An open letter to EVERYBODY....

[Fizz71]

I first want to say that I am not writing this post as your president or even as a representative of the board. I am writing this as a founding member of NCPARS and a fellow reef-keeper. With all the mud-slinging, accusations, and propaganda that has been going around I feel I need to step up on my box here a second and sayââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦

Peopleââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦we are all gathered in this forum on this site for one reason and one reason only:
WE LOVE THIS HOBBY.
ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦if youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢re here for anything elseââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦.please just get out!

NCPARS was formed when Mo decided that the people that kept getting together for camaraderie and frag trading should have a name so he made one up. As the group grew, a couple of key people talked about the possibilities of what we can do for the hobby and fellow reefers. Anyone willing to make the drive was welcome to attend the chats. We talked about going NPO and laying out guidelines for us and even the possibility of helping other small reef clubs get NPO status through us. We had a frag swap at Heggins where we brought up the concept of NPO and everybody was for it. We used fragswapper.com as a place where people could pledge support for forming the organization by using the organization registration feature to tell us youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢d be willing to chip in and be a ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œfounding memberââ"šÂ¬Ã‚..and they did. We basically all threw money into a pot knowing weââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢d get nothing back other than establishing the club.

Bottom lineââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦The club was formed by reef-keepers, for reef-keepers, and about reef-keepingââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦.nothing more.

With organization requires structure and laws you need to follow which is the why there is a need for bylaws and rules. But itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s all just there to keep things in order. Everybody is worried about money and elections, and who is scheming what and who is doing this and thatââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦

Instead...Just ask yourself this questionââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦..What do YOU expect to get out of NCPARS?

Me personally: I expect to have a place to meet a few times a year to get together with friends and fellow hobbyists. A place to swap corals and stories. A place to share experiences and pick up some education along the way and in return help others out who are where I used to be. To be part of group. To just enjoy the hobby and get the most out of it I can.

I am not running for any office this year and plan on slipping into the shadows once I'm out of office for one reason: All the BS has completely taken the fun out of it. The enjoyment of the club and the swaps has been completely sucked from me.

There is nothing underhanded going on in the boardââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦No scheming, cheating or anything of the sortââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦.or at least I have not witnessed itââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦and I certainly have not been a part of it!!!! The BOD is trying its best to make sure the money and goods given to the club is properly used in every body's best interest...and thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s all.

We have 4 days to the swap people.... Letââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s try to remember why we are here. If you donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t want to pay membership duesââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦then fineââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦You being a member or not being a member is not going to affect how I treat you or whether or not I trade with you. You paying your dues will put nothing extra in my pocket. But not participating and bickering over money will kill this clubââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦the club that is only there because we all share a common love for this hobby. Please donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t ruin what everybody has been working for over petty bickering.

I am scrounging every last bit of energy I have left to put on a happy face and make this swap as awesome as its potential.

Please remember...This is a hobby. This is supposed to be fun.

Thank you for reading this.

--Kevin Fizz
--Founding Member, NCPARS

 

[shimmy_yaz]

Well put Kevin. That was a very good speech and you are exactly right about what the club is about and what we should want out of it. I know that the main reasons for me wanting to join are exactly what you said, to meet fellow reefers, share stories and learn a thing or two.

 

[nixnutz]

Well said...

Well said...

Here, here Fizz!

Rahn

 

[ByTor]

:beer:

DUDE!

 

[Bill King]

Tim

There are enough good memories in that one picture to make this last week of BS just fade away.

Kevin

Thanks for all you've done, & for all you'll continue to do for the good of NCPARS .

See you at the swap
Bill
.

 

[rickyfins]

AAAAAAAAAAAAA+++++++++++++++++++++++


I don't think I could top that if I tried. Way to go Kev.

See you at the swap,

Rick

 

[ByTor]

and new ones to be had this Saturday Bill.

To quote Neil Peart of RUSH

"Celebrate the moment
As it turns into one more"

 

[bmkindig]

hey
i don't know who could have said it better kevins words or tims pic ahh the good old days before the things got out of hand.we have come a long way guys and i hope we can keep going father ahead without another step back.

when i talk about ncpars these are the memories i want to have.

 

[Fizz71]

Don't forget this masterpiece:

--Fizz

 

[coralnut99]

From a non-member:

The tone of frustration in Kevin's post(s) is really sad to read. From personal experience, when someone is involved with something simply for the fun of it, or simply to help someone, ANY negativism is difficult to deal with and as Kevin said, just takes the wind out of your sails.

If all the negative folks would simply take a miinute to really read into Kevin's post, maybe they would see that just taking some time to see the other person's side and understanding it, may answer some of their concerns. They may also see that just taking shots at people who are just trying to do something good is just destructive, and they should just exit if they still don't agree.

Just my 2 bits here, and if coaching my son's baseball team didn't devour my weekends for such a huge portion of the year, I'd love to be there on the 6th.

 

[mattydub]

from a former member...

you guys are a great group and as I've said before, I just can't take the negative stuff. I can take it, just not now with a new baby on the way, etc. I think you guys are just going through some growing pains. The people who are bad apples will get weeded out, it's only a matter of time. Stick in there Fizz...you're a great dude and thanks for the reminder of why we do this...FUN!

crap, is this really fun though, I can't get rid of my damn AIPTASIA!!!!

 

[Sanjay]

You if you analyze the negative posts its only a handful of people. Why let a handful of people spoil the fun for the others. ?

It is frustrating at times... but I am not giving up yet. There is still hope, and these are just part of growing pains.

sanjay.

 

[was16803]

Kevin:

From another founding member and soon to be former member of the BOD, I have to say that you hit a lot of members sentiment exactly!!

Bill

 

[Fizz71]

Sorry about taking the photos down...they were hot-linked from ncpars.org and I'm rebuilding the site tonight.

--Fizz

 

[Fizz71]

Here...the photos are still there...just in a different path until I move them again:

--Fizz