Want to go to Australia and meet an awesome and diverse SF fandom? Yup, it’s far away and expensive. But what if I told you that a little bit of work, a moderate amount of administration that also entails attending conventions and a lot of charm could get you to Australia and New Zealand?
And not just any Australia or any New Zealand but ones seen through the eyes of people like you, fans of science fiction, book hoarders and lovers of strange things who will show you everything that you ever wanted to know and experience about Australia but were unaware of your desire!
I speak from personal experience – my 2013 GUFF trip was both a longtime dream come true and a wondrous exploration of a world I had no knowledge of although I was convinced I did. It was exhilarating fun, a life changing experience and I only wish there was enough money in the world, or rather the GUFF bank account, to have two races, one each way, every single year.
Here is the invitation, feel free to share it as widely as possible and do not hestitate to contact me about details. Email response maybe slow until April 29th as I am in Poland, but if you are at Pyrkon, come to my Fan Funds talk this Friday, April 24th, at 19:00 t the English hall and I will answer all your questions! If not in Poland – find some answers here!
GUFF Call for Nominations
GUFF is the Get Up and Over (or Going Under) Fan Fund which transports SF fans from Australasia to Europe (and vice versa).
Nominations are now open for the southbound race, to transport a European fan (or fans) to Contact 2016 (http://contact2016.com/), the 55th Australian National Science Fiction Convention, to be held in Brisbane, Australia over Easter long weekend 2016.
Depending on the length of trip they’re able to make, the winner could also consider visiting other parts of Australia as well as visiting New Zealand (the New Zealand National Convention is in June). The winner will also be required to take over the administration of the fund for the next northbound and southbound races.
If you wish to stand, please contact us at the postal or email address below. You will need three European and two Australasian nominators (who will each need to confirm their nominations), a platform of no more than 100 words to appear on the ballot, a bond of £15/€20/AU$25 as a guarantee you will attend the 2016 Australian Natcon if you win.
If you wish to stand and are unsure about how to go about getting any of these things, what the fund pays for or the duties of a GUFF delegate and administrator, then feel free to contact us in confidence.
Nominations are open until 31st May 2015, and candidates will be announced soon after. Voting will then run until Wednesday 30th September 2015, with the winner announced online as soon as possible after voting has closed.
Nominations should be sent to books at gillianpolack dot com or rantalica at gmail dot com or Mihaela-Marija Perkovic, Maksimirska 100d, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. The bond can be sent by cheque to Mihaela at the above address, or by PayPal to guffeurope@gmail.com, or contact her for bank deposit details. Cash can be given directly to Gillian Polack or contact her for bank deposit details.
Please disseminate widely.
