Hi all….I just sent in my dues to renew my membership
and it's got me feeling all melancholy for some reason.
(so bear with me!)…I remember when I found you all…
..I had been surfing around (I don't remember where) when
I noticed a link at the bottom of a page to someone's web
site containing chips they had collected….so I went there.
On their page, there were more links to other sites….I emailed
one of them and they directed me to the official club web site.
As I recall, I was asking about a particular chip that I had and
wanted to know more about it…..so I posted a note on the club
board about a funny light green metal chip from Harvey's Lake
Tahoe…I received an email from Kerry Waite…he told me
what he knew about it and then suggested that I post the same
question on Greg's board…..when I did, I received an email from
someone named Mel Jung. He told me all about the funny green
metal chip that I now know is called a brass core check.

At the time of my first post, I would never have believed that I would
actually meet anyone from the board…..

So here it is, one year later….I'm friends with Mel and Lisa (who told
me the pretty silver and gold color coin thingy is called a Silver Strike).
John Yee…who has helped me INMENSLY with the terminology….explained
to me what a mold is and why it's important….
I'm still friends with Kerry, although we haven't met yet….I've made
a lot of friends here on this board, in this club….I've talked with
experts in the field and have yet to meet someone I didn't just adore…
I've cried when I heard of your losses of loved ones and friends…and
I've laughed at your wonderful anecdotal chip stories….

Would you like me to get to the point? My point is….thank you all
so much for a wonderful first year membership….thank you for
educating me in your hobby…thank you for trading chips with me
so that I could have a different one even though you already had
the chip I was sending…thank you for sending me new and interesting
chips that I didn't know existed…

You all have made an impression on me in some way…..and I thank you.

Katie