OCA X-mas Party 2008

The OCA meets on the first Friday of every month except July at 8pm.

The address of our meeting location is:

Old Oak Church
7575 Old Oak Blvd
Middleburg Heights, OH 44130

This church is conveniently located close to the intersection of I71 and I80 (Ohio Turnpike), just south of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and I480.

For a map that allows you to zoom in and out click here.

You don’t have to be a member to attend - guests are always welcome. In fact, most people attend several times before they finally decide it’s worth signing up for membership. It is worth it though!

Program

Meetings usually begin with a talk about cichlids or a related subject. Only in December we have no speaker, but celebrate our Christmas party that typically boasts turkey, ham, and a spread of side dishes that needs to be seen to be believed! The OCA is proud to bring world class speakers to Ohio, not only for our yearly convention, the OCA Extravaganza, but also for our monthly meetings. A lot of speakers that we invited first went on to later talk at ACA conventions. There are no expenses spared for the Extravaganza, but with flight prices soaring, we have had to cut back a little at inviting international speakers to monthly meetings. Yet, with north east Ohio being the hotbed for cichlid breeders that it is, we have discovered that there seems to be no shortage of world-class speakers locally, a number of which have used the opportunity to talk at OCA meetings to later tour the country with their fantastic presentations.

BAP, Bowl Show, Raffle & Socializing

After the talk we usually take a break for refreshments and some socializing among “cichlidiots”. This also gives people a chance to look at bowl show entries, and after the break the bowl show winners are announced. Next, Breeder Award Program (BAP) awards are handed out. We have a Breeder Award Program for cichlids and one for catfish, turning our program into probably the largest one of its kind in the country. The entries are subsequently auctioned off, making some of the newest and rarest cichlids in the hobby available to our members at low auction prices! Bags frequently go for $6 and rarely above $15, but bidding can go up to $150 for larger groups of unusual and especially desirable fish! The OCA did have a number of first spawns in the United States and members have donated some very nice stuff to be auctioned off for the benefit of our Jim Smith Fund. Meetings end with a raffle, where we give away prizes that are set up on a huge table, which typically bends to the point of breaking under their load!

When Spencer Jack from Canada talked at one of our meetings, he pointed out that there is something really wrong with us:

We sit in a church;
On a Friday night;
Listening to a Canadian;
Talk about fish!

I guess he was right, but if that kind of thing appeals to you, there is no better place for you to be on the first Friday night of each month than at the OCA!

Dan Woodland handing out goodies at the OCA X-mas Party 2008