Thursday, June 10, 2021

June Monthly Meeting

Date: June 10, 2021
Time: 6:30
Location: Fish Camp in Smithgall Woods
Helen, GA 30545
Program: General Meeting (that will be incredible)
All the social media rumors are true, we are having a June meeting this Thursday the 10th. All the fake news and snide remarks made online that Foothills will never have a meeting again were all fabricated lies. We here and we are ready to get this ball rolling again....again. So get your Sunday best ready for some Thursday action as we welcome everyone back for a face to face meeting.
This, as always, will be an important meeting. We hope to see all of you there.
Directions to Fish Camp at Smithgall Woods
Do Not go to the main entrance of Smithgall Woods SP off Alt Hwy 75. You will not be allowed to drive through the park to get to fish camp. Note that Duke’s Creek is closed to fishing for the summer.
Access to Fish Camp is via Joe Franklin Rd it is a small graveled road with NO sign for the park marking it. It is in between The intersection of Hwy 75 and Duncan Bridge rd & the Shell gas station on Hwy 75.
From Helen/Sautee :
From the intersection of Hwys 17 & 75 at the Indian Mound
Go south on Hwy 75 for approx 1.5 miles
Turn Right on to Joe Franklin Rd.
Go about a half mile and drive through gate into park.
Follow signs to fish camp
From Cleveland :
From intersection of Hwys 129 & 75 at Ingels
Go 5.1 Miles North on Hwy 75
Turn Left onto Joe Franklin Rd
Go about a half mile and drive through gate into park.
Follow signs to fish camp.

0 C

From the chapter president.....

 Over the past years Georgia Foothills TU has made a huge impact in our local community supporting programs and organizations that align with our Trout Unlimited values and principals. Some examples are Smithgall Woods Education Outreach Program, Casting for Recovery, Trout in the Classroom, Project Healing Waters, 4H Youth Kayak Fishing, Trout Camp, and others. We have been very fortunate to have been able to continue our support during this pandemic even though we have had our main fund raiser the Hoot on the Hooch canceled twice because of it. If we wish to continue to support these programs and organizations into the future, we must start planning for it now. The direction things are going now makes it reasonable to think that we should be able to host the ‘Hoot in March of 2022.

Putting on the ‘Hoot is a big job typically accomplished by a handful of club members. It also provides us our funding for the year. We need to decide if we want to host it again or find a new source for obtaining our funding. This is a decision that needs to be reached by the membership.
After last month’s forced postponement due to the gas situation. We will hold June’s meeting on Thursday the 10th at Fish Camp in Smithgall Woods. It is still of great importance that you come and share your thoughts and ideas on how best to move Georgia Foothills TU forward as we transition beyond Covid. In the years prior to the pandemic, club participation had been declining. Now, after being shutdown for a year we need to get things going again. This is OUR club, and it needs to move forward with everyone together. The only way that can happen is with YOUR Input. The CDC and the State have relaxed the social distancing rules for outdoor meetings. We will continue to take a common sense approach to avoiding spreading the virus. I look forward to seeing everyone again.
Bruce

Monday, April 5, 2021

Monthly Meeting 4/8/2021 - RESTART

 

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Easter holiday, the weather certainly cooperated. Covid vaccine is becoming widely available and the weather is warming to make outdoor meetings doable again. Let’s hold a meeting this coming Thursday April 8th at Smithgall Woods Fish Camp. We’ll get the meeting going around 6:30pm. Since we have been in a hiatus for the past year or so due to the Corona Virus, this gives us an opportunity to kind of give a reset for the chapter and redefine ourselves moving forward. Please bring your thoughts and ideas on how we should conduct our chapter moving forward. Before our forced shut down, we were having a door prize drawing for fishing at Nacoochee Bend. We still have (2) of the certificates left. I spoke with Wes at Unicoi Outfitters and he gave thumbs up to us use them. So we will have two door prizes at the meeting. These certificates are meant to be used. They will expire when Unicoi shuts down Trout fishing due to water temp, typically sometime in June. So get out and use them asap !   Must be present to win. While we are not completely clear of Covid, things are improving. We will observe the guidelines by wearing our masks and maintaining social distancing. Common sense goes a long way in keeping us all safe. I look forward to seeing and enjoying everyone again.

Bruce

Thursday, February 11, 2021

2021 Dream Trip Tickets

 For the past 15 years Georgia Trout Unlimited has conducted the “Dream Trip” raffle to raise the funds needed to support Trout Camp and other conservation items to support our TU mission. This is truly a “Dream Trip” in that for a $10 ticket you can win a weeks worth of Guided fishing and lodging with TU member John McGarity at his place right outside Yellowstone National Park. This raffle is open to EVERYONE not just TU members. There are lots of great runner up prizes also. Please consider this an investment in Georgia TU Projects. The money raised from this stays here in Georgia. The drawing will be held at the Georgia TU State Council meeting in March. So hurry and get your tickets before time runs out.

Because of restrictions due to the pandemic we are unable to sell the Dream Trip tickets in our normal fashion. This years Dream Trip raffle has been moved online. Here is what we need to do :
# 1 Go online to the site below and purchase your tickets.
#2 Please make sure you check “Foothills Chapter”
#3 There is a fee for the purchase. The council passed this fee to the purchaser in order to maximize the donations.
#4 Note that you can purchase ANY number of tickets. Also this is not just for TU members, anyone can buy tickets and win the Dream Trip. Please ask your friends and family to purchase tickets also to help support our Georgia TU mission.
Each of the state chapters is expected to sell our quota of 150 tickets. So far Foothills has accounted for 42 tickets sold. I want to thank those of you who have purchased tickets. I am asking all of you to help in Foothills reaching it’s quota of 150 tickets sold. Any number of tickets you purchase will greatly help and be greatly appreciated. Again, Thank You to those that have already purchased tickets and Thank You to those that are going to do so.
Please do everything you can to keep yourself and your family safe and well as we negotiate our way forward. Better times will return and we will be able to meet again soon.
Bruce