I have question about Houston REIA and the meeting this Tuesday

[Herbert MacDonald]

It was suggested the I connect with the the Houston REIA (HOUSTON REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT ASSOCIATION) group in my area. So, I signed up and got free tickets to the monthly meeting for this month's Tuesday for me and a guest. They are also gifting me a real estate course after I attend the meeting (worth $229) ... I have never attended one of these and I'm a bit skeptical of the gift and free tickets.

What should I expect? I noticed on the web page they offer memberships. Joining seems like a an opportunity I should take, but other than making connections and meeting other investor, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to spend money joining an association as I'm just starting out and have yet anything to offer. 

Any advice?