Captain's Note
Due to the sudden disappearance of Commander Cupp, I have taken control of the Distress Call until further notice. I will do what I can to make sure that our ship’s newsletter gets circulated on time and complete until Kenneth makes his gallant return. When he does, you will receive two newsletters for that period because, as I have said before, I believe Kenneth did complete Issue 2 of Volume I. So we’ll get that out to you as soon as possible.

2002: The Year of the Olympic
2001 has come and gone and so has our first year with the International Federation of Trekkers. In mid-January, the Captain sent out an email announcing our campaign for the year of 2002. In his message, he covered the year in numbers by taking a look at membership, meetings, volunteer services, and progress reports.
This year, membership was rather on the positive side. We have had five registered members throughout 2001. The Captain has talked to other chapters in the IFT and our numbers don’t seem all that bad compared to theirs. We have also had a gentleman in Columbus that has kept interest in the group and is waiting to make a decision about joining after he meets with the crew. And at the beginning of the year, Aaron Wilson joined our ranks as the Chief Science Officer and another officer is currently being processed. So, we’re currently sitting at about eight members. We will be setting up a table at Marcon 37 in Columbus and kicking off our recruiting on the campus of Ohio State University, so these are other good reasons to look forward to a larger group.
We had three meetings in 2001, a meeting in January, and we are set to have a meeting in February, so that will give five total meetings for our first year. The IFT By-Laws state that we are required to hold no less than three meetings per year, so we were close. Our original intent was to hold one meeting per month or twelve in a calendar year. So our actual total was way short of what we expected. In 2002, we will now have a meeting every month in Columbus because these meetings seem to be more productive and are likely to have better attendance.
In 2001, we were involved in absolutely no volunteer services. The IFT requires two per year. We had discussed earlier this year that we were going to do one event per quarter. We should try to better adhere to that goal this year.
Finally, the last subject to be covered is the Captain’s monthly progress reports. These reports are sent out by the tenth of the month to the Chief of Operations and our GEO Commander. This past year, the Captain only filed four of ten reports. He has filed his report in January and is preparing his report for February. He has promised that, should he not file a report for every month in the year 2002, the crew may beat him with a Tribble. So get yourselves pumped up, just in case!
Our commanding officer has committed himself to making 2002 the year of the Olympic. He has invited the entire crew in helping him achieve this goal. To do so we need as many people as possible at all meetings and events. If those people get involved, make a difference, and have fun doing it, this could be one heck of a year for the U.S.S. Olympic!

2002 IFT National Conference
This year’s conference is set to take place on February 15 through the 17 at the Farpoint Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. See the attached flyer for more information about the con.
The Big news is that George Takei himself will be participating in the IFT conference. He will be there to discus the EXCELSIOR project and the future of the IFT.
At the conference itself we will be discussing IFT business, signing a treaty with another group, and discussing EXCELSIOR and how it has evolved.
A luncheon is also scheduled for IFT members only. Please see the Captain for menu details. If you are going, he will need your order by January 31.
So far, Captain Fugate, Counselor Kramer, and Dr. Moore are confirmed to be there. If anyone else wishes to attend, please contact the Captain and he will help you make lodging arrangements.

IFT to Sign Treaty With MFI
The members of the IFT Diplomatic Corps are pleased to announce that an alliance will be signed between IFT and MFI at the upcoming Farpoint Convention and IFT National in February 2002.
Gene Roddenberry's vision for the future is very important to both groups and it is our hope to add our efforts of working to bring fandom together via agreed mutual cooperation as part of the greater effort to bring society somewhat closer to this Vision of a 'better more caring world'. It is our hope that local IFT and MFI chapters will invite each other to their away missions, etc. and become friends promoting the Roddenberry Vision while at the same time continuing in their separate genres. If you wish to know more about our new friends visit their website at www.maquis.com and or come visit with them at the Farpoint convention.

Ship and IFT News Briefs
- This month we welcome Aaron Wilson and Alexie Basileyo to the U.S.S. Olympic. Aaron will be our new Chief Science Officer and Alexie will be in the Operations and Medical Departments. They have both opted to take the officer’s exam, there fore they are now Acting Ensigns.
- The second edition of our handbook is nearing completion. It will now have an introduction and a brief history of the Olympic.
- The IFT Council has announced that, following the retirement of Harold Cutice as the Commanding Officer of the T’Hy’La, Marva Imel has stepped forward to take command of the IFT flagship. They have good faith that Marva will do an outstanding job.
- The crew of the U.S.S. Raven is putting together an IFT screensaver. The program will be on display at the IFT National Conference for the world to see. It will be used as a promotional tool for the IFT and will be available free to IFT members.
- George Borleis has completed his six-month probationary period as GEO 6 Commander. The Council has decided to keep him in that position due to a job well done.

January and February Birthdays
Karla Cupp - Jan. 8
Alexie Basileyo - Jan. 12
Aaron Wilson - Jan. 25

Star Trek Production News Briefs
- Production on the next Trek film Nemesis is set to wrap in April. The movie is rumored to premier on November 22 this year.
- Several cameos have been announced for the next film, possibly the last feature for the Next Generation crew. These cameos include Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan), Majel Barrett Roddenberry (Lwaxanna Troi), Carel Struycken (Mr. Homn), and Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway).
- Ethan Phillips (Neelix) has signed to do an episode of Enterprise. Rumor has it that he will appear as a Ferengi as he did in the TNG episode "Menage a Troi". Rene Auberjonois (Odo) has lined up to soon be featured on Enterprise, as well.

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