Greetings fellow MTCU Members and Co-Op Sponsors, I hope our fall newsletter finds you well as we begin to prepare for the winter months and holidays.
Some of you may know that during our September elections there was a change in the “President Role” for our chapter. Mr. Fred Hess stepped down after leading the chapter for 4 years; we thank you Fred for being a fearless leader! With that being said, as the new President, I would like take this opportunity to briefly introduce myself.
I graduated in 2010 from York College with my BSN and currently work at York Hospital. I became involved with MCTU while dating my now husband and joined the chapter shortly after this. After joining, I took over researching fundraising ideas and chaired the t-shirt fundraiser. As time marched on I also began helping with our various mailings, and last year took over as Co-Op Chairperson. So, I guess one could say I have been “behind the scenes” organizing various aspects of the chapter for a while now. When Fred approached me about considering running for President, I was flattered, but at the same time slightly overwhelmed. My knowledge on the nursery is limited to what I have learned over the years as a member, and I have fished once; however, Fred assured me that there are many knowledgeable members among us that would help fill in the gaps. I am looking forward to my new role in the chapter. I hope to continue many of our traditions while also working to boost the membership numbers of younger individuals and families.
Now let’s get back to what really matters: our chapter up-date! We have had a productive summer once again participating in the Red Lion Street Fair-thanks to all who stopped by to say hello. The chapter also held our annual For Sight fishing event, and as usual this was a huge success. In fact, the students, staff and families presented the chapter with a plaque of appreciation. You may have seen us at the York Revolution “Kid Zone” manning the inflatables and carousel; this was a new fundraising opportunity for our group this year.
As for the nursery, it underwent an overhaul- some repairs/improvements were made and stocking equipment replaced. We received brown trout fingerlings to raise over the winter; once again our mortality rate is very low to date. I would like to thank Mr. Fred Wilt for accepting the role of Chair for the Co-Op/Nursery. The fish feeders, caretakers and stockers also deserve a BIG thanks for all the many hours they spend at the nursery keeping things running smoothly! On the conservation side of things, we are currently involved with Bonham Animal and Wildlife Sanctuary on a project entitled “Trout in the Bonham”. In fact, the student we sponsored at the RC Camp this past summer is working with us on the project in hopes to earn his Eagle Scout Award. There will be more to come on this in our spring newsletter, so stayed tuned!
I hope to see many of you at our monthly meetings over the winter. Please note these meetings will be held at Meadow Hill Restaurant. Feel free to join us at 6pm for dinner, and our meeting will commence at 7pm. You do not have to eat dinner to attend the meeting, and please feel free to bring a friend, spouse or prospective member.
Warmly,
Beth