wow - there is no way i would pay $12 a week. i am fortunate to belong to a sewing "group" that managed to get a building for our use and we are responsible for the utilities. our leader - the one who started it - figured out the fairest way for us to be able to pay the utilities was to charge a small amount per visit. so if you go out only once a month during the regular meeting you pay $2. if you want to go out more than that you pay $2 every time you go out. so far we are able to make the utility payments as well as have people come in and demonstrate from local quilt shops. i belonged to a larger guild at one time and got really fed up with paying yearly dues but when they had workshops it was limited to a certain amount (which i fully understand) and usually held during the week when those of us that work usually could not attend. the killer was the guild would pay half the cost of these workshops for the select few that attended. the same ones were always attending. i don't think that they should give "discounts" unless everyone got one!