STREAMS OF THOUGHT – NOTES FROM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT
It’s good to stop running around. Sometimes, one should just look at things and think about things without doing things.
— Hobbes of the “Calvin and Hobbes”
Heat—the standing in front of a blast furnace without a switch kind or maybe the so many activities or demands or things to do kind. This past month has been all of the above for me. Firstly, Trout Camp was completed successfully, although not without some sweatin’ chasing excited 14 young teen campers around for 5 days. These folks pictured above are some of the many volunteers that made this year’s camp a success; they are heeding tiger Hobbes’ advice, just watching and not doing things—a welcome break. Sweatin’ also included the physical kind; my Friday at camp involved a 9 mile foray up Lynn Camp for Brookies; ‘my camper’ did good with 5 while I think my fishing shirt soaked up about 5 quarts of sweat for the day—whew! The end of camp was a welcome break. A day the following week was with a friend who has discovered fly fishing and can’t get enough; while he ran and did, I spent some time looking and not doing which was very enjoyable. Hopefully your summer will be a balance of doing (including fishing) things, looking at things, thinking about things, and not doing things.
And while you’re thinking, think about participating in some of the many volunteer activities the Little River Chapter has to offer. Firstly, our July meeting will be a picnic at River Johns on July 21st; hopefully you will be ‘doing’ that one! Richard Barnes has a lengthy list of activities that need help; think about them and then do!!
STREAMS OF THOUGHT – NOTES FROM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT
TROUT CAMP 2022
Next week, I will be sharing the joys (and tribulations!) of fly fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains with 14 youth at the 11th session of the John Thurman Trout Adventure Camp. While no longer the director (in fact maybe because of it!) I am looking forward to making new friends and sharing new fishing adventures with these campers along with working with the camp staff to make this happen! Trout Camp becomes more popular each year with over 40 applications again for this session. The dedication of the Camp Staff is essential to this popularity; each member volunteers their time to make this happen. We are always looking for more staff as others move on with their lives; a great place to make an impact on young people! Also, perhaps a prayer for their comfort this year as temps are to be in the 90s during the week—Yikes. An ‘accidental’ slip and slide into the creek may be a more common occurrence this week!
STREAMS OF THOUGHT – NOTES FROM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT
“That Was Gross!… But So Much Fun!!”—A Trout in the Classroom Student after returning a trout to the wild after the ‘fish in the water’ demonstration by GSMNP Fisheries Technician Caleb Samuelson.
Trout in the Classroom Students
It was fun—and not gross!—for those LRCTU Members who participated in one or more of the Trout in the Classroom fish release programs this month. For those who haven’t been involved a complete program includes not only releasing the fish they have carefully nurtured through the semester in their classroom, but a presentation on bugs (“real fish food”), water quality, and some fish that populate a stream, presented by staff from the GSMNP or TVA or TWRA; sometimes we even teach a little fly-casting using practicastors! We presented the program to more than 500 students this spring and joined TU chapters from as many as 35 states passing on the message of conservation to some 100,000 students across the nation. I am proud of our TIC program, and am grateful for Jim Jeswald and Joyce Frey who have developed this program to its current high level. It just needs you to volunteer to help and be rewarded by these enthusiastic students who have been exposed to our conservation message as well as the positive influence that our TU members have exerted through this program. Think about it—Join us!
CHAPTER MEETINGS, FOOD SERVICE, AND … US
Our return to live chapter meetings has been very successful; more members have attended each meeting this year than I predicted (we have averaged somewhere around 45-50 members per meeting). This is great but has a down side—we have put a significant strain on the Blue Tick Tavern waitstaff. Because we (me) can’t predict accurately attendance we can’t make an accurate assessment for waitstaff needs. Furthermore, the Blue Tick is still operating short staffed. This combination has led to difficulties with food orders getting to our members in a timely manner which has led to frustrations on both our members and the waitstaff’s part. We have worked with the Blue Tick Management for a solution and have reached what I would view as a compromise. We will be ordering a number of pizzas based on my estimate of attendance; they will have water and tea available. If you want something further to drink, you need to attend the bar. This does create one problem; payment for the pizza. We have to rely on members to chip in some dollars to offset the cost of the pizza; the chapter can’t afford to continually pay for the pizzas (as those who have attended and done so, each member pays his/her own bar tab). Another consideration is that we have guaranteed a $400 minimum (including bar tabs) and $50 tip minimum for each meeting.
I believe the meal, no matter how simple (or minimalist), is an important part of our meeting. It provides time for socialization, meeting new members, and renewing relationships with other members. Also, because we pay no user fee for the room, income from the food service becomes our payment for the facility use. We need your help with offsetting the costs. If you have something to eat we are asking for you to contribute $10. I know some of you are going to say that is an expensive piece of pizza! True perhaps but maybe a small price to pay for a place to renew friendships and learn about some aspect of TU Life.
Please consider this as you attend a meeting. Thanks.
