Winter 2010 - YOUTH GROUP UNDERWAY
The 2010 FTTU First Cast Youth Group kicked off on January 28. This year, we have a class of 13 boys and 1 girl ranging in age from 12 to 16. Most of the kids have no previous experience with fly tying or fly fishing.
At the first meeting, Drew Banas gave everyone an overview of the program and chapter President Monty Murty put on a presentation about Trout Unlimited.
The kids then had their first fly tying lesson - they learned the half hitch knot and tied a “Green Weenie” fly.
Winter 2010 - CHAPTER AWARD WINNERS
Awards recognizing service to FTTU were given out at the banquet held on March 6. Those honored were Ralph Koscianski, Lou Izzo and the Angler's Room fly Shop. Koscianski was given the Don Robb Memorial Award recognizing long term volunteer service to the chapter. Ralph served as an FTTU officer for two terms and has done a lot of hard work as coordinator of our Rock Run project since 2004. Lou Izzo was given the Russ Mowry Silver Trout recogmition of his service to FTTU. Lou served as chapter president from 2006-2009. The Ed Bordas Memorial award went to The Angler's Room and proprietor Richard Rohrbaugh. This award honors contributions by a business or organization. The Angler's Room has been instrumental in planning our banquets and has contributed rods and other prizes and has acted as an outlet for ticket sales for over a decade.
Congratulations and thanks to all the award winners!
Fall 2009 - TIC PROGRAMS UNDERWAY
Trout in the Classroom programs are in progress in three schools in our area. Brook trout fry are being raised in cold water aquariums at Ligonier Middle School, Latrobe High School, and a new program at Latrobe Middle School.
In January, FTTU volunteers put on a fly tying demonstration at Latrobe Middle School and will do the same in Ligonier in February. TIC includes a six part series of lessons on the importance of cold water conservation.
In the spring, the kids will release their fish into Linn Run.
Fall 2009 - NEW LINE-UP OF OFFICERS ANNOUNCED
FTTU has set its slate of officers for 2009-2010. Taking over as President is Monty Murty of Laughlintown, Don Kowatch will stay on as Vice President, and Lyle Farr of Greensburg is our new Treasurer. Scott Minster is in the middle of his second term as Secretary.
Monty Murty is a local boy returned home. His favorite childhood memory is fishing at his grandfather's cottage beside a trout stream on Laurel Mountain. He put trout fishing on hold after graduating from IUP and going to Vietnam. He gave up teaching biology for an Army career. He likes dry flies, bamboo rods and teaching kids. He's been the Forbes Trail Treasurer and continues to run the Trout in the Classroom program.
Good luck to our new officers and thanks to outgoing President Lou Izzo. Special thanks to Don Kowatch who's going above and beyond the call of duty by starting a third term as Vice President.
Fall 2009 - FTTU WEB SITE BEST IN STATE
The web site you are viewing right now was named best TU web site in Pennsylvania for 2009. President Mony Murty reports that the State Council's “web guru's” looked over chapter web sites and FTTU's came out on top! We received an aluminum Orvis fly box with TU logo as a reward which we will offer as a prize at the 2010 banquet.
