!
ART SHOW UPDATE - Artist Information Packets mailed
VOLUNTEER / STAFF MEETING / BBQ - Free food!
SPONSOR SUPPORT - Help fellow furries make it to ConiFur
HOTEL RESERVATIONS - Get your reservations in soon!
CARTOONS & CEREAL - Even more free food!
DAILY NEWSLETTER - The _Daily Howl_
PROGRAM BOOK ARTWORK - We need your illustrations for the 2001 Program Book

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FROM THE TOP

Where has this year gone? It doesn't seem like very long ago that I was finishing up after Conifur Northwest 2000, which was a banner year for our convention. In a literal sense, it's the year we got a permanent banner to hang in the hotel lobby. In a figurative sense, thanks to the support of 350-plus attendees and sponsors, we finally broke even in last year: after the dust settled, we had enough money in the bank to pay for 2001 without any additional funding. That has been our goal since the beginning, to have each year's convention pay for the year following, and thanks to you we've
reached it, anchoring Conifur Northwest that much more firmly for the future.

On the whole, this has been a good year for the fandom as well as Conifur Northwest. Despite some unfortunate incidents with the media, the fan base continues to grow. Anthrocon recently set what I believe is a new record for the largest furry con ever; other conventions are seeing growth, and new conventions are in the works. The major art sites on the Web have a steady stream of applicants when they're not too overloaded to take any more! The established comics publishers within the fandom are adding new titles and self-publishing ventures are proliferating as well.

Speaking of art, we look forward to producing the first ever T-shirt featuring art by our Guest of Honor, Malcolm Earle, also known as Max the
Black Rabbit. Due to his other commitments, we don't have samples to show you yet, but keep your eyes open for an announcement by mid-September!

Less than three months to Conifur Northwest 2001! As always we hope to make this year the biggest and best yet, bringing back all your favorite features and improving on them where we can while adding new events such as this year's Charity Auction, our first. And as always, we hope that you will be able to join us and share the fun!

--James "Tibo" Birdsall, CFNW chair

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FURSUIT MASQUERADE

Budget expansion has allowed us to pursue new lighting and sound options for the ConiFur NorthWest Masquerade. Lighting stands and stage quality speakers are in the plans. All we need now are fursuits on stage! Come one, come all, for the 2001 Masquerade. Instead of just having people on
stage stumbling around not quite sure what to do next, we'll have a fashion show where each fursuiter will be able to model a prop from the box. It may be random, it may be chosen for the suit. Will it be a scarf? A bath towel? A cape? A plastic bowling pin? This could be fun. If costumers
have their own skits prepared that will work too, but we want to help out those who don't have presentations ready for stage and give them something to do. It looks to be a fun event. We welcome all fursuits of both old and new. A suit sitting in a closet is a suit that can't be enjoyed by
everyone so we encourage all fursuites to come out and play!

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CHARITY AUCTION

We're adding a Charity Auction to the events this year and it's for a very good cause. Our mascots, Mayhem and Chaos, the two ferrets of anarchy,
have a lot more friends who need your help. The Washington State Ferret Rescue and Shelter group is an organization dedicated to the fuzzy woozles of the mustelid family. They take in unwanted ferrets, those too sick or injured to be cared for by their owners, and even inspect the local pet shops to make sure that they are taking care of their animal stock. The main organizer is a registered nurse and has turned a large portion of her house into a crazy mass of ferrets, cages, care center, and play areas. No ferret is turned away for any reason, unlike other shelters that only want
healthy adoptable pets. They take care of them and bring them back to full health, then work to find them good homes with caring owners. It's a very well run organization, but like most dedicated groups like this, they are badly underfunded and dependant upon the kindness of strangers. It's
expensive to feed and medicate the ferrets and they do what they can to take care of them. They could really use a helping paw and we are happy to
work with the rescue shelter to help them out with our ConiFur NorthWest 2001 Charity Auction, dedicated to helping out the Washington State Ferret Rescue and Shelter group. Check out their web site for more information at:

http://www.washingtonferret.org

We are actively taking donations of materials including artwork, computer equipment, or anything at all for the auction with proceeds going to help
the ferrets. Contact Judy Oxford to donate items at:

[email protected]

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ART SHOW UPDATE

Matthew Romanek, aka Shandower, is working his tail off as our Art Show Director. Artist Information Packets have been sent out to interested artists. If you wish to get one, contact him at:
[email protected]

He's working on a new database and front end interface that will allow quicker sorting and data entry of art information. But as with any new
system, he has made sure there is a complete paper backup so even if the system crashes, all information is backed up. Reliability is a key factor
and with his work in the computer industry, he has the professional experience to make sure this works as intended.

There will be an Artist Reception for dealers, artists, and staff after hours on Friday, October 26th. This gives those busy running the convention or working behind dealer tables a chance to look at the art show as well.

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VOLUNTEER / STAFF MEETING BBQ

September 8th, 2001. Noon. Federal Way, WA

We're having another social gather in Federal Way for all those interested in ConiFur NorthWest coming soon. Here's a chance to talk to the
organizers of the convention and offer your input as well as see some of the inner workings behind the curtain in putting on a convention. And
we'll even feed you after the meeting. Volunteers are encouraged to come and offer their services to various departments. Volunteering for a convention is a great way to get into helping out at a convention and several of our volunteers have gone on to become staff members of their own
departments. If you have ever been curious about how a convention works, being a volunteer is a wonderful way of getting an inside peek.

As always, anyone who puts in eight hours or more during the convention has the option
of either having this year's membership refunded to them or have next year's membership free. They also have access to the lounge where they can spend some quiet time and play with the ferrets.

Contact us at: [email protected] for driving directions if you need them.

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SPONSORS SUPPORT

In these times of unemployment and rising expenses, many prominent artists and creators are finding it more and more difficult to cover the expenses of going to a convention. Several may not be able to go at all unless someone out there can help them out. They need your help.

Monika Livingstone
Bushycat (Rebecca Frey)
Jim Groat
Erin O'Connell
Baron Engel and Christina Hanson
Marcy Osedo (Ponygirl)

Anyone who sponsors a person will receive their name in the Program Book, have access to the lounge, Artist Reception, and the gratitude of those
they sponsor. Super Sponsors ($100 or more) also receive that year's convention T shirt. And lots of ferret licks from Mayhem and Chaos.

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HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Every year we hear reports of the Best Western Executive Inn selling out. Don't let this happen to you! NOW is the ideal time to make your reservations for this great event.

Best Western Executive Inn
Fife, Washington
1-800-938-8500
5700 Pacific Highway East.
Tacoma / Fife, WA 98424

just off I-5 at exit 137

Rooms are $79 a night for a single. That's right, $79 a night. That's a bargain compared to most conventions! Be sure to mention ConiFur NorthWest
when reserving. This 1-800 number is just for the convention hotel so there won't be any confusion about which city you're in. Fife is about 15
miles south of SEA-TAC International Airport and the hotel has a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel. The Best Western Executive Inn website is a wonderful one at: www.bestwestern.com.

Since the hotel only has a couple of shuttle coaches from the airport to the hotel and back again, those of you flying may wish to to find
alternative means of getting to the airport in case a hotel van isn't available when you are ready. Shuttle Express (www.shuttleexpress) has
many vans available at the airport. In the baggage level you can use the Courtesy Phones located there to obtain a van to take you to the hotel.

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CARTOONS & CEREAL

This popular and unique event is returning to ConiFur NorthWest in 2001. Phil "Panda" Bolton is organizing it once more. Sugary cereals, milk, more
sugar, and of course those syrupy sweet and silly cartoons on the screen will make spending your Saturday morning with us at ConiFur a fun time.
The best part is that it's FREE! That's a free meal on us. Bugs Bunny to Road Rovers and everything in between. Show up in your Saturday Morning
best including polkadot pajamas or whatever you wish. Show off those fuzzy slippers. Show everyone the PJ's with hearts that your Aunt gave you last year. Here's your chance to have fun, watch cartoons, and get SUGAR!

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DAILY NEWSLETTER

The need for updated information on a daily basis at a convention has been proven proven very useful for anyone trying to keep in touch for quick
postings or news that didn't make it into the program book.

Introducing the Daily Howl, your source for news, announcements, and
other information during the convention, published daily. The first edition will be distributed Thursday, when registration opens. To get an announcement in the first edition, send it via e-mail to the editor at:
[email protected]

You can also request that the announcement be re-printed in subsequent editions. Try to keep announcements to thirty words or less.

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PROGRAM BOOK ART AND STORIES NEEDED

We need your help in making the 2001 CFNW Program Book even better than last year's. The convention booklet will be 8.5"x11", black and white, with tape binding. The book will contain information on our Guest of Honor, events, schedule, policies, plus lots of fun stuff.

Submissions

Artwork should be black and white and allow room for a 1" margin on all four sides. Stories should be no more than 6,000 words. Subject matter
should be of interest to the anthropomorphic/furry fan. All material submitted to the convention book must be suitable for all ages. Material with a Pacific Northwest flavor is preferred, but not required.

In addition to stand-alone anthropomorphic art, we are specifically looking for submissions of furry comic strips for a section of the convention book
to be called the "Funday Funnies."

Deadline for submissions to the convention book is September 15, 2001. All material appearing in the convention book is subject to approval by both
the convention book editor and the convention chairman.

Submissions may be sent by e-mail or postal mail. All mailed submissions, whether art or prose, should be good qaulity print-outs or photocopies in
black upon white. Please print on only one side of each sheet of paper and do not exceed the dimensions above. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if you wish to have your material returned. Electronic submissions are welcome. Text should be sent as either plain ASCII text or as Rich Text Format (RTF). Artwork should be 300dpi TIFF format.

Questions about the convention book and contents should be sent directly to the editor, Gene Breshears, at the addresses below.

Email Address:

[email protected]

Mailing Address:

Gene Breshears
c/o Tai-Pan
PMB #532
6201 15th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107-2382

Advertising

Full-page advertisements are available at $25. No other sizes are available. Artwork for advertisements must be black and white, camera-ready if submitted via hardcopy, or black and white, 300dpi TIFF format if submitted via e-mail. Ad artwork, inquiries, and payments must be sent to
convention headquarters:

Email Address:

[email protected]

Mailing Address:

ConiFur NorthWest
2406 SW 308TH PL
Federal Way, WA 98023

Deadlines

Stories, artwork, or comic strips: 9/15/2001

Advertisements: 9/15/2001