Wasn’t the 2026 Quarterly bid presentation awesome? I’m super excited to know where we’ll be gathering next year! I thought I’d take a moment to share a breakdown of how we arrived at the registration and meal costs. It’s not an exact science, but thanks to a fantastic budget planning spreadsheet, we’ve got a pretty solid process dialed in.
Here’s where we’ll be in 2026:
- January 3–4: Seven Cedars Casino & Resort (Sequim)
- April 10–11: Grace Lutheran Church (Des Moines)
- July 10–11: Summit Pacific Wellness Center (Elma)
Seven Cedars (Sequim)
- Main room rental: $2,000 + tax = $2,175
- Side room for Archives & Registration: $350 + tax = $380
- Badges, printing, Stripe fees, travel, misc.: $550
- Coffee/tea for 100 people: $600
- Water: Included
- Snacks: None
Total registration cost estimate: $3,700
= $25/person @ 150 paid registrants OR
= $30/person if 100 ppl attended in-person + $15/person if 50 ppl attended online
Meals:
- Boxed lunch: $20 + service & tax = $27
- Ice cream: $16 + service & tax = $21
- Friday no-host dinner: Yes, restaurant options available
Grace Lutheran Church (Des Moines)
- Main room rental: $550 (no tax)
- Side room: None available
- Badges, printing, Stripe fees, travel, misc.: $460
- Coffee/tea (Costco + volunteers): $365
- Water (store bought): $100
- Snacks (store bought): $150
Total registration cost estimate: $1,625
= $11/person @ 150 paid registrants
= $13/person if 100 ppl attended in-person + $7/person if 50 ppl attended online
Meals:
- Boxed lunch: $18.50 + tax = $21
- Ice cream (store bought & volunteer served): $5
- Friday no-host dinner: Yes, restaurant options available
Summit Pacific Wellness Center (Elma)
- Main room rental (includes cleanup/stage): $370
- Side room: None available
- Badges, printing, Stripe fees, travel, misc.: $600
- Coffee/tea: $490
- Water: Included
- Snacks (store bought): $250
Total registration cost estimate: $1,665
= $11/person @ 150 paid registrants
= $13/person if 100 ppl attended in-person + $7/person if 50 ppl attended online
Meals:
- Boxed lunch: $14.50 + service & tax = $20
- Ice cream: $6 + service & tax = $8
- No nearby restaurant options for Friday, so we’ll offer a fajita buffet dinner for $18 (includes tax & service)
A Quick Note on Cost Planning
These numbers will be fine-tuned once contracts are finalized, but this is the framework we used for the bid presentation. “Travel” includes mileage reimbursement for the Alternate Chair, who is the liaison between Western Washington Area 72 and host committees, to attend pre-event walk-throughs about a month in advance. These site visits help us map out table and chair placement and plan the flow of the weekend.
Food for Thought: Are We Fully Self-Supporting?
As we’ve worked through this planning process, I’ve been thinking about our pricing model—specifically the practice of charging less for online attendance while in-person attendees pay more. While it makes sense on the surface, it raises the question: are we being fully self-supporting as a fellowship?
Those attending online are already saving on travel, lodging, and meals. Should they also pay significantly less for registration? Would a single registration cost—regardless of attendance type—better reflect our commitment to self-support?
I don’t have the answer yet. Right now, we’re following the Area’s established approach. But I’m curious to hear how other Areas handle this. I’ll report back as I learn more! In the meantime, email me your thoughts on this question to altchair@area72aa.org.
In fellowship,
Lisa S.
Alternate Chair, Area 72
