Email TU Today

[OTTER]

From Wisconsin Fly Fishing Forum:
vanderbilt
Caddis
Minnesota

Posts: 44



Re: TU selling out?
« Reply #14 on: Today at 09:22:21 AM » Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been corresponding with Duke Welter, whom some of you know, on this issue. Duke is the Secretary of TU's National Leadership Council. In short, he is the "head" grassroots volunteer person in the TU heirarchy. Duke is very upset over the proposal, and fears what will happen to the grassroots support if the proposal passes. TU struggles already with the perception that it is a "rich boys club", and this proposal could really be harmful to "normal" guys like us who belong to, and work with, our local chapters.

Please, if you have not yet done so, write your letter to TU's head people. TU's National Leadership Council (NLC) is meeting tonight, and we need to let them know how we feel.

Please direct your emails to: cgauvin@tu.org (President of TU)
rteufel@tu.org (Board Chairman)
jwelter@ameritech.net (Secretary of NLC)

If it helps you at all, there are several letters posted on the WIFF board. Feel free to use them as a template for your comments. Duke suggests that you also ask for your email be forwarded to all TU Trustees.

Report to moderator Logged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



=========================================
Here is my email to these three gentlemen:

I am on the board of the Great Bay Trout Unlimited chapter. Access to fishing is more important to me than conservation; although that is a very close second.

I would rather be able to fish in water with no fish, than to have water with fish that I cannot access. If I am faced with such a ridiculous choice.

I carry my resignation letter in my pocket.

[StrBender]

I sent the President a nice little love letter. I mentioned how a land owner on the Ipswich River near me has reposted no trespasing. I know last year they were yelling at people using the river. Not just fishermen. The state still stocks the river and most who fish this spot will tell you it's the best part of the whole river. I told him how I love being out in the wilderness chasing trout. I then told him how I live 2 miles from some of the best striper fishing in the world and that This will probaly be the year that I start fishing the salt. I told him i'll be damb if i'm going to travel out west only to pay $100 + per day for the right to fish! I mentioned how I will keep giving $$ to FFF and help CFR but that this will probaly be my last year with TU.

I guess I told him :roll: Right :x Well I tried :(

[fessiewig]

Here's what I said to the individual listed above:

Gentlemen,

I was disheartened to hear TU had decided to abandon the rank and file
membership with it's decision to no longer continue to fight for stream and
river access. I believe this could end up being a huge issue for TU and will
probably result is the loss of membership, if in fact that's not already the
case. Perhaps at your lofty level in the organization you've become isolated
from the everyday members and what's important to them. If that's the case, let
me add my voice to what is probably already a dull roar and say TU must not
withdraw from doing what is right in this matter. Regardless of the political
and financial pressures that probably have and most assuredly will come upon TU,
TU must continue to fight those that would restrict access to what is a precious
resource; rivers and streams. We do not live in a vacuum and what happens in
one portion of the country effects everyone else. If we allow rich and powerful
landowners to close off sections of river anywhere, then soon that cancer will
spread to other areas of our country. TU MUST stand up for what is right!
Fight for stream access.

[Kype+]

fessiewig

Well that is a good letter that gets the point accross very well. Nice job! :wink:

[OTTER]

fessiewig
Your letter was a hell of a lot more thoughtful than mine. Thanks for sending it. I wonder what TU has decided, if anything.