What could be more fun that being a part of something brand new? Especially if that something is likely to last a long time and prove to be important in the future of lots of people like ones self? That “spirit” pervades WBA, as some of us have taken to calling our new Washington Butterfly Association.

Exactly forty years ago, I had a hand in starting another institution: I was the founding president of the first community college in what was to become a bustling state system in Massachusetts. The few of us folks who were in on the start-up of that two-year college even got to name it (Berkshire Community College), and to choose the college colors (Blue and Green).

I have been reminded several times of those heady days since Idie Ulsh assembled some of us ardent butterfliers to form a new institution – our very own. We would be following the lead of several dozen other states and regions to be part of a parent organization – also very new – the North American Butterfly Association, Inc. (known as NAB.A).

Some of us who formed part of that tiny group called together by Idie in early 1999 were relatively new butterfliers, like me, and some had butterflied for decades and had become professionals, like Jonathan Pelham, or long time, capable amateurs like Dave Nunnallee and Idie Ulsh. Some of us like best to go out into the field to identify butterflies we spot. Some of us are interested in photographing butterflies. Some of us are active butterfly gardeners (do I qualify if all I have is to plant one butterfly bush – Buddleia davidii – in my tiny Seattle patio? Well, never mind about my qualifications, since I started to write this I have enjoyed watching a Woodland Skipper and A Cabbage White flitting around my solitary bush. I FEEL like a butterfly gardener.)

And now our small group of starters-up have been joined by more than sixty others of you (now more than a 100! – Ed.) who have signed up to be part of our new “WBA.” We’re off and running! I’ll bet we’ll some day be nearly as active and bubbling as our older sister in Los Angeles – called “LANABA, ” if you please! I’ve been privileged to butterfly with some of the ”LANABA’s,” and have learned a lot from them.

I’m glad that, like some of you, I have added butterflying to birding as among my favorite activities, and I’m glad I’m one of you in being “present at the creation” of WBA.

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