MUFON Massachusetts PIPEline - 1984 11

Magazine Overview

Title: P.I.P.E. LINE
Issue: # 3
Date: November, 1984
Publisher: MUFON
Type: Magazine Issue

Content Summary

This issue of MUFON's P.I.P.E. LINE focuses on summarizing the responses from State Directors across various regions of the United States regarding their preparedness for the National UFO Information Week, tentatively scheduled for August 18-25, 1984. The publication aims to keep members informed and encourages regional coordinators to contact 'silent' states to ensure their completed questionnaires are sent to Marge for planning purposes.

Regional Summaries of Questionnaire Responses:

• Southern California: Bill Hassell (State Dir. & PR Dir.) reports 40 members, monthly meetings, a hotline, and no display. They are willing to do mall displays, media appearances, and a one-day UFO conference, and have a treasury. They need to accumulate display materials.
• Northern California: Paul Cerny (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has approximately 200 members, bi-monthly meetings, a hotline, and a display. They can arrange for the display to travel to fairs with aerospace exhibits and have a VHS VCR. They are willing to host county fair exhibits, make media appearances, and use printed posters for displays, but have no treasury.
• Colorado: Vance G. Reed (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has 10 members who hold public meetings every few months. They have no hotline or display but have a Beta Max VCR willing to participate. A new flyer was sent on 10/24.
• Michigan: Dan Wright (State Dir.) and Harriet Beech (PR Dir.) report a hotline, display, and quarterly meetings with 25 members. They have a VHS VCR and are willing to do displays at fairs and malls, media appearances, press releases, and possibly a one-day conference. They are seeking a 'UFOnaut or Gordon Cooper!' and have begun accumulating a treasury, with plans to earn money from craft sales at fairs.
• Maryland: Dr. Bruce Maccabee (State Dir.) has 15 members with no meetings, no hotline, no display, and no VCR. The Fund will handle publicity in the Washington, D.C. area via Fred Whiting, indicating the group is not currently very active.
• Hawaii: Dr. Michael Brein (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has 6 members, with 1-3 meetings yearly. They have no hotline or display, but may have access to a VCR. Projects are uncertain, and they have no treasury. Dr. Brein does media appearances for MUFON but is currently inactive due to personal reasons.
• Arkansas: Bill Pitts (State Dir.) has 4 members, no meetings, no hotline, no display, and no treasury. They have VCRs of both types and no listed projects.
• Nebraska: Ray Boeche (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has 12 members with monthly meetings, a hotline, but no display. They have a VHS VCR and are willing to do any projects listed on a flyer, but have no treasury.
• Utah: Mildred Biesele (State Dir.) and Caroline Johns (PR Dir.) are uncertain of member numbers. They hold occasional group meetings, not all attendees are MUFON members. They have no hotline or display but have a VHS VCR. They are willing to do radio call-in shows, write letters to the editor, and host public meetings and photographic exhibits. They need new UFO slides and have no treasury.
• Kentucky: Dr. Burt L. Monroe (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has 15 members with no meetings, no hotline, and no display. They have a VHS VCR but failed to answer questions about projects for UFO Information Week.
• Iowa: Forrest Lundberg (State Dir.) and Donald Curtis (PR Dir.) have 6 members with monthly meetings and a hotline, but no display. They have a VHS VCR and are willing to do UFO displays in malls, one-day conferences, guest appearances on radio & TV, press releases, and use printed posters, but have no treasury.
• Maine: Dr. Leland Bechtel (State Dir.) is searching for a PR Director and has no idea of member numbers. They have no hotline or display but can access either a VHS or Beta Max VCR. They are willing to do one-day conferences, press releases, guest appearances on media, and public opinion polls. They suggest public speakers on college campuses and have no treasury.
• Pennsylvania: Stan Gordon (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has over 40 members with monthly meetings, a hotline, and a display. They have a VHS VCR and are willing to do radio & TV guest appearances and press releases, with a small treasury derived from dues.
• New Hampshire: Peter Geremia (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has 8 members with no meetings, no hotline (using MA number), no VCR, and no display. The rest of the questionnaire was left blank.
• New Jersey: Tom Benson (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has 20 members who meet variably. They have no hotline or display but plan to create a display at their own expense. They have no VCR but are willing to do media appearances and have a treasury funded by out-of-pocket contributions.
• Connecticut: Bob Bletchman (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has 12 members, no meetings, no hotline, and no display. They have no VCR but are willing to do media appearances, press releases, and one-day conferences, with no treasury.
• Massachusetts: Marge Christensen (State Dir. & PR Dir.) has a hotline, display, and 35 members with monthly meetings. They are willing to do one-day conferences, mall displays, UFO courses for adults or children, produce a cable TV program for circulation, issue press releases, make guest appearances on radio and TV, and organize summer activities like 'make your own UFO' contests. Their treasury is derived from dues and fundraising.
• New Mexico: John Warren (State Dir.) has no PR Dir., no hotline, and is unsure of the number of members. They have no meetings, no display, and no VCR. They are willing to do UFO displays and issue press releases but have no funds.
• North Carolina: Henry Morton (State Dir.) and George Fawcett (PR Dir.) have several members, with meetings held. They are willing to do all projects listed on the flyer. The questionnaire was not returned, and information was obtained via telephone. The group claims to receive over 200 pieces of mail weekly, indicating significant activity.
• Missouri: Bruce Alan Widaman (State Dir.) and Joseph Palermo (PR Dir.) did not furnish information, but a letter introducing Mr. Palermo was received. The organization appears busy with Symposium plans, and the 1985 MUFON Symposium will be a major contribution to UFO Information Week, though it precedes the official week. Marge will outline plans for the first National UFO Information Week at the symposium.
• Texas: Tom Deuley (Dir. for San Antonio area) has communicated willingness to work on the project. The questionnaire has not been received, and no information is available from the Dallas or Houston groups.

P.I.P.E. Line Keeping Information Flowing Effectively

The editorial section emphasizes the effectiveness of the P.I.P.E. Line in disseminating information and urges members to maintain this flow. The author notes regular communication from Dan Wright, Paul Cerny, Walt Webb, Barry Greenwood, Walt Andrus, and John Schuessler. Dennis Stacy is acknowledged for his support and for mentioning the National UFO Information Week project in the October issue of the Journal.

The author has submitted an article titled "ESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION--A NEW PERSPECTIVE" for publication in the Journal, which also publicizes the 1985 National UFO Information Week and aims to encourage participation from those suffering from apathy. The importance of continued input and feedback is stressed, with specific calls to Tom Deuley regarding poster possibilities and Tom Gates regarding slide sets for presentations.

A second meeting of the committee is planned for Friday evening, June 28, 1985, at the St. Louis Symposium. The author has requested to be included in the St. Louis group's program to present an outline for the National UFO Information Week and update a previous talk. The editorial stresses that public information and increased awareness of the UFO reality are top priorities, and the National UFO Information Week must be the first step in a long-term process that expands annually. Achieving this requires commitment and convincing colleagues nationwide to join the effort.

Call to Action

Readers are reminded to contact 'silent' State Directors in their regions to encourage their participation. Additionally, suggestions for increasing membership (subscribers to the Journal) are solicited.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around organizational preparedness, inter-state communication, and the promotion of public awareness regarding UFOs. The editorial stance is one of proactive engagement, emphasizing the importance of organized efforts like the National UFO Information Week and encouraging active participation and resource sharing among MUFON members. There is a clear call to overcome apathy and work collaboratively towards the organization's goals of disseminating information and increasing public understanding of UFO phenomena.