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    As we continually seek out ways to take our conference to the next level, an exciting
    opportunity has come our way.  Up to now we have offered a two-day program in
    local churches, which has served us well.  Now, as early as our 2013 event, we
    might be able to relocate to a new facility.

    In the rural community of Lake Hughes (about 22 miles southwest of our current
    facility), there's a Christian camp and conference center called The Oaks (www.
    theoakscamp.org).  It's nestled among the oak and pine forests of the
northwestern San Gabriel Mountains, about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles. Over 600 acres of wilderness allow for
serenity as you hike along the many trails and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.

Their climate-controlled cabins, lodges, and dining halls can serve about 300 guests, with
state-of-the-art meeting rooms, a prayer chapel, and many activities in-between the scheduled
events.  Several housing options are available: you can stay in a cabin that will remind you of
your summer camp as a child, or a lodge that resembles a hotel.  The Oaks staff will provide
all meals.  Most of the buildings feature wireless Internet service for your convenience.

This new arrangement offers many advantages.  When no one has to go home at night, you'll
have more opportunities for fellowship and networking.  You can stay up late with your fellow
writers and talk, critique each other's work, or just hang out.  No one has to lose focus by
fighting city traffic. We can offer more classes, including multi-session tracks that go more
in-depth on each topic.  All told, this intimate setting offers a much better value for your
conference dollar.  

    Of course, these perks will come at a cost.  We will need to pay our speakers more, you'll
    spend more time away from home, and so on.  But we've checked, and the housing at
    The Oaks offers a better value than any hotel for miles around.  The cost of the meals in
    the dining hall is about the same as any fast food restaurant, but without the grease and
    the rudeness.  If you're looking for a comparable conference experience in a similar camp
    setting, the nearest alternatives are in Northern California or New Mexico. Plus, if our
    plans work out as we anticipate, we will be able to offer our program at a much lower
    price than the competition.

    While we strongly encourage everyone to stay on the grounds for the duration of the
    event (for the reasons listed above), we understand that the added expense might be a
    dealbreaker for some.  So if you happen to live in the local area, and you'd prefer to go
home each night, you can do so.  In place of room rent you'll be asked to pay a daily use fee (currently $11 per
person), plus the cost of your meals.

So, what do you think?  We still haven't made a firm decision to make this
move, but the prospect is intriguing.  Is there something else we can do,
to encourage you to join us?  At this early date, just about anything is
possible.  Drop us a line, at info@avwriters.com
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