MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR…..TO ONE & ALL !!!
WHAT DO….DAME JULIANA BERNERS & IZAAK WALTON….HAVE IN COMMON ??? Legitimately, you might ask, what does this have to do with your December column ? The answer is, not a Dog Gone Thing…I will leave you to ponder that intriguing question over the Christmas Holidays and I’ll attempt to wax eloquent on it in January. Be that as it may, I will tell you a little bit about our family “Christmas Gathering,” but first let’s get to the business at hand !!

NOVEMBER WEATHER, as I suggested last month, begins to get dicey. Little did I know, as our Fish Trap Team (Chinook) serviced the trap on 27 November, that we would be snowed upon. This occurred at the end of the wettest November on record for the state. Which, as you all know, is indicative of “life in the fast lane” on the Pacific Northwest Coast !!

You have heard it said, “When the going gets tough…The tough get going.” Well… this month’s Club Activity was not even impacted by our tough weather pattern….in fact….November was a Block Buster of “Can Do Attitude” displayed by the Club Membership !!!

It all began with a very well attended Breakfast Meeting at which various Club Members were recognized for their contributions to the successful U-DA-MAN Salmon Fishing Tournament. We also had a terrific guest speaker provide us with information regarding our ongoing SOLV Program Partnership to keep the Big Creek Reservoir litter free. As an aside, Wayne & I did a Litter Patrol Run & found both reservoir’s at full pool & relatively litter free. The Club held it’s 1st Annual Election of Club Officers for 2007. Then we got teamed up with ODFW to take on a weekly servicing of the Schooner Creek Fish Ladder & Trap. Talk about “Can Do Attitude.” Wayne Hill (AKA Big Fish) is the Ram Rod on this effort, working with 4 Team Leaders and 19 members all actively involved in this very rewarding 6 month commitment. It worthy of note, that Bill Furgason (AKA Sparky) pulled together an impromptu 6 person Fish Trapper Team to cover an open spot in ODFW’s Trap Schedule. In addition, we have had Tom & Jeannine Roederer working, with ODFW, on various projects including the Siletz River Fish Trap. About this same time, several members answered the ODFW Call for volunteers to help them with their Elk Tagging Program. (You have got to see Bud Roark (AKA Knots) in his BRIGHT RED Elmer Fud Hat !!) I bet you think we would have about run out of steam ??…..Oh No !!…..Our good friends Charles & Frida Burke let it be known to the Club, that it would be helpful to Charles (AKA Shutter Bug), if the Club could provide some drivers to help Shutter Bug to & from his weekly Physical Therapy Appointments. Yep, you guessed it, the “Can do Attitude” popped up again !! Once again, Sparky led the charge & 6 members are Standing Tall to act as drivers for Shutter Bug.

Can you see a similarity between a “Can Do Attitude” & “Christmas Spirit”?? We’ll take a look at that in a little bit.

DECEMBER in Nature is a time for all things to slow down. It is also a good time to reflect on how blessed we have been over the past year. We are going to try to do that with the Club. We will begin the month by having a fun low key Breakfast. The thrust of our gathering will be a “Hail & Fare Well” of the New & the Out Going Club Officers. This is an opportunity to recognize the unique contributions they all have made to our LVH Community, our City and to our fine Fishing Club. We will follow this event, later in the month, with a Special Holiday General Membership Meeting, which will be highlighted by the presentation of our 1st Annual “Joe Longo Award” to Jack Scherer & Charles Burke for their outstanding demonstration of Club support for 2006. We will also look back over this last year and reflect on the good times & camaraderie we have enjoyed by all being together in our common interest of Fishing. Speaking of fishing, our members caught a total of 16 Salmon this year & it looks like Kevin McCarthy may be the 2006 Salmon Club Award Winner. The award presentation will occur sometime in January.

In closing, let’s look at what makes a “Can Do Attitude” & “Christmas Spirit” so similar. I think it is that each require giving of yourself for something that is bigger than yourself. Why would we do that ? I think it is because it makes us feel good to know as human beings we can do something that has no price tag and no expected return, other than, it’s a good loving thing to do. Doesn’t that sound a lot like being a parent ?? Perhaps, you can understand why Mary & I are so looking forward to the “Christmas Gathering” of our family….Mark, John & Jeff….David & Carla will be with us in spirit, in as much, as they have a commitment that will keep them in New York City…. Be that as it may, we will count our blessings and enjoy our Holiday Time together.
THE HOOK