From: sleestak2@juno.com
To: playtrek@world.std.com
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 09:42:19 -0400
Subject: [PT] Five Year Anniversary

Hello everyone,

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the birth of Playtrek.  Five years
ago this evening, I sent out the very first hand-constructed Playtrek
message to six other Playtrekkers.  Oh, what a surprising and fun
journey it's been from then to today.

Playtrek simply would not exist without you, it's members.  I've said
it so many times that it's beginning to sound cliche, but it still
holds true.  No one person can be Playtrek.  It takes a community.  We
have shared so much of our lives together.  Not only have we enjoyed a
near daily sharing of our passion for Star Trek toys, we have shared
our personal successes and failures.  We've gotten to know each other's
hopes and dreams, and care about each other's lives.  We are a
community.  I am very proud to count you as friends.

Everyone needs a passion in their lives.  Whether that passion is
sports or music or family or travel or Star Trek toys made by Playmates
Toys, its a driving force behind human nature.  Everyone has a varying
passions, but it's also human nature for people to seek out others with
similar passions.  Thus, we on Playtrek have sought each other out and
learned to share out passion for Star Trek memorabilia.  Whether its
a $25,000 prop from TOS or William Shatner's belly button lint, there
is joy in the telling of our collections and joy in hearing about
others' collections.  It's the glue that binds our community together.

The past five years have been an interesting and (mostly) enjoyable
journey with Playtrek.  I have learned not only learned an incredible
amount of minutia about Star Trek toys, I have learned life skills as
well, such as leadership, mediation, motivation, patience, and many,
many others, not to mention several computer skills.  Along the way I
have also made a great many friends from all over the world.  As
Charles Apple once told me, I may not be able to get away with putting
these skills on a job resume, however I've always got nearly 400
references out there that would be willing to back me up.  That means a
lot to me.

Five years is a significant milestone.  It's why I want this year's
Playtrekfest celebration to be the biggest bash yet.  It's being held
on July 13th and 14th of this year at Chris and Jen Doyle's home in
Michigan.  I hope to see many old faces there, as well as many new ones
that I have yet to meet.  Although I fully understand if family,
travel, job or financial obligations prevent some from attending, I do
hope to see many of you there and look forward to meeting you.  There
is so much fun in meeting others face to face and sharing our passion
for toys in real time.

Thank you, my friends, for making the journey worthwhile.

>>>GROUP HUG!<<<

Robert Porter
aka Roberto & The King