Captain’s Logs

Briefings and updates by the Captain of the U.S.S. Kelly.

As a reminder, we are MUCH more active on our Facebook page than on this website. So why not visit us there?

That said, I felt it was about time to report on what’s been happening with the ship since our last post. We needed to change the date of our April activity (Cooking with the Kelly), so that’s now going to be on April 22nd. So far, the rest of the activity dates haven’t changed.

Speaking of activities, be sure to join us this coming Saturday for our First Aid Kit/CPR training night. (Details on our Facebook “Logistics Chat”.)

The other big thing this year has been our participation in the Seventh Fleet 25th Anniversary BINGO challenges. Before I get into those details, think about that a minute. It’s rare for a club to last two years, and yet the Seventh Fleet (and the Kelly) have both lasted over a quarter of a century. That must mean we’re doing something right. In fact, friend of the Fleet, Larry “Dr. Trek” Nemecek sent in a special video to the members of the Seventh Fleet. You can view it here. In the video he mentions how we get along. Well we as a club and as a Fleet truly believe in the Seventh Fleet motto: We Do Not Stand Alone. The other thing to remember is that the only real “ships” in this club (and the Fleet) are the friendships we make along the way. That said, let’s get back to the Seventh Fleet 25th Anniversary BINGO.

Many of these BINGO challenges can be done on your own, but we are also creating opportunities to complete them at our activities. There are twelve of them which can be done throughout the year. When you do them, take a photo and show it to your Senior Officer or a member of the Command Staff. You can also email the photo to: bingo@seventhfleet.org or post it on your social media with the hashtags: #7thFleet25 and #WeDoNotStandAlone. There are two levels – regular BINGO (five activities) and Blackout (all twelve activities).

I’ve detailed the activities below. (You can also see this list in our most recent issue of the Communique.) I’m also including photos where I can of those who have completed some of these challenges:

Seventh Fleet 25th anniversary BINGO challenges:

  • 45th Rule of Acquisition

The 45th Ferengi Rule of Acquisition is “Expand or Die”. This challenge is to recruit a new member into the Seventh Fleet (any chapter, not just the Kelly – though we’d LOVE it if you recruit for the Kelly). Get a photo with the recruit receiving their orders, meeting the officers, etc.

  • Allamaraine

Play any officially licensed Star Trek game. This can be a tabletop game, card game, even an electronic or online game such as Star Trek Online or Timelines. Admiral Stark has also said that Artemis will count IF it is done at an event such as SaltCon or FanX. Take a photo of you playing the game. Here are some photos of Kelly members completing this challenge.

  • Best Served Cold

Participate in a “Haagen-Dazs Challenge”. This is a long-standing tradition in the Fleet, and while traditionally it’s built around a trivia challenge, it can be anything. Take a photo of the ice cream being passed from one person to another. (Also, it’s “participate in”, not “win” the challenge, so the same photo can be used for both people!)

  • Directive 927

“Always help those in need”. This challenge is to participate in a Fleet- or Chapter-sanctioned charity event. Take a photo at the charity event.

  • Do You Trust Me?

In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Gillian Taylor asked Captain Kirk this question just before she ordered her pizza. This challenge is to eat a slice of Gillian’s favorite pizza: mushroom and pepperoni with extra onions. Take a photo of you eating the pizza.

This is one we did during our February “Game Night” activity. Others have completed this challenge separately. Check out the photo below of four Fleet members doing this challenge at our Kelly RPG last night (for some of us, this is our second time)…

  • Ex Astris Scientia

“Ex Astris Scientia” is the motto of Starfleet Academy. This challenge is to either take or teach a Seventh Fleet Academy course.You can come up with one of your own or choose one that’s already been made. Either way, you’ll need to contact Commodore Marla Trowbridge since she’ll either give you the materials or approve it. Take a photo giving or taking the course.

  • GCEP

GCEP stands for the Galactic Cultural Exchange Project. For this challenge, attend the activity of another club. That club can be a different Seventh Fleet ship or something else entirely. Joint ship activities with another ship count. Fleet activities such as Fleet Day and conventions do not count. Take a photo at that activity.

We have invited other Fleet members to join us at the 2023 Las Vegas Star Trek convention so they can complete this challenge.

  • Quark 2000

“Hear all, trust nothing”. The Quark 2000 is supposed to be the best replicator ever. For this challenge make a dish from the Kelly Kookbook or any Star Trek recipe book. Take a photo. Since our April activity is all about doing a recipe from the Kelly Kookbook, you can complete this challenge with us then.

  • The Scorch

In Strange New Worlds, the lower decks personnel participated in Enterprise Bingo (on which these challenges are based). One of those was to sign the oldest piece of non-replicated hull on the Enterprise. The Seventh Fleet version of that is to sign a special banner. Get a photo of you signing the banner. The banner will be at Fleet events like Fleet Day as well as public events, such as FanX.

Check out photos below of those who have completed THE SCORCH at the 2023 Admiral’s Banquet…

  • The Sky’s the Limit

The very last line in Star Trek: The Next Generation was when Picard joined the Senior Officers’ poker game. This challenge is to play a poker game with members of your Star Trek family. Take a photo of the poker game.

This is another one we completed at our Game Night activity. Check out some more photos!

  • Universal Translator

For this challenge, watch a Star Trek episode or movie in a foreign language (i.e. not English). Take a photo.

  • You Never Brought Me Tea

In the episode where Janeway visited Tuvok’s memories of him bringing Captain Sulu tea, she said this line. For this challenge, create a new Merit Sheet and turn it in. It does NOT have to be a knowledge-based or trivia-based merit sheet (heck, we have several service and leadership merit sheets you can repeat!), but if you do make a knowledge-based one, there will need to be a minimum of 10 questions. Include an answer sheet. Take a photo of you holding your submission.

What’s Next?

One last thing that Admiral Stark said as he was introducing these challenges is to always remember rule #1 – Have Fun! I mean, isn’t that what we’ve all joined a Star Trek club for… to meet people with similar interests and have fun with each other. That’s what I hope the Kelly does for you.

I look forward to seeing you at our next activity.

Fun will now commence

Seven of Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, “Ashes to Ashes”

I was recently asked which Star Trek series was my favorite. My response? “Yes.” I mean, how can you choose just one Star Trek series? Each one has its own unique flavor, its positives and negatives, and not all series will appeal to every person. If I were to pick just one Star Trek series (which is really, really hard to do), I suppose that I’d have to go with the original.

TOS holds a special place in my heart. Not only was it the beginning of one of the most prolific sci-fi series in existence, but it reminds me of my childhood. You see, when I was little, I used to watch Star Trek reruns with my dad. It was a special time we spent together, just the two of us. (Later I found out my mom is a sci-fi nerd, too.)

Looking back at Star Trek (no bloody A, B, C or D), you might think it’s really cheesy or outdated, with outdated attitudes. To that I say you need to look at when it was created. When Star Trek first premiered in 1966, the most popular television shows were westerns. Star Trek was presented to the networks as “Wagon Train among the stars”, where the wagon train (the starship Enterprise) would travel and have adventures during the journey.

While today we may cringe at the obviously misogynistic attitudes depicted in the show, we also need to realize that this is the way television was in the 1960’s. Heck, this is the way most attitudes were in the 1960’s. Star Trek did a lot to help change those attitudes, as well as inspire people.

If you look at it, the original USS Enterprise had a diverse bridge crew. Not counting Spock, the completely alien first officer, there was Sulu, the Asian pilot and Checkov, the Russian navigator (which at the height of the Cold War was definitely unheard of). There was also Uhura, a black woman with responsibility (also completely unheard of at this time of civil rights activism).

Speaking of Uhura, there is a wonderful story about Nichelle Nichols’s experience on Star Trek. She had submitted a resignation letter to creator Gene Roddenberry, wanting more for her acting career. That weekend, Nichelle had gone to an event where she met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He let her know that her character of Lt. Uhura was a role model, and that he was a fan of hers. When Ms. Nichols went to work again that Monday, she approached Gene and took back her resignation. Roddenberry was relieved. (You can see an article about the experience here.) Heck, the character of Uhura even inspired one Whoopi Goldberg to become an actress! (See an article on Whoopi being a Star Trek fan here.)

Star Trek was hopeful at a time when there was a lot of uncertainty about the future. It showed us an Earth that was united regardless of race, position, or creed. It showed humans getting along with other races (Vulcans, Andorians, etc.) and trying to get along with other races. It showed that we could find humor in even some of the most dire of circumstances, and that sometimes we just need to laugh (“The Trouble with Tribbles” comes to mind here).

It may have lasted only three seasons, but Star Trek has become ingrained in pop culture. It has inspired all sorts of people to do amazing things, and has spawned several movies and television series. For these reasons, plus the personal memories I have of enjoying a lazy Sunday watching Star Trek with my family, the original Star Trek series will always have a special place in my heart.

Live Long and Prosper,
Captain Jill Bogler

We all know there is a lot of Star Trek merchandise out there – some of it better than others (by a long shot), so every now and then I want to showcase a new Star Trek themed item or two.

Real TNG Combadge:

The Star Trek: The Next Generation bluetooth Communicator Badge by FameTek is basically a functioning communicator badge as seen in TNG. It’s pretty much a bluetooth speaker that connects to your phone. Click on the link to see more. I received one for my last birthday, so I’ll be bringing that to our next Kelly activity for my Show and Tell.

Star Trek Cosplay

There are many places you can get cosplay. One of the most surprising that I’ve come across recently is actually JCPenny’s online store. Check out this link to their Star Trek selection.

Do you need a new uniform and don’t have the time to make one? Then check out Fanrek’s Star Trek collection here. Our sister ship in Idaho, the USS Valkyrie, purchased their Picard-style uniforms here, which they used in photos they submitted for our last Seventh Fleet‘s official 2021 calendar. They look spiffy.
Note: if you don’t have a uniform, please work on getting one, as we will want to show off our Star Trek geekiness to the world. Your Department Chief is there to help with this (among other things). If you don’t have a Department Chief (or know who it is), contact the XO.

Official Star Trek store

And, of course, there is the official Star Trek store, which will have all your Star Trek merchandise needs. It’s amazing what you can find there.

Today we held our monthly Senior Officer’s Meeting, or SOM. Because of our current small crew roster, we’re including all members in the planning stages for our upcoming activities. Those attending today’s Kelly Planning Meeting were:

Captain Jill Bogler
Lt. Cmdr. Dawn Woods (XO)
Lt. Scott Hollinger (Chief Tactical Officer)
Lt. Melissa Andrew (First Contact officer)
Crewman John Saffell
Adm. Dennis Hollinger
Lt. Cmdr. Kacie Stevens (USS White Buffalo)

For now, our Tactical department is the only functioning department we have. If you are in Tactical or Security, you will report to Lt. Hollinger and work on your rank advancements with him. If you are in another department, you will generally work with Lt. Cmdr. Woods. Eventually we will build back up to having fully functional departments with their own departmental meetings. Until then, we have a lot of work ahead of us. So… how do we do this?

Step One: Build Excitement
How do we build excitement? By making sure we have fun activities and keeping people informed. If we are having fun and show it, then excitement will build naturally. As part of this effort, I have made it my goal to keep the USS Kelly Website current and actively post on it.
We talked about our Facebook page, and the possibility of using other social media as well. I am going to postpone using other social media until we are in the habit of keeping our Facebook page and Website updated.
Additionally, please check out the Activities Calendar of this Website. It is a Google Calendar, which is easily able to transfer activities to your personal Google Calendar.

We planned our upcoming activities for the next few months. We are excited to be able to meet in person again now that a lot of the restrictions have been lifted…

  • Game Night, May 15, 2021, 4-7 pm – Bring a board and/or card game to play, a snack to share, and your own dinner to eat (a grill will be available). This will be held at Commander Wood’s home (see calendar and/or Facebook event for details). Note: There will be a Zoom Meeting in tandem with this event for those who are not comfortable meeting in person yet.
  • Simulator Mission, June 2021 – the Alpine School District in Utah County has opened up their space simulator again. These events are useful for those going for Command ranks and are a ton of fun. This will be in June – details TBD.
  • Kelly Kampout, July 9-10, 2021 – We are reviving the famous Kelly Kampout! Details TBD, but will most likely be held in the Ogden area. We are inviting other ships to join us.
  • Fleet Day, Aug 7, 2021 – Hosted by the USS Ticonderoga, this will be the annual Fleet Games in a park. Details TBD. Watch for updates on the Fleet Facebook page or the Ticonderoga’s Website.
  • USS Kelly 35th Anniversary, Sept 25, 2021 – Details TBA. Be on the lookout for updates.

Other dates of note:

  • June 3, Woman in Motion – this Nichelle Nichols documentary will stream on Paramount Plus June 3, 2021.
  • June 4-7, KAG Virtual Convention – the Klingon Assault Group virtual convention.
  • Aug 12, Lower Decks – Lower Decks season two will stream on Paramount Plus starting Aug 12, 2021.
  • Sept 16-19, FanX Convention – the annual FanX convention in Salt Lake City. No Star Trek people have been announced… yet.

We are also introducing something new to the Kelly: Show and Tell. This is pretty much what it sounds like.
Do you remember being in elementary school and showing something off to your classmates that you were really excited about? Well, we’re doing the same thing for the first few minutes of every activity. This could be something as simple as the new toy you found at the thrift store, proof of winning a game at a convention that you were excited about, or even your new camera drone. It doesn’t matter if it is Star Trek or even sci-fi at all, just as long as you are excited to share it with your fellow crewmembers. Just remember to keep it family friendly.

Step Two: Promotion/Advertisement
The Seventh Fleet wants all of the ships in the Fleet to have a promotional banner. Unlike the flag of the past, this is going to be printed. Some of the design elements are static – so as to be uniform with the other ships – but the rest is completely up to us.
Admiral Hollinger has been working with former Captain Nada and the senior officers to come up with a design. This is still in the works. We already have the base for the banner – we just need to finish the design so we can get it printed out.

Other things that were discussed for promotion is getting new club t-shirts, and uniforms. I, like a lot of us, have outgrown the uniforms I currently have. Getting a new one will take money and, honestly, that’s one thing I’ve placed on the back burner for me now. (This pesky thing called “real life” keeps wanting to interfere.)

Well, that’s about it for now.

Live Long and Prosper,
Captain Jill Bogler-Patterson

CAPTAIN’S LOG STARDATE 01.05.17

Rhonda Hollinger, Captain USS Kelly

 

USS Kelly Monthly Senior Officer’s Meeting 01.04.17

TACTICAL: Jill Bogler-Patterson Monthly RPG Game activity 1st Saturday of every month,

 USS Kelly Website review and updates

ENGINEERING: Michael Frogget Banquet Club Video, Google Docs Application Form

COMMAND: Rhonda Hollinger Olympic Games Fund Raising, Olympic Training Activities, Games List,

 Fund Raising for Venue, Medals, and Food for Olympics, and Charity

SEVENTH FLEET BANQUET: 01.28.17, Uniform/Sunday Best, Richmond, Utah, Richmond City Hall, 6 West Main, Time 2:00-6:00, NO COST for food, just gas money for traveling.  Organizing Carpools Now!

SEVENTH FLEET GAMES 08.12.17:  Decided on 7 Games:   Liars Dice, Ferengi Greed, KUBB, Shields,

 Saucer Separation, Torpedo Launch, Communications Array.  NEED 3 more games.

CHILDREN’S GAMES: Liars Dice, Ferengi Greed, KUBB, Saucer Separation, Torpedo Launch

STARFEST DENVER CONVENTION: April 20, 21, 22, 23, Returning Home 24th. Get your Hotel Rooms now along with your driving buddies.  SAVE UP!

 

USS Kelly Monthly Tactical Games Night 01.07.17

Location Seven Starboard, 6221 S. 700 West, Murray, 6:00 pm. Red Hour Starting time

USS Kelly RPG, Olympic Games Training

 

GAME PLAN Background and Purpose

  1. Created and organized by Admiral Dennis Hollinger
  2. Celebrated 30 years in 2016
  3. Product of Star Trek Fandom, Our ongoing mission of finding new ways of having a Mini Con Experience
  4. Objectives: Connecting with people by keeping the Star Trek IDIC concept alive.
  5. PANELS: Cosplay and Makeup, Artemus Simulator, RPG, Podcasts, Quartermaster/Dealer’s Room Merchandise, Olympic Training, Fan Films, Special Guests

 

MEMBERSHIP FREE (Pay your own way)

Activities and Events-COST FREE