Everything You Need to Know About the RRRoundup!

Everything you need to know about the 1st Annual SUGAR Group RRRoundup!!

Brought to you by the Letter R
(And the good folks at the SUGAR Group)

One R for Research
One R for Rescue
And the other for Roundup - a fun filled gathering hosted by the SUGAR group!

The SUGAR Group will be hosting an educational, study-based gathering in the Amarillo region of Texas. This will be unlike any other gathering you have attended! With a focus on research and rescue needs, this gathering will put strong emphasis on data collection and research planning. We have been hard at work for many months planning this gathering and assure you that the surprises we reveal in the coming months will excite you and entice you to attend.

Details will be revealed as we are able to confirm them. But, we wanted to put the dates out there now to enable you to begin planning. We will post hotel information and other exciting details in the next few weeks.

RRRoundup dates will be Feb. 19-21, 2010
There are planned activities that you will not want to miss on all 3 days, so mark your calendars and plan to attend!


Updated Tentative Schedule

Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010

Afternoon

Volunteering at Kingdom Kritters Rescue & Sanctuary
(lunch provided for those that volunteer)

Evening

Dinner together (not provided by SUGAR group)
Pouch Bingo

Night

Ghost hunting in Val's building
For those that don't wish to ghost hunt, we will just hang out

FRIDAY, Feb. 19, 2010

Morning & Afternoon

Free wellness checks

Night

Kick-Off Dinner

SATURDAY, Feb. 20, 2010

Conference
Food, food, food
Data collection
Secret Suggie Gift exchange
Raffle
Vending

SUNDAY, Feb. 21, 2010

Send-Off breakfast with vet packets handed out and explained
Job Fair


HOTEL INFORMATION

Holiday Inn express & Suites
1351 West Wilson
Borger, TX 79007
806-274-3333
http://www.hiexpress.com/borger-tx

SUGAR Group Rate = $89.99 per night
Suites and Executive King rooms available on a first come basis

pictures available at the website listed above.

This Holiday Inn Express & Suites just opened last April and is a completely non-smoking facility. It sits next to a shopping plaza that has a Hastings (our book, music and video store/rental place), Dollar General and a car wash. Across the street are Wal-Mart, a credit union, a grocery store, Pizza Hut & KFC. It is a 3-5 minute drive from every other fast food place in town and the venue where the conference will be.

EVERY room includes a refrigerator, microwave, hair dryer, flat screen TV, wi-fi access, iron, ironing board & coffee pot.

Amenities include: Indoor pool & hot tub, fenced patio area, sweet shop, fitness center, business center, fire place in great/breakfast room, guest laundry facilities on the 2nd, 3rd & 4th floors & complimentary hot breakfast every morning from 6:30-9:30.

When registering, mention that you are with the SUGAR glider group to get this rate.

There will be NO pet fee, but gliders must not be in the breakfast area, fitness room or pool.


REGISTRATION

Registration for the RRRoundup will include:

* Shuttle service to/from airport (Wed-Mon.) and to/from each venue as needed
* All take-away materials for attendee and attendee's vet
* Kick-Off Dinner on Friday night
* Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner on Saturday
* A few special surprises
* Lunch served to those volunteering on Thursday

Registration Fees:
Early Registration (Nov. 25-Jan. 15, 2010) = $65
Registration (Jan. 16 - Feb. 15) = $75

We will offer the option of paying registration in two installments. For those that need this option, please contact Val through PM (Something_To_Believe_In/ Jackie_Chan's_Mom)

Register at http://www.thesugargroup.org/RRRoundup.htm


All Registration fees must be paid in full prior to the event.

VENDOR REGISTRATION

Vendor registration price is $15 for a table/space. Space is limited, so will be on a first come/first served basis.
This fee is also payable through paypal at sugargroup@hotmail.com.


CALL FOR DONATIONS

The SUGAR group staff is constantly reminded that the RRRoundup is the primary vehicle by which the SUGAR Group will raise funds to support the Necropsy Effort for the next year. The more money we can raise, the more people we can help with necropsy and histopathology costs. We also dream of being able to increase our rate of reimbursement for each event.
As always, we cannot meet our goals without your help. For those interested in giving for this cause, there are 3 different ways you can make a donation:

1 - RAFFLE DONATIONS

All vendors & individuals who donate an item or items to the raffle will be credited in the program for the event, provided that donations are RECEIVED by Feb. 1, 2010


2 - GOODIE BAG DONATIONS

We are anticipating 50 goodie bags. Again, anyone who donates will be credited in the program provided all donations are RECEIVED by Feb. 1, 2010.


3 - SUPPLY DONATIONS

In our effort to maximize the funds available for the Necropsy Effort, we have compiled a list of items that are needed for the RRRoundup. If you would like to contribute by donating one of these times, please contact Val by email at pickardsgal@yahoo.com and whe will give you the list. You can then tell her what you would like to donate and make arrangements to get the items to her before Feb. 1, 2010.


ALL donations can be sent to

SUGAR Group
c/o Val Betts
604 Deahl St.
Borger, TX 79007


We thank you so much for helping us to increase our research efforts through the Necropsy Effort.


GLIDER BUCKS

Want an opportunity to earn money to spend with our vendors at the RRRoundup? Well, this is your opportunity!

The SUGAR group will offer "Glider Bucks" to anyone that brings us a lab report, necropsy report or histopathology report. These Glider Bucks can then be used in place of $1 to purchase items from vendors at the event.

Here is how it works:

You bring copies of reports to us and turn them in at registration. We will accept any report that we do not already have. They do NOT have to be YOUR reports, so gather them from your friends between now and then.

As long as the report is new to us, we will give you Glider Bucks as follows:

* Bloodwork, C&S & other lab reports = 1 Glider Buck each
* Necropsy reports = 1 Glider Buck each
* Histopathology reports = 2 Glider Bucks each

Each Glider Buck = $1.00 and can be used with any vendor during vending time at the event (and only at the event).

So, gather up those reports and bring them to us! What a great way to save money while shopping with great vendors and help our research efforts at the same time!!


SECRET SUGGIE GIFT EXCHANGE

We will host a Secret Suggie Gift Exchange the weekend of the RRRoundup that will be unique and tons of fun! Conference Attendees are not required to participate. If you WANT to participate, you MUST indicate that you will participate on the registration form when you register (registration will open soon). Those participating must bring a wrapped gift valued at no less than $20. You will receive further instructions with your registration packet at the event. This one is going to be lots of fun!


FREE WELLNESS EXAMS!!!!!

We will be offering free wellness exams on Friday on a first come/ first served basis.

Dr. Walsh & Dr. Pearson (and perhaps two other vets) will be on hand to provide wellness checks to gliders Friday. Wellness checks will include physical exam, weighing, consultation with a licensed veterinarian and fecal exams (read by the vet).

EACH glider will be given a wellness check form, filled out and signed by the vet at the end of the examination. The SUGAR group will collect copies of each form for our research.

Visits with the vets will be scheduled on a first come basis, and can only be scheduled once registration is paid in full. Vet visits will occur roughly from 9-4 with a break for lunch.

SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED (by Val Betts):

Q: Why are we offering free wellness exams:
A: Two reasons:
1) We believe that it is important to ensure that there are no active infections in gliders that will all be in the same conference room the following day. By doing fecal exams on Friday, we have a great assurance that all of the precious babies we see and love on during the event on Saturday are healthy and that we are not spreading a parasite rampantly through the conference room.
2) The primary purpose for the SUGAR group's existence is Research. We assume that those attending the conference are also interested in research. Therefore, we will take this opportunity to collect data in many different forms throughout the weekend. One such way is through wellness exams. We have asked for the past year that people take these forms with them to each vet visit, have them filled out and returned to us. Several people do so. Many do not. This is one opportunity for us to get this information on many different gliders at one time.

Q: How do I schedule my free vet visits?
A: Pay your registration. After your fee is received, you will receive an email from us with a form that must be filled out. You will indicate that you wish to see the vet and how many gliders you will need to have examined. We will schedule you for the visits and you will receive your scheduled visit time in your registration packet. If we run out of time slots, you will be notified prior to the week of the RRRoundup.

Q: What about my privacy?
A: Vet visits will take place in a private room. The SUGAR group has always respected privacy and confidentiality. We have taken an oath to never reveal confidential information. IF your gliders test positive for a parasite, then the only people that will know are you, the vet and one staff member (myself or my sister). You are not obligated to share any information with anyone at the event (but are required to allow the SUGAR group a copy of your vet form).
We will ask that anyone with gliders that test positive leave your gliders in your room Saturday rather than bring them to the conference venue.
IF medication is needed, we will be able to get it from Dr. Pearson's office by Saturday morning (so your babies will have it ASAP).

EMERGENCY visits (should one be needed) will be given immediate attention by the vets.

The early registration rate for the RRRoundup ends in 4 days! Register Now to get the best rate!!!

Hope to see you all there!!!

Attention everyone who is coming to the RRRoundup and not driving!!! Please contact Shawna (USMom) with your scheduled arrival and departure times so she can make sure you get where you need to be when you need to be there. Shawna is in charge of the shuttling to and from the hotel. Thank you!!


Attention everyone who doesn’t know if they’ll be going to the RRRoundup yet!!! What are you waiting for? Is it too expensive? Carpool with someone and share a room! We have many exciting and educational things planned. We are all going to have a blast and learn things at the same time! Not only that, but we get free wellness exams for our gliders (first come first serve)! I know I’ll be saving $1000.00 on wellness exams and will be spending half of that to drive all the way from Minnesota. Everything we’re doing that weekend is all under one roof, so you don’t have to worry about driving anywhere once you arrive. Not only that, but fruits and veggies will be supplied for your gliders along with the staple food so you don’t even have to go to the grocery store. All proceeds from the event will be going to support The SUGAR Group and a winning rescue home. So, you’ll have a great time, learn things, and be able to help out worthy causes at the same time. What more can you ask for? Well, how about this, you can even go to Amarillo to see some Blackhawks and a prairie dog sanctuary! There will also be several surveys available so you can fill them out for The SUGAR Group there, if you’d like. So, get registered and come to the RRRoundup in February!

UNSW researcher to present at the SUGAR Group's RRRoundup in Feb.

UNSW researcher, Adrian Di Qual, will be in attendance at the SUGAR Group's RRRoundup in Feb. and will be presenting some of his research findings. You might remember Adrian and his research team from the research project that they conducted early last year which involved the collection of online surveys from this community.

Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) and other related species in Australia are disappearing due to land clearing and the introduction of foreign animals. The Gliders @ UNSW research team have been studying the biology of these animals as well as methods to conserve them. Recently, a survey was done using the experiences of Sugar Glider owners, in the United States and elsewhere, to find out more about their biology and how they are as pets. Results were found relating to: how they bond with people; their reproductive success; the prevalence of health issues; escapism; and the characteristics that make these animals rewarding pets. These will be discussed in terms of implications for pet owners and future conservation implications for Glider species.

Adrian Di Qual is currently at UNSW completing a postgraduate research program examining the issues related to the keeping Petaurus breviceps (Sugar Gliders) as pets, supervised by Professor Mike Archer, Dr Suzanne Hand and Dr Paul Hopwood (retired Subdean of Veterinary Science, U. Syd).


The SUGAR Group is very excited to welcome Adrian to the RRRoundup and to engage in cooperative research efforts with him and his team as we are able.

SECRET SUGGIE GIFT EXCHANGE

We will host a Secret Suggie Gift Exchange the weekend of the RRRoundup that will be unique and tons of fun! Conference Attendees are not required to participate. If you WANT to participate, you MUST indicate that you will participate on the registration form when you register (registration will open soon). Those participating must bring a wrapped gift valued at no less than $20. You will receive further instructions with your registration packet at the event. This one is going to be lots of fun!

OMG!!! It's next weekend, you guys - right around 10 days away!! Are you ready?!?

Oh My Stars!!! I am leaving here in 14 hours!!! I'll be stopping in Concordia, KS tomorrow night and then on my way to Val's Wednesday! Soooo excited!! Not ready!! Gotta go pack and clean!! Lol! Can't wait to see you all this weekend!!!