January 8, 1997

Dear SCAN members,
Happy New Year to Each of You! Let's include among our New Year's resolutions a couple for SCAN: to come to as many SCAN outings as we can fit into our busy schedules, and to learn something new on each fieldtrip.

NEW YEAR MEANS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Dues are due. By January 31st, they will be past due. You can send them using the enclosed form, to the SCAN P.O. Box or you can pay at the annual meeting. It is again $12.00 for the first member in a household, and $5.00 for each additional member sharing the same newsletter. Despite what some of the forms may say, please write out South Carolina Association of Naturalists on the envelope. That way the Post Office won't give it to SCANA (who cashes the check and keeps the money) instead of SCAN. We hope you will all renew promptly to get our new and, we hope, exciting year off to a good start.

SCAN ANNUAL MEETING JANUARY 25, 9:30 a.m.
This month we and founder Rudy Mancke are celebrating our 20th SCAN Annual Meeting, and therefore issue a special invitation to all members and former members to come and share the festivities. The meeting will be on Saturday, January 25, at the S. C. State Museum, corner of Gervais and Huger Streets, in Columbia. Just tell the ticket-seller you are with SCAN and you will not be charged the entrance fee. We are meeting in the VISTA Room, up the main stairs on the 2nd Floor. We've planned the following (all times after 10:00 are approximate):

9:30 a.m. Registration, coffee, and viewing exhibits
10:00 Carolyn Murphy: "Carolina Rocks!"
11:00 Elizabeth Mackey: "The Private Lives of Owls (and other raptors)"
11:45 - 1:15 Lunch (on your own); viewing exhibits
1:15 Rudy Mancke: "The Early Years Of SCAN"
2:00 Review of the Early Years in slides
2:30 Recognition of Past Presidents of SCAN
2:45 Review of 1996 in slides
3:15 Business Meeting including election of officers
4:00 Adjourn to Open House (see details below) You all Come!

EXHIBITS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING:
All members are invited to bring exhibits of what you've been doing this year. Because this is a special anniversary year, exhibits that were shown in the early years are also welcome; label with the approximate year.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
The slate nominated by your nominating committee was published in the November-December newsletter. Nominations will be accepted from the floor at the annual meeting, provided that permission of the nominee has been obtained in advance.

OPEN HOUSE:
After the Annual Meeting, the Cieglers will host an Open House at 2636 Pine Lake Drive, West Columbia (10 minutes from the museum). Maps will be available at the meeting; phone (803) 796-2862. SCAN will provide ham and paperware,and the Cieglers will supply wine. All other foods will be pot-luck. Bring items according to the first letter of your last name (or bring what you prefer):

A - C Snacks or finger-food
D - G Vegetables or salads
H - K Bread or Condiments
L - M Desserts
O - R Cold sodas or other drinks
S - Z Main dishes (meat, cheese, eggs, etc.)

If every guest brings enough of their contribution for 4 to 6 persons, we should have plenty. Purchased foods are fine; they don't have to be homemade. Be very careful with spoilable foods, (keep in ice chest, or store them in the refrigerator in the Vista Room). Please bring your food in throwaway containers, or mark them clearly with your name.

DECEMBER FIELDTRIP:
We had a great turnout and good weather for birding in the Santee National Wildlife Refuge on December 14. Even the birds came, and we were pleased with the number of species seen (see accompanying list). The most unusual were a few White-fronted Geese seen from the nature trail, not really rare but not common either. Mary Garland Douglass' sharp eyes found an Orange-Crowned Warbler which was a first for SCAN. After the trip, we had our usual social time and dinner at aa restaurant in Santee. Thank you, Alex Ciegler, for planning this trip to Clarendon County.

SOCIAL TIMES AFTER FIELDTRIPS:
Many of our SCAN members have commented on the wonderful time they have had following the scheduled trip when the group has gotten together at a nearby restaurant to relax, socialize, and have dinner. In fact, it has almost become a tradition. There has been some wonderful light-hearted laughter, story-telling, rehashing of some highlight or puzzling find from the day's trip, and a reviving of often-tired bodies. Next time, plan on joining the group following the fieldtrip and making it a truly Happy New Year.
Your President,
Jan Ciegler