Well it’s time for those trite, year in review posts that pop up every year around this time. It’s mid-way through my second term as President here at IPMS Santa Rosa and it’s been a busy year. We got this new website launched, we hosted our first Club Show in several years, held a couple of field trips, our club nights, regular build nights and best of all – we’ve seen a few more members regularly attending! Both returning and new.

It has, in all honesty, been exhausting. Juggling both President and Show Director in particular was a mistake I think in retrospect. I’m glad we pulled it off and that it was so well received from what I’ve heard from members across Region 9 but it did take a toll and has really left me looking forward to having another take over both roles. The whole club membership pulled together in an incredible way to make it happen. Steve at Fundemonium was a fantastic host for the show and 

We are already planning out Show for next year, although it looks as though it will be pushed back a few months. Stay tuned for more info as it may well prove to be a most memorable show that you won’t want to miss.

I am thrilled with how the club has come together since the pandemic. It feels lively and all encompassing. We have broadened out a little from the traditional AAA staples into more figures, Gundam, fantasy and sci-fi. We have a member that scratch builds buildings, 3D printers and more. I am so glad to see us embracing this diversity of interest in our hobby. There are definitely more things I’d like to do to grow our membership but I think it may need to wait for a new president with a new burst of energy to keep that growth and vitality going.

One event I’d really like to highlight is our Summer Picnic, it was likely to be the last we hold at Lower Jackrabbit picnic ground as the area has been closed as a result of the tree being deemed unsafe. I love the Summer Picnics that we hold as a club, it’s a chance for the club to get together and have some fun, play some games and generally just relax a little – it’s also an event that Jack kindly does everything for in terms of planning and prepping meaning I get to just show up and enjoy myself. I definitely don’t want to lose this event so we need to start considering where to host it in future!

Of course the other part of any of these retrospectives is a chance to look to the future and the coming year. We are of course busy planning the next show, we’re going to reassess some of our events – particularly field trips and quarterly contests which have been fun but maybe not had the adoption we’d like.

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays and a prosperous and productive new year!