Congratulations and thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 LRCTU On-Line Auction Fundraiser. This years auction raised over $14,500, before fees, which is almost four times greater than the amount raised in the initial LRCTU on-line auction held three years ago. At least 80% of the auction proceeds will be donated to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) Fisheries Department. The growth and success of the auction would not have been possible without the support of LRCTU members, local businesses, and guides who donated goods and services, volunteers willing to collect and deliver auction items, and members bidding generously.
The fall Trout in the Classroom (TIC) session concluded with the final trout release of the year on a frosty December morning at the Townsend KOA Campground. The TIC Committee continues to do an outstanding job of organizing and managing this program. LRCTU welcomed two (2) new schools into the program this fall with the addition of Walland Elementary and the Samuel Everett School of Innovation. If you are interested in becoming involved in the TIC program, contact Kim Emery (kim@topshelfedu.com).
It was recently announced that the Rock Creek Double Culvert is being replaced as part of the rehabilitation of the Cosby Entrance Road. Data from the Aquatic Organic Passage (AOP) Stream Barrier Surveys, conducted by LRCTU volunteers, was used to influence the decision to replace this culvert. Additional details regarding replacement of the double culvert with a single open bottom metal arch are provided later in this newsletter.
Bob Bishop
President
