Welcommittee
Encyclopedia
A welcommittee is usually a group of volunteers of an organization with the goal of reaching out to new members in a sort of Welcome Wagon
-approach. The word "welcommittee" is a portmanteau combining the words, "welcome" and "committee." Among some United Kingdom
residents, the word is sometimes shortened to "welco."
The term originated in the 1950s in science fiction
fandom
with the National Fantasy Fan Federation
which still has an active welcommittee. Other notable fandom-based welcommitees include the Star Trek Welcommittee started by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
and the British Science Fiction Association
. The concept also has been adopted by many host committees of various science fiction convention
s as an outreach to those new to fandom.
Although the welcommittee concept has a long history in fandom, with the advent of the Internet culture, term has evolved beyond the fandom subculture. A recent trend is for the term to be adopted by various wiki
communities. In fact, Wikipedia's sister project, Wikinews
has an active welcommittee.
Welcome Wagon
Welcome Wagon is a business in the United States operated by that contacts new homeowners after relocation, providing them with coupons and advertisements from local businesses. The company's full name is Welcome Wagon International, Inc....
-approach. The word "welcommittee" is a portmanteau combining the words, "welcome" and "committee." Among some United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
residents, the word is sometimes shortened to "welco."
The term originated in the 1950s in science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
fandom
Fandom
Fandom is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest...
with the National Fantasy Fan Federation
National Fantasy Fan Federation
The National Fantasy Fan Federation is one of the world's oldest science fiction fandom organizations. The organization was founded in April 1941 when all science fiction, horror, and fantasy literature was lumped into one category called "fantasy." The group actively encourages the development of...
which still has an active welcommittee. Other notable fandom-based welcommitees include the Star Trek Welcommittee started by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Jacqueline Lichtenberg is an American science fiction author.Many of her early novels are set in the Sime - Gen Universe, which she first described in a short story in 1969. Her other writings have dealt with fantasy and occult subjects, including articles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
and the British Science Fiction Association
British Science Fiction Association
The British Science Fiction Association was founded in 1958 by a group of British science fiction fans, authors, publishers and booksellers, in order to encourage science fiction in every form. It is an open membership organisation costing £26 per year for UK residents and £18 for the unwaged. The...
. The concept also has been adopted by many host committees of various science fiction convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
s as an outreach to those new to fandom.
Although the welcommittee concept has a long history in fandom, with the advent of the Internet culture, term has evolved beyond the fandom subculture. A recent trend is for the term to be adopted by various wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
communities. In fact, Wikipedia's sister project, Wikinews
Wikinews
Wikinews is a free-content news source wiki and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. The site works through collaborative journalism. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has distinguished Wikinews from Wikipedia by saying "on Wikinews, each story is to be written as a news story as opposed to an...
has an active welcommittee.