28
April 2003 - Mike Fulcher is stepping down as HMSO President.
Here is what he had to say:
Aloha HMSO,
The time has come to begin the transition of presidency to new
hands in my process of retirement. Your new HMSO president will
be Cahl Holt......(first name pronounced like Cale). Cahl comes
to the HMSO from the east coast of North Carolina....not far from
where I grew up surfing before I made my transition to Hawaii
in the early 80's. This transition of HMSO presidency will be
official as of 1 June 2003 since Cahl has a work trip to make
to Thailand in May. In the mean time, I will remain in touch with
the HMSO and will also be here to assist after Cahl takes the
conn. We should hold a HMSO meeting to bring him in the right
way. Cahl was elected after being nominated recently and also
after showing the interest and drive to take the club under his
wing. Some were expecting Amy Bevan to take over the HMSO but
Amy has much busy work that would interfere with a full-on presidency.
Amy has offered to assist Cahl as much as possible......potential
Vice President material if you ask me.
Anyway.......it has been my pleasure to serve as the president
of the HMSO over the past 4+ years and in my opinion the HMSO
has definitely changed for the good. These changes are not totally
to my credit since we have such a strong base of personnel who
have assisted and made my life as president much easier. The expansion
of the HMSO to SOCAL has been like planting a weed in fertile
soil.....SOCAL has grown at an unprecedented rate under the leadership
of James Carter and now we have a foothold in Japan again under
the leadership of Makai Estioko. Our affiliation with the British
Royal Navy and Marines gives us an HMSO western Europe connection
to cling to truly making us an international organization. Keep
in mind that each chapter of the club handles their own business
and is locally led and sponsored. What we have now is an HMSO
chapter in most corners of the world with the exception of the
east coast and I am sure that with the right leadership on the
eastern seaboard, an HMSO East Coast chapter can sprout and thrive.
In my departure I want to thank everyone but there are a few names
I want to mention.....Vice President departing Tim Lynch.....big
Mahalo for all of your assistance and for helping keep me in check
when I needed guidance.....I'll sincerely miss you bro. Hope we
can get together before you punch outta here on your next assignment.
(Tim will be back in a year so look for him to remain in touch
with the Hawaii chapter). Tom Garrity.....much mahalo for your
diligence in keeping the club treasury up to snuff. That was a
great move.....establishing the treasury and maintaining the books
the way you have......thanks. Jim Covell.....thanks for the contest
assistance, artwork project and your sponsorship connections.
Dan and Danny Mateik.....you guys are like my family.....Dan like
a brother and Danny like a son of mine (and my son is my best
friend). Bernie Baker.....a true friend for life. Much of what
I was able to accomplish for the club would NOT have happened
without Bernie in the background pulling strings. Bernie has given
so much....he is a true soldier even though he serves in another
capacity not related to military service........Randy Rarick,
a great all around guy who goes out of his way to help us just
because we in the HMSO love surfing so much.......Jack Shipley,
a surfing legend and Head Hawaii ASP judge.....Jack trained all
of our contest judges and even certified me as an ASP judge along
with the help of Perry Hatchett who is the ASP International Head
Judge......but Jack has done too much to even begin to mention,
mahalo my brother. Buster and Ollney......you guys prove it to
me every day that "us old guys rule" and whether I am
near an ocean or not, I will always have the satisfaction of knowing
that you two, Hawaiian and Hawaiian at heart rule the coastline
and uphold the "old guy standards". All of our sponsors.......you
fuel us with your warm hearted donations and sponsor deals offered
to our military surfers "just because you love the freedom
our military protects". Neil and Sabrina at Groundswell......I
love you guys....and there are just no better quality people in
this world bar none. To all of my friends in....and out of the
water.....even though it sounds corny......I'll miss you all and
I will never forget our time in the surf, on surf trips, at parties,
club gatherings.......and at the Saturday night contest parties
at Turtle Bay (you all know who you are and you know what I mean
when I mention the golf cart ride in the bad weather leading to
break dancing in the club, no sleep, missed heats, and eventual
relaxation in the TB hot tub). Being a member of the HMSO, such
a great organization, with so many great people around me has
made this the best 4+ years of my life.......I think back to all
I have done, all the people I have met, all who I have the privilege
to have known as a result of the HMSO has truly etched unforgettable
memories in my mind.....I will treasure these memories forever.........Mahalo
Nui Loa to all my brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, and all
members of the HMSO, you are my Ohana forever.
Until Cahl officially takes over.....and even afterward, you are
welcome to contact me. Once Cahl takes over, please contact him
on club business......I will do nothing to undermine his position
and authority as club president once he takes over.....effective
1 June.....although I will be here to assist him in the transition
and train him up on how the contest goes in the winter.
OK, I have rambled enough.......I hope to see each HMSO club member
over the next few months. Let's go surfing....just give me a call.
Aloha
O'e.....A Hui Ho,
Mike Fulcher
Pres, HMSO
See the Contest link for news
16
Jan 03
Aloha All,
OK, the NOAA website, and all other "classified" surf
sources indicate the the swell will agree with the Saturday portion
of the contest being able to go as scheduled at Turtle Bay. Once
again, 0700 registration at Turtle Bay on Saturday morning. The
swell is supposed to be in the 6 ft range at Turtle Bay with a
light southerly wind making offshore conditions for Saturday.
As the day wears on, the incoming swell that is supposed to be
in the 25ft range will hit Saturday night and will MOST LIKELY
force us to move the Sunday (day 2) portion of the event to Pokai
Bay/Waianae Army Rec Center. A swell of this magnitude will make
Waianae Army Rec Center be epic and a great way to repay us for
the past few years of "marginal at best waves."
UPDATES WILL
BE ANNOUNCED DURING THE SATURDAY EVENT AND AT THE SATURDAY NIGHT
ENTERTAINMENT GATHERING. EXTREME CONDITIONS SATURDAY NIGHT COULD
FORCE A DECISION EARLY TO MOVE THE EVENT TO THE ALTERNATE LOCATIONS.
I WILL NOT run the event in conditions that are well out of the
league of the average surfer.
Watch the
www.HMSO.org website for updates. I just spoke with Davesurf and
he is updating the contest stuff on the website right now (Thursday
evening at 8 pm). For the weekend, my cell phone will be the contest
hotline (286-6068).
Aloha,
Mike
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