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All posts for the month February, 2011

While I could not make it to Farpoint in time for the brunch or meeting, thanks to my wife, Challenger’s counselor, I rallied my energy and banished the sniffles long enough to make the delayed journey yesterday to see friends from many chapters in the 7th Fleet.

I missed giving the roll call at the meeting but that duty was done instead by R7 Comm Chief Joe Dorffner. Everyone I spoke to was upbeat and was enjoying their time at the con even if the turnout over all seemed a bit low.

The 2nd annual R7 Brunch numbered about a dozen people I was told and our Starfleet meeting held an hour later was well attended and even ended early.

ICE BORGS TO BE PART OF NJ POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
I want to thank chapter cos Karen Mitchel and Annie Wheeler who helped me and the SF Polar Bear Plunge with their donations to our ICE BORG team for this coming Saturday’s annual Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights NJ. Most appreciated ladies much thanks.

As has been reported this year’s Starfleet Plunge team has adopted the theme of Ice Borgs and I can’t wait to see the interesting costume that Challenger engineer Capt. Patrick Barnes has come up with this year for the team’s members.

It is not too late to help provide us some financial support to support the cause of the Special Olympics. Just contact me to find out how. Lets hope the weather is relatively warm and snow free.

During the SF meeting R7 Chief of Staff Commodore Jeff Victor provided a report on the exciting status of the growing IC2011 to be held at the Pocono Manor in Pa. in August. If you have not yet registered for it, do so now and check us out on Facebook and on our IC website. Go to the regional website to find those links.

RC Wayne gave the run down on the state of the Region and as noted in my first Sub Space Chatter of this month our membership numbers are up in the region and most of our chapters have addressed their membership strength and reporting issues something that we are very happy about. Most chapters that have had issues concerning OTS/OCC certification have also addressed them.

Other topics discussed the region’s fundraising efforts and multi chapter activity plans.The Kilometer of Pennies will run until Shore Leave where presentations of checks will be made to those copper coins that have been collected at chapter meetings or other means. This money will go toward the regional coffers for our awards program trophies and costs connected to the region.

If you have any questions about this restored fundraising program, contact me for details.

INTERGALACTIC FOOD FESTIVAL RETURNS ON MARCH 6

I close with a shameless plug for two special events coming up next month in the Garden State. The first being the annual Intergalactic Food Festival that will be held on Sun. March 6 at 1pm to ? at the Seaside Heights Community Center. As always, you are encouraged to don a Star Trek uniform of any era or a costume or a SF, R7 or chapter T-shirt, sweat shirt etc.

Bring an edible food or drink that can accommodate 5-6 people. It can be an entree or a dessert. Bring a card or sheet that lists what the “alien description of your item is” and what it actually is. All we ask is that it be edible and non-alcoholic.

That isn’t to say though that we haven’t gotten interesting presentations of Romulan Ale, Saurian Brandy and Klingon Blood wine that were made of different styles of non alcoholic beverages.

This is an event that has been going on for nearly 2 decades now and is a celebration of Star Trek/Sci Fi and Starfleet chapters in Region 7. Past themes have included Mirror/Mirror, a Klingon-Human wedding, Bajor, etc.

We have no specific theme this year other than just coming together for a winter party celebrating the third month of the new year and the hoped for end of spring as we gobble up some creative food platters. Any questions feel free to hail me at 732-830-3262 or send an e-mail to co@usschallenger.org

USS STORM COMMISSIONING PARTY
I’m sure your CO got the invite in the mail so I hope your crew will be able to come out and have some fun with the USS Storm in the Atlantic City area in late March to celebrate their postponed commissioning celebration!

HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY
Well enjoy President’s Day tomorrow, have a slice of Cherry Pie in honor of Washington’s birthday (do some of you remember the days when doing that was kind of a tradition and the days when people used to put out those cardboard cutouts of Washington and Lincoln in their windows at this time of year?) and if you have the day off, enjoy it.

Hey who was your favorite Federation President? My vote goes for the Efrosican. <G> Actually I think during the course of the ST Saga we’ve only seen three Fed presidents if I’m not mistaken. Those that can name them and the episodes/movies you saw them by all means please post to this list.

Ahhh the first sense of spring is in the air today as I type this delayed edition of Sub Space Chatter our regional news bulletin. It seems many of us are enduring the winter blahs and will soon hit the first major sci fi con of the season in Maryland.

Some of you are there already such as ship cos and R7 staffers Jim and Mary Ann Puglise of Adamant/Ascension fame who will be showcasing their models at The Collective Table. Asst. Recruitment Director Mike Allen will be minding the store and coordinating the volunteer schedule at the Starfleet recruitment table. Please offer a hand to help out during the weekend.

Our Starfleet meeting is at 9 am at the same location as last year. Please see the con schedule for the exact location.

An hour prior to that you can break bread and enjoy breakfast with the RC for the second annual Farpoint Brunch at 8 am in the main restaurant in the hotel.

Feb. 26 is the annual Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights NJ and the Starfleet Plunge team, which has adopted the theme of Ice Borgs this year, would appreciate any financial support you can lend us. See me or R7 Chief of Staff Commodore Jeff Victor if you had a donation of a check or cash. Checks can be made out to Special Olympics, Polar Bear Plunge NJ.

Wayne will speak more about this at the meeting but our membership numbers are up in the region and most of our chapters have addressed their membership strength and reporting issues something that we are very happy about.

We still have a few ships who have been absent some MSRs or need their XO to get their needed OCC and OTS but we’ve noticed that issues like this have been lessening in recent months.

Jeff will be making a status update on the fun planned for Starfleet International Conference 2011 going on in the PA sector in August.

Other topics will include the region’s fundraising efforts and multi chapter activity plans.

I know I’m nursing a growing cold at the moment but I’m still hoping to see you all tomorrow.

For those who are not planning on going, I am sure we will have a complete report following the con on our regional lists.

As always should you have a project idea, compliment, complaint, question or problem that we can assist with. Let Wayne or I know.

The meeting was called to order the Wayne Augustson, Regional Coordinator for Region 7, at 0857.
There was a roll call of chapter. The following were present at the meeting: USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Adamant, USS Ascension, USS Asimov, USS Britannic, USS Challenger, USS DeBraak, USS Edinburgh, USS Matrix, USS Pride of Baltimore, USS Richthofen, USS Sovereign, USS Susquehannock and USS Top Gun.
There was a roll call of the Regional Staff. The following Staff members were present: Regional Coordinator Wayne Augustson, Vice Regional Coordinator Bob Vosseller, Chief of Staff Jeff Victor, Chief of Communications Joseph C Dorffner Jr,
Chief of Staff Jeff Victor gave the Staff reports who were not present. The Recruiting website has been updated. 
Awards will be kicking off at the end of the month. There will be some changes this year. If you still produce a paper newsletter, Beryl only needs 1 copy this year. There will be 2 seperate awards for newsletters this year, one for electronic and one for paper. The awards will start March 1st, and will run until April 1st. The Junior Member Award has been removed this year.
The website is currently being updated. The Awards page will be finished updating by the end of the weekend at the latest. 
We have deleted the position of Shakedown Operations Officer for the Region. 
Vice Regional Coordinator Bob Vosseller did not give his report. Due to feeling sick, Bob was unable to make it to Farpoint. 
Regional Coordinator Wayne Auguston gave his report. Wayne welcomed all to the meeting. Wayne also thanked those who attended the R7 Breakfast. We have had a couple new chapters that have launched, the USS Schweitzer and the USS Serling. With the new Command Staff at Starfleet HQ, Operations is looking big time at chepter numbers as well as qualifications for COs and XOs.
The bidding period for the Regional Conference for 2012 is open. The guidelines have been changed, making bidding a little easier and more affordable.
We have 2 fundraising events going on currently. 
We may have another Command Summit possible in October.
We are looking at possibilities of starting the Regional picnic or holiday party.
Jeff Victor gave an update on IC2011. We have lots of great stuff going on for programming. We have an updated schedule on the website. 
Joseph C Dorffner Jr gave an update on Marine activites within the Brigade. Awards for the Marines will run at the same time as the Region’s. We still need the MSGs to send in their bi-monthly reports. If you are a CO of a new chapter, please let us know.
Bob Vosseller gave out the Reporting Awards. The following chapters received Complete Reporting Commendations for 2010 (Complete meaning the chapter filed a report every month, but at least one report was filed after the 5th of the month): USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Albany, USS Avenger, USS DeBraak, USS Hecate, USS Iwo Jima, USS McAuliffe, USS Richthofen, and the USS Storm. The following chapters received Perfect Reporting Commendations for 2010 (Perfect meaning reports were sent in by the 5th of the month every month): USS Britannic, USS Challenger, USS Edinburgh, USS Highlander, USS Inferno, USS Justice, USS Matrix, USS Niagara, USS Osiris, USS Pride of Baltimore, and the USS Susquehannock. 
The floor was then opened up for questions from the floor.
Chris Carothers was introduced as the Chief of Computer Operations. If you are having problems with the database, please let him know.
Karen Carothers discussed the Trek Olympics. Karen also let the group know she is the new CQ editor.
Chris Carothers discussed the Richthofen’s annual camping trip at Gettysburgh this year.
Stacy Cress discussed an idea for fundraising for the Region, producing a calander promoting Regional activities. It will be sold at Shore Leave this year.
Joe Hoolihan discussed plans for activities in the Maryland area, including a Trek night with the Bowie Baysocks, the minor team for the Orioles. The game will be Friday, May 20th. Those who come in uniform will get in for free, and those who show their Starfleet ID will get $4 off their admission. 
The Avenger has events running thru April. 
Wayne made his closing remarks at the end of the meeting, and adjourned the meeting at 0948.