Your dues support: The Missouri State Fair Premier Exhibitor

                             The Camelid Community scholarships

                             Additional Judges Fees (Mo State Fair)

                             The Morris Foundation

                              Information Booths at various events

                              The Quarterly Newsletter

                              The (American Royal) Parade fees

                              National FFA meeting & Youth Day

                              I.C.I.       

Why do we charge for our seminars?
Our seminar charges reflect the costs of food, speakers, etc. Our $30 charge in 2007 paid for $400 worth of food for 20 people for 3 main meals. (Over $200 more was paid by the seminar host for the breakfast, soda, snacks, coffee, juice, etc.) Our main speaker was paid $100 for her travel expenses and $50 was paid for bringing the tents (pretty much fuel expense). Considering we had about 23 people over the two days, you can see there wasn’t a lot of excess. The seminar time is when we generally have fundraisers to supplement our activities, so the vendor fees, auction, t-shirt sales and book sales were our fundraiser this year. Some seminars have cost members more to attend due to the higher cost of some speakers brought in from other states.

Who gets the newsletters?
Every member, to new llama owners (at member’s request), to prospective llama owners (in response to exhibits, etc), to vets (at member’s request), to our newsletter network, to advertisers, to youth who continually show, to members of Camelid Community, etc. Extra newsletters are printed for events forthcoming to have information available for handouts.

Why do you need to be a member of MLA or any other llama organization?
I have personally been a member of MLA since it was founded in 1990 and have been amazed at how the llama information has changed over the years as research continues.
In the early days, we not only didn’t have much information, but also didn’t have venues to show the animals or parades available. We also didn’t have any idea about fiber except that it was pretty. Now we have generated a whole group of fiber enthusiasts and have venues to show, sell, and learn more about it.
Being a member connects you to a support group to help you get ready for a show, find the medical information you need, points you to other possibilities for use of fiber, llamas etc.  If you don’t have time for the activities, you still are connected through the newsletter and now the website and hopefully we will provide some thought-provoking ideas that you might want to try.

Support of MLA members
As an organization, we give preference to members providing a service.