Second Annual Welcome Back Picnic October, 1996

Second Annual Fin-Atics Picnic is scheduled for November 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. The location is the Marjorie Turnbull Park on Old Bainbridge Rd. (also known as the Old Bainbridge Park).

The Fin-Atics are supplying the charcoal and meat (hamburgers/hotdogs) for those players that can make it. All members must bring their own food items and drinks (no alcoholic beverages allowed), including one side dish that would feed their family plus two people. Volunteers will be needed to man the two picnic grills. There are plans for several games and contests for the kids.

Maps and details are available at the table during any home game or check the hotline (216-5691).

Directions: take hgwy 27 North (Monroe St.), go 4.3 miles past Sam's to the traffic light at 27 and Old Bainbridge Rd. Take a right. Go.3 miles to the park entrance and take a right. Fin-Atics parking is the first parking lot on the right. Picnic is in shelter #2 north and #2 south.

WELCOME THE PLAYERS!

If you would like to put together a care package for a player or the team, please bring it to any home game and drop it off at the table rather than meeting players before they start a roadtrip. The Fin-Atics will turn over all donations to the front office for distribution throughout the apartments. The front office has specifically requested that care packages avoid excessive quantities of Junk" food. We want to help the players to stay in shape for play-offs this season!

Last year some of the players received a number of duplicate gifts. To help prevent that this year, donations with be distributed equally throughout the team. If you have something for a specific player, pIea.o;e indicated so on your gift. Below are some examples of trainer approved items:

INSIDE THE ECHL

Ever wonder how we get the same game officials for weeks and then they disappear?

A recent conversation with Tony Santilli cleared up that little mystery for me and thought the rest of you might find it interesting. The ECHL pays the league officials and houses them in specific cities within several hundred miles of league teams. To keep things fair, the officials are then rotated every three months to a new location.

Currently there are nine officials who travel to all the games in our area. This season, the officials are lodge here in Tallahassee and travel to Birmingham, Jacksonville and Louisiana. The referee we'll be seeing the most is Jeff Smith.

Where Do We Get the Stories?

Why from members, of course!

Anyone, regardless of age may submit stories for the newsletter. For details concerning space availability or format, please call (850) 386-3796 or leave a message on the hotline. Any photos or art, with or without a story, is also appreciated and needed.

New Fin-Atics Scrap Books

This season we're putting together two scrap books. The first will contain pictures and articles about club events. The second will be a league scrap book containing newsletters, and Tiger Sharks photos and news articles from around the league. Stop by the table at any home game and check it out! Like the newsletter, anyone is welcome to contribute (please submit only copies of anything you wish to keep.)

No More Host Families

This season the Fin-Atics will not assign official host player families. Instead, if you wish to bring gifts, reading material, healthy food or other items to the players, you may leave them at the booth and we will ensure they are delivered to the players. We hope this change will allow all Fin-Atics members to participate equally in supporting the Tiger Sharks.