Half-minds

Spring is the time when a young man's thoughts turn to those of... HASHING.  Or something like that. 

For quite a while I've asked Willie Singleton to share some of his thoughts about the years spent on trail.  He and I first met in 1994 at a rugby bar in Rotorua after a particularly smelly run.  Since that time I've learned that he has over 1000 (yes, 1000!) hashes with the DCH3 and attended 10 Interhashes.  This year he will participate in his tenth InterAmericas Interhash, as well.  That's a lot of time slogging through shiggy, a lot of beer and an incredibly understanding spouse!

What Willie has chosen to discuss is a newly emerging style of large event sponsorship.  True to form, he's ever-polite, stressing the positive and what we can learn by cooperative efforts.  Look for him in Toronto, and, ladies, get a hat!

Enjoy!

Watergate

GOA COMES TO IAH?

I am constantly impressed with the hard work and competent management skills that Hashers exhibit.  Whether it is the weekly local Hash, a significant Hash anniversary celebration, a regional special event, Nash Hash, Americas’ Interhash, or even the world Interhash, things always seem to work out.

Even more amazing is that people continue to volunteer to host major Hash events.  Already three groups are bidding for Interhash 2008 and there are two attractive choices for IAH 2007.  I am not sure how long our luck will last with this steady supply of eager hosts; but, I do have some observations about how various prior hosts have innovatively handled their many responsibilities and how the number and variety of potential large event hosts can be increased.

Traditionally, the Interhash and IAH have been hosted by a single Hash or a collection of Hashes in the same locale.  This changed when the New Zealand Hashes together put in a national bid to host Interhash at Rotorua in 1994.  Similarly, the Interhash at Cardiff last year was a UK national affair.  At both events, Hash runs were carried out by local clubs from around the entire country.  From the moment you stepped on a bus, the entire operation (bus monitors, hares, sweeps, beer check, and circle) was managed by one or more clubs working together.

Interhash cooperation was taken to an even higher level in 2002.  In Goa, there was not one local or national host.  Rather, an international committee was assisted by numerous guest hares from around the world.  Toronto, Edmonton, and Ft. Eustis VA were among the clubs that hosted runs; DCH3 was pleased to help Ft. Eustis H3 in its successful volunteer venture in Goa.

With veterans Rose Eh and Sex Toy in the lead, Toronto will be using the “Goa model” for some of the IAH 2005 runs.  According to the hash website, Toronto has 10 local people chairing or co-chairing 11 different sub-committees, but the actual trails will be set and managed by guest hares.  DCH3 and Ft. Eustis H3, America’s two oldest Hashes, will again host one of the several runs.

Other Hashes will work with IAH trailmaster Birdbrian so that the number of people needed to make an IAH work does not exceed Toronto’s local supply.  Birdbrian or one or two of his subcommittee members will team with each group of guest hares so that the wheel need not be reinvented at good run sites.  This cooperative delegation allows our IAH hosts to concentrate on the big picture.

More importantly, it allows Hashers who have never been hosts of large events – or thought they could be hosts – a chance to understudy and contribute to operations by being guest hares.  An evolution of the “Goa model” can greatly expand the number of potential hosts and locations as a large local membership is no longer a requirement for hosting a large Hash event.