Hi, Everyone!

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukkah!  But, re shells.  We have tried everything imaginable to publicize our club, but to no avail.  Part of the trouble may be that there are so few Niades available in our area any more.  A number of us, being "landlocked" became interested in molluscs through collecting the fresh water. And, our capable President, Larry Watrous is working on the interesting, but drab, Missouri land snails.  That brought him and his wife into the club.

We have a dirth of people willing and able to present programs - I was program chairman for three years and did many of the programs myself, specifically through internet research.  I learned a lot, but it did not seem to improve the situation.

We sell shells at a local festival, which has brought in no new members.  We did have four new people interested in shell craft come to the club - unfortunately on a night of an auction of scientific shells.  Although we assured them that many of us do shell craft, they did not come back.

So, we dwindle, as we get older and many of us retire to othercities or become homebound.  I will never lose interest, and the COA conventions have really kept me enthusiastic about shells.  I am going to suggest that if the club folds our treasury will go to COA, as our local museums are anti-collections (the hands-on-for-kids type).

And we must keep CONCH-L going!  We need more of the exchanges like the current topic of clubs.

Cordially,
Linda

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