One Small Step, One Giant Leap

"One Small Step" Those words resonate as the defining moment when man stepped onto the face of another world. When STARFLEET was born as a small Star Trek fan club in 1974 it took its own "Small Step" as well. It stepped into a world of fandom that has defined our culture and made another phrase as significant and recognizable -- "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before".

At the 2009 International Conference we hope to bring to the members of STARFLEET two very important events. We plan to celebrate STARFLEET's 35th anniversary as one of the worlds largest and most active Star Trek fan organizations. We will bring to the membership that which they have come to expect from an IC - Food, Fun and Fellowship!

We are going to bring the party to the member in a way that pays tribute to the 40th Anniversary of man's landing on the moon. Our theme for the entire weekend will be a retro "Mission Control" atmosphere with games, panels and a guest who has indeed "Gone Boldly". Considering the time until this event, we are still in discussions on the identity of the guest.

In keeping with the theme of this event the charity will be two fold. Our primary charity will be to send a deserving local school student, who would otherwise never get the opportunity, to NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. Any proceeds beyond the Space Camp Scholarship will go into the STARFLEET Scholarship Program.

This IC Team has worked hard to put together an outstanding event with a well thought out theme that is appropriate for that special year -- a year celebrating the beginning of two things that are important to the membership and everyone on the planet. That is just the beginning!

Les Rickard
Chair, IC 2009 Greensboro Committee