Hope everyone was able to enjoy the “January spring” we had last week!
We kicked off 2026 with a bang thanks to the hard work and organization of Brian Murray and our Fly Tyers. Wilderness Wildlife Week couldn’t have gone any better. Both bus tours to the Gatlinburg Hatchery filled up (or came very close), and once we arrived, Gatlinburg Trout Facility Manager Travis Williams did a fantastic job with his presentation. During both bus rides, Bernie Maloy gave passengers a great overview of our chapter and the work we do.
Dave Tolliver also put in a tremendous amount of time creating a great presentation. Did you know that LRCTU has collected water samples in five watersheds in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park every two months since 1993? That’s 33 years and counting! That one surprised me, but then, so does the fact that 1993 was 33 years ago.
At the booth, we met a lot of new people, put faces to names we already knew, and had a great time sharing who we are and what we do. We had 16 people sign up for the newsletter, and quite a few of them also expressed interest in volunteering at upcoming events.
If you’re not familiar with Wilderness Wildlife Week, I encourage you to put it on your calendar for next year. If you love this area and the outdoors, there’s something there you would truly enjoy.
Please be aware the Norton Creek Clean-up is Saturday, January 24. It would be great to see you there! There is a lot of area to cover. Email Dan Spradlin danielspradlin93@gmail.com if you would like to join us.
Happy New Year!
Kim Emery
President
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