UNS Board of Trustees for the year 2008

A big thank you goes out to the Board Members leaving their positions for a job well done and a welcome to the new members taking their positions on the board.  Without you this club could not prosper as it does.  Thanks again to all. 
 The newly elected members for the upcoming year are as follows: Pres. - Joe Roberts, Vice Pres. - Jim Lemmerman, Sec. - Ashley Craig, Sgt. At Arms - Kevin Stern, Trustees: Chuck Cieluch, Bob Curtis, Dick Randall, Howard Tullgren,  Kevin Waino,  Jim Kurtz, Mike Drager, Mike Foy,  Jim Jensen and Ken Norenberg.
 The upcoming year looks to be a busy one.  We have plenty of ideas on our "wish list" and with new members on the Board of Trustees they should have some ideas also.  As we have said before "new members mean new ideas".  And new ideas are what we are looking for.  Some of the things we will be discussing are an addition to the clubhouse with toilets and showers for the campers, a septic system, more campsites with electricity, a pavilion and improvements to the ranges.  Anyone with any other ideas is more than welcome to contact one of the board members with them.

55th Annual Ice Fishing Contest

The tickets have all been sent out and we hope that you are selling them over the holidays.  It has been a proven fact that pre-sales of the tickets make or break this event because of the weather.  Please sell your tickets.  Remember, you need not be present to win the gate prize of $3,000 cash.

Club Calendar

Jan. 1.............Happy New Year

Jan.2..............UNS Board Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  7:00 PM

Jan. 9..............UNS Membership Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  7:00 PM

Jan. 21............Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Jan. 27............UNS 55th Annual Ice Fishing
  Contest
  Island Lake 12:30-3:30 PM

Feb. 6.............UNS Board Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  7:00 PM

Feb. 13............UNS Membership Meeting
  Sportsmen's Retreat
  7:00 PMChange in pot-luck dinners

If you'll notice in the above calendar there are no times for our pot-luck dinners prior to the meetings.  This is due to the fact that it was voted on at our meeting that we forgo the pot-luck dinners for the months of January, February and March.  They will resume, along with the work parties in April.

Notes from the Stovepipe by Ken Norenberg © 2008

By gosh, we made it to another January 1st.  Happy New Year to ya and how does the year ahead look to you?  To your auld Stovepiper it's looking like an exceptionally busy one and it's a good bet that at this time next year we'll all be tired out. 
 2008 will certainly bring some of the most exhausting episodes in all U.S. history.  First, has there ever before been a Supreme Court case as crucial for us gun owners as the pending Heller vs D.C.?  No there hasn't, and we'll talk more about this later.  Many of us, maybe most of us, are already sick and tired of national election campaigning and it hasn't even come close to the knock-down, drag-out phase yet.  But we can't afford to get sick and tired, so the Stovepipe will be blowing political smoke all year long - the fights will go on and on and we've got to keep our dog in there. 
 And there's more: National security and homeland defense begins at home and every person should be personally involved.  Further, we believe that clubs like UNS with firing ranges have a vital supporting role to play.  Yah, I know, some UNS members don't exactly agree with that, and some feel rather strongly that UNS should stick strictly to it's natural resource conservation pledge.  But times have changed dramatically.
 More yet: Our representative republic, the first government in all of human history to give any thought to individual rights, has in just the past 40 years gotten itself jacked around to the point where the Founders would be ashamed of us.  So we'll poke around the militia concept and the national guard - pick them apart piece-by-piece and see if we can figure out what we've done to ourselves.  This means delving into the Constitution as well and although obviously we can't magically become experts on constitutional law, at least we should be more knowledgeable about the 2nd Amendment.  Knowledge is power and if the court comes out on the wrong side of Heller case, and it just might, we'll need all the power we can muster.
 Still more yet: As if all the above wasn't enough to keep us occupied in ‘08, we have what is viewed as either the greatest spoof of all time or the greatest threat ever to face the human race, Global Warming.  When this first came up I thought it must be some kind of nutty joke and if we ignored it, maybe it would just go away.  But it won't go away any time soon because, like gun-control, it provides a perennial bumper crop of political hay.  And the hay is Green and the Greens are anti-gun so we must confront.
 All of the foregoing is a basic outline for ‘08 Stovepipe Notes but of course not the whole plot - current events and issues keep popping up repeatedly on the street or in the media.  And much of it is truly repetitious - comes up over and over again because as we've said, they won't leave us alone.  What to do -  ignore it or spend our limited time and space reporting the same stuff again and again?  Here's a good current example - the PRO/CON Column  in  the Duluth News Trib of  12/22 asked this: "Should the Supreme Court Uphold the D.C. Gun - Control Law (the Heller case)?"  The PRO side was presented by two local longtime anti-NRA gun bashers (Million Mommers) who immediately launched a sermon on "gun violence" and "gun safety".  Never once did these experts stick to the subject of the D.C. Gun Law itself, which is a colossal failure and a national embarrassment.  Having talked about this Heller (former Parker) case previously, should the Stovepipe now ignore this latest newspaper travesty or report on it again?  Frankly, everything to be said about the Heller case had already been said prior to 12/22 - now let the Court mull it over for 6 months and render it's decision - and we'll take it from there.  To me, it's obvious the newspaper was just using the issue to promote it's own well-documented antipathy to our gun rights - take THAT, you redneck baby-killers, and THAT, you NRA imbeciles - ahhh, we've seen it all before.  What I'd really like to do is just flip ‘em a finger, walk away and ignore them, but they won't leave us alone.  So, what would you do?  Before you answer, and whether or not you read the Christian Bible, the Apostle Paul ( who had his share of trouble with Roman authority) would like a few words with you.  From his blistering epistle to the Galatians (ch-5,v-1): "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage".  Good advice for the new year, I'd say, for history tells us that, by lots of different names and guises, Caesar's legions pop up regularly in every century.  And the Moms, by any other name, never learn.
 In the repetitive spirit, you have a good and Happy New Year.

Next Month: Snow-shoes

CLUB NOTES
Meeting called to Order by Pres. Joe Roberts.
Welcome of new members who are in attendance.
Board Members Present: Joe Roberts, Sandy Roberts, Jim Lemmerman, Cindy Craig, Barb Weiss, Kevin Stern, Bob Curtis, Chuck Cieluch, Ken Norenberg, Terry Larson, Jim Kurtz, Harry Davidson, Dick Randall, Eric Hansen
Secretary's Report:  Motion was made by Jim Lemmerman to accept the Sec. Report with minor changes, 2nd by Terry Larson, carried.
Treasurer's Report:  Checkbook balance is $23,957.57, savings acct balance is $9.83 and money market acct balance is $10,137.90 with total available funds of $ 34,137.90.  Motion was made by Dick Randall to accept the treasurer's report and pay the bills, 2nd by Jim Kurtz, carried.
Membership Secretary: Current membership total is 1588.
Suspended the order of business to have election of officers.  Joe Roberts requested at least three volunteers who were not running for an office to count ballots.  Volunteers were Eric Hansen, Barb Weiss, Sandy Roberts and Aaron Bialke.  The floor was open for nominations. 
Election 2008 – The call for nominations has been announced twice before this final time.  After calling the last time for nominations, no new nominations for Pres, VPres. Sec, or Sgt-at-Arms, the Secreatary was instructed to cast a unanimous ballot for these positions. Ballots were passed out and all members encouraged to vote for 10 trustee positions from the following list of nominations: Chuck Cieluch, Bob Curtis, Harry Davidson, Dick Randall, Howard Tullgren, Kevin Waino, Jim Kurtz, Mike Drager  Mike Foy, Jim Jensen , Mark Wiarda , Larry Erickson and Ken Norenberg.  See Results on front page.
Jim Kurtz will make Security Badges for the new Trustees.
Meeting resumed.
Committee Reports:
    Retreat Improvements – Snow blower not yet done at Rice Lake Small engine – looking like next week.  Lots of shoveling completed.
   Grant Application Committee - Mike Drager and Kevin Stern submitted our grant application to Friends of the NRA for the amount of $36,604.73 with the total proposal amount for fencing the perimeter of the UNS property – clearing ground, installing posts, fencing supplies, etc, came to $41,737.00.
   Ice Fishing Contest – State permit has already been received.  Still need the St. Louis Co permit.  Currently approx. 8" of ice on the lake.  Tickets have been mailed out and anyone in need of additional tickets can contact Cindy Craig.
 Old Business:
 Ballast Waters – Joe Roberts shared information from ERIC Hansen's conversation with Dale Bergeron.  Joe Roberts has emailed Nicholas Ellis that we were advised not to get involved at this time.       (Cont. of page 3)
Club Notes - Continued
New Business
Hartley Nature Center – Jon has seen the fisher and it is in good condition.  Motion made by Jim Kurtz to have UNS sponsor the fisher mount for on display at the Hartley Nature Center, 2nd by Harry Davidson, carried.
KCPRO Ice Racing – Proposed Race Request -  UNS has received a letter from KCPRO Ice racing, a kids championship power racing organization, requesting "permission to use United Northern Sportsman's as an access to Island Lake to hold an ice oval race on Saturday January 19th, 2008".  There was much heated discussion about allowing KCPRO to use the UNS property.  Motion was made by Jim Lemmerman to allow KCPRO use of UNS property for lake access on January 19th, 2008, 2nd by Terry Larson, carried.  Amendment made to original motion by Mike Wiarda to allow KCPRO access to lake across UNS property at NO charge, 2nd by Mike Drager, carried.  Mike Drager made a motion requesting a waiver of liability from KCPRO for UNS, 2nd by Eric Hansen, carried.
Future Guest Speaker – Head of Sea Grant @ UMD – Dale Gunderson
Progressive Drawing - $60 Shari Jauss, not in attendance to win
Attendance Drawing - $20 Terry Larson
Motion to Adjourn:  Motion made by Jim Lemmerman to adjourn the meeting at 8:42, 2nd by Terry Larson, carried.

DNR Question of the week

In light of recent news about dead loons being found around some of the Great Lakes, what is the condition of Minnesota's loon population?  Answer: The news of recent loon die-offs due to botulism in the Great Lakes has indeed been troubling, but as of yet, we have seen no evidence of decline in Minnesota's loon population.  Fortunately, the DNR's Division of Ecological Resources conducts the annual Minnesota Loon Monitoring Program, which provides us with a "finger on the pulse" of our state bird's well-being.
 Through this program, each year volunteers visit about 100 lakes in each of six study areas in which loons are present.  After 13 years of counting loons on these 600 lakes, we have detected a very slight increase in population in several of the study areas, and see no evidence of declines.
 While we hope the botulism die-off is a short-term problem, the DNR will continue to closely monitor the state's loon population to provide an early-detection system for any problems that may arise.  For more information on loon monitoring, or to participate as a volunteer, go to http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nongame/projects/mlmp_state.html.

The above article was from Rich Baker, DNR Division of Ecological Resources

Annual Banquet in April

It's not too early to help out for our Annual Banquet which will be held in April.  A large number of new members, and old alike, have asked in the past how they can help the club.  A number of people have said that they just don't have the time to come to the retreat.  Well, now we have a job for all of us and we don't have to go to the retreat at all.  The job - asking for and picking up prizes for our Annual Sportsmen's Banquet.  Anything no matter how large or small will do.  Just ask for it and let us know and we will even pick it up from you.  It's just that easy.  Even cash will work.  A number of businesses in the past have donated cash to this event.  Or, if you don't want to do either, you can donate cash.  Just send a check made payable to UNS Banquet and we will use it to buy prizes.  We realize that once again we are asking for help but this event is our largest fund-raiser of the year and a lot of the profits from this event is what we use to send youths to Long Lake Conservation Camp and educational projects.  Thanks again to any and all of you that can find the time to help your club.

Long Lake Conservation Camp

It's not too early to start thinking of youths that you think might enjoy a week at camp at no expense to you.  Each year the UNS sends a number of youths to LLCC and this year will be no different.  To qualify all they, youths under 16 years of age, have to do is be nominated and send us a written request to attend.  Of course youths of a member will be given first choice but that doesn't mean a non-member youth can't be sent.  It depends on our banquet proceeds as to how many we send.  The more profitable the event is the more we send so get those nominations sent in as soon as the dates are finalized.  You will be notified in this newsletter.