Dear Brian:

Congratulations on your first four issues of The HERALD. I have published THE COGWHEEL, the newsletter of the Central Ohio Gamers Association, for the past five years and realize the difficulty in getting articles from the members. I have enclosed an article that I wrote for SPEARPOINT and hope that you can use it.

Last issue contained your "The Editor's Desk" article. You listed all of the advantages that HMGS-GL has this year. You mentioned that we have a fairly large membership. The membership list published in issue number three showed nearly 100 names. However, in this issue, issue four, you listed 64 members as AWOL and eight MIAS. Wouldn't it be closer to the truth to say that we had a fairly large membership? Clearly, it looks as if work has to done by the Board of Directors (BOD) to get these lost sheep to return to the fold.

I was pleased with what you said in the "Great Lakes News" article. You admitted that the $5.00 assessment in our 1994 membership fee was due to the financial loses suffered in Rally 93. This admission is one that has never made by any other member of the BOD in the pages of THE HERALD. Thank you for your frankness and honesty.

Scott Savory remarked in his letter to the editor that there was no renewal fee requested in 1994. He is wrong. The $15.00 fee just assessed covers HMGS-GL membership from September 1,1994 to August 30, 1995. Another $10.00. or more, will be due on September 1, 1995.

The history of this hobby is filled with slipshod organizations. Many are poorly planned, poorly organized and/or poorly executed. HMGS-GL could become another one of these organizations. I have three recommendations for HMGS-GL at this time. First, publish an accurate, up-to-date list of the BOD in each issue of THE HERALD. This should include addresses and phone numbers. I see this as a way for the club to have access to the members of the BOD. Two, publish the complete financial records of the HMGS-GL to date. Additionally, publish an update of the records in every issue of THE HERALD. Three, have the BOD delineate the previous financial errors and list those things that they are doing to avoid repeating the prior mistakes.

I believe that 1995 will be a watershed year for HMGS-GL. I believe that four things should occur if HMGS-GL is to succeed:

• HMGS-GL must become financially viable.
• Rally 95 must be a success, both as a convention and financially for the club.
• The newsletter must continue to publish and to grow.
• Regular HMGS meetings(Game Days) must be held throughout the HMGS-GL area. Remember, it is HMGS-Great Lakes not HMGSColumbus.

Not all four of these items must happen in order for HMGS-GL to become a viable organization. However, the more that do occur the greater the chance that HMGS-GL will succeed.

--Terry Hollern

I think that Scott Savory meant that a renewal fee was not requested during 1994, otherwise, I agree completely and have already taken some of your advice. - The Editor