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“The Rendezvous was unlike anything before or since, a gathering of uninhibited men down from the mountains. The event attracted perhaps a hundred mountain men, their Indian wives, and assorted visiting tribesmen. Amusements included gambling, drinking, storytelling – continuing day and night." Quote from The Mountain Men by George Laycock

TU National's Sally Armstrong honor Kathy & Charlie Breithaupt with the TU National Youth Leadership Award.

The National organization of Trout Unlimited proudly presented The 2007 Youth Educational Leadership Award to Kathy and Charlie Breithaupt at the September National TU meeting in Boise, Idaho.

The Rabunites recognized their own with a specially framed collage of : Kathy & Charlie receiving their award from the National TU representative Steve Moyer, and pictured with Garland Stewart, Grassroots Board member from GA,TU National coordinator Sally Armstrong, the program from the banquet, a TU patch, and our congratulations - WAAHOO!

The Award recognizes the fundamental importance of creating a new generation of conservationists in a manner that sustains TU's conservation legacy. The award honors individuals who demonstrate exemplary leadership, and a deep passion for inspiring young people to become thoughtful, responsible stewards of North America's coldwater fisheries.

2007 TU Youth Leadership Award Announced

The Breithaupts are a TU “dream team.” Charlie, a former chapter president, chairs TU’s Georgia State Council while Kathy serves as council secretary and chapter webmaster. Most importantly, they combine their expertise in education—Charlie is a former high school principal, teacher and coach, while Kathy teaches graduate level courses in education—with a passion for spreading the joys of fly-fishing and coldwater conservation to the next generation.

This wonderful mix came to fruition four years ago, when Charlie and Kathy launched a Georgia Trout Camp, modeled after the TU camp in Pennsylvania.

Utilizing their past experience as educational administrators, Charlie and Kathy formed a Camp Steering Committee and involved all 12 Georgia chapters. To keep tuition down, they obtained grants from several foundations and encouraged committee members to seek corporate sponsors. They contracted with the boarding school where they had worked to use the dorms, classrooms, theater, foodservice, buses, and a mile of private trout streams on campus. They reached out to state and federal agencies. And their dream became a reality.

Every summer, 24 boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 15 receive extensive instruction and hands-on experience in fly-casting and tying knots, reading the water, equipment care and more from fly-fishing guides, TU members and industry experts. In addition, professionals from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Forest Service teach stream ecology and entomology, while supervising campers in stream habitat enhancement activities.

The results of their inspired work are best seen in the camp graduates themselves. Several can already outcast and outfish many seasoned TU members, and many are now serving as volunteers on restoration projects.

Yesterday’s GA Trout Camper = Next Generation of Conservation Leaders

Special awards to special people - Rabun Chapter President Jimmy Whiten presents Tom Landreth Prints to Sally Armstrong as our special guest speaker, and to Terry Rivers, outgoing Rabunite President.

AND.. A special tribute to Garland Stewart for his lifetime of contributions to TU on the local, state and national level. Thanks Garland.... We appreciate you!

A plaque is nice but the best gifts were what Garland likes most - rod building and bourbon! Have one of each with our compliments! (Thanks to TU Vice Chairman Mack Martin for choosing the perfect rod)

And yes - it is an honor to be GRIZZED! Keep up the good work Garland.. You Da Man!

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And the "piece de resistance" of course, was when Bill Kelly won the Belly Dancing Kit...donated by teepee makers and Rabunites - Gail and Frank Tolbert... We are sure it is for Jean.......at least we hope so... Or this could be a fund raiser all its own! Could make for an interesting trip the next time the Rabunites go West of Hiawassee. Things that make you go HUMMM!

AND LEST WE FORGET~ A BIG Thank You to the Donors for the 2008 Rabun Rendezvous
Businesses & Organizations:

For the past 20 years, funds raised by the annual Rendezvous have been used in local support of the Chapter's mission. The 2008 Rabun Rendezvous raised over $13,000 and the funds are being used for sponsorship of student interns
working in NE GA fisheries with the GA WRD; to provide financial support for youngsters attending the GA Trout Camp held in Rabun County; to provide financial support of the GA DNR's Smithgall Woods Youth Conservation
Education Program; for the laboratory fees of the Stekoa Creek Monitoring Project; for Kid's Fishing Events at Black Rock Mountain State Park (GA DNR) & Tallulah River (USFS); National TU's "First Cast", "Embrace-A-Stream", &
"Back-the-Brookie" programs; for TROUT magazine subscriptions to all school & public libraries and 3 state parks in Rabun County; for 3 in-stream work project outings in Rabun County where TU members and youth volunteers
working under the direction of the USFS and GA WRD fisheries professionals; and the helicopter stockings in the remote backcountry of Chattooga's North Fork (fall) and West Fork (spring). A BIG "Thank You" to the 89 Donors for the 2008 Rabun Rendezvous.

Businesses & Organizations: Tom Landreth (posthumously), The Foxfire Boys, The Dillard House, Unicoi Outfitters & Jimmy Harris, Reeves Hardware & Lewis Reeves III, Wilder Outdoors, Orvis, The Fish Hawk, Patagonia, Cabela's, Atlanta Fly Fishing School & Mack Martin, North GA Custom Rods & Mack Martin, Little River Outfitters, Big Green Egg - Eggmania Central, Wapsi Fly, Daiichi Hooks, Stackpole Books, Countryman Press, The Book Mailer,
Morris Communications, Blue Ridge Music -Tom Nixon & Dean English, Lee Johnson - Artist, Broderick Crawford - Artist, Patsy Lewis-Gentry - Artist, Joe Raguckas - Artist, Kay Money - Artist, Dick Albertelli - Artist, Kelly
Albertelli - Artist, Maxine Albertelli - Crafter, John Richardson - Crafter, Tiger Mountain Vineyards, Rabun County Concert Series & Barbara Kobacker, Valley Drapery & Design, Rabun County Bank, Stephens Federal Bank, Regions
Bank, Kountry Vittles, Valley Café, Cupboard Café, Feed Mill Restaurant, Mama "G's", Stockton House, Grapes and Beans, Valley Pharmacy, Amrine's Equipment & Rentals, Greg's Tire & Service Center, Prater's Main Street
Books, Mountain Nature & Wild Bird Supply, The Rootcellar, Expectations Family Beauty Salon & Janis Jones, Total Therapy & Donna Marland, Clayton Reflexology Center, Gap Graphics & Printing, Coosa Valley TU Chapter & Paul
Diprima, Chattooga River TU Chapter & Art Schick.

Individuals: Emily Perry, Pat & Bob Foster, Pat & Garland Stewart, Lori & Harlin Smith, Julie & Duane Stalnaker, Charlie Trettel, Doris & Carl Riggs, Cindy Vigil, Mack Martin, Pat Pattillo, Jan & Fran Uteg, June Landreth, Jeff
Durniak, Steve Raeber, Dot & Ray Kearns, George Custer, Pat Hopton, Maria Rodeghiero, Gail & Frank Tolbert, Kathy & Charlie Breithaupt, Jim Nixon, Monte Seehorn, Amanda & Brooks & Avril Adams, Allison Adams, Jean & Bill
Kelly, Eedee & Doug Adams, Emmilyn & Terry Rivers, Sandy & Ralph Morgan, Doris & Jimmy Whiten, Patsy & Ray Gentry, Carolyn & Jim Kidd, Sheila & Doug Mansfield, Fritz Vinson, Terry Seehorn.

When: Saturday, January 24, 2009

Where: The Dillard House Conference Center, located behind the Dillard House in Dillard, Georgia.

Who: The more the better. Everyone interested in protecting our cold-water resources including TU folks, Forest Service and DNR types, their families, friends, and all who love clean cold streams, trout, and trout fishing.

Social: About 5 o’clock PM folks will start gathering to “pick the pig” and enjoy the rocking chairs on the porch of the Conference Center. There will be snack trays of cheeses, crackers, and fruits. Soft drinks and ice will be available. If you want something stronger, better bring it yourself. There will be a fire inside to warm your buns.

The Foxfire Boys will generously provide their ‘down home’ style of bluegrass picking and singing for your musical entertainment. Don’t forget to ask about their CDs (now 4 of them), which will be available.

The large screen TV will be showing the Rabunites trout fishing some of their favorite 'secret spots’.

This will be the ideal time to be looking over the raffle and silent auction items.

We welcome donations of raffle and auction items at the door, fellow TU’ers.

Dinner: Fish, chicken, and pork with all the side dishes and desserts that have made the Dillard House so famous, will be served about 6:30. It is a serve yourself buffet, so you will not leave hungry.

Cost: $30 for adults and $25 for youth of 15 and under. Cash or personal checks are fine (we don’t do credit cards).

Lodging: The Dillard House has set special rates for rooms for those that call and tell them you’re attending the Trout Unlimited Rabun Rendezvous. Call: 706-746-5348 or Toll Free 1-800-541-0671

		THE RABUN RENDEZVOUS!

When: Saturday, January 24, 2009