LUGs in the time of coronavirus
Posted by Huw,
Gary Scheppke of Windy City LUG discusses how to keep your LEGO User Group ticking over when you can't meet in person and put on shows:
The hobby/art/plaything that we all love is once again very popular now. Store shelves are bare and even LEGO is, at times, having trouble keeping up with demand. But it isn’t because of a new movie or popular set. LEGO is a great thing to do when you are social distancing and sheltering in place to keep safe from the outbreak of COVID-19.
However, as great as it is to build LEGO on your own during these times, many of us enjoy building LEGO with others through LEGO User Group communities. So how does a LUG function when no one can get together?
Our group, Windy City LUG, started after meeting at the 2019 Brickworld Chicago show. We wanted a LUG that was specifically designed around encouraging and helping our members and the LEGO community at large expand their building skills. Our group met monthly, shared tips, had shows, and did non-LEGO related events as a group too. But in less than a year after our formation, the Coronavirus hit, and we were all stuck at home like everyone else. We were now a LUG that couldn’t do anything together, a group of members by themselves.
“I had plans to go to three Lego fan conventions this year,” WCL member Casey states, “The most I’ve been to in a single year, including my 10th consecutive Brickworld. Having all the cons and local shows cancelled meant I wasn’t going to see my friends, especially those I only get to see once or twice a year.”
Even though, in the grand scheme of things, LEGO conventions are not as important as the health and safety of the public, many other LUGs had the same thoughts and feelings since conventions and shows are the main way they participate in the LEGO community. Windy City was a new LUG, and we realised that if we didn’t adapt quickly, we wouldn’t be a LUG for long. So we took inspiration from the little plastic bricks that we love so much and endeavoured to stay connected.
LUG meetings and informal build and chats all migrated to the virtual world.
“As soon as the stay-at-home order was announced, WCL quickly made a plan on how to stay connected,” WCL member Nick says. “Having a routine of knowing when I can chat with my friends gives me something to look forward to each week.”
We added monthly seed part challenges and instructional seminars like “Basic Gearing” hosted by members like Nathan. We quickly realised that even though they weren’t the same as meeting in person, they were still just as important.
Whether its AFOLs or the world in general, a sense of community is integral to our lives. It’s times like these when it just takes more effort to maintain that community. So I say to all fellow LUGs, AFOLs, and human beings, be like the LEGO brick and stay connected, any way you can.
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3 comments on this article
Thanks for posting my article @Huw!
Wow look at that tree!
Great to see other LUGs taking on the digital transformation successfully.
Big shout out to LondonAFOLs as well for having ZOOMing meetups!