If you missed the Heretic’s Barbecue this year, was it due to good or bad fortune?
Definitely unfortunate!
Good food (and a lot of it!), good company, a great presentation by CVAAS favorite adopted member Scott Hatfield, followed by an auction, and a run through the dreaded “Superstition Gauntlet”!
CVAAS Barbecues seem to have a reputation for great food. This year was a half-pound of beef or chicken on Shish Kabap skewers with veggies (the apple slices on the chicken kabaps really worked!). David’s red beans and rice were great with a spicy edge. Excellent corn on the cob, and a basket made out of watermelon filled with a variety of fruit was also a favorite. The “Superstition Cupcakes” were so melt in your mouth that it was decadent. Thanks to Richard for those. Desiree also brought vegetarian cupcakes with a touch of alcohol to them.
Every year CVAAS re-elects officers during the Heretic’s Barbecue. This year our new officers are:
Mark Boyd – President
David Costa – Vice President
Justin Stolle – Secretary
Desiree Costa – Treasurer
Chuck Krugman – Member-at-Large.
CVAAS would like to thank Tegmine Schuster for being our secretary since our formation. Justin is our new secretary, and was last year’s member-at-large. His work managing our websites and getting our automated membership system up and running is a key reason why we look so good online. He will continue doing this for us as he works to get our monthly minutes online where everyone can see them.
Desiree’s experience in basic accounting is something that will certainly benefit CVAAS. Chuck has been our past treasurer since our formation, but in his new role he will be acting as a liaison between CVAAS officers and CVAAS membership. He will also be our official representative in all affiliate organizations, such as Atheists Alliance International, American Atheists, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.
Mark and David will continue as president and vice-president. They both have plans for future events and growth. The next year should be the year of the CVAAS membership drive!
After elections, CVAAS favorite, Scott Hatfield, gave us a talk about his trip to the Galapagos Islands. Scott has been using his trip as a springboard to bring better science education to the Central Valley, and his talk was informative and fascinating. The question and answer session that followed was full of explanations of why the islands has reptiles but no amphibians, and how spiders made it to the islands. Also discussed was the importance of the islands to Darwin’s theory of natural selection.
Scott made sure we knew that this is what he wore while touring the islands!
As usual, we had our yearly auction. There were quite a few books, including a signed copy of “Skeptic Magazine” – signed by Michael Shermer, and a signed copy of Dawkin’s latest book, “The Greatest Show on Earth”.
Next was the Gauntlet of Superstition!
We earned so much bad luck today! Jumping over brooms, breaking mirrors, spilling salt. 
We even had a black cat (simulated, but guaranteed just as evil as the real thing!).
At the end of the gauntlet, several people sold their souls to CVAAS, (for the price of one cookie!) or were given the opportunity to deny the Holy Spirit – the ultimate superstition!
We spent the rest of the day chatting, meeting new friends, polishing off dessert (fruit, ice-cream, cupcakes) all while creating voodoo dolls. Several dolls were of people’s bosses, but political figures were also popular. (Did you feel a twinge, Mrs. Palin?).
You can see the entire album of Heretic’s Barbecue photos online at the CVAAS Facebook fan page.
Although attendance could have been better, all-in-all the Heretic’s Barbecue was a success. And since each year has a theme, you have to wonder… what will we do next year?
