I apologize for the long e-mail, please take a moment to read!
It saddens me to send this email, but just as we feel like we’re out of the woods with Covid to meet in person again, variants start popping up.
Club officers held an emergency meeting last night and with the help of your generous time in filling out our survey we came to the conclusion to NOT meet in-person starting Thursday August 26th. Instead, we have decided to resume virtual only meetings until a time comes that we can ensure the safety and comfort of our members. Even with our in-person and virtual hybrid plan, we just didn’t have enough members wanting to meet in-person to justify the insurance and taking up the room in the church.
Our first meeting will be streamed LIVE on Thursday August 26th at 7pm EST and weekly thereafter on our Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/groups/arundelcameraclub/
Please continue to join us and all the great programming your officers have worked very hard on providing that will now be adjusted for a virtual only experience. It is our plan to re-assess Covid on a month by month basis and make an informed decision on when we can safely resume meeting in-person with our original hybrid plan again.
For our second virtual year I ask for the generosity in our paid members to renew their paid membership or if you’re new, considering becoming a paid member which not only help cover our costs to bring great programming to you, but also the ability to participate in contests with great learning opportunities, ribbons and end of year recognition! This year we’re also bringing in professional critique opportunities to paid members thanks to the hard work of our Contest Chair, Ron. While programs are a big help, contests and critiques are the number one way to jumpstart your photography with personalized comments on your art no matter what your skill level.
To become a member or renew, please visit: https://arundelcameraclub.org/membership/
On a personal note, I know this will be disappointing to some, especially the few I’ve talked to privately who have had a pretty rough time with the last two years. Nobody wants in-person meetings more than I do, I encourage you to get out and safely practice your art. Attend our field trips, meet & shoots and this weekend is our annual outdoor Summer Picnic! Keep positive and please reach out to friends, family, other members, me or your club officers if you’re having a particularly tough time and need to talk to someone. The Arundel Camera Club family has become stronger through this and we’ll all get through it together. I appreciate every single one of you who has stuck with us through these strange times and know that your participation in the live streams, contests, and your friendliness to other members and contribution on the Facebook group makes me extremely proud of our community.
John Milleker Jr.
Club President
