For the second year in a row, I get to proclaim “The State of the Union Club is strong”.
Some indicators of our strength:
- Our finances are strong: In November, our treasurer, Jim, reported that our bank account was about $42,000. Since then we have had additional membership renewals and an upcoming sold-out fundraising dinner which will strengthen our financial position.
- Our philanthropy is strong: In 2024, we will contribution $4,000 to to Fishing and Conservancy organizations. Also, club members have been generous in volunteering work hours for local conservation programs. And in 2024, we will again provide $3,200 in total scholarships, to eight seniors from the eight Santa Cruz public high schools going on to study environmental science.
- Our membership is growing: In 2021, we had 150 in the club directory, in 2023, we had 175 in the club directory and in 2024 we will have at least 210 members listed. That is a significant growth over three years!
In 2023, I tried to emphasize Fellowship as a way to improve the value that the club to each member. I hope that your interactions with the club and other members have been positive.
As we look forward, I can easily see the club getting to 250 members in the next year or two. I worry that our current structure of 16 members of the SCFF Board of Directors managing all the club activities will limit the club. We need a way to get more club members to participate in planning and running activities; we need to figure out how to scale the club.
A step in the right direction is what Bob Garbarino has done by creating Conservation Committee. Suddenly he has involved three more club members in providing insight and effort to tackle conservation issues for the club. I am hoping that we will be able to reach out and get more members involved in helping in the areas of fly fishing education, fish-outs, and technology. If you have suggestions to help grow the club, I would love to hear from you.
Now for a few notices:
- There will be NO General Meeting in February. The next meeting will be March 6th.
- The Fly Fishing Film Tour will be at the RIO Theater in Santa Cruz on February 10th. This is the ONLY showing of the film near the Bay Area. The next closest showing will be in Sacramento.
- Please attend the Pleasanton Fly Show from February 23-25th. There are not a lot of places that you can touch products or try a fly rod in the United States. Without good attendance, the Bay Area may lose its last fly fishing show.
- Thank you to those who are attending our Annual Fundraiser. The team has been working very hard at it and know that you will have a good time.
Oh yeah, Happy Valentines,
Scott Kitayama, President of the Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club
Posted on January 25th, 2024