You Can Call Me Bill Documentary

From March 22rd to April 4th, a new documentary about William Shatner will by playing. Thanks to a generous offer from the Woodbury 10 Theater, we have 50 tickets to the show and everyone can get one for $10. You can use the tickets any time during the two-week run, and we are planning a group outing on March 22nd. And we'll probably have dinner before or after the show.

It looks good. According to Variety, "if you go into his new movie, which is all about William Shatner, presuming that it’s going to be something other than a conventional portrait of William Shatner, you’d be quite correct. The movie is built around an interview with the legendary 91-year-old actor, still vigorous and voluble, with a seize-the-day cornball glow to him. In “You Can Call Me Bill,” Shatner sits under the hot lights, with the camera close to his face, talking, talking, and talking — about life, death, acting, fame, love, desolation, and trees."

Please let me know ASAP at if you'd like some tickets. We'd love give everybody a chance to see it.

Click HERE to watch the trailer.

Captain’s Log: February 2024

Greetings, Crew!

Each time I write, I expect that we'll be looking at snow. Yet, it never happens. Maybe next month!

We have fun planned in the next few months, including the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair, the 2024 Annual Valentine Dinner, MarsCon, our blood drive, the NLC Gala, and more. Plus, this is an election year. That means that all Governing Board positions are up for re-election in May. If you are interested in running for one, ask the person that holds it for more information. Also, keep in mind that all Board meetings are open to all members. You are welcome to attend any time. We review the dates up coming meetings at every membership meeting and they are posted on the website.

We hope to have lots of updates on 40th anniversary activities at Saturday's meeting, so come and join us! I really hope that you all recognize the significance of this 40-year achievement. There aren't many companies or organizations that last that long, but our love for Star Trek and the amazing times we've had together have kept us together that long. We hope to see you, and those you know that have been members along the way, at our events this year. All are welcome. Spread the word.

See you around the galaxy!

Mary

 

February Meeting Zoom Link

Here's the link for those of you that can't join us in person. Please log in a few minutes early to check your tech.

Topic: USS Nokomis February Membership Meeting
Time: Feb 10, 2024 12:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3141085993?pwd=S21TampnV01XUjNrc2QyK2kvSzMyQT09&omn=86742460874

Meeting ID: 314 108 5993
Passcode: 12345

Dial by phone: 312 626 6799

Meeting ID: 314 108 5993
Passcode: 12345

 

 

MarsCon 2024 Blood Drive

We really really need donors for the blood drive at MarsCon. We are working to get 32, and we still need 29. Please help by sharing (copy and paste) this information widely with friends and family, especially if they will be at the convention:

  • This year is the 19th American Red Cross blood drive at MarsCon. The USS Nokomis is inviting everyone to come save up to three lives with one donation on Saturday the 9th between 10am and 4pm. MarsCon donors have touched over 2,000 lives with their donations over the last 18 years, and this year we’ll touch even more! Please help during this extreme winter blood shortage!
  • Come to donate to get most coveted, hardest to get, absolute coolest ribbon at the Con! Plus, we have a special gift for all donors - a gift card to use at the pet store of your choice - a paw-sitively great thing! Three ways to sign up: Register online at redcrossblood.org using sponsor code MarsCon or click here , email , or come to the registration table on Saturday to sign up with USS Nokomis crew members.

You can click HERE to sign up yourself, too!

MarsCon 2024 Star Trek Walkabout

Because we didn't get enough volunteers to help set up and populate a party room this year, we won't be able to do our Assignment: Earth set-up. Accordingly, we're limiting activity to the blood drive and some fun on Saturday night. We'll be doing a Star Trek walkabout through the party floor, and other convention spaces, as a group. You are welcome to join us as we hit the rooms in costume and spread some Trek love. Exact timing will be shared closer to the convention.

Save the Date for our 40th Anniversary Event!!!

Yes, it's been 40 years. We're going to do it up right to celebrate. No hauling sets, no work, just a great night with friends. Mark your calendars today for the 4th of May (did you notice that rhymed?). Yes, it's true - celebrating on May the Fourth and we'd like to Be With You. Just think of the possibilities. Seriously, though, we hope you'll save the date for this once-in-40-year event! Mary

Internet Practices and the News

Starting February 1st our newsletter sender, along with the rest of the email-sending Internet, implemented new authentication rules.  If I did my job right you'll never see the changes under the hood.  If I didn't, what might you see?

  • A garbled newsletter, or one in text-only (I'll always have some graphics)
  • A newsletter sent to the SPAM or JUNK folder
  • Links in the newsletter don't work
  • Hardest of all to debug, you don't get your newsletter.

If you have these issues between now and June 1st, let Phill know right away and he'll do two things:  Send you a newsletter individually, and fix the glitch (or advise you how to fix it).

Please check your email address to be sure it's current.  We all change where we want our newsletter delivered, and you can update that on your own, as often as you want.  Go to the My USSNOKOMIS page to update your email address or password.

Thank YOU for Keeping Current on your Dues

Each Fall we ask you to pay your dues, and everyone in the Nokomis thanks you for staying up to date.  Dues ensure that the basics of the Club are covered.

Producing and sending the Newsletter – Forty years ago this was printing and postage and was our largest single expense. Now it covers the Website’s hosting and registration.  We’re keeping that expense as low as possible by using NO pay-for-use software, and a very inexpensive hosting service.

Banking and Finance – When the Nokomis was born and we were Searching for Spock, the main banking costs were physical checks and a monthly fee since we were a low-volume use organization.  Now those costs are gone, but we have new costs in electronic service fees like everyone else.  Did you notice we didn’t raise the dues to cover those charges?

Cards, Flowers, and Memorials – We occasionally receive requests to recognize life events. When this happens, the Nokomis may send flowers or a card as appropriate, or make a contribution to a charitable organization if the recipient prefers.  Like all costs, these have risen dramatically since 1984.  Many years the Dues covers this completely, but not always.  We’ve chosen to keep dues the same and supplement from fundraising or donations.

Meeting Locations – Though most of our locations are free, we will rent a site for regular meetings when needed, like the Anniversary Picnic.  At the founding we met in people’s homes and yards.  We outgrew that and started using public sites like libraries. Sometimes these library rooms charge nominal fees to groups like ours to raise revenue.

ZOOM – Clearly a new expense, Virtual Meetings became a necessity during the Pandemic and now form the basis of our hybrid meetings.  Every month we have up to a dozen people attend online.  The Nokomis pays for the subscription, and the added hardware and effort to set up are donated.

Individual Dues started at $10 per year in 1984 and has only been raised once, to $15 per year roughly 20 years ago.  Would you guess that $10 dues in 1984 would be the equivalent of $29.61 in 2023 according the US Bureau of Labor statistics?  Diligent effort on keeping costs low allows us to keep dues at the same level for decades at a time, and there’s no increase planned for the foreseeable future.

In a very real sense, YOU keep the club running with your dues.  Thank You!

If you need help with paying your Dues, the Nokomis may be able to help.  It’s never our intent to exclude anyone for financial reasons. 

Looking Ahead in ’24

All done with the Smiles and Holiday Parties?  The Spring in the Nokomis has a lot of really fun stuff on the calendar.

Our Fortieth Anniversay is This Year!  Mary's started to get the formal events organized, see what she has going at the next meeting and at this post.  Nothing's entirely certain yet, but likely we'll have a defined event (dinner, party, or something else) and some solid recognition at the Anniversary Picnic in June.  The Club doesn't feel that old until you realize the Club and Star Trek 3 The Search for Spock opened the same weekend in 1984.

Conventions? There are a few.  Notably the MarsCon in March.  Come to the January meeting to hear how the Nokomis can participate. Later, we'll get set for ConVergence in July.

Community Service?  We have Feed My Starving Children, Blanket Making for Kids, and a blood drive or two. The Twin Cities Regional Science Fair needs hands for setup, logistics, and judging too.

Parties?  We have the Valentine's Dinner, St. Patrick's Day (Eve) Beer Tasting, maybe a Journey To Babble the Next Generation.  And like I said, the 40th Anniversary Events.

The calendar's up to date and the excerpt below is right as of the newsletter date.  Be sure to mark your own calendars, and check back to the Website for changes and for any signup sheets tied to them.

Signup Sheets

Holiday Train Outing

Four of us hearty souls made it to the Union Depot for the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train.  Hearty, because December 10th was only day in December that was fuly below freezing during the warmest December in Minnesota history.

It was a great party atmosphere as the train arrived, albeit a bit late due to traffic on the line.  The Country Music conference was easily heard throughout the event.  The Christmas Marketplace was larger than past years and had several tasty vendors. Parking was easy right at the Depot.

Next year maybe we'll select a different point on the line, closer to a nice meal.  It's a good event to supplement our holidays, but maybe we should make an event that's less weather-sensitive for our main holiday gathering.  Let me know please if you have ideas, or if you'd just rather have an indoor party and are willing to help run it. - Phill