New Association, Same Awesome Ship
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Captain’s Blog: September 1, 2024…
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You may have heard recently that the U.S.S. Charter Oak has decided to fly solo, and that is true. In May, 2024, the senior officers started talking about changing the path that our amazing fan group was on, and leaving the organization that we were then still with. There were a lot of reasons for this discussion to go at it alone; one of which was that the senior officers didn’t agree with the politics taking place at the highest levels of the organization.
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Please understand that this is not an attack on anyone or any corporation. I am intentionally leaving the name of the organization out as I feel to name them and air their dirty laundry would bring me down to their level, and the crew of the U.S.S. Charter Oak is above stooping to that level. Aside from the politics, the U.S.S. Charter Oak saw no true gain from the affiliation. Our chapter members paid their dues to the primary organization, and none of that funding trickled down to the local level. Everything we did as the Charter Oak, we did on our own dime. Our website, our merchandise, our parties; anything that required a cash transaction came from the members who had already paid their dues. Each of us were happy to put extra money into our chapter, as this crew owned this chapter since day one. Our crew made the commitment to support local charities such as the Connecticut Humane Society, area food banks, the Paws Cat Shelter as well as more national organizations like the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The amazing crew of the U.S.S. Charter Oak made the ship’s name synonymous with community philanthropy, and a vessel that works to celebrate Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a better tomorrow for everyone.
When the senior officers decided we would present our plan to our chapter, I was amazed at the resounding support we received from the rest of the crew. The battle cry of “Where you go, I go” rang loudly across Zoom. I learned early on in this discussion that the crew of the U.S.S. Charter Oak was just that: the crew of the vessel, not the overall organization.
So, here we are. As of July, 2024, we are flying the skies on our own. We are now the U.S.S. Charter Oak: An Independent Star Trek Fan Association. Our motto is clear: we are here to “Celebrate Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a better tomorrow for everyone.” Sound familiar? Yes, the senior officers made that statement early on in the conversation and it resonated with each of us enough to become why we are here. As our new independent organization, we are continuing to boldly go into events like our recent trek to TerrifiCon at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. It was there that we met so many amazing people who share our love for the science fiction franchise. It was there that we raised another $500 for the Connecticut Humane Society. It was there that we proved that we’re here to stay.
We may not have 50 years of history to our organization… yet. The U.S.S. Charter Oak may be a young vessel in terms of space and time, but it’s crewed by “the best crew any captain can ever have.” We may be a fleet of one, but I expect to see that grow. We made great contacts with other independent Star Trek groups while at TerrifiCon, and hope to build a brotherhood with each of these members, because Gene Roddenberry’s vision wasn’t intended for the select few who can afford it, or the select few who are the biggest fans. Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a better tomorrow is for everyone! And that’s what we’re here to celebrate one star at a time.
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The Captain’s Blog is an Op-Ed style blog written by the captain of the U.S.S. Charter Oak, Ryan O’Connor. The U.S.S. Charter Oak is an independent Star Trek Fan Association located in Connecticut, but is open to anyone from anywhere on this beautiful blue and green marble. Please follow the U.S.S. Charter Oak on Facebook, Instagram, and X and check back regularly for more from The Captain’s Blog…