Our first clubs first general meeting was held using Zoom virtual meeting technology to accommodate the Covid distancing law. According to our membership that I talked to afterward it worked well. This meeting could not have happened without the talents of board member Dave Marshall. He is a true zoom whiz. We had an entertaining group of speakers Leon Buckles, Bob Burton, and Jim Athern from the Inland Empire Fly Club. They provided us with a program sharing their lifetimes worth of fly-fishing quests for different varieties of fish all around the world. Few fishermen have the funds to travel like Leon and his fishing buddies. Yet they also go to on some far more affordable local fly fishing adventures too. Their enthusiasm for the sport of fly fishing was contagious. It was a good meeting and fun spending time watching it on your smart cell phone or computer.
Many members have had their jobs eliminated or had their incomes reduced because of the changes to our lives of this Covid pandemic. Like sharing a fly that is working well with another fly fisherman whose fishing luck is not good that day, this is much like our members response to our request for scholarship funds. It has been heartwarming. We are offering to help those members who are economically distressed due to the covid crisis. This scholarship money raised shows that the Spokane Fly Fishers has some very generous members. They want to make sure that for those who a struggling to pay their dues this year can keep being a member of our wonderful club. Struggling members can take advantage the scholarships and need not feel any embaressment about it. We would rather have you as a club member
rather than lose you. Let us know your applying for a waiver and we will keep your request confidential. No one will know that you are a scholarship member this year other than the treasurer, and myself. Do not be shy about asking for help if you need it. For those who can still pay your dues we still need your dues to meet our normal club budget obligations. We have had to pay for our meeting space at St Francis even though we may not be able to meet for awhile face to face. We felt it was important have the space available
when the Covid crisis ends, and we still can meet in person again we have a place to meet.
We have also reserved the meeting room at the Inland Empire Wildlife Council building for our intermediate fly-tying classes. Plus, we have liability insurance to pay premiums on and a storage space that holds the club’s “treasures”. If you have not paid your dues please find the time to send them to the club PO Box 4141, Spokane, WA 99220, or use the link on the webpage to pay them. Thanks for supporting the club.
Congratulations to the SPFF club award winners. All the winners have given of their time and talents to make this club the successful organization it is now. Claude Kistler, Doug Keene, Devon Greybiehl, and Dave Marshall are all these very special people. If you see them ,thank them for their hard work they deserve it. Thanks to Larry and his awards committee for their great work.