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Proud member of Region Three of STARFLEET, the
international Star Trek fan association
back to index -
June 2004 -
May 2004 -
April 2004 -
March 2004 -
February 2004 -
January 2004
Friday, June 11th through Sunday, June 13th: We're back from
Region Three's Summit 2004
at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center
in Lubbock, Texas. The summit is the region's annual get-together and awards
banquet. Games were played, fun was had, banquets were served, and bubbles were
blown. The fun was enhanced by special guest David Gerrold, the author of a
dozen SF novels and the classic Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." |
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Robyn in Lubbock's fabulous Ramada Inn. (56kb) |
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Pat starts her day with her beloved caffeine. (44kb) |
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Third Brigade marines are taught how to shape a new beret. (34kb) |
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RC Brad Pense shows off Starfleet fashion and Texas style. (34kb) |
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Jan Agee and Erik Cowand are awarded the Silver Pillar. (43kb) |
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Ed Dravecky is also awarded the Silver Pillar (but not for his photos). (28kb) |
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"Trouble with Tribbles" writer David Gerrold addresses the region. (38kb) |
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Gene Adams and Michelle Fanelli looking sharp. (37kb) |
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Maybe the hokey pokey is what it's all about. (71kb) |
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The amazing Project Laredo simulator in action. (31kb) |
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David Gerrold and Pat Spillers in the dealers room. (47kb) |
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How much am I bid for those flowery foot coverings? (52kb) |
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Celebrity auctioneer David Gerrold goes to new heights. (31kb) |
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Watching all that poker on TV didn't help Ed very much. (47kb) |
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Dan Stockleman can't drive 55. (32kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Saturday, June 12th: The crew celebrated the one year anniversary of the launch of
the Shuttle Trinity River. We gathered the crew present at Summit '04 for a group
photo which, of course, Ed is not in since he was taking the photo. Fun fact: David Gerrold
has the exact same model of digital camera. It's true!
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Crew of the USS Trinity River with David Gerrold. (50kb) |
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Robyn and friends remember our launch as a shuttle. (48kb) |
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Jan, Dan, and Wanda celebrate our launch anniversary. (52kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Friday, June 11th: Our monthly meeting was moved from its usual time,
date, and place to the Region Three Summit '04
in Lubbock. Originally rescheduled for Sunday at noon at the Ramada, the crew moved the
meeting to Friday night so we could accomodate Sunday travel needs and prepare a few items
before the summit began. We adjourned to the Stockmen's Station Restaurant and BBQ Grill
for a buffet of steak, brisket, pork, and catfish. (Yum!)
Robyn, Jan, Ed, and Erik were the crew members present along with new recruit (and casino expert)
Dan Stockelman and Erik's wife Wanda. Club business included calendar updates, event scheduling,
and a discussion of a surprise for 2006. (Yes, 2006.)
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Robyn and Erik gather before dinner. (50kb) |
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The crew of the USS Trinity River. (57kb) |
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David Gerrold has a swell camera. (38kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Saturday, May 22nd: The crew gathered on a sunny
Saturday afternoon at Don Carter
All Star Lanes (Dallas West) for an away mission involving bowling, pizza,
and giving the CO and OPS a hard time about getting yet another year older. Robyn,
Elizabeth, Ed, Linda, and cadet Scott made the scene. Robyn's a league bowler
so her scores were way higher than the rest of us but the second game was at
least close. So much fun was had that we may just do this bowling thing on a
regular basis, maybe even every other month or so. Enjoy the pictures.
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Robyn leads the landing party to the bowling center. (40kb) |
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Liz in house shoes with a house ball rocks the house. (46kb) |
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Linda comes fully equipped to bowl. (48kb) |
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Scott Patton lines up the ball and the pins... (43kb) |
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...and knocks 'em all down for the first strike of the day. (38kb) |
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Linda and Robyn get older so we party. (39kb) |
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Ed took bowling in college. For credit. Really. (44kb) |
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The best part of bowling is these stylish house shoes. (45kb) |
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Robyn reminds us that she bowls every week. (46kb) |
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So much fun the crew wants to do it again real soon. (58kb) |
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Robyn is a league bowler. The rest of us tried really hard. (60kb) |
Special thanks to Adam Wyse and our pals at
Don Carter's All Star Lanes (Dallas West)
for putting up with us. |
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Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Sunday, May 9th: It's Mother's Day and once again the crew of the Trinity River
gathered at the Half Price Books on Northwest Highway in Dallas for our monthly meeting. This
meeting, unlike the April get-together, actually featured people getting together.
Department heads gave reports (all is well), medical status was discussed (sickbay is slowly
emptying), and upcoming events (like the Region Three Summit)
were discussed. We also decided to add a bowling day to the calendar for Saturday, May 22nd.
Robyn, Liz, Linda, Jan, and Ed were in attendance. Check the calendar
for details on the bowling day.
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Robyn and Liz report. (41kb) |
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Linda and Jan decide. (43kb) |
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The crew at the May 2004 meeting. (46kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Saturday, May 1st: After a night of intense thunderstorms, the air
was clearer and cooler for Region Three's annual family day trip. In fact,
it was too cool and too damp to spend the day at the
Fort Worth Zoo in comfort.
Almost two dozen members from ships across the region gathered for an
early breakfast then it was off to the Plan B site: the
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.
USS Trinity River CO Robyn Winans took plenty
of pictures so you too could spend the day with the region. |
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We're in the science section but these bugs are history. (48kb) |
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Robyn Winans does her good deed for the day at the Noble Planetarium. (40kb) |
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Cohesion and surface tension are big fun to these cadets. (32kb) |
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It's like being in a 1950's B-movie only with better acting. (37kb) |
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Pat Spillers would kill me if I made a 'fossil' joke here. So I won't. (39kb) |
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After a long day of fun and learning, Region Three's contingent poses one last time. (38kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Sunday, April 11th: Our April meeting started at 1:30pm
at our regular meeting place, the
Half Price Books
location on east Northwest Highway in Dallas. However, this brings up
some philosphical questions. If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is
there to hear it, does it make a sound? If a club holds a meeting in a
book store and nobody is there to attend it, does it count as a meeting?
The unusual confluence of Easter Sunday, family emergencies, and other
factors kept attendance at a new low (zero). Blame it on the
marshmallow Peeps, if you
must.
If you were there, please email
info@usstrinityriver.org
and we'll sing your praises in this space. See you (for sure!) at Half
Price Books in May.
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Saturday, March 27th: On March 18th, the new Borg Invasion 4-D attraction
opened in Star Trek: The Experience at
the Las Vegas Hilton. Needing more information on how to deal with the
Borg
menace, USS Trinity River CO Robyn Winans and Communications Officer Ed Dravecky
spent the following weekend in Las Vegas and checked out the experience.
A complete write-up and a whole bunch of pictures can be found on the
Ed and Robyn's Star Trek Experience page. |
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Sunday, March 21st: The USS Trinity River's Constitution Committee met at the
CiCi's Pizza in Allen, Texas. Robyn Winans,
Linda Patton, and Ed Dravecky reviewed the document that Erik and Robyn had compiled (with
help from our pals in Fort Worth on the
USS Panther City).
There are structural and grammatical details to work out but an end to this process is
finally in sight. Linda and Ed are each making extensive notes and hope to have a draft
ready for April's chapter meeting. Liz Weber was unable to attend.
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Robyn and Linda share a moment over paperwork. (60kb) |
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Ed takes a break from pepperoni (and this picture). (53kb) |
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Pizza and paperwork mix at Cici's in Allen. (49kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Saturday, March 20th: Movie night! A tradition on Starfleet vessels
from the earliest missions, but the theater on a Lobo-class vessel doesn't have
stadium seating. This called for an away mission to the
Loews Keystone Park
in Dallas to see
Hidalgo (rated PG-13)
starring Viggo Mortensen. Robyn Winans, Jan and Allen Agee, Linda Patton,
Greg Lane, and Ed Dravecky comprised the landing party.
The (allegedly) true story of Frank B. Hopkins, an American cowboy who
enters a legendary horse race across Arabia, Hidalgo is a tale of
will over destiny and spirit over bloodlines. The mixed-blood mustang
and the half-white/half-Sioux Hopkins struggle to convince a haughty
English lady and the Sheik of Sheiks that purity of heart is far more
important than any so-called "purity" of blood. The action-packed film
has a couple plot threads that don't really lead anywhere but the whole
experience was more than satisfying. Go see it. |
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The crew is off to see a movie. (55kb) |
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Dark and cloudy and forboding outdoors. (48kb) |
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Bright and warm and safe indoors. (73kb) |
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Our crew has made the scene. (89kb) |
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It would have been rude to use the flash. (89kb) |
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Can you believe what a movie costs? (62kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Sunday, March 14th: Once again the crew of the Trinity River gathered at
the Half Price Books on Northwest Highway in Dallas for our monthly meeting. What made
this meeting special was that this is the first regular meeting as the USS Trinity River
instead of as a Shuttle.
Department heads gave reports (all is well), club dues were collected, and upcoming events
(like the zoo trip) were discussed. Captain's Commendations
awarded at the commissioning ceremony were distributed to Linda and Greg. We have some craft
work to do as the crew decided on a common uniform for the upcoming regional summit. The
Constitution Committee (Robyn, Liz, Linda, and Ed) will meet at the
CiCi's Pizza in Allen on Sunday, March 21st, at 1pm.
Robyn, Liz, Linda, Jan, Ed, and Greg were in attendance while Cadet Scott
enjoyed the vast array of books for young persons at Half Price. (We love you,
Half Price Books!)
We also decided to have another Movie Night for the ship. Lacking a holodeck or a suitable
crew's mess, we're meeting at the
Loews Keystone Park
(at Spring Valley Rd and US 75) in Dallas to see
Hidalgo (rated PG-13) starring Viggo 'Aragorn' Mortensen.
Exact time to be determined but we're guessing we'll gather around 7pm for an 8pm showing. Join
us this Saturday, March 20th, for the film. Exact times will be posted in the calendar.
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Linda pays attention so you don't have to. (63kb) |
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Liz is an inspiring figure in our lives. (50kb) |
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This is how we get things done on the TR. (62kb) |
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Maybe we should ask for some free samples. (52kb) |
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The crew at the March 2004 meeting. (59kb) |
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Robyn unwinds with a little New Frontier. (67kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Saturday, February 14th: The crew of the Shuttle Trinity River
gathered at the Dave & Buster's
on Walnut Hill at Central Expressway in Dallas for our commissioning ceremony.
Our eight months as a Shuttle, a probationary chapter in
STARFLEET, are over and now we're a starship,
a full chapter, called the USS Trinity River. We even have a unique
"hull number" (NCC-6425) to call our own.
The evening began with a Region Three representative presenting our commissioning
certificate to Byron Flynt, executive officer of the
USS Bethel, our parent
vessel. Byron presented this to Trinity River CO Robyn Winans and now we
are official. (Woo-hoo!) Several other presentations followed including nifty
etched glassware from Byron Flynt to each member, various certificates and awards,
and a special bottle of wine signed by all the COs
in Region Three. We'll enjoy this bottle on
our one-year anniversary. |
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An "instant" newsletter was produced and distributed to all in attendance as yet
another souvenir of the occasion. This newsletter is available
online, of course. It also details the story of the real-life USS Trinity
River (LSMR-535) for the first time.
Next, Robyn and Liz presented promotions and certificates of office to several
crew members. Shannon Malone was named Ship's Counselor
and promoted to Crewman. Cadet Scott Patton was promoted to Cadet Crewman.
Ed Dravecky was promoted to Acting Ensign. (Ed promises to get that OCS test
sent in real soon now.) Jeff Lester was named Acting Chief of Security and
promoted to Crewman.
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Then it was time for the first USS Trinity River awards ceremony.
Robyn Winans, Elizabeth Weber, Linda Patton, Ed Dravecky III, Erik Cowand,
Jan Agee, Debbie Winters, Greg Lane, Allen Agee, and Robert Fritz each
received Captain's Commendations. Marine of the Year was awarded to
Ed Dravecky III. Also, Volunteer of the Year went to Ed Dravecky III for his
work coordinating the Toys for Tots campaign. Member of the Year was
awarded to Debbie Winters for "performance and service far above the call
of duty" and "her devotion to her crew." |
After the formalities, we enjoyed dinner and retired to the game room for fun and
prizes. Careful readers may recall that the shuttle's first event was a gathering at
another Dave & Buster's and that ship's mascot Lobo was rescued from that locale.
Members piled up a lot of game tickets but no new wolves were added to our new Lobo-class
vessel.
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Weeks before the ceremony, Joy has to certify that we're ready. (66kb) |
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Proud CO Robyn shows off the signed paperwork. (70kb) |
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Our celebration station, Dave and Buster's in Dallas. (36kb) |
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Erik Cowand and his wife Wanda. (46kb) |
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Crew and guests relax as things get underway. (49kb) |
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Robyn pauses for just a moment. (54kb) |
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Joy has a present for the crew from the region. (52kb) |
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A few final awards before the Bethel cuts the cord. (50kb) |
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Jan and Allen Agee together at an event! (43kb) |
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Joy shows off her new toy to Liz and Alan. (57kb) |
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Byron uses that same camera to capture the moment. (44kb) |
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Ed uses his camera to take fun trick shots. (40kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Sunday, February 8th: Our February meeting started at 1:30pm
at our regular meeting place, the
Half Price Books
location on east Northwest Highway in Dallas. However, due to illness and
travel issues only XO Elizabeth Weber and Erik Cowand were in attendance.
With some e-mailed advice from CO Robyn Winans, who was on her own away
mission at the Region Three retreat, Liz and Erik continued planning for
our commissioning party to be held on the 14th and discussed the latest
draft of our constitution. |
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Saturday, February 7th and Sunday, February 8th: CO Robyn Winans represented the
Shuttle Trinity River at Region Three's Annual Retreat. This year's event was held at
the Ramada Inn in Lubbock, site of the 2004 Region Three Summit this June. (See the
calendar for more details.)
Admiral Brad Pense, regional coordinator, gave a state of the region speech to update
us on the status of each ship in the region. Dates and activities were set for the 2004
regional calendar (such as the zoo trip, more details to follow soon). Planning for
Summit 2004 and the Region Three-hosted International Conference in 2005 continued.
The region's revitalization survey was discussed and a final report will be issued in
the near future.
Also, fun was had as games and activities planned for Summit 2004 were tested on guinea
pigs. In the interest of animal safety, no actual guinea pigs were used in these tests.
Instead, regional and chapter officers were put through their paces. Reported test
results were good and no officers were permanently harmed in the production of this Summit.
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Brad and staff meet and eat. (62kb) |
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A parade? Are there floats? (56kb) |
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Shuttle Hapsburg is now USS Gunslinger. (52kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Saturday, January 31st: The crew of Shuttle Trinity River went on an
away mission to the Loews Keystone Park
theater at Spring Valley Road and Central Expressway (US75) in Dallas.
We went to see
Along Came Polly (PG-13, 1:30 runtime), a
romantic comedy starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. Ed, Robyn, Erik, and
Erik's wife Wanda gathered in the lobby well before the 8:20pm start time so we
could purchase tickets and obtain seats. Chief Medical Officer Jan made it in
just in time for the previews.
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Away mission coordinates locked in. (64kb) |
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Erik waits while Wanda rests. (60kb) |
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Robyn and Jan hit the concession stand. (69kb) |
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The CO feeds the CMO. (67kb) |
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Our crew after the film. (65kb) |
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$7.75 for a ticket? No wonder people wait for the DVD. (53kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Sunday, January 11th:
A new year finds the Shuttle Trinity River in a new meeting place. Thanks to our new friends
at Half Price Books,
especially Richard, for making this space available. Our permanent home is the community room,
back by the science fiction books, in the main Dallas location on Northwest Highway at US 75.
(Join us!)
The new year also finds us with a new member, CRMN Jeff Lester, and
three new cadets. We welcome Scott Patton, Jordan Malone, and Laura Malone to the cadet
program. Cadet Cain D. Winans looks forward to meeting his new crewmates.
After a crew medical update and departmental reports, each member of the crew received a
full-color certificate honoring their participation in NASA's
Deep Impact Send Your Name to a Comet
program. We may not be able to take our Shuttle crew into space but the names of every crew
member will be preserved forever in deep space on Comet Tempel 1. The probe will meet the
comet on about July 4, 2005. We'll be watching.
Calendars were updated as every meeting for 2004 has been set for
time, date, and location. After CO Robyn Winans announced that we could officially commission
as a ship on Feburary 12th, we set the date for our commissioning party: Saturday, February 14th.
We invite every member of Starfleet, especially our fellow Region Three and Sector One friends,
to join us at 7:00pm at the Dave and Busters on
Walnut Hill at US 75. Food, fun, and fellowship are all on the agenda.
Speaking of agenda, finishing the constitution is the last item on our pre-commissioning agenda
and it will be ready for review at the February meeting.
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Richard greets Robyn. (56kb) |
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Shannon, yes. Elizabeth, yes. Shannon Elizabeth, no. (60kb) |
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Jeff is new. Welcome him. (67kb) |
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Linda listens. Ed's mind wanders. (76kb) |
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Lobo is very patient for a wolf. (53kb) |
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As always, Ed is taking the picture. (75kb) |
Click on a photo to see a much larger version.
Last updated 30 May 2005
Text and images Copyright 2003-2005 by USS Trinity River, Dallas, Texas.
"Star Trek" Trademark by Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved.
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