Dear All:
 
It is up to parents (grandparents) and club to nurture the young.    We
have several young couples in our club now with children.  These
children come to all our meetings.
We have also started a jr. club that meets one hour before our regular
meeting....so the parents can be there.   Members of our club are taking
turns leading the jr. club.  This means the children are getting a
varied education....as our members bring their specialty and interest to
share with the children.
 
Our children helped with the children's special area at the Shell Show
this year and had so much fun showing shells to other children and
sharing what they have learned.
Now that we offer a free (admittance charge) show we are finding young
people and more children attending as families.  Most of these children
do not leave the show without a "free" shell and some literature about
our jr. club and even some pictures of shells to color or identify.
 
Many of our members go into local schools to give shell talks (again
reaching children).
 
Of course the main thing we are running into with the younger generation
is they don't believe we should take any live shells....so helping to
educate them in that area and
showing them how interested we are in the environment helps.
 
We frequently give workshops at our meetings to help new members learn
to do their own identification, clean shells, store shell properly,
catalog shells, etc. etc.
 
The older members in our club are always willing to share their
expertise with the newer collectors....,the exciting part is seeing some
of them begin to use the scientific names for the first time and
remembering them.
 
It definitely is clubs' duty to help nurture the new generation.
Unfortunately "electronics" like T.V., computers, video games, etc. do
seem to take priority with children now.
But many parents who begin taking their children on the field to collect
are educating their children not only about shells, but about all kinds
of sea life.
 
I am always amazed at the variety of interests in our club from the
deeply scientific collector, the arts and crafts person, the
photographer, those who just think shells are "pretty" and even those
who just enjoy being with us!  Amazing!
 
Absolutely, the clubs need to offer exciting programs where everyone can
learn....with some meat in them.
 
Keep it up clubs'  ... you are the ones who can reach them through your
meetings and shell shows and exhibits at schools and libraries.
 
Shellingly, Bobbi
 
 
--
Jim and Bobbi Cordy
of Merritt Island, Florida.
 
Jim Specializes in Self-Collected
Caribbean & Florida Shells
 
Bobbi in Shell Creations