Well, right now we are updating the OCA Constitution. The OCA Constitution was written in 1984, and it is unclear if it was updated in 1994 or only published again in the Bulletin at that time for the 10 year anniversary. At any rate, the constitution is quite old and has not been looked into for a long time. Why does it need updating? It is very specific in parts, and prescribes for example:

• that a monthly trading post must be distributed by first class mail;
• that the photographer’s slide sets must be numbered and scripted; and
• that foreign membership must be more expensive than that for people living in the postal area of the USA.

These rules are clearly no longer appropriate in our electronic age. None of these issues are a big deal, but why not bring them up to date, rather than leaving them unattended?

When a planned update of the OCA Constitution was announced at the March OCA Meeting, a member in the audience asked: “Why throw out the car when you just want to built in a radio”. That comment was very fitting, and we do not want to throw out the car! Essentially the constitution will remain the same as it always was. It has served the OCA well for a long time, and will continue to do so in the future. But we do want a radio! We want a dynamic and active organization that can make full use of modern electronic media and means of communication.

To make any change to the OCA Constitution, no matter how small, the entire membership needs to vote on it. The OCA Board thinks it would be wrong to simply ignore the Constitution. A Constitution is a framework that can hold an organization together in times of difficulties. At the moment all is smooth sailing in the OCA. Our membership is growing rapidly and we are looking forward to a year full of great meetings and events. This is the perfect time to update the constitution – hoping that we will never really need it, but being prepared in case we do. The updated constitution will be published in the May bulletin, and again in the June bulletin to give you all time to read it and think about it. Then we will vote on it at the OCA Meeting in June. Please plan on attending the OCA Meeting on 4 June, and vote for the updated OCA Constitution. We need your vote to keep the OCA the great club that it is – and maybe even make it a little better. Oh, and did I mention that there will be free food for all OCA Members at the June meeting!

OCA Sponsors

Please have a close look at our List of Sponsors (below), and when shopping give preference to the businesses that back your OCA.

If you own a business or are otherwise in a position to support the OCA and would like to do so, please contact us at OhioCichlidAssoc@aol.com. As a consumer, we encourage you to patronize the businesses and organizations that support your OCA!

What’s the OCA?

The OCA brings together cichlid and catfish enthusiasts to increase the enjoyment of the fish keeping hobby. We meet on the first Friday of every month except July. The OCA year is centered around three major events: the OCA Winter Auction in February, the OCA Fishy Swap Meet in Fall, and the world renowned OCA Extravaganza on the weekend before Thanksgiving.

People are usually amazed when they hear that all OCA activities, especially a world class event like the OCA Extravaganza, are organized year after year by a bunch of amateurs, relying almost entirely on the work of volunteers. OCA members, and particularly the OCA Board, certainly go the extra mile to make this happen, but events like the Extravaganza could not have become the success that it is without solid backing from the wide range of businesses listed on this page!

The OCA enjoys a very active club life, here for example at the OCA Christmas Party 2008. For more photos of the event please click here.