Category: Chapter Business
CORRECTION
Please note that if you receive the PA Trout newsletter in the mail or view it on-line, the report for our chapter is incorrect. At the end of the report, it inaccurately mentions a picnic for July 16 at the Kingston Sportsmen’s Club. There is no chapter picnic this year. We had a banquet for our 50th anniversary, and will not have a picnic this summer.
FTTU Recognizes Outstanding Volunteers at Annual Meeting
Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited held its annual membership meeting last evening at the Nimick Education Center in west Ligonier. The meeting included the election of Officers and Directors. Forbes Trail also used the event to recognize several outstanding members for their service. The Chapter has a selection of formal awards they present to TU members and other individuals and businesses from the community.
The Chapter recognizes businesses in the area that have worked closely with TU to support our mission. This year’s winner of the Ed Bordas Memorial Business Support Award is the new PA Fly Co tackle shop, owned and operated by TU Director, Doug Yocabet. The shop is located on top of three-mile hill east of Mt. Pleasant on Rt. 31. Doug has opened his shop for monthly Chapter meetings in the classroom portion of the facility. We have partnered with PA Fly Co on fly tying classes for ladies and youth, community events and special TU activities. It’s a great symbiotic relationship being able to support each other while we meet the needs of our members and the community.
Our Russ Mowry Memorial Silver Trout Award is reserved for individuals who have gone above and beyond in volunteering their time and talents. This year’s award goes to Ron Miller of Latrobe. Ron has volunteered an incredible amount of time working on the Chapter’s Coldwater Conservation Plan for Linn Run, assisting with stream conservation programs as well as fly tying and fly-fishing activities with area schools. He helps with our annual fishing event for military veterans and leads a group of volunteers to help Linn Run State Park and State Forest staff treat hemlock trees for the invasive Woolly Adelgid that is threatening our forest. Ron has raised the bar for all of us who volunteer our time pursuing TU’s mission in our communities.
We also saluted one of our members who has served the Chapter as a volunteer and officer for over two decades. Scott Minster from Latrobe has managed our web site, our newsletters, fundraisers and designed promotional materials for Chapter events. Our newsletters recently won an award and special recognition from PA TU Council thanks to Scott’s efforts. Scott’s pro bono services saves the Chapter thousands of dollars each year. And while Scott records the minutes of every meeting, he still finds time to volunteer his services on our Linn Run studies, annual military fishing event and other community activities. To recognize his special service, Scott was presented with a Life Membership in Trout Unlimited which includes his choice of a high-quality fly rod.
It is our chapter’s pleasure to recognize exceptional performances!
FTTU Leadership Slate Set for 2021-2022
The Forbes Trail Chapter officers and directors were set for the coming year at the Annual Meeting in October. A new director, Angela Schultheis was elected to the board and Hank Balles was re-elected – both for three year terms. Angie is also FTTU’s Women’s and Diversity Chair. The line-up of officers remains the same, all have one year remaining on their two-year terms.
Congratulations to Angie and thanks to outgoing director Dr. Lou Izzo.
Directors – 1-year term
Rod Cross – Acme
Doug Yocabet – Acme
Directors – 2-year term
Milt Claney – Greensburg
Ron Rodgers – Greensburg
Directors – 3-year term
Hank Balles – Ligonier
Angela Schultheis – Latrobe
Directors Emeritus
Tom Evans – Ligonier
Ralph Koscianski – Greensburg
Bob Shusko – Ligonier
Officers
President – Larry Myers – Greensburg
Vice President – Denny Hess – Irwin
Treasurer – Monty Murty – Laughlintown
Secretary – Scott Minster – Bradenville
Committee Chairs
Finance – Bob Shusko – Ligonier
Conservation – Denny Hess – Irwin
Rock Run – Ralph Koscianski
Women & Diversity – Angela Schultheis – Latrobe
Loyalhanna Watershed Association Liaison – John Albright – Youngwood
Newsletter/Website – Scott Minster – Bradenville
Facebook/Social Media – Doug Yocabet – Acme, Angela Schultheis – Latrobe
Fundraising – Monty Murty – Laughlintown
Veterans – Larry Myers – Greensburg
Youth Education – OPEN
Education – Rod Cross – Acme
Membership – Bonnie Robinson – Ligonier
Notice of Annual Meeting
Our next monthly meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 6 at 6:00 PM and it will be at the Bear Rocks Community Center east of Mt. Pleasant. The Center is on Big Spring Road. Coming from Mt. Pleasant east on Rt. 31, go up 3-mile hill and turn right near the top before a brown building, which is Doug and Michele’s new fly shop, then turn left at the Pizza Shop. Continue to the Bear Rocks Community brown, wooden sign. The club is on the right, parking on the left. We are not requiring masks but some may prefer to wear them.
This is also our Annual Membership Meeting. We will hold an election to fill two vacancies for Directors positions. We have changed the format of our meetings somewhat. The Executive Committee will conduct business in advance of the monthly meetings and report significant decisions to the members. That, we hope, will minimize the length of the business meetings. Committees will still need to be prepared to give their reports and we’ll update members on all upcoming activities. Then, at the end of each meeting we will allow time for socializing and provide light food and soft drinks. This will allow members more time to catch up on fishing and other activities. Our November monthly meeting will be back at the Loyalhanna Watershed barn in Ligonier.
Slate of Officers and Directors Approved for 2021-22
At our annual meeting on October 7, 2020, members approved the proposed line-up of Directors and Officers for the next 2-year term.
Directors – 1-year term
Hank Balles – Ligonier
Lou Izzo – Jeannette
Directors – 2-year term
Rod Cross – Acme
Doug Yocabet – Acme
Directors – 3-year term
Milt Claney – Greensburg
Ron Rodgers – Greensburg
Directors Emeritus
Tom Evans – Ligonier
Ralph Koscianski – Greensburg
Drew Banas – Ligonier
Bob Shusko – Ligonier
Officers
President – Larry Myers – Greensburg
Vice President – Denny Hess – Irwin
Treasurer – Monty Murty – Laughlintown
Secretary – Scott Minster – Bradenville
Committee Chairs
Finance – Bob Shusko – Ligonier
Conservation – Denny Hess – Irwin
Rock Run – Ralph Koscianski
Women & Diversity – Angela Schultheis – Latrobe
Loyalhanna Watershed Association Liaison – John Albright – Youngwood
Newsletter/Website – Scott Minster – Bradenville
Facebook/Social Media – Doug Yocabet – Acme, Angela Schultheis – Latrobe
Fundraising – Monty Murty – Laughlintown
Veterans – Larry Myers – Greensburg
Youth Education – Drew Banas – Ligonier
Education – Rod Cross – Acme
Membership – Bonnie Robinson – Ligonier
Annual Meeting
FTTU’s Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 6:00 pm at the Bear Rocks Community Club, 161 Big Springs Road, Acme, PA. Note that the location has been changed from the Nimick Center in Ligonier as listed in the Trails newsletter. We realized we would need a larger room to allow for more distancing. Attendees are asked to wear a face covering.
At this meeting we will elect a new slate of officers and directors, review a budget for the next year, and discuss possible projects for 2021.
Click HERE for directions.
October Meeting Venue Change
Due to limits on groups at our usual meeting place, the Nimick Center in Ligonier, we have decided to move the October meeting to the Bear Rocks Community Club located at 161 Big Springs Road, Acme, PA 15610. Take Route 31 east from Mount Pleasant and turn right on to Bear Rocks Road, make another right to stay on Bear Rocks Road, another right on to Big Springs Road. The club is a short distance on the right. The club is only about a mile off of Route 31. Click HERE for the map.
The date is Wednesday, October 7, 2020 and the starting time is 6:00 pm. This is the chapter’s annual meeting and members are encouraged to attend. According to state guidance, attendees should wear a mask. At this meeting, will elect officers and directors for the next term.
Also, the outdoors flea market originally scheduled for this meeting has been postponed for another date.
Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
And The Winner Is…
During the September meeting at Mammoth Park, FTTU presented the chapter’s Russ Mowry Memorial Silver Trout Award to Denny Hess. Denny has been active with the chapter since 2009 and has served as Vice President since 2016. He has worked closely with Ralph Koscianski and Linn Run Park staff on the Rock Run project and has put in volunteer hours on the Mill Creek stream improvement project as well. Denny makes the trip out from Irwin to conduct water testing on Rock Run each month. He has also served as a mentor at our disabled veterans outings.
Congratulations and thanks, Denny!
June Meeting Canceled – Restart in September
FTTU’s meeting at the Lincoln Highway SupperMarket on June 3 has been canceled along with any chapter activity through the summer.
There will be no summer picnic fundraiser this year.
Our next scheduled event will be our monthly meeting on September 2nd. Check back for more details in August for a time and location.
More Cancellations
Sad to report that our Veterans Outing scheduled for May 2 at the Kingston Sportsmen’s Club has been canceled and tentatively rescheduled for May, 1, 2021. The family outdoors event scheduled for May 31 at Keystone State Park has also been canceled.
We will not be having a May meeting, but we may go ahead with the litter pick-up on May 6 if Penn Dot will still haul away the trash. We would all have to keep spread out. For now all clean ups are on hold. Check back here for updates.
FTTU officers and directors will be keeping in touch with each other via emails and video conferencing and will continue to plan for the future.
Some good news, two of three area Trout in the Classroom programs have released their fish and the third has the school principal feeding the trout and the fish will be released soon.
Trout fishing is still on but members are encouraged to follow common sense social distancing protocol, travel to the stream in separate cars, and bring your own drinks and lunches. Of course, most of us prefer to get as much space to ourselves as we can on the stream so that’s helpful for proper stream etiquette. See the PAF&BC guidelines in the previous post.
So, until we meet again, be careful, stay healthy and stay informed on FTTU news with forbestrailtu.org.
