FARPOINT AND NEW CHAPTERS ON PATROL

Weather may have played a small role in attendance of FP this year but it still got a decent overall turnout and SF personnel.  During the SF meeting that was held the USS Susquehannock based in Pa sector (which I recall many of us first met during last year’s Farpoint) were commissioned as a full chapter and the USS Storm has been launched as a chapter in training. The storm is based in Atlantic City NJ.

From what I’ve heard, having been unable to attend this year’s FP for the first time ever, it was low key but fun.

Farpoint has always been a benchmark for some reason to check our SF membership and in recent years we’ve been hovering around 450-473 but this year we noted that our SF membership stands at over 500 which is a good sign.

While individual chapters who have been working on their crew retention and new members seem to have the increase in number, R7 Command is working with a few chapters who have some under strength issues. A few chapters also have some MSR reporting issues also but we hope to work through them in the months to come.

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
Tomorrow, weather permitting, Four brave souls (or should that more accurately be crazy) will plunge into the Atlantic Ocean in Seaside Heights NJ as part of the annual New Jersey Polar Bear Plunge which Region 7 members have taken part in since 2004. Prior to that members began running into cold water back in 2002 in Maryland.

The fearless 4 consist of members of the Challenger, Storm and Avenger. Speaking as the co of the host chapter for the event, I’d like to thank everyone who has supported our plungers with donations and who may also turn up to hold a towel and who will take a few photos.

THE OLYMPICS RETURN
Perhaps you’ve heard, the Olympics are back! No not the Winter Olympics which will conclude on Sunday but the Trek Olympics which the Richtofen and the Pride of Baltimore are co-hosting. This event was a Maryland sector staple in years past when the USS Triton held them as a spring/summer event. It promises to be a fun event and will be held in May. Watch for further announcements and details.

CHAPTER CELEBRATIONS
The USS Avenger will mark its 25th anniversary in May and the USS Sovereign turns 20 in June and both have special formal occasions to mark their milestone birthdays. Check the R7 website for links to their chapter anniversary party details.

I*CON, MONSTER MANIA, CHILLER THEATER COMING UP
Along with a number of small comic book and collector shows, Stony Brook College will once again host I*Con in Long Island in late March. It is a great convention. Monsternania returns to Cherry Hill N.J. in 2 weeks. Chiller Theater follows in the northern end of N.J. weeks afterward.

SHORE LEAVE!
R7 Command is already looking at what we can do to maximize our presence and our fun at this year’s Shore Leave in July. The staff is kicking around ideas for panels, sprucing up our recruitment table and making sure people are aware of our SF meeting. Any ideas you may have will be welcome and you are encouraged to contact your sector chief or pass along your ideas to RC Wayne or I.

Well be it rain, sleet, slush or full out snow be careful out there. I guess we’ll all remember this winter as being..well a real winter such as 2003 and 1996.

We have had a record snow fall this year and from where I’m typing in South Jersey its whipping up like a snow globe but the shore area is not being pounded quite as bad. I’m hoping to get down there to settle in for tomorrow’s plunge so I can avoid the commute tomorrow morning and join my fellow plungers.

More details to come and more news in the next posting of Sub Space Chatter.

– Bob Vosseller

Yesterday’ s Intergalactic Food Festival was a feast of fun which drew about 30 people as members of my chapter joined the USS Avenger, USS Asimov, USS Britannic (including RC Commodore Wayne Augustson) and the USS Dragon Star for a very enjoyable meal that included a great variety of food and beverage.

I can’t list them all but Laura Victor’s Rhacktageno, Joe Horton’s Green Coconut Cake, Judy’s Oreo pie, Jennifer’s Thompson’s Cheron Cookies of black and white, plus items like cheesey bread, burritos, the pasta dishes, casseroles and much more.
We also enjoyed the British pies offered up by the Battershill clan on the Challenger and the Brenda’s salad island creation. Watch for photos from this event on the Challenger’s website and the R7 website.

It was all wonderful and I know many of us put on some pounds yesterday. We caught up with what was going on during this snowy winter and the occasion made for a nice chance to escape cabin fever.

The event ran from noon to about 7:30 p.m.Donations were also made to Project Replicator, our food drive for an area food pantry which, like last year, will go to the Lacey Food Bank later this week.

So thanks again for coming and making it a wonderful event. This year, thanks to Larry Neigut’s donation of two ST phaser Hallmark Holiday ornaments, we held a raffle and raised a few bucks to support expenses of Starfleet International Conference 2011.

It was a full weekend for many of us who started things off on Friday night with a mini-marathon of new Doctor Who offerings and a glimpse at some upcoming movies like December’s TRON: Legacy and Star Blazers.

For those who couldn’t make it, I  hope you had a great weekend also!

Adm. Bob Vosseller
CO USS Challenger
VRC Region 7

There were spooky goings on at the Seaside Heights Community Center, Seaside Heights NJ on Halloween night.

A group of boils and ghouls invaded the center for a Halloween party that lasted from 6 pm to 12:30 a.m. Nov. 1.