The HEIMDAL Loan Agency has been created to loan the current Starfleet membership rate to anyone wishing to renew with Starfleet but are temporarily unable to, due to lack of funds. Only one loan will be outstanding at all times with another possible only after the existing one is repaid. Payment will be expected in three installements. All loans will be kept confidential between the Loan Officer, Commanding Officer, & the individual securing the loan.

In August 1985 Security Dept. member Pete Bryant was killed in a drowning accident. Pete was only 21 years old, was dyslexic & frequently felt he really didn't "belong" anywhere because he was different. The members of the HEIMDAL welcomed Pete into our chapter, appreciated his talents, accepted his differences & gave him a place to feel comfortable & accepted. His membership became extremely important to him.

Following Pete Bryant's death, $25 was donated to set up the Pete Bryant Memorial fund. This money, in combination with the money set aside for the HEIMDAL Loan, is for new & renewing members to use as a loan for membership. This Fund is handled through the HEIMDAL Loan Officer & the same rules apply. Pete Bryant would be very pelased to see this fund in his memory.

Membership renewal reminders, as well as a current membership application, will be included with monthly mewsletters to those members needing to renew with Starfleet. Three reminders & three additional newsletters will be sent. If no response is forthcoming, the member will be dropped form the Heimdal roster & no further newsletters will be sent as it will be assumed that the member is no longer interested in membership.

New & renewing Heimdal memberships should be sent to:
Heimdal Membership Processing
151 Regal Oaks Way
Amherst, VA. 24521

The crew of the HEIMDAL meets monthly usually on the third Sat. of the month. Each member will be sent information about the meetings; where, when, what type of meeting, etc., prior to the meeting. Exceptions to the meeting schedule may occur when special guests will be present or when meeting dates conflict with other activities such as conventions. Schedule changes will be affected to accommodate these speakers & events. Members are expected to bring one item for refreshments to each meeting so that the burden of furnishing refreshements is shared by the crew.

The annual Heimdal meeting schedule will be tentatively set in Jan. of each year by the Executive Committee. Each department will sponsor a meeting on a scheduled month & this schedule will be presented to the membership in the Jan. Rainbow Connection in order that members may make long range plans.

Heimdal special Events are special get-togethers that take place in addiction to the regular meeting schedule. These events may be appearence by special speakers, special evenings out together such as chapter anniversary celebrations, trips taken as a group & so forth. The membership will be advised of events, dates & times.

It is not a requirement that crewmembers have "uniforms." Many do And have enjoyed wearing them at fundraisers, conventions, television appearances, media events and meetings. Anyone wishing to have a uniform, may. On board the HEIMDAL we have no special uniform designation. You may have an old series type, film type, TNG, DS9, or Voyager. The choice is yours.

Several HEIMDAL members have been interested in costuming and have won prizes & recoginition for their uniforms as far away as Texas and Maryland. Patterns may be obtained through Lincoln Enterprises or may be purchased through Simplicity Patterns found at your local material shop.

The Heimdal DOES have special chapter polo shirts & chapter t-shirts. When doing recruiting, members are asked to wear their chapter popo or t-shirts (depending upon the event) in order to present a unified appearance to the public. It is not a requirement that members purchase these shirts but is a nice addition to have when meeting the public. Chapter shirts currently are running on the average of $12.98 per shirt, depending on the company the chapter is dealing with. If interested in a chapter polo or t-shirt, please see your CO or department chief.

The HEIMDAL is involved in community service. Although we have a good time at meetings and conventions, the charities we have adopted within our community are the part of our existence that gives us "purpose." Currently we are continuing our annual Christmas sponsorship of a welfare child through Lynchburg Social Services. We donate annually at Christmas $125 worth of pet foods to Amherst & Lynchburg Humane Societies. Our collection of canned goods is donated during the holiday season to Lynchburg Food Bank with 1000+ pounds donated in 1999. we have been able, over the years, to add Genesis House for battered & abused children to our list of charities, as well as a senior citizen & Angel Tree child at Christmas. In the past, we worked monthly with Genesis House where we appeared in costume (dogs, lambs, Batman, ET, etc.), have read stories to the children, played games with them, done crafts and shared our time with these unfortunate children. Since 1996 we have made annual donations to the UVA Hospital's Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Fund in memory of Sarah Sprinkle; a beloved member who was lost to us in Oct. 1996.

All our adopted charities are supported through bake sales, car washes, raffles, recycling and so forth. We ask that each member volunteer some portion of time to helping with these fundraisers. We are totally non-profit so the only way we are able to help in the areas we have chosen is through our efforts at fundraising. Volunteering for fundraisers also counts towards promotion points.

The Heimdal publashes a monthly newsletter, The Rainbow Connetion, which is sent to each member in good standing. This newsletter includes news of the chapter, region, and Starfleet, and gives times & dates for meetings and special events. There is no cost for this newsletter. It is sent electronically as well as through regular mail, and it is now also available on our webpage. Those wishing to receive a hard copy through regular mail are asked to supply SASE's in which to receive the newsletter. This is not a requirement but is a nice thing to do to help save your chapter's funds for charities & other necessities.

In the past, the Heimdal's newsletter, The Rainbow Bridge, was three time winner of Starfleet's Newsletter contest. The original Heimdal Membership Handbook won Honorable Mention in Starfleet's Publication Contest.

The Heimdal's Crew Directory is a publication presented through the joint efforts of the Communications, Computer Opersations & Science Departments, and is a part of each Heimdal new member Membership Packet. The directory is constantly being updated and includes information on each Heimdal member. Addresses, rank, years with Starfleet/Heimdal, department, alien race (if any) & e-mail addresses may be found in the Crew Department.

Some Heimdal departments also publsih departmental newsletters. See your DC for information regarding this.

Once a year we hold the HEIMDAL's Annual Crew Auction. A wide variety of items, including Star Trek & science fiction related items, are donated and then auctioned off to help raise money to support our charities. The audction was recently opened to the publisc, with great success. For more details on the auction check out the Auction Site.

Each year the chapters of Starfleet's Region I get together at a summit and a convention voted upon by the chapters of the region. There are parties, meetings, and hours of fun for all. It is an excellent opportunity for crewmembers to meet members or other chapters & share time and experience.

Since the first Region One Summit in 1995, held in Gatlinburg, TN, the even has grown each year and has been a WONDERFUL weekend for all who attend.

Please contact your CO or department chief for informtion concerning future R/1 summits & conferences. Information will also be available at meetings and in the Rainbow Connection.

Occasionally the HEIMDAL will go as a group to a convention. This is always fun & a way to do things together. Participation is encouraged.

The Heimdal also makes occasional trips as a group & part of our chapter functions. We have visited the Science Museum of Virginia, several members have traveled to the Smithsonian in Washington, DC to see the Star Trek exhibit, & we have attended meetings of other chapters. These group trips keep interest in the chapter and offer something of interest for everyone.

The Heimdal crew makes an annual trip to Smith Mountain Lake as guests of members Larry & Kathy Whately. A day is spent on the Whatley's houseboat with swimming, picnicking, & relaxing the main theme of the day.

Yes, there really is a Starfleet Academy. Through the Starfleet organization you may take courses in Officer Training, Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Medicine, Communications & almost any topic which holds your interest. Some courses are factual while others lean towards the Star Trek universe & the fictional. No matter which course(s) you take, they are all informative & all are fun. Taking thse SFA courses also count as points towards promotion.

Your CO or DC will give your information on SFA courses. Information will also be included in your membership packet from Starfleet.

The shuttle Asgard, off the USS Jamestown, was commissioned on February 1, 1984. She was later commissioned as the Starship USS Heimdal on April 15, 1985.

Our ongoing mission: To strive within our community not only to be recognized as a reflection of the ideals expressed in Star Trek, but to make a difference in our area that may further insure the happiness and welfare of furutre generations of people and animals. The crew of the USS Heimdal work hard to maintain the ideals that include equality, humanity, and the improvement of life in our community and beyond.

* Chief of Sciences			* Chief Medical Officer
* Chief of Engineering		    * Chief of Chaplaincy
* Chief of Communications		* Chief JAG (Judge Advocate General)
* Chief of Security