A Note from the President

["Hess, Clay A" <Clay.Hess@PSS.Boeing.com>]

Joe,

I am hoping this makes it to you, please let me know if it does.  This is
the note on the Auction I promised to get to you, at the last Board Meeting, 
prior to May 15th.  Look, I am almost a week ahead of schedule, somedays I get 
lucky....~laughing~.

 Sorry I had to send it this way as I could not remember your email addy Joe.  
I can email it to you as a Word file if you like, but, would need your email 
addy to do that.

Clay

A Note from the President

This year's GSAS General Auction was another success, thanks to the help of so 
many Members.   I would like to thank all of you that helped with the Auction 
and thank all of you that came to the Auction, as well.  Without all of you, 
our Club could not do so many exciting, fun and wonderful things.  The money 
the Club makes from the General Auction is used to support so many Programs 
within our Club.  For instance, we have brought in a number of nationally 
recognized speakers from all facets of the aquarium and the tropical fish 
keeping hobby.  We have improved our selection of Library books that any Member 
is welcome to check out and enjoy.  We continue to produce a quality Newsletter 
that is both entertaining and informative.  And, my personal favorite, we 
continue to support our Philanthropy Program with funds raised from the General 
Auction.  This year we supplied a complete 30 gallon aquarium set up, with 
fish, to a local Elementary School, for the children to enjoy.

The new computer check-in, inventory, sales record and check-out system has 
been a giant success and the Club certainly owes Eric Olson a big Thank You for 
implementing this computer system.  Because of this new computer system, all of 
us who help out in the Auction and those of us that participate in the Auction 
find ourselves getting done with the Auction in record time.  I still remember 
the days when our Auctions would go as late as 11pm and I would not get home 
until after midnight.   I have always enjoyed the Auctions, no matter how late 
they went, but, I must admit that getting sleep prior to the Wednesday workday 
is a very nice option.   Despite my faltering voice, this year at the Auction, 
I really had a great time and hope that all of you enjoyed the Auction as well.

Each year the Club learns a little more on how we can improve the Auction in 
some way, shape or form.  This year is no different, and if any of you have 
suggestions on how the Club might improve the General Auction experience for 
those that help or those that attend the Auction, I would certainly appreciate 
hearing from you.  Along these lines, I would be happy to take any suggestions 
the Membership might have for improving any aspect of the Greater Seattle 
Aquarium Society.  I believe that with the help of our Membership we can truly 
have one of the finest Aquarium Societies in the country and beyond.

I look forward to seeing you all at the upcoming Greater Seattle Aquarium 
Society meetings and functions.

Clay Hess
GSAS President