[mrmummert]

I too have to mirror what everyone has been saying...we won the same award
in our rookie year (2005) . We would'nt have even known we could go, but for the fact one of the members of the team had studied the awards and mentioned
it to our team leader. We made the decision to go on that saturday at the regional (Nasa/VCU) and scrambled to find the money to go. Our team leader
used some of her own family personal money to cover somethings until
grant money could be found to replace it. Also...contact your local school
board to see if they can allocate funds for this. Our local school board
has helped with transportation money and this year spent money to provide
us with a new place for the team (the reason we did'nt compete this year
was we had no place to build until this was done) We'll be back next year and
some of us are volunteering this year.

Its gonna take some fast wheeling and dealing to get what you need. Don't miss any opportunity to raise funds. We did one fund raiser that we made 700.00 off of.If anyone can make a temporary loan that can be covered you
could do that too.

You all being a new team...try to find ways to keep it cheap. While it would
be nice to take all team members...that first year we were faced with the possibility that only the very core of the team would have went. Luckly we
all were able to go. If its cheaper...find a hotel further out of Atlanta
where prices might be cheaper . We had to use a charter bus while
in Atlanta. A nearby team to us at the time (former team 616) flew down
except a couple of mentors who drove with tools and other stuff they needed. If you can find a hotel near the Marta transit system and have a
mentor or two who can drive your parts, tools and pit stuff there that could help.

I work for BAE SYSTEMS who sponsor a lot of First teams and events. I don't know how far from San Diego or San Francisco you are, but BAE does help out local teams in those areas (at least thru BAE's shipyards in those areas) Contact them and see if they could help. Do a web search for BAE SYSTEMS in California. There are also other groups from BAE
(besides BAE ship repair who i work for) who are sponsors for FIRST teams also. The local BAE group i work for sponsors 6 teams here.