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Hot Topics!

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Events for September 22 until the end of September and Our Next Chapter Work Day on October 7  (updated September 22, 2017) 

• Saturday, September 23 Special Dog Mart work Day, 8:30 AM til noonish. Various work tasks to get ready for Dog Mart next weekend.  
• Saturday, September 23, Ranges closed during the work day activity
• Week of Dog Mart, various work party activity leading up to Friday which will be a major work day to prepare the final set up for Dog Mart  
• Friday, major work day for Dog Mart, ranges closed during the duration.
• Saturday, September 30, from sun up til sundown.  Dog Mart.  All day
• Saturday, September 30, Ranges closed all day.

Note: Dog Mart work activities are defined in the "Sign Up" which can be seen inside the Member Login web page tab.  If anyone wants to volunteer for tasks for Dog Mart using the Sign Up and do not know the passcode; please send an email to newsletter@iwlafred-rapp.org and request the numeric passcode.

Next Monthly Work Day, Saturday, October 7

• Saturday, October 7, Grounds Maintenance Tasks begin at 8:00 AM.  
  
• Saturday, October 7, 8:30 AM, Adopt-a-Highway roadside trash pickup
• Saturday, October 7, 9 am, Prospective Member Interviews and New Member Orientation at Chapterhouse 
• Saturday, October 7, 9:30 AM to 12 noon, Next scheduled All-in-one Badge issue at the Chapterhouse for new members and those members that have never had a photo ID issued.
• Firearms ranges closed until work is complete. 

No other events are presently planned however it is always prudent to check with the official Chapter Calendar for any last minute changes.

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Chapter Status Meeting for Hosting the 2018 National Convention   (posted September 13, 2017)

A status meeting for all volunteers that are supporting the IWLA National Convention in mid July 2018 is planned forWednesday, October  11, 2017 at 7 PM at the Chapterhouse.  More members are invited to come and join the effort of those that have started already to prepare.   It is now 10 months away and the sooner we get the tasksunderstood/assigned/ under control the easier it will be when we are within the month.

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Task load is Increasing for Dog Mart ... and it is but One Week Away (updated September 22, 2017)

At the last membership meeting Director Darrel Schultz, Dog Mart manager, explained that there needs to be an increase in work and volunteers for the September 30,  Dog Mart,  Some of that work needs to be done now and much of it in the weeks preceding Dog Mart and on the day of the event.  Go to Member Login to access the automated sign up form.  It identifies the tasks and allows people to register.  Registration requires only your name and email address and is secure.  If you do not recall the Member Login passcode, send an email to me at newsletter@iwlafred-rapp.org and I will provide it to you.  As of this morning the Sign Up has 20 registered participants with assignments to 81 spots or tasks out of a rather large and seemingly endless list of task spots to fill..

Also, Rod Hughes, rodhughes925@comcast.net is leading the management of vendors for the Dog Mart.  If you know of a vendor that has expressed interest in the Dog Mart please guide them to the vendor application which provides the details of the vendor agreement, the cost of vendor space and connection with the Chapter points of contact.

There are several ways to get information about how to be a registered vendor.  First is our web page Dog Mart tab.  Second is the separate Fredericksburg Dog Mart web site which is also linked from the above tab and lastly is the actual html link to the vendor application itself   Each of these can be located by googling (or using your favorite search engine) Fred Rapp IWLA, Fredericksburg Dog Mart, Dog Mart vendors or any of several other combinations or permutations. Contact points and instructions for registering and payment are on the vendor application

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Chapter Holiday Wreath Making Party 2017 is Scheduled for Early December (Posted September 9, 2017)

For details see Upcoming Events.

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Change to Chapter Bylaws - Review Process  (posted September 8, 2017)

A draft proposed change to the Chapters bylaws published in November 2014 have been posted to the Member Login site for Membership review.  Please provide any comments along with supporting rationale to either the changes or any other content by  September 29 so we might consider the comment during the next Board meeting.  Send your comment to Jim Lloyd at james.d.lloyd@homemail.com. At the next Board meeting we intend to develop a final draft for another round of review during October with an intent to promulgate the Bylaws at the November Membership meeting.  The October review will include members that have no access to digital media and willbe a more "mature" draft.

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New Board members Installed for 2017-2018 Term (posted September 7, 2017)

At the September membership meeting the new officers and  Board members for the upcoming year were sworn in to their new positions.
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Left to right:  Barbara Pritchett, Secretary; Herbert Pritchett, President, Larry "Sandy" Stanford, Membership Director; Ralph Kinch, Treasurer; Joe Webb, Director; Darrell Schultz, Director; and Jim Rector, Director.  On the far right is Steve Kotowski who served as Parliamentarian  Absent from the photo was Terry Fellinger, Director.

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Exchanging the Gavel

Herbert Pritchett, Incoming President presents Greg Raines, Outgoing President, with a token of appreciation from the chapter for the more than decade service that Greg has contributed to the Chapter as President.  Greg will continue as a member of the board as Past President

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Adopt-A-Highway October 7  (posted August 6, 2017)

Bill Hudson is planning the next roadside pick-up on October 7th.  He wants to start at 8:30 AM this in order to enjoy the early morning cool weather.

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Construction Nearing Completion on New PlaySet for Children (updated August 6, 2017)

See updated photos on Activities page.

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August draft Membership Meeting Minutes have been Posted for Review by Chapter Members  (posted August 6th, 2017)

Go here to access and read the draft minutes for the recent membership meeting,  These will be offered for membership ratification at the September 2017 membership meeting.

Also note that the July minutes were read and ratified at the recent meeting and those minutes and many others are also found in the same Member Only web location.

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Project Healing Waters Media Sites  (Posted August 3, 2017)

Members may learn more about Project Healing Waters by accessing the web sites at http://www.projecthealingwaters.org/programs/locations/virginia/   or the more detailed information on the Fredericksburg Facebook page of Project Healing Waters 

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Hunter Safety Course to be Held  (Updated September 7, 2017)

See Upcoming Events for more current information. 

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Starting at the August Membership Meeting  (Posted August 6, 2017)

The apiary has produced an abundance of honey this season.  A total of 213 pounds of honey has been extracted from the hives as a result of the dedication and hard work of our apiary volunteer work force.  At the Membership meeting on Thursday evening there will be one pound bottles of honey available for Members.  A minimum donation of $10 is suggested to claim your bottle.  Please see Ralph Kinch to claim your honey

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.Additional Pond Construction Work Underway (posted July 12, 2017)

Some heavy duty construction work has begun again on the pond.  It will require the water level of the pond be reduced by about 27 inches.  This work will correct the causeway situation and allow the feature to be safely accessible by membership and anglers.

Dirt and stones are being moved into the chapter to stabilize the roadway to what u
sed to be our island.  Heavy equipment will add these materials when the water level is proper.  It will be interesting to watch the progress from afar.  Members are asked not to interfere with the construction process by trying to converse with the operator while he is busy working.  This will allow construction to be finished quickly and the water level restored.

When the dirt and stone fill process has been completed there will be a need to place large rock (rip rap) along the shoreline banks of the causeway to prevent water erosion.  A call for volunteers will go out when this work is ready to be accomplished.  It will provide  another great opportunity for new members to obtain some real volunteer work hours and for established members to get some exercise.

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A New Director for Conservation Activities  (posted July 9, 2017)

At the July membership meeting, Mike Cronrath was appointed as the new Conservation Director.  Mike is a newer IKE, who recently came to our Chapter from Project Healing Waters.  If you see Mike, please talk to him on what your environmental or conservation concerns are, or send him an email at mrcronrath@gmail.com.  See the Conservation tab for more details.

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2017 Second Quarter Budget Reconciliation  (posted July 6, 2017)

Joe Webb presented the second quarter budget reconciliation at Thursday's Membership Meeting.  The charts he presented can be viewed in the   Member Login tab.  Remember you will need to log in using your 4 digit login passcode issued for 2017.

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Fred-Rapp Chapter Second Quarter Newsletter Published (posted July 4, 2017)

Newsletter  Warning: Large file  (also posted in News Tab.)

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Virginia Save Our Stream (VASOS) Training Event  (posted July 1, 2017)

See Upcoming Events tab. 

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Archery Ranges (posted June 15, 2017)

Members are reminded that the Manahoac Bowmen organization operates an archery range which is inside the woods beyond the flag pole on the west side of the pond.  No IWLA member is allowed to use that range for archery purposes without the permission and guidance of the Manahoac Bowmen.  There is a series of ranges for use by IWLA members to the right of the Bowmen's building.  It is situated between the Shotgun Range and the Bowmen's building.  There are several shooting lanes of varying distance for targets primarily for arrows with field points.  Archers shall not be using broadhead arrow tips on any target not designed for their use.  If you are not familiar with this prohibition please reference the Chapter's range rules.  If you do not understand the basis for the requirement, do not shoot broadhead arrows without consulting someone in charge of the Manahoac Bowmen organization. Shooting broadhead arrows at targets meant for field points damages the targets severely. Broadhead arrows are razor sharp and designed to rip and tear flesh.  If shot into a target meant for field points they can easily break off and present a very severe hazard to anyone left with the task of repairing the targets.  Violators of this prohibition will be severely penalized.  Again, do not use broadhead arrows unless you know what you are doing.  The person or persons that shot these arrows into field targets obviously did not know what they were doing or were maliciously/willingly damaging property.  Please direct any questions about the archery ranges and range requirements to Eugene Slagle at eugeneslagle@gmail.com.  You can obtainin additional information about the bowmen organization at their web page.

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Welcome June 2017 New Members to the Chapter  (posted June 3, 2017)

Welcome our newly inducted members from June 2017,
Left to right:  Edgar (Butch) Morris, Patricia Padgett, John Padgett.

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Do You Plan to Host an Event at the Chapter?  (posted June 2, 2017)

The Chapter is an amazing asset if any member want to host an event on the premises.  If you have an intent to host a group, make sure you do some advance planning and contact the Chapter's Event Planner, Greg Raines.  Earlier in May, we updated the Chapter's House and Ground Rules and at the same time established a requirement for anyone desiring the use of the Chapter to access, download, read and complete the Request for Use of Chapter Premises.  This document outlines requirements for use, releases the Chapter from liability and assures the requester the full knowledge of the Chapter's expectations.  The document can always be found midway on the Facilities page.  Please submit your completed application to Greg Raines well in advance of the anticipated use so that you are assured of permission to use and no conflicts with other events.  Always look at the Chapter Calendar when planning.

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New Rules for Range Use and for Chapterhouse and Grounds Use Have been Posted  (updated May 5, 2017)

New Range Rules for Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun and for the Care and Use of the Chapterhouse and Grounds are both newly posted to the Member Login Area (and can also be seen on the Facilities Page).

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Are there fish in our pond? (posted April 30, 2017)

This young angler is wondering why you do not know:

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Assured Access to Advanced Health Care Directives  (posted April 6, 2017)

At the April Chapter Membership Meeting, George Lear reported to the membership the existence of a service that the Commonwealth of Virginia provides to its citizens.  This service is a secure website that can be used to store important documents that protect your legal rights and ensure your medical wishes are honored if you are incapacitated and unable to manage your own care.  The database of Advance Directives at this website is held in a confidential and secure site, protected by the most up-to-date web and database security standards. All information submitted is used only by authorized individuals and kept completely confidential. If you are interested in learning more about this service you can obtain all the information and subscribe by linking here.

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See the News Tab for Second Quarter, 2017 Newsletter (posted July 22, 2017)

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President's Budget Proposal  (posted March 16, 2017) 

The President released his 2018 budget proposal in the last several days.  The budget has a number of cuts in funding from executive department agencies that are funded from the non-discretionary part of the overall federal budget. The Izaak Walton League National organization has evaluated the proposed reductions and has stated its position on the consequences the proposed budget represent.  Here is the stated position of the Izaak Walton League of America on the President's proposal.

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The Shoreline of the Pond has been Seeded (posted March 5. 2017)

The shorelines have been finished graded and the last of the seeding and straw laying was done during the work day on Saturday.  we had a number of volunteers that made the work load balanced.  After the seeding task, the seeded gounds were staked and caution tape was draped between the stakes.  For the next several months as the seeds germinate and the grass matures, members are asked to stay away from the seeded turf.  Fishing needs to be confined to the pier and the dam area.  Your cooperation will result in the best looking pond in this part of the region  If we can now get some gentle and steady rain the seeds will germinate quickly and the pond level will begin to return to normal level.  It is as much as 4 feet below normal pool in the recent weeks.

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Volunteer Positions Available (updated March 2. 2017) 

Apiary (Bee Colony) Assistants
The caring for the bees is labor intensive and Jim Ashcraft indicates that his volunteer workforce has recently been reduced to himself and two others.  He needs some assistance with this conservation effort.  Those that are interested in bee keeping should contact Jim at jashcraft@comcast.net or Greg Raines at onehrdwkr@hotmail.com
 
Conservation Committee Chair  The task is to coordinate conservation projects and activities and seek conservation experts for presenting at Membership meetings for the Chapter.  Anyone interested should contact Greg Raines at onehrdwkr@hotmail.com
We have received some new green shirts with yellow  Izaak Walton logos that will soon be available for purchase.

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Member Login site -- Passcode changed (posted March 2, 2017)

Members are advised that the passcode for the Member Login site was changed in early March 2017.  If you try to login with the code you have been using in 2016 and cannot gain access you will know that the code has been changed.  Members that are on distribution for email from the Chapter received an email blast sometime on March 3.  If you are not on distribution for email, request you be added by either using the method located in Member Login.  If you miss this opportunity in the next few hours, send an email request to newsletter@iwlafred-rapp.org.  Be sure to include your name and the email address you want to receive your email. 

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Adopt-A-Highway Schedule now Set for 2017  (posted March 2, 2017)

Please look at the Conservation web page to see the schedule that has been set for this year's series of roadside trash cleaning that has been established for our assigned 2 mile section of road.  The first pickup is on Chapter work day in April (April 8)

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Save our Streams -- Do you know how to identify an aquatic macroinvertebrate?  (posted February 26, 2017)

 First, what exactly is an aquatic macroinvertibrate? Let's break down the term. "Aquatic" means water, "macro" means big (or big enough for us to see without using a microscope) and "invertebrate" means without a backbone. So an aquatic macroinvertebrate is a water bug that we can see with our naked eye. 
If you want to know more about the categories of identification here is a good place to start  Another good chart can also be used for ID.

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Free Money for the Chapter (posted February 11, 2017)

If any of our members (or anyone else for that matter) shop using Amazon, it takes just a few adjustments of your account to have the Amazon company donate a percentage of the sale to the account of the Fred-Rapp Chapter at no cost to the member.  The percentage is small but just in the last quarter the Chapter has earned nearly $10 through this no cost feature of Amazon.  See our Donations tab for access to the steps to make this happen for the benefit of the Chapter. Or learn more about Amazon Smiles and how to use this feature by clicking here.

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Lost and Found (reposted February 1, 2017)

Several items have been found at the Chapterhouse
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• A set of small keys
• Eyeglasses  and case at the shot gun range a few weeks ago in January 2017
• A down filled vest coat a few months ago at the Chapterhouse porch (December 2016)
• A pair of Foster Grant reading glasses left November 14 maybe during the Project Healing Waters Benefit event
  
• A very nice electronic camera found at the Chapter several years ago.
• A pink, black, and blue woman's scarf left in Chapterhouse on December 5, 2015
  

Send an email to newsletter@iwlafred-rapp.org describing your lost item and we will figure out a good time to get the item back to its proper owner.

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2017 Membership Renewal  (updated October 22, 2016)

The 2017 Membership Renewal forms were prepared on Sunday morning, October 2, by a small group of volunteers and were taken to the Post Office on October 3.  Members should all have received their envelope on or around October 6, Thursday.  If you do not receive an envelope for renewal of your 2017 membership to the Izaak Walton League of America, something is amiss and you should contact Sandy Stanford by simply dropping him an email at stanfolr@comcast.net to let him know that we have somehow missed you.
This year, for the first time ever, you will not receive anything back in the mail from the Chapter after you pay your dues.  You have your permanent membership all-in-one card and it will remain in effect for another year upon your remittance of the 2017 dues.  Your card will be extended for an additional 12 months and the gates will continue to open for you.  You will not need to come to the Chapter for any reason related to renewal.

Be sure to read the inserts along with your membership invoice.  There are two from the Chapter:

1. The annual shooter's fee insert.  If this form applies to you, complete it and send along with your remittance.  If you shoot and are less than 65 years old then you should remit an additional $10 for each shooter's card that you possess.  If you are 65 or older then you have hit the jackpot and may shoot for only your membership fee.  If you decide to shoot and have not been a shooter before you must remit your fee and come to the Chapter on work day to exchange your regular membership ID for a shooter's ID.  You are not allowed to shoot without a shooter's ID.  Likewise if you decide to not continue as a shooter, you must exchange your badge for a regular membership badge.  Your shooter's ID will be deactivated on December 31 and you will need to obtain a replacement all-in-one card.
2. A membership renewal facts insert.  Very important information is included on this insert as we have discontinued postal mailings during the year except for the annual billing.  All information passed to membership is now passed only by electronic communication.

For your information and convenience the two Chapter inserts that are in your envelopes are replicated here:

            Shooter's fee insert.                                 Membership renewal facts insert.

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Our Fish at the Chapter Pond are being Tagged and Tracked (posted September 1, 2016)

Our Chapter Pond manager, Joe Webb, has started a fish tagging program at the pond at the Chapter grounds.  So far about 25 fish have been caught, tagged and released.  This program will help to assess the health of our fishery.  If you fish at the pond and catch one with a tag on the left side of the dorsal fin make sure you take note of the tag number.  You can go to the fish tagging website to see the history of the fish and add your own notations: Go to the main web site front page at www.fishtagger.com. Key in the full Tag ID printed on the tag and click Go. You will now be brought to a web page displaying the tag's history. Please add your new catch information here by clicking Add. You will be asked for information regarding your catch such as angler name/e-mail, fish type, weight, length, location caught, date caught, and any comments. You should print out and take a Fish Tag Log Sheet with you when fishing in order to record this information for entering into the computer after fishing. Please also send Joe an email to let him know you had caught and reported a fish that has been tagged.  Joe also announced that in partnership with the Chapter's Project Healing Waters Fly Fisherman Program the pond will again be stocked with rainbow trout this year.  This stocking will be done after the temperatures of the pond water have dropped to a safe level for survival of the species.

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