News for Club Members

Recent announcments for and by club members. Most recent ones will be posted to the top of this page. If you have something you would like mentioned here, write to the webmaster. We also have a Stone Hill LiveJournal page set up so anyone can post announcements. Club members can post there using the username/password that Ann sent out.

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(updated:8-7-08)
Blood & Art

The August Meeting will have a couple of things to focus on. This meeting will be at the Plant City home, where it is often held. The bloodmobile will be there getting donations. At a previous meeting, 13 people commited to donating and I expect for each of them to be there.

Also up in August will be the vote on what art to use as a t-shirt design for this year's Necronomicon. Samples will be present, and the vote will be during the meeting.

Expect the business meeting to go long. There is the debreifing on VidCon & Congames. Updates on the hyatt suit an expect the Necro 2008 preperations to go into high gear.

(updated: 7-10-08 )
Meeting & Shirts

Just a reminder, that the meeting is at a new location this month. Rona will be hosting it at her townhouse in western Tampa. The directions can be found on this page:
Map to Rona's house

At the August meeting in in Plant City, we will be voting on the design for the 2008 Necronomicon T-shirt. I encourage any artist out there to put in an entry. Here are two pages with some important details.
T-Shirt Design Information
How to Design a Necro T-shirt
So get cracking on your design. The runner-up will probably be used as the cover of the program book.

(updated: 5-15-08 )
On The Bleeding Edge

   Stone Hill has been a long time supporter of Florida Blood Banks. Over the years we've donated hundreds of pints of blood to help those in need at local Hospitals. The blood banks would bring their mobile units to meetings and about 10 or so people would volunteer. But, due to the small size of our club (compared to say, a church) it has become expensive for the blood back to send one out. Some months, they were only getting 3-4 pints donated.
   So, not unreasonably, Florida BloodNet has asked us to get people to sign-up and commit to a donation attempt. (not actual pints, but attempts) So we are going to set up a donation at the August 10th meeting at Plant City. In June and July, we want you to sign up to donate, and thus we can give them a list before the August meeting. Your help is essential for us to continue, and critical for those in need.

(updated: 2-26-08 )
March Meeting Moved! Guests for 2009?

This just in: The March 9th meeting was going to be at Medard park in SouthEast Hillsbrough county. Unfortunatly, we could not get the reservations accomplished in time. Thus, the meeting will be at the house in Plant City of the Notorious Lovers Lane Gang.

Also at this meeing. We will be taking nominations for the 2009 Necronmicon Guest of Honor. Think of guests you would like to see and/or that you think members would enjoy meeting. You should (preferably) have an email address where to get in touch with them. Please remember that most Media guests often charge for their appearance, and "Necro don't play 'dat."

(updated: 12-14-07)
Stone Hill Christmas Dinner

Sorry I didn't post anything here earlier. The Club Christmas dinner will be Saturday, December 15th at the Crazy Buffet in Tampa. Their website is: http://gocrazybuffet.com/cbtampa.html Dinner will begin at 6pm. For those that worked at Necronomicon, the cost will be subsidized and you will only need to pay $5 each. If you didn't work, then the cost is $25. If you have any other questions, you can contact Ann Morris by the usual means.

(updated:11-15-07 )
Hyatt Cancels Our Contract for 2008!

This is just in, and we don't have all the details yet. Most of you know that the Hyatt was not happy on three broad points: vandalism, drunkenness, noise. Well, they've informed us that they are canceling our contract for 2008 and on. What this means is that the convention might not occur in 2008. There are a number of things we have to discuss and we want all the department heads to be at the December meeting. Actually, as many members as possible should be there as we will have some tough decisions to make. Check back here for updates when I get them.

(updated: 11-5-07)
Necro Shirt Reprints & Photos

As some of you may or may not know, the t-shirt printer messed up on doing this year's Necronomicon t-shirts. They left the year off. The "VERSION 2.0.07" at the bottom was seen as an actual version number and blocked out. So, to make up for this, they can reprint the missing part on the existing shirts. We will give them all of the unsold shirts and collect from anyone else shirts to be reprinted. So bring your Necro 07 shirt to the next meeting and give it to Mark Jones. Please write your ititals on the tag to identify your shirt. I'll also make a list, just in case. Once we collect them, we hope to get them back by the December meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Mark.

On another note, I would like anyone that took digital pictures at Necronomicon to please bring them to the meeting. I'll have a laptop and flashdrive copies. I need to get something up on the Webpage for 2007. Thanks!

(updated: 8-6-07)
Meeting! Necro! T-Shirts!

Hi Folks! The meeting is coming up Sunday August 12th, at the Plant City house of the Lovers Lane Gang. There are only TWO meetings before Necro, so we need to get in high gear. This meeting we will vote on the T-Shirt design. We have 4 nice ones so far, but there is time to receive more. Check out this page for details. T-shirt Design Info.
I have place the four on a webpage for you to see at: T-shirt Design Entries
All Department heads should show up! If you have sign-up sheets, bring them!

(updated: 4-12-07 )
New Stone Hill Shirt & other

     At a previous meeting we had voted to do a new club T-Shirt as a way to check out Jeff Manger's Shirt Printing business. I've done a new design, and posted it here for the printers to download it from. www.stonehill.org/download/index.htm If you follow the link, you will see a jpg of the design. The shirts will be black or gray.
     The Blood Drive in March went very well. We had 12 attempts and 9 collected pints. This is a good showing, and the next one will be at the Plant City house in July.
     Where were you 26 years ago today? I was here, along with a bunch of other Stone Hill members.
Mark

(updated: 3-2-07 )
March Meeting

During the February meeting, we dicussed the dropping number of blood doners that we have had recently. It cost to have the blood mobile out, and if we are not getting many doners, it's not cost effective. Thus we are going to try and go to a 4 times a year schedule. The first one will be in March, which is why the meeting is back at the Plant City house.

(updated:1-31-07 )
Nominate Guests for 2008

The February meeting will be at the Plant City house of the Loves Lane Gang. If you don't know where that is, go to the directions here.
At the February meeting, we will be voting on Guests for 2008. To nominate someone, you MUST have an email address for them. No agents, not snail mail. We have to book so far in advance that to take a couple of months to get a "No" answer may stop us from getting replacments in time. Also, exptect calls from the Webmaster for volunteers to do some legwork in the coming months.

(updated: 1-2-07 )
January Meeting & stuff

The webmaster has been taking a break till 2007. I've updated the meeting page with the info on how to get to a new meeting site. I'll be starting the revision of the Necronomicon pages this month. Also, some long term projects for Necro'07 need some volunteers. Mostly just research over the next few months.

(updated: 8-2-06 )
Necro T-Shirt & Website

Hello all! I've posted the page with details on doing a design for the 2006 Necronomicon T-Shirt. It's here. This will link you to the page directly without the Nav bar for the Necro site. Anyone interested in doing a design should read this page, the create your little heart out before September 5 to have an eligible entry.
     Also, any departments should review the website for changes that I will need to do. Please be specific as to the page, and the change that is needed. If you have lots of stuff to update, write it out and email it to me, Mark at jomark@ you-know-where.

(updated: 7-10-06)
Michelle Coleman passes away

Some of the members of Stone Hill that were around in the 90's will probably remember Pat Coleman and her daughter Michelle Coleman (now Collins). They haven't been around in a while, but were still in the area. Word arrived to us on Sunday from Michelle's husband that she died just recently. They are still investigating the cause of death. The funeral is planned for Tuesday. We at Stone Hill wish to extend our sympathy to Michelle's family in this tragedy.

(updated: 5-4-06)
Meeting Location error

If you noticed the May Stone Hill meeting at Kevin & Heather's house, you need to know DON'T GO THERE. I messed up and got the May/July meetings at the Fabers/Cotes confused. The Meeting page is correct now. May is at Jack & Marna's house in Temple Terrace. The Cotes have a repreive until July to prepare for the ordeal.

(updated: 2-22-06 )
Promo Giveaway for 25th Anniversary

On March 12th, at the Stone Hill meeting, we will be voting on what we want to buy for the givaway. Several ideas have been put foward, and everyone is welcome to suggest ideas. BUT, you must come with solid data on price, quantity and anything else that is appropriate.

With that in mind, I present my idea for giving out magnetic LED Pins with the Necronomicon Glyph on them. I've prepared a quick webpage with all the details, and mock-up pictures of what it might look like. Go to this link to see: http://www.stonehill.org/promo-pins.htm Mark

(updated: 1-2-06 )
January Meeting

The January Meeting will be held at Madard Park, East of Brandon. Directions have now been posted here. We will start nominations for Guests of Honor at the 2007 convention. Voting will be at the February meeting, with nominations being taken at the January meeting, and on Live Journal BEFORE the Feburary meeting.

(updated: 10-13-05 )
One Man Star Wars

Some of you may or may not be aware that the week after Necronmicon there will be a very interesting show playing at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. One Man Star Wars is a show doing all the movies in one hour by one guy. Tim Zahn saw this last year and said it's very funny. As a matter of fact, Tim is staying around a few days and will be helping with the promotions on opening night, November 1st. The Zahns and a few others are already planning to go, but would enjoy the company of as many Stone Hill members as can join them. Here's a link to the event at TBPAC. Tickets are $21.50. However, if you are feeling lucky, there will be tickets to it raffeled off at Necro. TBPAC is advertising in the program book, and donated 10 tickets for raffels and prizes. Hope to see you there!

(updated: 8-24-05 )
Stain Gain!

The hot August meeting saw a number of members help out on Staining the 5 new Art Show Supports. These lighter stands will make the movers at Necronomicon much happier. Thanks for all that helped!

The next meeting in September will be very busy with business for Necronomicon in October. The design for the T-Shirt will be voted on. At this time, there are only two entries. If you are intested in submitting a design, check out the T-Shirt Design page

(updated: 7-27-05 )
Art Show Support Project: Again

After getting rained out at the June meeting, we are going to try staining the new art show supports at the August 14th meeting. Under the idea of "many hands make lite work" we are asking for your help to finish them. They still need staining for protection and good looks. Wear or bring old cloths and help out. We'll supply brushes, cloth, gloves and stain. The more people we have, the quicker we'll be done. See you there!

(updated: 7-25-05 )
New Stone Hill member!

Wayne Coffey announced that he and his wife have a new baby girl! Heather went into labor and delivered a baby girl on Friday at 4:09PM. The baby’s name is Sarah Fiona Coffey, and she was 8lbs 5.9oz and 20 ¾ inches long on delivery. Delivery was quick, normal and without complication. Baby and mother are happy, healthy, and full of energy at home.


(updated: 6-25-05 )
Fourth of July Movie & Party

On Monday, July 4th, it's become a custom to go see the latest blockbuster before going by to the party hosted by the Lover's Lane gang. (Now in Plant City) So right now the plan is to go see War of the Worlds at the Channelside theater at 12noon (or the closest showing time to that). You can contact Debbie at deb@stonehill.org as the coordinator. Wether you go or not, the party begins about 4pm at the house with a grill for cooking, a swimming pool, pool table, computer games, tons of junk food and fireworks later in the evening.
Standard Stone Hill rules apply as far as bringing food & drink. See you there!

(updated: 6-13-05 )
Rain a Pain for Stain Campaign

The meeting on June 12 was one of the largest we've had in a long time. Unfortunatly, the oppressive heat and humidity, followed by the torrential downpour caused the Staining project for the Art Show Supports to be canceled. These will either get done a little at a time over the next few months, or the group effort will be tried again at the August 14th meeting. Check back later for another update.

(updated: 5-23-05 )
Art Show Support Project

Dale Shuman & Mark Jones have spent hours constructing new Art Show supports. These are waiting assembled at the June 12 meeting house. Under the idea of "many hands make lite work" we are asking for your help to finish them. They still need staining for protection and good looks. Wear or bring old cloths and help out. We'll supply brushes, cloth, gloves and stain. The more people we have, the quicker we'll be done. See you there!

(updated: 4-7-05)
Guests Set for 2006

The March meeting brought a number of suggestions for 2006 Guests. The frist one turned us down, but we can now announce the two that have accepted. They are authors Verner Vinge and Harry Turtledove. If you haven't read their stuff, this gives you year and half to catch up. You won't be disapointed by either of these gifted writers.

(updated: 2-2-05)
Convention Guest for 2006

I want to remind everyone that we will be taking names at the February Meeting for Guests at Necronomicon 2006. General guidlines area as follows: You MUST have an email address for the person. The guest must NOT charge for their appearance. The Guest should be someone that you think will draw in members. If you would like to, you can post your suggestions ahead of time at the livejournal page

(updated: 1-25-05)
Ann has created a Live Journal page so that anyone (in the club) can post on it. It's at http://www.livejournal.com/users/stone_hill/

(updated: 1-25-05)
Member Jacque Howell sent this in for anyone that might be interested.

USF Tampa Library Hosts Sci-Fi Authors
Science fiction authors Piers Anthony, Harry Harrison and Joe Haldeman will discuss the creative writing process during Close Encounters, an event sponsored by the University of South Florida (USF) Libraries, the USF Humanities Institute, and the USF Honors College. The event is being held on February 9, 2005, from 10 AM -12 PM in the USF Marshall Center Ballroom. A reception and book signing will follow at the USF Tampa Library from 2 – 4 PM. Events are free and open to the public. For more information about Close Encounters, please contact Skye Rodgers, Library Communications Manager, at (813) 974-0652.

(updated: 1-18-05)
Finally, there's a revised version of the Stone Hill webpages. Hey, you have to go check these out! They can be found...at.. www.stonehi...uhh..

Oh, that's right. If you are reading this, you HAVE found them. Well, hope you enjoy them.