Winchester Frederick County Conservation Club Inc

WFCCC Secretary & Treasurers Report January & February 2021

1. Winchester Star has been publishing once per week at no charge, in Club news section of paper, the WFCCC scholarship details sent to them early January 2021. They were asked to publish once and for some unknown reason continue to do so weekly. 2. No communication has been received from Frederick Co. or Shenandoah Co. Treasurers Offices concerning approval of land use documentation filed for abatement or restricted WFCCC property taxes. 3. Four additional requests have been received by mail from College Bound Seniors for scholarship applications and replied to. 4. Jackie Roberts, WFCCC Director passed away on February 13, 2021 and our Treasurer is to make a memorial contribution to the College scholarship fund at Jackie’s church in lieu of Flowers for a service per family request. 5. Trout Stocking has been set up for Saturday March 13th at 10 am, the week before Easter for 4/3/21 Easter Saturday Trout Opening event at Club, and also on Friday April 30th at 10 am. The Club lake is closed from March 28th until Saturday April 3rd at 12:30 pm. 6. 1500 pre-stamped #10 US Postal envelopes along with 2750 return and mailing address labels have been picked up in preparation of annual club newsletter/renewal mailing in June. Progress is being made applying the labels to the envelopes. 7. WFCCC membership roll currently has 1373 members on it, and $82,520 has been collected in dues since June 15, 2020 for the 2021 memberships. Last year, membership total at June 15th mail-out was 1291 and $75,920 in dues was collected for entire 2020 membership year. I expect that we may top 1400 members before the May 15, 2021 cut-off date for 2021 memberships which may bring our dues collection in over $85,000 for 2021 membership year. 8. Six of the 2021 Club members as published in Winchester Star Obituaries have passed away since June of 2020. 9. Treasurers Reporting – Checking account Balance as of 1/1/21 was $50,728. Checking account Balance as of 2/28/21 was $47,759. Dues and shoot money deposited was $7,370 while bills paid was $10,340 for that period. Bank of Clark Co. Land Loan balance as of 3/2/21 is $9,247 and Scholarship CD value is $16,808. Club CD balance is $502.

Winchester Frederick County Conservation Club, Inc. Minutes from August 19, 2020 Membership Meeting

Officers present: Eric Heflin, Steve Hunt, Marshall Shiley, Rich Sankovich

1. Meeting opened with prayer led by Eric Heflin 2. Minutes of July 15, 2020 membership meeting read and approved by membership. 3. Minutes of Board of Directors meeting August 16, 2020 read and approved by membership. 4. Treasurers report: As of August 1, 2020 there is $25,911 in checking account, $14,688 in Scholarship CD, Six Club CD’s value was $51,903, and Principle Balance on 97 acre land loan was $73,553. Major payments made in July were $1994 on Land Loan, $384 on Tractor Loan, $930 to Piccadilly Printers and $970 for new compressed air lake aeration system. Major income deposited into checking account was $13,638 which was for dues, shoots and raffle ticket sales money. $1616 in raffle ticket sales was transferred from Checking account into Scholarship CD account. Membership approved report. 5. Ten new members were sworn in to Club. 6. Two Hats, Knife and bag donated by Kirk Gordon for auction to be raffled off at September meeting along with Knives donated by Jim Osborn. 7. Members at meeting again asked to support scholarship raffle tickets sales. 8. Noted that Scholarship raffle ticket winners will be pulled at September 16 meeting since Club Picnic has been cancelled. 9. Dues increase proposal presented to meeting membership for 2021 initiation. $30 dues increase to $35 per year for age 65 and older and $60 dues increase to $65 per year for age 18 to under 65. Membership approved dues increase with vote of more than 2/3 of members present. 10. Food supplier for picnic and donations from vendors have been cancelled. 11. $750 turned in from Trap shoots. Thanks to Mike Collins & Jim Osborne. 12. Lake conditions reported on as good with 10-12 PPM dissolved Oxygen and new aeration system running 4 times daily in two hour increments. 13. Members reminded of Officers and Directors vote at next meeting in September. Its not too late to get your name on the ballot! 14. Posting of Property on north side/White Tail Lane completed by Mike Collins. Thanks to Mike for accomplishing. 15. Issues reported at Pistol/Rifle range with people in large trucks with no front license plates visible, so must be from out of state and possibly trespassing. Member apprehensive about approaching the people with weapons. Call an Officer of the club if needed or Fredrick Co. Sherriff’s Dept. to address. 16. Quote received to restock lake by the Fish Wagon out of Arkansas in late October or early November. $2700 plus tax for 400 Catfish, 1500 Bluegill, 750 Redear, 250 LM Bass, 200 Black Crappie and 20 lbs of minnows. Members voted and approved restocking of lake. 17. As of 8/19/20 - $36,840 in dues collected for 2021 and $2286 in raffle tickets sold. 727 Renewals/New for 2021 with 96 that are new members. 18. 300 Rainbow Trout to be stocked in Club Lake in late September or early October when Lake water temp drops below 70 degrees. Information will be posted on Web Site a week or so before stocking. 19. Noted that Capital Projects at club for 2021 will be Roofing replacement and repair on large outdoor shelter and Electrical Repairs at Lake shelter. 20. Emergency Phone on Clubhouse outside wall voted to be replaced by a Track Phone with 0 Minutes capable of calling 911. Breakaway Cases with solar chargers to be installed at Clubhouse and Pistol shooting range. Verizon phone currently was costing $1392 a year with two calls in past 15 months. 21. Members reminded of property speed limit of 5 mph. 22. Johnny Blue cost to be reviewed for alternate supplier, Currently $94/month. 23. Light pole at Clubhouse bulb needs replaced. Will look at doing near future. 24. Meeting adjourned.

The Thursday night Trap Shoots will start May 21st, 2020 at 6:30 pm. The prices to shoot are listed on the Home Page of this Web Site. The calendar page will also be updated. The shoots will run until October 1st weather permitting. Please practice social distancing at the shoots!

If small forage fish being stocked week of 3/2/20 live, then the following stocking

of lake will occur.

NOTE: Club Rifle and Pistol Ranges CLOSED from Noon to 6 PM on all Trout stocking days!

March 19, 2020 at 10 am

April 9, 2020 at 10 am 

April 30, 2020 at 10 am

A visit to the Club pistol range on Wednesday this past week to see how the new targets were fairing brought a smile to my face! All five targets were in very good condition with only one top 2 x 4 holding the target material having had a few bullets pass through. The range was policed well with all target materials picked up and placed in the trash as well as the shelter being swept of used cartridges from members handguns. I would personally like to Thank all of you that have used it in past 10 days for the care and consideration you have shown in use and maintenance of this area. One person was found to have been shooting clay birds on the Pistol range this week and that has since been rectified. Remember, our ranges are paper targets only and we do appreciate your co-operation.

Rich Sankovich

WFCCC Secretary

A WFCCC member was found tresapassing on a property adjacent to our Club's northern property boundary multiple times off of WhiteTail Lane this past year. He was prosecuted for this action by the landowner. His membership in our Club has subsquently been revoked by the Board of Directors for WFCCC as this is a direct violation of the Club's Constitution and By-Laws relating to respecting other peoples property rights. There was another Club member also found hunting on an ajacent property to this one and told to leave and was not prosecuted. The Club's intent is to always be a good neighbor to those whose property borders ours. We strongly encourage you as members to obey the NO Trespassing signs posted on other peoples property and verify you are hunting on Club property by ensuring you are within our Club boundaries. Our bordering property neighbors have a low tolerance for intentional criminal trespass as evidenced by this prosecution, so please follow the Game Laws and the Rules of the Club to avoid the same outcome this previous member received.

Rich Sankovich - Secretary WFCCC 6/11/18

As noted in the forum and home page, members are erecting tree stands on our properties and leaving them. This is against club rules and the treestands need removed immediately. If anyone finds a tree stand on our property, you have the right to remove it and the previous owner has no recourse if you do as it is against the club rules to leave it on any of our properties and we are encouraging them to remove it.

It has also been reported that some of our members are being discourteous to other members hunting by acknowleging there presence while hunting and then staging themselves with in 50 yards of that person. This is an unsafe practice and you need to keep at least 100 yards or more between you and another hunter. It is common curtesy to distance yourself from another hunter and is important to both hunters safety.

Rich Sankovich - WFCCC Secretary 11/12/17

The  6 x 6 posts for the second Eagle Scout Project at the Club for installing additional benches at the Lake, Playground and Trap Range has begun! The Project is being led by Douglas Lunceford with BSA Troop 63 and the posts were installed in the concrete footers 2 weeks ago. Next step is the framework, seating and back rests. I expect the project will be completed by end of May or early June.

The second Eagle Scout Project was completed at the Club and Douglas came to May 17, 2017 meeting to report on same.

Congratulations to Douglas on his Eagle Scout Project Work!

     The Shenandoah Area Boy Scout Council has approved Winchester Frederick County Conservation Club, Inc. properties as a recipient for Eagle Scout projects. This approval paves the way for future projects that benefit the welfare of members, guests and the environment to be conducted at our properties. A Boy Scout pursuing his Eagle rank in scouting must develop a plan for approval that includes a description of benifit to be obtained, plans and drawings if applicable, materials list, estimated costs, fund raising, gather a workforce and manage the installation of the improvement and then submission of the after action report to the Eagle Scout board of review.

    One project already completed is the six new benches surrounding our lake.

Peter Mangione has completed his Eagle Scout project at our fishing lake with the installation of six new benches installed around our lake, Each bench is sitting on treated 6 x 6 timber embedded in concrete and also has our club logo on the top back board of the benches.  Very comfortable seating for our fishing members and families. A Special Thank You to Peter as well as his father who is a member of our Club. There is a picture of one of the new benches at our lake at the TOP Left on our Home page on this web site.

Congratulations and Thank You Peter!

Rich Sankovich - WFCCC Secretary 12/10/16