Seneca Valley Trout Unlimited

Effective with the election to be held at the Chapter Meeting in January 2009, I will be resigning the position of President of Seneca Valley Trout Unlimited (#369).  I am retiring and my wife and I will be spending much of our time in West Virginia.  During my two separate terms as President, I have enjoyed working with some very dedicated members, wonderful people who have largely been responsible for the running of the Chapter.  I will truly miss working, and fishing, with them.

As I leave this position, I want to make a plea to those of you who have not been active in the Chapter to come forward, get involved, and make a difference.  Any organization is always in need of people who can generate new ideas; ideas that will help keep the organization – in this case, the Chapter – viable and active.  In addition to attending Chapter meetings, there are many positions that you could fill, each a vital part of the Chapter’s activities – President; Vice President; Secretary; Treasurer; Chair of the Education, Conservation, or Program Committees; Member of the Board of Directors; Newsletter Editor; Delegate to the Mid-Atlantic Council.  I can assure you, from my almost 20 years of experience in filling most of the roles mentioned above, as well as some in the Mid-Atlantic Council of TU, that these are not difficult or time consuming tasks, and they don’t require any special training or knowledge.  You do not have to be a fisheries biologist, stream ecologist, expert in stream restoration, etc.  The important thing is that you have an interest in protecting and improving our coldwater fisheries.  A bonus is that you gain some fishing buddies and learn about new places to fish.

So, if a member of the Nomination Committee contacts you about taking a more active role in the Chapter, don’t immediately tell them no.  Talk with them about what is involved, ask questions, and then take some time to really consider the offer.  If fact, don’t even wait for someone to ask you, volunteer now.  If, for some reason, you can’t fill one of the above roles, come on out to one of our children’s clinics and help out.

If you have any questions about any of the positions, please send me an e-mail at stanoaks@gmail.com.  Thanks for your continued support of the Chapter and I hope to see you at the upcoming September 24 meeting, our first after the summer break.     

Stan Oaks, Jr.

President

Our next Chapter meeting is Wednesday, September 24, 2008.  We meet in the Up-County Government Facility at Middlebrook and Route 118.  The meeting is from 7:00-9:15; we spend the first hour just talking among ourselves and meeting new members and guests, have a very brief business meeting at 8:00, and the speaker starts at 8:15. 

The speaker for the September 24 meeting will be from Southern Cross Outfitters.  I do not have a title for his talk yet, but it will be on fishing large streams for big trout, as they run trips to Patagonia in South America.  Some of the topics we expect to cover at future meetings – scheduled for Dec 3, Jan 28, March 25, and May 27 — include fishing for steelhead, fly tying, and an update on the Beaver Creek project.

If you are a member but haven’t come to one of our meetings, please stop in, as we would love to meet and talk with you.  Our members cover much of Montgomery County and Washington County, range from beginners to expert fisherman/woman, and we fish all types of water, with both flies and spinning gear.

Drop me a note at stanoaks@gmail.com, if you have a question or a suggestion for a future program.

Hope to see you at a meeting.

Stan Oaks

President

Seneca Valley Chapter TU - #369