After a hiatus of one issue (working 60 to 70 hours a week has a tendency to eat up spare time) I make a return to our newsletter to talk about some of the ways that you, the member can participate. It appears to me that from the amount of members who have taken the time to actually help with this organization that we need to get more of you involved. Even after the shameless pleading that Brian (our editor) and myself have subjected you to, it seems, that we can't get many of you to help with Great Lakes. I know that many of you joined for the 10% discount that The Soldiery offers to the membership, and there is nothing wrong with that. But, if you are a historical gamer, and you want to continue reaping the discount benefit, then now is the time that you can benefit the organization.

"Okay. Where do I begin?" you ask. Well, let me enlighten you to some of the needs that we currently have. We have reserved the gaming tables at The Soldiery in Columbus for the first Sunday of every month. We can have up to four games run there at the same time. We need to have members come forth not only to participate in these games, but to put them on. In the future we hope to have HMGS game days at other hobby shops around Columbus and other areas that our region encompasses.

Another way for you to be involved is to help recruit new members into Great Lakes. Almost every one of us knows historical gainers who are not part of this chapter. Perhaps a little arm twisting, I mean positive persuasion would help them become members. Imagine the size and quality of our group if every historical gamer in the area joined. But let's not forget the non-gamers. There are many persons out there who have a passion for military history, but who don't have a clue about our hobby. Would it not be a natural tie-in to get these history buffs interested in this hobby.

And yet, there is still more you could do to support Great Lakes. As many of you know, we are planning a convention for October. We need members to step forward to help with public relations. event organization, dealer contacts, or simply distributing fliers at other conventions that you may be attending. If you are interested in helping in these or other areas of the con, contact myself of attend the next general membership meeting.

Speaking of meetings.... this is another area in which you could help. As chairman of board of Directors of Great Lakes, I know I would feel better about making decisions that effect all of you if I was better informed of what the majority of members wanted from Great Lakes. As stated elsewhere in this issue, we have dates set aside for meetings of the general membership, and that means you! If you want to see good things come out of this group, then mark down on your calendar the date of the next meeting and plan on attending.

Your input at these meetings is very important and I know that we need to have it.

Okay, there is another way to support this chapter, and that is to send in an article for the newsletter. We all have some area that we profess to be experts in, so why not sit down at the typewriter (or PC) and express your thoughts in written form? It can be anything related to the hobby or military history in general, or even a vehement letter to the editor or myself (okay maybe not that). In any case, help keep the newsletter diverse, interesting, and full. Other chapters have noted with approval the quality and the effort which has shown itself in the Herald, so let's keep it that way.