We invite members from the region to enjoy some holiday fun with us as we kick off the season.

We'll be holding an optional Grab Bag and this year we decided that those who take part bring an ornament between $10 and $15. NO STAR TREK ornaments because many of us have them for our collection already.

We're asking everyone to bring 3 dozen cookies, and bring along $10 for pizza/food. Feel free to bring some of your favorite holiday CDs or tapes. We'll have a boom box to play some music to get us in the mood.

Donations for unwrapped toys for our annual area toy drive will also be warmly accepted. For more information visit our Calendar of Events, or contact Adm. Bob Vosseller at co@usschallenger.org.

Click here to RSVP to this event.

Leonard Nimoy, who played Enterprise science officer Spock in the 1960s TV series and six "Star Trek" feature films, also will appear as an older version of the Vulcan.

Eric Bana, the star of Steven Spielberg's "Munich" and Ang Lee's "Hulk," is playing a villain in the "Trek" film, which begins shooting in November and is due out in December 2008.

Abrams, creator of "Lost" and director of "Mission: Impossible III," is keeping the plot secret for the film that follows the early days of the "Star Trek" crew, which was led by William Shatner as the bold Capt. Kirk.

Pine's credits include the movies "Smokin' Aces" and "Just My Luck," while Urban appeared in two of the "The Lord of the Rings" movies and "The Bourne Supremacy."

We've been a group for almost 20 years, and having been aboard for 3/4 of that time has been quite a ride.  It's always been interesting and never anything but fun for me.  We've had a lot of changes over the last month or two and they haven't been easy for any of us.  We've said goodbye to some old friends and made decisions on who we are and what we want to be as an organization. 

However, we've also made some signifigant strides in improving the chapter.  We've updated our manual, gotten ourselves a a brand spankin' new Web site and now a new First Officer.  We've even made some decisions on our 20th Anniversary party which I will share with the group once I have the contracts in my hand.  I hope this is the beginning of the positive changes that will continue to improve the chapter. 

So in this appointment, I raise a glass to the friends we have made, both past and present; toast to the friends we will make in the time ahead and drink to the folks who've made my last 15 years aboard something unique.

From the right hand seat,
-Jeff

—
Captain Jeff Victor
Executive Officer
USS Challenger NCC-1676-D