I echo these remarks, in that I live in Winslow, work nights on a varied
schedule, can't make meetings and only very occasionally games. I also
join to make a donation and get the pin. I went to three annual banquets
in a row, when Chris Imes was there, and except for Chris, I was made to
feel like an outsider. Way outside. Not my social strata and I won't
fake it. So I quit doing that. I did get a large drawing of Chris at a
silent auction his senior year, which I gave to his parents in
Birchdale, Minnesota, who couldn't attend.
I am augmenting my Social Security with a part-time job as an L.L. Bean
customer service rep so, as much as I'd like to, I don't have the income
to attend games in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Columbus or even Boston or
Providence. I think this will be my last year at FOMH and instead, will
donate to the Colby "C" Club. I am known there and can always find
someone I enjoy sitting with and they with me.
A couple of years ago, Betty got me a ticket to a UNH game, for which
I'll be ever grateful. It was Scott Borek's first year at UNH and Scott
has been a friend since his Colby days. I hadn't seen him for some time
and really appreciated the ticket and an opportunity to see Scott again.
Not feeling welcome at the banquets was a real disappointment for me as
my eight years at WABI-TV in the 1960's was a marvelous time and I
really enjoyed Bangor. That feeling has been tainted now and it's a real
disappointment.

Bob Woodbury

Wayne T Smith wrote:

> Pretty late response, Bob, but we're still trying to figure out if we'll
> make the NCAA Tourney, so here goes ...
>
> I am currently a member, but most years not.   I do it as much to make a
> donation and get a pin as to get anything else from it.  The newsletter
> is OK, but I'm one that thought it was GREAT when Dave Wollstadt wrote
> and published it.  Some years, long ago, I joined because it got me
> access to the Thursday or Friday lunch before home series.  Coach
> (Walsh) would bring a couple of players to hang out and maybe make a
> brief comment, and Coach and the opposition coach would address the
> crowd.  Those were wonderful occasions for me, but attendance dwindled
> after a time, and they were discontinued.  (I can't make evening
> meetings such as Center Ice Club).
>
> Now that I think about it, I dropped out about the time of the NCAA
> investigations, some internal strife including the athletic department
> taking over FoMH, and Dave finishing up ... although all that wasn't all
> in the same year, as I recall.
>
> But it has almost always been a small group ... maybe 300 max? Sometimes
> many fewer.
>
> I enjoy the banquets, as long as the hall is large enough for the
> crowd.  I used to be very regular at these and participate in the
> auctions, but now usually go only if invited, as a couple of times I was
> seated at a table where a "stranger" was obviously not welcome.  One
> women was quite miffed that I was placed at her table, as she was hoping
> a player would sit with her ... and she wasn't afraid to let me know!  I
> moved.  Anyway, with my ushering duties, I see a limited set of folks at
> the Arena and never get to the pregame/intermission lounge, so I don't
> really know the long-time big-time fans unless I see them at a Frozen
> Four.
>
> So I think I'm writing and trying to say that FoMH is, to some extent, a
> group that is used to enjoying the team amongst its own and at a certain
> social level.  Of the 5641, there are probably 100 of these people and
> another hundred, like me that pay the dues for whatever reason ... then
> there are 5441 that just don't fit.  The Maine-iacs are certainly
> another successful group, and I have no idea how well the new student
> version of FoMH is doing.
>
> Enough rambling for one night!     Go Blue!
>
> best regards, wayne
>
> Bob Fitta wrote:
>
>> Good Morning All,
>>
>> Maine is in Providence for two this weekend while we all are still
>> trying to figure out if they'll make the NCAA tourney.  They still
>> control their own destiny, and I believe that if they win 4 of their
>> last 6 then win the quarter-finals and get to the Fleet that they
>> should make it.  But making it to the finals should secure it!
>>
>> Maine has so many passionate fans, 5,600 fill the arena and many of us
>> that live south of the border travel to all the away games that Maine
>> plays in New England.  However, I have heard that despite all this
>> passion, an organization that I have been a member of for almost 20
>> years, the Friends of Maine Hockey, has only a couple of hundred
>> members.
>>
>> I'd like to know from members of this list the following:
>>
>> Are you a member?
>>
>> If so what do you enjoy, Newsletter? Banquet? and what would you like
>> to see more of?
>>
>> If you are not a member why not?
>>
>> Is it cost? did not know about it? or something else?
>>
>> This is an independent survey as I am not on the board of FoMH, but I
>> do occasionally write for the newsletter, and was surprised to learn
>> how small a circle we are for such a passionate group.
>>
>> I would like to share the feedback, and if you have an issue that you
>> would rather not share with everyone you can email me privately at this
>> email or [log in to unmask]  I'd like to help raise the membership
>> level and along with that the financial support for Maine Hockey!
>>
>>
>> Now let's hope the boys make some noise down the stretch, beginning in
>> Providence tonight!  Hope to see many of your tomorrow night at the
>> game!
>>
>> Bob Fitta '83
>
>
>