O
PT
U
N
E
W
S
Old Pueblo Trout Unlimited Chapter
(TU Chapter 531)
www.optu.org
V
OLUME
15
I
SSUE
12
T
O CONSERVE
,
PROTECT
,
AND RESTORE
N
ORTH
A
MERICA
'
S
COLDWATER FISHERIES AND THEIR WATERSHEDS
D
ECEMBER
2007
President’s Message
Greetings Fellow TUers:
Seasons Greetings. We hope your holidays are
happy and healthy with your families and loved
ones.
This is my first message as president of OPTU
and I have some huge shoes to fill in taking over
the position of president starting this month while
immediate past-president Jeff Collins continues his
work on behalf of Trout Unlimited on the State
Council. As many of you know, based on our
efforts with Jeff at the helm, OPTU was just
awarded a conservation award by Arizona Game
and Fish for work with the Apache Trout. All of our
members that participated on the workdays, came
to our monthly meetings where this work was
discussed, or attended the banquets over the
years that assisted us in funding some of this
work, should be proud of what we have
accomplished together. Jeff will continue to act as
our conservation officer and as Vice President until
someone volunteers, or fails to show up at a
meeting or party and is nominated in their
absence.
My goals for my time as President include three
things:
1. Continue and increase our workday efforts
around the State.
2. Increase the number of people involved in our
group who are younger than I am.
3. Arrange it so the people who attend the Annual
Banquet can call their friends the Sunday after the
Banquet and say (insert name) "Where were you
last night. Man did we have a great time at the
OPTU banquet, I cleaned up! I don't think I have
ever eaten so much and my spouse will never let
me get into another bidding war in an auction
again. Seriously it was a blast!" These and many
other items will be the subject of my upcoming
monthly messages.
As I think back on all the people who I greatly
respect and admire, who have held this position,
and taken care of OPTU and our charge of the
rivers and fish in Arizona I feel fortunate. One of
my favorite things to do in the White Mountains is
to stop in the Meadow near Thompson's cabin on
the West Fork of the Black River and look down at
all the work done by our members on the stream.
I always read the names of our members on the
plaque, both past and present, some gone now,
whose work before us made it possible to fish
today.
I look forward to seeing you at the banquet
and start getting ready for our workdays.
Clay Hernandez
President
Photography Contest
We would like to hold a photography contest for OPTU
members. Let’s begin one with the next meeting. Bring a
copy at least 5 x 7 or email it to John Murphy
murphy@pharmacy.arizona.edu
for display onscreen or on
our website. Three categories: Nature (no people), Fish
without people, and “My favorite fish picture" (you and cool
fish). Prizes will be determined later for the winners.
