Dear Aquarist,

The May giant auction was a huge success. We had over 200 items up for grabs and a packed house of members and friends looking for (and finding) great deals. We had an enormous selection of marine fish, invertebrates and corals, as well as freshwater plants, fish and interesting shrimp and snails.  We needed our three auctioneers because there were so many items that their voices were getting tired really fast. Dennis Alestra, Bill Amely and former President Seth Kolker all pitched in and made like a tag team, giving breaks to each other when needed.

We also had several tables represented by Your Fish Stuff manned by Bill Arndt and his lovely wife (who won the 50/50 drawing), Python Products, and Charles Stein aquatic supplies, in addition to BAS equipment with a special $1 only table. Members and friends departed the evening with many great deals.

June will be our final event for the year.  As always, we shall finish it off with a big bang and who better to end the year with than Todd Gardner, whose topic for the evening will be “Getting Started In Marine Aquaculture.” Todd is an aquaculturist at the Long Island Aquarium & Exposition Center. For a great night of educational fun, join us on June 8 at 7:30 PM.  As always, there is free parking and free refreshments.
We are planning a bus trip to Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center, Riverhead, NY, on Saturday July 28, 2012. Anyone interested in attending, please let me know at the June event.

I am asking for your help and support. If you want to see different topics offered, please let me know. June is elections month; please consider running for a position as an Officer or a Board member. If anyone is interested in running for a position, please let me know at the beginning of the June meeting. Believe me, we need all the help we can get.

It is important that you visit and patronize our sponsors. It goes full circle: by helping them, they are also helping you as hobbyists and everyone is helping the Brooklyn Aquarium Society, so help us, help you!

For more info please call our BAS Hotline at (718) 837-4455

On a more personal note – Any member who desires to attend a Board meeting, which are held at the Education Center of the New York Aquarium on the 1st Friday of the month, please notify me at (718) 238-1792 by the Tuesday previous to the meeting.

Joe Graffagnino
President