President's LetterHello Everyone!
Thanks to D’Wyatt and Audra Green for hosting the January meeting! D’Wyatt has some really nice discus and a very neat fish room. Audra cooked a huge spread of delicious food, including some tasty pork loin. Guest Scott McBain, who likes discus but has not yet set up a tank, attended the meeting. The agenda included election of officers and board members. The board normally has eight members but since nine folks volunteered, we now have nine board members! Congratulations to returning board members Jim Lancaster, Ralph DeBoard, Page Ullman, and Coleen Ullman and to new board members John Gilliam, Phil Tucker, John Nicholson, Larry Lampert and Keith Pearson!!!
Plans for the 2005 ACA Convention continue. A theme and a t-shirt design need to be created for the event (hopefully, something combining cichlids and Texas). All members are encouraged to submit ideas. We will have a contest to determine what will be used for ACA 2005. Look for more info in this issue of Cichlid Tails. Ralph DeBoard, ACA 2005 Tour Coordinator, has suggested possible outings for the convention. A trip to the Sixth Floor Museum and the Dallas World Aquarium, a day/evening at Billy Bob’s and the Stockyards, a day at Texas Lil’s Dude Ranch, and a visit to the Botanic Gardens and the Fort Worth Zoo were a few. Anyone with additional ideas or access to a bus service should contact Ralph or me.
The Spring Show is April 16th – 18th, at the Knights Inn in Arlington. NOTE THE CHANGE IN LOCATION!. Speakers include Chuck Rambo (Victorian and Lake Malawi cichlids), Spencer Jack (Confessions of a Cichlaholic and Lake Tanganyikan Cichlids), and Cary Strong (Discus). Awards will be beautiful hand-carved fish plaques by Dwain Nixon. so get those show fish ready! Contact Marvin England or Page Ullman with your show entries – don’t miss the entry deadline.
TCA will also host the annual Federation of Texas Aquarium Societies meeting September 17th – 19th at the Radisson DFW South in Irving. Several speakers have already been confirmed. A show will also be held at this event.
The next monthly meeting is February 21st at Kim and Alan Young’s home in Arlington. Randy Rhoades will give a demonstration on how to use his new digital camera. Hope to see you there!
- Kathy