Friends of the 169
2020 newsletter
This has been a year of unprecedented change in our country. That includes the 169 as well. However, not all of our news is bad!
We received word that one of our members, Michael Moore, found a steam generator listed for sale that matches the one that was on the 169. He bought it and generously donated to our stash of appliances that are ready to go on the locomotive. Michael is also the member who also procured the headlight for the 169.
The 40th National Narrow Gauge Convention had to cancel it’s meeting in September due to the pandemic, but was able to provide a series of Zoom calls to provide a virtual convention. While this may not be quite as interactive as a live meeting, everyone had a front row/center seat.
The board has been giving a lot of thought to this and how we might hold a zoom meeting as a venue for the annual meeting during these times. That then opens the meeting up to all the membership no matter where they are. We are working on details of the meeting and will post it on the website as soon as we have our information available.
Speaking of website more good news! Rather than pay for a service, members of the board are gradually learning how to do all the work on the web site ourselves. We have updated some sections are in the process of updating others. When we get most of that done we will add the annual meeting to that website!
After much talk and deliberation, we came up with a way to continue our tradition of annual calendars from September to August. The 2020-2021 calendar is be available as an 8 1/2 x 11 folded postcard which you can ask for and we will mail you one. P.O. Box 1691, Alamosa CO. (Ask for it when you mail your dues.)
Friends169_calendar-9
Or, and here’s the good part! It is available as a PDF file here! Follow this link! https://www.friendsof169.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Friends169_calendar-9.pdf You can download it and print it in any size you want to! This was made possible by our printer O&V in Alamosa agreeing to a reduced number for which we paid, and the privilege of you being able to download it off the website which saves us the cost of shipping which was going to be substantial.
One other piece of news the board took a little risk and bought a display ad in a special issue of A Trains magazine publication honoring 50 years of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. That publication reaches thousands and will be out there for well over a year. We were one of only six advertisers in that special issue and have already been contacted by interested parties and received and donations as a result. We are reproducing the ad on the donations page of the web site. The Trains Magazine special edition will probably be reissued because the all events for the 50th anniversary had to be canceled due to the pandemic.
This is the first display advertising we have done and it was made possible by a generous gift from several of our members.
As always, we want to take a moment to thank SLV Storage for providing space for the artifacts of the Friends. They are great partners! PO Box 1268, Alamosa CO 81101
It is also time for annual renewals and we want to remind you that once again our rates have not gone up!
$25 for an annual membership, Charter at $50.00, family, at $100.00, Contributing at $250.00, Sustaining at $500.00 and life at $1,000.00
(All categories except life are annual)
Make checks payable to friends of 169 and mail to Friends of 169, P.O. Box 1691, Alamosa, CO 81101
Our annual meeting this year will by via Zoom! (information below) you can also phone in at the number listed. The meeting will be Monday January 18th at 7:00PM CST.
The bylaws state: “The purpose of the (Annual) meeting is to elect officers (if needed), review financial records, celebrate accomplishments, report on goals for the next year or years.”
Plan to join us. info for Zoom:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5698152721
Meeting ID: 569 815 2721
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