AFCNA has been given the opportunity to appear on a segment of The View! We are tentatively scheduled for the show to be aired on Thursday, January 25, 2006. You will need to check your local listings for times. Broadcast live Monday through Friday from NYC, The View is ABC Daytime's morning chatfest, featuring a team of dynamic women of different ages, experiences and backgrounds discussing the most exciting events of the day. The program has received critical acclaim since premiering August 11, 1997.

AFCNA was contacted by AOBA and asked to participate in this show. Mendy and Tammy have been working hard to prepare a small gift package for each of the shows 200 audience members. Each package contains two skeins of AFCNA knitting yarn, a pattern for a hat, and literature promoting our Co-op. This is an exciting opportunity for us to gain some exposure to mainstream America!

Odds and Ends

The last message I sent out led to questions from some folks that I should probably answer.

Why doesn't it work to hit reply to your emails? - Because I use mass emailing software located on the AFCNA web server. Using automation is the only realistic way for me to reach out to the 1200 plus members of our Cooperative. Unfortunately, the software does not respond to incoming emails.

So how can I contact you? - AFCNA Directors and staff can be reached from the "Contact AFCNA" page on the www.afcna.com website. Simply click on the name of the person you wish to contact and a web form will open.

Why don't you list your email address? - In a word, SPAM. These days approximately 60% of the email I receive is SPAM. Since I am not interested in being augmented, enhanced, buying drugs, dating, or entering into business arrangements with unknown Nigerians I have had to take every possible step to protect my email addresses from abuse. Please be assured that I will respond to emails sent via the web form, or phone calls. (My phone number is listed on the www.afcna.com website.)

I had never really thought about the production process before. What can I do to help? - Buy early and buy often. Truth be known, the vast majority of our product sales are to members. It is member patronage that provides the capital necessary to sustain and grow our operations, and to service our debt. Did you know that there are only 348 days until Christmas? Seriously, the best way to support our Cooperative is to visit AmericasAlpaca.com.

Nuts and Bolts

Jeannie Wells, our Secretary, will be presenting a session about our Cooperative at the TxOLAN Spectacular Feb. 15-18, 2007. If your in the area, be sure to stop by and meet her.

Kathy Dannel Vitcak has agreed to help the Board as a volunteer organizer. The first item on the agenda is to put together a test run of a Regional Clip Collection. This is a project that the Board has grappled with on and off for over a year. In a momentary burst of sanity we realized that it is too big and too complex for us to work out by ourselves. Stacey Conley our Vice President, has graciously volunteered to be the point person from the Board for this project. If you have ideas and energy to assist with working this out, please contact Stacy (remember the web form?) or Kathy at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Finally, I would encourage each of your to visit the USDA Rural Development website where you can download a PDF version of Rural Cooperatives Magazine. A traditional function of the cooperative movement has been to offer education to members. I think you will find this magazine to be interesting reading, and it offers a great deal of news and information about the role of cooperatives in the United States. While you are there, you can sign up to receive email notification whenever new issues come out.

It looks like winter has arrived across most of the country with a vengeance. Please be safe.

John Merrell, President
Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America, Inc.