Other founding provisions dealt with dues, election procedure and responsibilities of officers, and various other operational factors.

By the end of 2001, club membership totaled 17, including officers.  Initial club meetings had no formal agenda and were essentially formative working sessions. 

Of course, fishing is our passion.  Over the years, we’ve sponsored countless guided fishing trips.

A few times, we held meetings at Koreshan Park, including even a pig roast!

Under Joe’s leadership, club meetings became more disciplined affairs with agendas that suited membership expectations.   Bobby Oshinsky maintained and published meeting minutes until 2010.  The Treasurer briefly reported the status of revenue and expenditures.   Guest speakers became a popular agenda item. 

Constructive member comments were always encouraged and seriously considered.  Consensus opinions of members were pursued.  And let’s not forget the donuts!

Rapid Membership Growth:

From that initial year of 2001, membership grew to 39 members in 2002, 52 members in 2003, 79 by 2004, 106 for 2005, and onward to a temporary plateau of 135 by 2009.  At that point, the Board declared a membership ceiling for practical reasons, one of which was meeting space limitations at the Enrichment Center during peak season.  So, additional applications for membership were committed to a “wait-list, which is managed by the Club Secretary.  At one point, the “wait-list” bulged to as many as 45 Brooks residents.  Gents applying for membership typically had to wait upwards of two years to gain membership.  Ultimately, the ceiling was increased to 150.  (By the end of 2022, the wait list is minimal.)

Dues and Fees:

In 2001, it was decided that dues for the new club were to be $80 per year.  Think about that.  At the time, that was more than $200 in today’s money.  Yet 17 members were sufficiently dedicated to getting the new club off the ground that they laid down that amount.  Well, as the success of the club was becoming rapidly clear, the club voted to reduce annual dues to $50 the following year.  And through the years and despite the depreciated value of the dollar, dues remain at $50/year for several years.  Helluva bargain – especially when those dues were largely off-set by free coffee and donuts at meetings, subsidized member charge for pontoon trips, partially covered costs for annual dinners, and various other benefits.

Leadership Changes:

After his long 12-year service as V-P and President, Joe Bartoletti was ready to pass on the baton.  For several years he signaled his intent to retire from the board and urged nominations from the floor at club meetings.  Nobody responded.  After all, Joe was a tough act to follow.  One day Joe cornered me to request that I serve as Chair for a nominating committee to replace him.  Not knowing how that would work, I somewhat reluctantly agreed.   The committee was to include a representative from each Brooks community to assure objectivity and fairness.  So, the late Ron Bury, the late George Facer, the late Jim Boddie, and I took on the task of identifying and recruiting a new president.  In a very deliberate process held over several meetings, we decided to focus on Paul Cherubino (sadly since deceased). I reported our recommendation to Joe, and I offered to recruit Paul.  Paul and I were good friends, but he had no advance suspicion he was being tapped as president.  When I proposed the position to him, Paul was quite surprised and truly hesitant.  I somehow convinced him that his acceptance was in everyone’s interest.  Paul was one of the great contributors to the fishing club and was never one to shirk responsibility; so, he finally accepted.

Paul remained in the role of President for a couple of years, but health concerns prompted his request to leave the position.  Back to the drawing board!  The Nominating Committee re-engaged, and we started debating the names, the capabilities, and the probable success of over a dozen club members.  Many nominees were qualified, but we finally whittled the list down to two individuals, Jim Holmes and Bob Seidell.  Since there were two board seats open, we were hoping to gain acceptances from both men.  It was my duty as committee chairman to meet with each man, explain the committee’s deliberations, and to propose that each should undertake the board roles.  I met first with Jim at his home, and I arranged a meeting with Bob later at SWCC.  Their initial reactions were similar.  Individually, they expressed surprise and hesitancy.  Jim wanted to think about it overnight.  Likewise, Bob was slightly anguished over the proposition.  But in the end, both men stepped up to the bar and accepted board roles.  Jim served as the new president and Bob filled the V-P roles over next three years.  After Jim’s tenure, Bob moved up to the presidency.  Point is, we’ve had a continuous string of distinguished club presidents and equally committed board members who have charted the course over the past 20 years.

Club Heroes:

Through the past 20 years, our club has been fortunate to have so many members volunteer for activities and responsibilities that have sustained the club – board members, activity coordinators, fishing tutors, social directors, charter trip coordinators, speaker program organizers, etc.  While I would love to cite them individually, time simply does not allow for explaining the tremendous value each has provided over the years.  There are dozens of gents who have labored – sometimes behind the scenes and

over the years – to make notable contributions to the club, including those listed below.

Members:

It is my experience that members of The Brooks Fishing Club are truly special people.  In dozens upon dozens of engagements over 17 years, I never met a member who wasn’t an upright citizen and an amenable individual.  Indeed, we seem to draw members who are unusually interesting, responsible, accomplished and decent individuals.  They had successful and even notable careers as doctors, dentists, bankers, farmers, businessmen, CPAs, lawyers, educators, engineers, etc.  But you seldom are aware of their past accomplishments, simply because of their unpretentious persona.

Over the years, a few newer members had the audacity to suggest that women be allowed to join the club and participate in all activities – – only to be immediately and conclusively shouted down.  “Why in God’s name would we do that!”, one member exclaimed, as if the suggestion was somehow imported from outer space.  It was simply beyond the imagination of other members.  A few years back when Jim Holmes was president, a “newbie” made that suggestion.  In his understated and convincing way, Jim explained, “You should know that the last guy to make that proposal hasn’t been heard from since”.  At one point, board members suggested that they would assist in the development of a Brooks fishing club for women, but that the BFC membership would strictly remain open to men only.

Covid and Hurricane Ian Update:

Like most organizations, we were unable to have formal meetings in 2021.  But, through technology, we continued to have meetings online with our usual good line-up of speakers at every meeting.  Gradually, we were able to resume scheduling backbay and offshore fishing trips with our selected guides.

As we looked forward to a “normal” year in 2022, unfortunately Hurricane Ian devastated our area and took its toll on fellow residents and significantly impacted the local fishing community of retailers, fishing guides, marinas, bait shops, our pontoon rental company, and so many more.  Our club immediately stepped up and donated $500, from our treasury to the Captains for Clean Water Emergency Relief Fund, including their fund for local fishing captains.  We took it a step further: we purchased gift cards from a bait shop, and gift certificates for future trips from our select fishing guides and our pontoon rental company.  Members purchased raffle tickets totaling $2,530.  We auctioned off these gift cards, which we donated the entire proceeds to various relief funds, aimed primarily at benefitting the most devastated fishing guides.

Where Do We Go from Here:

At this 20th Anniversary, I end this talk with a serious question and a sincere plea.  The question: What will it take for the Brooks Fishing Club to thrive over the next 5 years, the coming 10 years or even another 20 years?  So many key club leaders and coordinators have succumbed to death, serious health issues, increased age, or simple fatigue.  Many of us are long-in-the-tooth.  There is no question that we are seeing the aging of past and current leaders and key contributors.  Which brings me to a plea directed towards current members: If the club is to successfully continue in coming years, newer and younger members must step into the breach.  Please, please seriously consider what leadership roles and contributions you’d be willing to embrace on behalf of the club’s future.  The future of the club really is up to you!

Jack Paster
Written: Nov. 2021, Updated: Jan. 2023.