Re: NANFA-- Fw: Trading Post

Scott Davis (unclescott_at_prodigy.net)
Thu, 4 Jan 2001 19:25:47 -0600

Arrrgh! Sorry, I meant to post that off list to B.G.

However.... it's nice to be able to thank Ken, Kevin and Sajjad. The latter
two vowed never to do that again - but theirs was definitely one of our best
programs in the last several years. And some of the natives they brought
with them had people re-evaluating their stereotype of colorless North
American fishes.

The Greenwater club is pretty nearly the last of it's kind in Chicagoland
(although the Suburban A.S. group hangs on with a remnant - meeting in a
library on the northwest side) and unless a lot of us (me too) become more
diplomatic or grow beyond ourselves, it may not last another month.
Different visions of what it should be and a couple of very strong
personalities have made it a very unique year.

In contrast, it is interesting how many neat general clubs seem to be
hanging in there in moderately sized urban and small town areas. Sometimes I
think that in the larger cities the dedicated hobbyists get into specialty
groups; the general groups decline for lack of support from that core of
activists. In the last six months another guppy club and an aquatic
gardener's group have both sprung up in the Chicagoland region. Perhaps it
is a misconception, but the club activist to general population ratio seems
much smaller in the big city than elsewhere. Maybe it's that second and
third job and 90 minute commute...

I'm thrilled to hear that SWMAS is doing well. You've long had the
livebearer and killie people. Keep them a part of the club. The interest in
marine tanks and the collecting of natives after your fall show is
encouraging. Southwest Michigan has a legendary reputation among some of us.
It's been a while since I was given the privilege of driving through the
Lake snow up there to carry on about killies in "natural" set-ups or "our
friend the daphnia". Your auctions, even at the meetings, not to mention
after shows, are flat out dangerous. Operating on the premise that "one
should never let a temptation go by - it may not happen again," your
auctions have too many terrific temptations hardly ever seen elsewhere.

I'd like to drive my son (and a truck load of clean laundry) up to school a
couple of days early in order to drop by your meeting Friday tomorrow en
route. You know how well that would sit. ;) Hope to see you at the ALA
convention!

All the best!

Scott

> Which club is the last general club left? Too many chiefs or not enough
> chiefs.Our club in Kalamazoo, SWMAS, is bigger than ever. 111 members at
> last count.About three years ago it was kind of going down the tubes and a
> core group of the old timers took things over and got things going
> again.Everybody thought that things just happen but somebody has to make
> them happen. There is an offshoot marine club starting up and we are in
the
> formative stages of starting a killie group.
> Don't forget the ALA convention in Kalamazoo, April 27-29th.Attendees all
> get a free Kazoo!!!
> Jim Graham
> Hastings, MI
>
>
>
>
> .
> In the last couple
> > of years I persuaded Magilla into doing a natives programs for the CKA
and
> > got Kevin Maloney & Sajjad Lateef to put together a terrific
presentation
> to the last general club in the area.

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