If the dues to your local guilds aren't too much $, I would recommend joining, even if you can't make every meeting. Then you'll get the newsletter and we get a 10% discount at LQS. My guild has local speakers, but once or twice a year we have a national speaker. We have UFO workshops and classes and an annual retreat available to members only. We have charity quilt donations twice a year. Our dues are $20 and we're at about 200 members.