Dear Fellow Members,
Spring 2014
It seems like just yesterday that we wrote the first newsletter but, in fact, this is already number 37. In addition to our website,
www.godfreyspond.org and attendance at our regular monthly meetings, this is the best way to keep you informed of past activities and
plans for the future. Our monthly membership meetings are held on the second Friday of each month in the clubhouse meeting room at 8
pm. We welcome your attendance and inputs. You will find our website useful for keeping you current on calendar events, rules changes,
photos, articles, and general information updates. You can also submit your clubhouse or shelter reservations online and even get
information and print new member applications. Please check the website before making a reservation to ensure that your desired date is
still available, and to keep yourself current on what’s happening at the club.
National Hunting & Fishing Day, under the direction of Dave Knapp, with lots of help from other members, came off very well once
again. This was our third venture. We had good crowds, lots of vendors, and great weather to enjoy it all. We will hold our 4 th annual
event this Fall and would love your inputs and assistance. It takes a lot of planning and legwork to make it all work well. Please check
the calendar on our website for a schedule of upcoming committee organizational meetings and join us. We would like to add more
vendors, exhibits, demonstrations, and events, and make this year's event even bigger and better. It will be held one week before the
National Hunting & Fishing Day events this year to avoid scheduling conflicts. With your help, we can make it even more special.
The “Vukman” and “Ruckle” shelters and the “Pratt Memorial” pavilion are all able to be reserved. To reserve one of these shelters, or
reserve the clubhouse, you must submit your request in writing. The request must contain your name, address, telephone number, the
approximate number of people in your party, the date requested, alternate dates if possible, an alternate shelter choice if possible, the
nature of your event, and, in the case of the clubhouse, the approximate time in and time out. The Ruckle and Vukman shelters have a
minimum party size of 15, and the Pratt pavilion has a minimum party size of 30. The clubhouse cannot be reserved from Memorial Day
through Labor Day. Requests are honored on a first come first served basis whether by mail or by our website. Verbal requests can only
be granted during the course of a meeting. Any requests brought to a meeting will be handled last. Requests are acted upon only at the
regular (second Friday) and Executive Board (third Wednesday) meetings and must be in our hands prior to those times. Each
year, some of you lose out by failing to request early enough to be acted upon prior to your desired date. If you fail to show for your
reservation you will be sent a bill for $25.00 unless you cancel your reservation at least seven days prior to your reservation date.
The Pratt Pavilion and the clubhouse cannot be reserved on our Open House dates and the Pratt Pavilion, the clubhouse, and the Ruckle
and Vukman shelters cannot be reserved during Hunting & Fishing Day events. Requests for January of the following year can be made in
November or December of the current year. February requests may be made in December of the current year or January of the following
year. All other requests for March through December of the current year should be submitted no earlier than January 1 st. You will receive
a confirmation letter including a guest sign in sheet. Use the sheet to sign in your guests and pay for them that day.
2014 Calendar of Events
March 22nd
March 23rd
March 29th
Trout pond stocking. Join us as we stock the trout pond on Saturday 3/22 at 10 a.m. It’s a fun event.
Pancake breakfast. Serving from 8 a.m. to noon. Open to members and guests.
Trout fishing seminar on Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. Learn about trout rearing, fishing, equipment, and handling
techniques from Ron Wickings and Jim Southall. Open to the public.
April 12th
Join us at noon for the annual Easter egg hunt. The hunt begins at 1 p.m. with the arrival of the Easter Bunny.
May 17th
Trailer and tent camping area opens at 9:00 a.m. (See note in camping section)
May 25th
“Open House” & membership drive at the club, 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
June 29th
Second opportunity “Open House” & membership drive at the club. Chicken BBQ noon till 4 or until sold out.
July 19th
Community wide "Garage Sale" from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
Aug. 3rd
Paul Wood Memorial Family Day. Kids fishing contest 9:00 a.m. – 11:30, casting contests and waterfront activities
in the afternoon.
Sept. 20th & 21st Gen. Co. Fish & Game Hunting & Fishing Day events at our grounds. Check the kiosk during the season for updates.
Oct. 18th
Tent and trailer area closes for the season.
Jan. 9th, 2015
Annual meeting of the organization, 8:00 p.m. in the clubhouse. Yearly reports are read and the election
of officers & directors is held.
2.
25 & 50-Year Senior Members
It is our pleasure to be announcing the names of the members being transferred into the 25 and 50 year files. We thank them for their
years of support. Our congratulations to the largest group ever transferred into the 25 year file at one time; Robert Alwardt, Keith
Bauer, Thomas Corbett, Robert DeVantier Sr., Rhonda DiCasolo, Kelli Eckdahl, Linda Frank, Gregory Galliford, Gerard Geuss
Jr., James Glazier, Kenneth Henry III, E. Ruth Hinz, David Infanti, Robert B. Johnston, Stanley Kaznowski, David Kellogg,
Edward LaValley, Rochelle Ladd, Darryl Lapp, Robert D. Lovelace, Robert Monaghan, James Parlato, Thomas Starowitz, Larry
Stratton, John Tyler, Kevin Wolff, Scott Wooton, Richard Wright, and Gregory Ziemkiewicz for having been club members for 25
years. They will now be receiving their dues at a 50% reduction. Congratulations also to Michael T. Heatherman and David F.
Lambert for their entry into the 50-year Gold Star file. Their memberships are now free for life. There are now 278 members in the 25year file and 96 members in the 50-year file.
Tent & Trailer Camping
We offer tent and trailer camping facilities for our members at the lowest rates in the area. We have 59
trailer sites with electric and water hookups, and 35 tent sites, all in close proximity to bathrooms and
shower facilities. Picnic tables and fire rings are available for your use. You must keep your site clean and
neat at all times and no alcoholic beverages are to be left unattended at your site at any time and must
be secured in your absence. Our rules also require that you must sign out with the caretaker upon
departure. If you leave without signing out, you will be billed at the daily rate until you do. You may
have overnight guests at your site, however, guests are not entitled to rent their own site. As a reminder, all camping fees must be paid in
advance, no exceptions. When you sign in you will be given a copy of the camping rules and regulations. Please read and follow them.
Camping Options and Fees for 2014
Payments go to the caretaker. Do not include your camping fee with your dues payment on
one check.
1.
Any member that camped on a site for three consecutive months of the 2013 season will be able to reserve that same site for the
2014 season. To qualify, the fee for the entire season must be paid to the caretaker in advance, in full, by April 15 th. You may
come in and set up on Friday, May 16th any time after noon.
2.
Beginning on April 16th and ending on May 1st, any other member not qualifying under the conditions of item # 1 may
select any unreserved site for the season. The full season fee must also be paid to the caretaker in advance, in full,
by May 1st. You may come in and set up on Friday, May 16th any time after noon.
3.
Campers desiring a site that do not take advantage of either items #1 or #2 must line up no earlier than 8 AM on Saturday, May
17th. At 9 AM, campers should report to the stand to select a site from any remaining open sites on a first come basis.
4. During the season, campers must check in with the caretaker before selecting and occupying a site. At that time they will
be assigned a site, they must pay for the site in advance, and will receive a copy of the camping rules and regulations. We do
not reserve sites for anyone except as noted in items 1 & 2 above. If a site appears empty it does not mean that it is available.
It may have been rented to another camper who has traveled somewhere else for a period of time but intends to return.
5. Seasonal Fees: Tenting shall be $800.00. Trailers shall be $1100.00. Trailers with air conditioning* shall be $1300.00.
6. Monthly Fees: Tenting shall be $180.00. Trailers shall be $280.00. Trailers with air conditioning* shall be $320.
7. Weekly Fees: Tenting shall be $50.00. Trailers shall be $80.00. Trailers with air conditioning* shall be $100.00.
8. Daily Fees: Tenting shall be $8.00. Trailers shall be $12.00. Trailers with air conditioning* shall be $15.00.
9. Second refrigerators shall be charged at the rates of $100.00 per season, $20.00 per month, $7.00 per week or $1.00 per day.
* Note: if your camper has an air conditioner, you will be charged the air conditioner rate. No exceptions.
Upgrades to the electrical and water systems were made during 2013 and more improvements are planned this year including a much
improved dump station. We hope that all of you who enjoy camping will share the facilities with us this season. The campgrounds are
here for you and your family to enjoy. If you have any questions, please check our website www.godfreyspond.org or contact Mike or
Lori Hammon by phone at 585-815-1545, or in person.
3.
Dues Renewals and the State of the Membership
At the close of 2013, our regular senior membership file stood at 883. We will be looking for at least 150 or more new members in 2014
because we lose some members each year for various reasons, especially in this economy. Remember, $.86 of every dues dollar goes out
to pay for labor, insurance, utilities, property taxes and basic operating expenses. We are still the best outdoor entertainment for your
dollar that you will find in this area by far. Your family membership only costs you $.37 per day.
Your 2014 dues bill is attached to this newsletter. Please submit your dues payment before the April 1st deadline. You will have a
grace period until April 20th to pay without penalty. After that time, a final bill is sent to all unpaid members granting a final ten days
and including a late fee of $10.00. Renew early and save us the expense of the second mailing and save yourself the penalty fee. You
may pay by mail, in person to the caretaker, or to me at my home, whichever is most convenient for you. Please choose one of these
options only. Do not give your payment to anyone else. If you bounce a check, you will be sent a letter and will owe the original
amount plus a $20.00 penalty and your membership will be automatically suspended until it is made good.
We conduct a “Christmas membership special” for those of you who wish to make a gift of a membership in our club to someone. If
we receive the application, accompanied by the initiation fee no later than the December Executive Board meeting, the application will be
voted upon and take affect on January 1st, 2015 and will be good for 15 full months instead of the usual 12 month renewal cycle. This
makes a great gift for someone who enjoys all that we have to offer as does the gift of giving a membership renewal to a current member.
If requested of me, you will receive a notification letter on club letterhead that you may give to the fortunate recipient announcing the gift.
In order to draw in new members and maintain our current membership we utilize our website, Mike Rickards’ advertising campaign, our
annual “Open Houses”, and the Hunting & Fishing Day events. We are open to the public at these times. Please bring your friends to our
events and show them around. There will be interesting exhibits around the grounds, Kathy Gleber, “Buster” McElwain, and their crew of
volunteers will have hot food available, and jackets, hats, t-shirts, and sweatshirts to sell to raise funds. Club members will be on hand to
answer questions and act as tour guides. We need your help in order to have a successful membership drive.
We maintain a policy of granting a complimentary membership to any club member who sponsors five new senior members throughout the
fiscal year of January 1st to December 31st. It's a great opportunity for you to help make your club financially stronger and receive your
2015 dues free of charge. A membership application blank is included with this newsletter. Please put it in the hands of someone that you
feel would make a good member and enjoy our great facilities. Additional application blanks can be obtained from any club officer or
director, at the caretaker’s, on our website, in the kiosk, or I can send more to you in the mail. Ideally, we like to sustain our membership
at a 1000 +/- level rather than have frequent increases in the dues and fees that we are forced to charge in order to fund the taxes, labor,
and insurances that we must provide for in addition to the optional programs that make us what we are. Another positive inducement
provides that every member who sponsors at least one new senior member in 2014 will have their name put in a hat. To qualify, you must
sign the “Sponsored for membership by” line on the application blank and that applicant must be accepted into membership. A winner will
be drawn at the end of the year and that lucky member will receive their 2015 dues free of charge.
Donations & Volunteering
We would like to sincerely thank all of you who donated in 2013 to help continue work on the new pens, provide
materials, feed, and medications for our birds and fish, and maintain and improve our rearing and exhibit
facilities. Your financial help has enabled us to rear and stock trout in our trout pond, and to raise and sell
literally hundreds of birds, primarily to other collections and zoos. Without your help, we couldn’t continue the
program at it’s current level because our budget limitations make work of this magnitude out of dues funds alone
an impossibility. The facilities are at the forefront in our conservation practices
and environmental education activities and are popular with our membership. We
have conducted 5 member surveys in the past 20 years and each year the Fish & Fowl program has been
voted the most popular attraction that we provide. Our club has a NYS charter of incorporation as a
“conservation club” and this is the major conservation program that our club supports. Working together,
we can achieve our goals. This year, we need to replace the beams in the trout rearing pool. (see picture at
right). As this is being written, we lost one of our breeder mute swans. A replacement will cost us $200.00
If you wish to financially support this project, add in your contribution to your dues bill on the line provided and it will be held in reserve
for this program. We wish to thank those of you who have assisted us and to let you know that your money will be put to the good use
that you intended. Much of the work that is done at the Fish & Fowl project, the rifle, trap, and archery ranges, the playgrounds, Open
Houses and the National Hunting & /Fishing Day event is done by club volunteers. If you want to join their ranks, get in touch and we
will find something for you to do that interests you and will greatly assist our club.
Some of you might like to consider supporting this or other projects at the club with a memorial or endowment. This is commonly done
here and goes a long way in furthering our goals. A memorial or endowment is a meaningful way to remember a loved one and assist the
club with its programs at the same time. If you wish to consider this, feel free to contact me for details.
4.
Trap, Rifle, & Archery Ranges
Under the chairmanship of Bob Fousse, the trap range is being redone. The stone has been cleared out of the trap house, a new electric
line from Camp B area has been installed, a new sump drain line and pump were put in, the trap machine pedestal has been built and the
new, self loading trap has been installed. There are five temporary shooting stations in place with plans to put in permanent ones this
season. Bob would like to add a new kiosk/billboard to post notifications and rules, and add gravel walkways to the range. He would also
like to continue the weekly fun shoots held on Sunday mornings at 11:00 am starting with the opening of the camping season. Bob plans
an organized shoot sometime in late July or early August with prizes and trophies. He would also like to start a youth trap program.
Bob conducted numerous classes during 2013 in shooting safety and safe trap operation and plans more for this season. It is mandatory
to attend one of these classes if you wish to get the key for the trap house from the caretaker and use the range on your own. If you are
interested in helping out, the first committee meeting will be held on March 22 at 10:00 am in the clubhouse.
The rifle range is one of the more popular facilities here at the club. Frank and Tony Gallo do a great job keeping everything clean and
functional and the club owes them a big "thank you" for their efforts. Quite a bit of “clean up, fix up” work has been accomplished with
the aid of volunteers. Contact Frank if you are interested in lending a hand or wish to know more about the shooting sports.
Tony Gallo also chaired the archery committee and did a good job keeping the field and target archery ranges usable and up to date.
There is always trail clearing to do and target faces to be replaced. Contact us if you want to lend a hand.
Fish & Fowl Program
With the help of a large volunteer crew, the trout program continued with the stocking of our trout pond in late
March with over 600 Rainbow and Palomino trout, most of which were in the 15” – 18” size range. In Sept., just
prior to NHF Day, we stocked an additional 400 Rainbows and Palominos in that same size range. We also stocked
1000 three to four inch Brook trout in September. We tagged and released an eight pound Rainbow as a prize fish
with a $100 reward for anyone catching it during our NHF event but it’s still out there, uncaught, and wiser than
ever. We took eggs from our Palomino trout breeders and have about 300 hatched and they are currently about 1” in
length. We will have more of the larger size Rainbows and Palominos, and some 9 to 10 inch Rainbows and Brook
trout to stock in March prior to the trout season opener. We will be taking Rainbow eggs in the spring when they
are ready. Our egg taking, hatching, and rearing activities ensure the continuity of the program.
Ron Wickings and I held our annual Trout Fishing and Equipment seminar in the clubhouse last March, just prior to the April 1 trout
opener. There were 21 in attendance. Join us this year if you want to learn about trout, fly fishing equipment, and some fishing “secrets”.
Check the calendar on the newsletter front page for the date and time. All are welcome to attend and this is always open to the public.
We received generous donations in the amount of $4870.00 from our membership to aid us in funding the Fish & Fowl program. In all,
counting these donations, the sale of birds, and trout feeder receipts, we returned $11,612.94 to help offset expenses. We would like to
thank Herman Brown $300, Jerry Vukman $300, Ron Sloat $200.00, Jim Beverly $155.00, Martin Hall Sr. $150.00, Dave Cole $140.00,
and Emerson Campbell, Larry Belluscio, Dominic Valle, Gordon Pringle, Mike Wildschutz, Helen Hunter, Todd Wheaton, Louis Pulvino
and Larry Kramarz $100 each, and every one of the other 98 members who donated money to support our efforts. Their donations and
bird sales help offset the operating expenses of the project. Any donation, big or small, is much appreciated. A heartfelt “THANK YOU”
to you all. We couldn’t have done it without you.
We completed the new pens on the west side of the new brooder house by summertime and they have proven to be a great addition. It
was a lot of hard work but with Mike Hammon, Bob, Joe, and Ann Fousse helping Tom Boss and I, we were able to get it done. We also
put new top framing up in the swan pen and installed new top netting. We had this completed by early winter, just in time. Last year we
had about 75 wild Mallards that would fly into that pen and eat the feed, costing us $250.00 each month in extra feed expenses. The new
netting on top of the pens will cure this problem for us. With a generous donation from Alton McElwain, of a large sheet of rubber
roofing, we repaired the old and very leaky roof on the original brooder house. A portion of your donations this year will be utilized to
purchase some replacement birds for our breeding and display pens. For example, in addition to the must swan breeder that just dies, our
black swan cob (male) is old and infertile and we need to replace him this Spring. It will cost us about $200 each for them but will be
worth it. Our female is young and laid many eggs last season. In addition to several small projects, we need to replace a portion of the
beams across the trout display pool. This will be a special project, will cost us about $800.00, and will physically be a bit difficult to
accomplish. We could use your help and ideas with this.
The annual summer picnic/meeting of the Western New York Pheasant & Waterfowl Assoc, of which our club is a member, was held in
July with about 50 in attendance. We plan to host this event once again this July.
In closing, I would like to thank Tom Boss, Bob, Ann, and Joe Fousse, and Mike Hammon in addition to all those who so generously gave
of their time or financial support during the past year. We would not be where we are today without your assistance. Any and all help,
either financially or through labor is always greatly appreciated. Remember, the Fish & Fowl display area remains the hub of our
scouting and environmental education programs.
5.
Executive Board Changes
We welcome a new member to the Executive Board this year. Greg Teeter was elected to the position at the January annual meeting.
Greg has been a club member for seven years and is an active outdoorsman. We would like to thank departing Board member Tony
Gallo for his good work in chairing the rifle range and archery committees. Tony accomplished a great deal during his time on the
Board. For a complete list of Officers and Directors and committee assignments, check the kiosk and bulletin board.
2013 Fishing Contest Results
On the Paul Wood Memorial Family Day, Dave Knapp ran the kids fishing contest for member’s sons and daughters. Thirteen kids
participated catching 50 fish including a 10” bass and a 9” crappie. Over the years, hundreds of kids have caught thousands of fish.
Every child that enters will receive a prize for their participation. Bring your kids down that day and let them join in the fun.
Winners of the Richard Dick 2013 kids fishing contests were Kristian DeWald-Shaw with a 20” golden trout and Zachary Dean with a
23 ½” rainbow trout. There were no entries turned in for the bass or pike contests. If your kids catch a nice bass, northern pike, or
trout in our waters, you can enter the contest by taking the fish to the caretaker, the day that it was caught, and having it measured
and weighed. You may also take a photo of it with some form of measurement reference included, or check it in at the refreshment
stand or with a lifeguard if the stand is closed. There will be rulers placed in some of the boats and on the front of the clubhouse.
These steps are necessary for bass catches since all bass caught must be quickly returned unharmed into the water. If your fish is the
largest at the end of the year, you will receive a check for $25.00. You must have a New York State fishing license and observe
season, bag, and size limits when fishing on our waters. There is currently no adult fishing contest. We encourage catch and release
of the larger breeder size fish. Have it weighed and return it to the water. It’s a wise conservation practice.
50/50 Raffles
There were 7 drawings in the 50/50 raffles in 2013. Winners were John Hoffarth, Doug Cerefin, Tom Poteat, Sue Smith, Jackie
DeFelice, Helen Lamendola, and Lynn Sanders. Each winner was sent a check for $250.00. Our thanks to all who participated. Tickets
for 2014 drawings will be mailed out to you with your membership card or you may pick them up at the refreshment stand. We limit
each drawing to only 50 tickets. If you purchase a book of five your chances of winning are one in ten which are very favorable odds.
Your participation is appreciated and helps our club financially but is strictly voluntary with no expectations on our part.
Weed Control in the pond
In the past we have tried different methods to control the growth of pondweed including chemicals, dredging, draglines, bulldozers,
and grass carp all with limited success. Ron Wickings has agreed to chair the Pond Improvement committee and organize efforts to
attack this problem. Ron is looking at chemical applications and the addition of more grass carp this coming year. We continue to
search for other solutions for a long term remedy and will keep you advised. Weed growth in the early summer is a normal ecological
event and they generally die down after a few weeks. It’s not advisable to totally rid the water of pondweed, as it’s an integral part of
the ecological system. We try to maintain a balance between human use, water quality, and suitable habitat for fish and waterfowl. If
you have any positive suggestions or this program interests you, and you would like to assist, get in touch with Ron
Pheasant Hunting Preserve
It’s with a degree of sadness that we must announce that we are bringing the pheasant preserve operation to a close. It began in the
1950’s when we were surrounded by several thousand acres of farm fields and hedgerows, ideal habitat for pheasants. In the initial
years, we raised and stocked upwards of 1200 pheasants each year and finally began to purchase them in the 1970’s. A steady erosion
of habitat quality due to the loss of most hedgerows, the modern methods of harvesting crops, and the construction of many new
residences in the area of the preserve have all led to the steady reduction of available bird habitat and hunting space. Member usage
had dropped significantly and we haven’t run the preserve in the past two years. Currently it now is nearly impossible to secure
enough contiguous leased land to make the operation of the preserve beneficial. If sufficient interest exists, we will still investigate
the possibility of establishing a preserve once again if land leasing opportunities and demand for the activity exist.
Our Website
Our website www.godfreyspond.com or .org is managed by Shawn Arnett who does a great job in keeping it current and interesting.
Be sure to check our calendar if you wish to reserve a pavilion for a group gathering to ensure that the date isn’t already taken. The
website is updated regularly with articles and pictures for your information and pleasure. Be sure to check the calendar to see if the
rifle range is being closed. We close it for general use from time to time to allow some law enforcement agencies to use it for
qualifications. A printable membership application is also available for any new prospective member. If you have any pictures taken
around the club, or articles you would like posted on the website, send them to Shawn. It’s also another way for you to get in touch
with us to ask questions that you might have or to express criticisms. We welcome both and use them to make improvements.
Playground Activities
6.
We offer hats, t-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, etc for sale at the store as a fundraiser for playground activities. The committee also runs a
hot dog stand most Sundays during the summer season from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., weather permitting, and would like to have a pancake
breakfast one Sunday a month during the camping season. Watch the kiosk or website for further information on these events. If you
want to help out with this, please contact Kathy Gleber or Buster McElwain. We also collect soda, beer, and water cans and bottles in
containers located near the soda machines at the clubhouse and in Camp B. The deposits from these items help pay for all of the kid's
crafts, parties, and special events held for them during the year. Special thanks to Mike and Lori Hammon for their well done weekly
newsletter during the summer season and for organizing many kids events throughout the year. They spend a great deal of time and
effort trying to make the club more enjoyable for us all. A job well done and much appreciated. We thank all of you for your
donations and for helping to keep our property clean and free of debris.
Reminders
1. We insist that you strictly observe the speed limit signs both on your way in and out. We have many young children that are on
our roads during the summer season and we don’t want to face the tragedy of a needless accident. Please advise your guests of this.
2. You must register guests at the kiosk or the stand, upon their arrival. Sons and daughters of members are not allowed to
bring guests without their parents being present. You are responsible for your guests’ behavior. Any unregistered non-member
found on the grounds, regardless of circumstance, is potentially subject to arrest for trespass. Any single adult senior member may
bring in a boyfriend / girlfriend for the day at no charge but they must be accompanied by the member.
3. Boats must be paid for upon return. The box is on the clubhouse wall next to the store. Payment is on an honor system. Boats
must be signed out on the sheet on the clubhouse wall and back in again upon your return. No exceptions. If you get mud or
seaweed in the boat, please be courteous and clean it out. Also, please remove your trash when finished.
4.
Due to insurance reasons, bounce houses in any form are not allowed to be used at our club .
5. Please feel free to contact the appropriate committee chairman, any club officer or director, or the caretakers with any questions.
Our club telephone number is 585-815-1545. You may also check our website for information at www.godfreyspond.org or
www.godfreyspond.com. Be sure to check it regularly for clubhouse or shelter reservations or for upcoming events.
6. College student step-up membership deferrals are granted to sons and daughters while enrolled in college as full time students.
The normal step-up membership process at age 18 is waived until their schooling is completed or until they drop out. If you have a
son or daughter entering college, contact me and they will be put into the college file, which allows them to take their step-up at a later
date when they are more financially able to do so. If your son or daughter doesn’t attend college, or enter the armed forces, and they
reach their 18th birthday, they are no longer covered under your membership and must be registered as guests when on the grounds.
They have one year after their 18th birthday to take their own “step-up” membership without having to pay the initiation fee.
7. Every year we host activities by scouting and school groups for environmental education or work projects. If you have a scouting
or school group that is interested in having an outdoor function at our club, you may contact us by phone, letter, or email to receive
information or book a date. There is no charge for this opportunity and we consider it one of the more important and beneficial uses
of our club facilities. We are chartered as a “conservation club” by the State of New York and take pride in living up to that standard.
8. For your information, the year that you joined as a senior member is printed to the right of your name on your dues bill. In addition,
to clear up some confusion, guest tickets are mailed with your membership card AFTER you pay your annual dues.
9. Chinese Auction DONATIONS: Outdoor sporting activity related items and/or baskets for the Chinese Auction during the 4th
Annual Hunting & Fishing Days Event in September are needed. Any and all items donated are greatly appreciated. Please contact
Karen Bridge at (585) 356-1443 or by email Lucy0598@yahoo.com
10. Bicycles, motorcycles, four wheelers, atvs, golf carts, etc. are not allowed on the trails or past the pond side of the roadway at any
time, including beyond the bridge in the lower parking lot, without special permission from the Executive Board.
11. FUNDRAISER: Congratulations to Godfrey’s Pond as being named in the top three “People’s Choice Tree” for the 2013
Wonderland of Trees event at the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia, NY. We hope you took the time to visit the museum and
see the ‘Birds of Godfrey’s Pond’ Christmas tree and the beautiful artwork it displayed of talented local artist, Deb Watson. She
crafted and meticulously hand painted all of the ornaments that included 29 bird ornaments, representing all of the live birds found at
Godfrey’s Pond. If you would like to purchase one of these hand painted bird ornaments, please contact Deb at (585) 409-9389 to
discuss your order. Ornaments are $20 each and proceeds will be donated to Godfrey’s Pond to support bird projects.
We’re sure you enjoy your membership with us and take pride in being part of this organization. We are going into our 105 th year
which is a very unusual feat for a club such as ours. Our success is due to the efforts of our membership and we thank you.
Jim Southall, Financial Secretary