Pilar: A huge thank you and a lot of sadness.

[Jennie@ifish]

Pilar.... How much has he done for your fishing?

I am extremely impressed by the amount of people that Pilar has reached, and touched on ifish.

Pilar has been with ifish for a very long time, and has put in hours of hard work to help us all. I feel a little selfish, because I will miss his moderating on ifish SO much.
When I heard, I thought, "Ifishstock cannot go on!" :depressed: It will, but it will definitely add some sadness to it for me.

I was so planning on Pilar standing up and doing a safety speech, or a demo on Salty Dog enthusiasm. I want to see this team together! :smile:

I've never been to a Salty Dog meeting, but I hear they are a hoot! Safety, teaching, and enthusiasm! :depressed:

I have to say that I have been pulled by my heartstrings to visit the Salty Dog board, as it reminds me of what ifish used to be like. The Salty Dogs is a small group of people who have enthusiasm, a love for their sport, and a closeness that you sort of lose, as you get larger, as the main board has.

I know that this isn't the end of the Salty Dogs. Don't get me wrong. It just wouldn't be the same, at all, without Pilar, and I think, by the number of posts, that I am not the only one to feel that way!

I just really wanted to thank Pilar from the bottom of my little ifish heart for all that he has done for that board. He started it on a Yahoo site, and moved it to ifish after a while. I'm so glad he did!

The Salty Dog's board is now called, "Pilar's Salty Dogs"... and will be, forever more.

He started it, he provided the catching enthusiasm, and he and Jen (Ocean Blue) have worked SO hard to improve our fisheries, by attending meetings, and organizing support.

A big thank you, Pilar, and I owe you so much more, for all that you have done for ifish, and for the fisheries that you love. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

The only thing I have to give you, is what you already have... "Pilar's Salty Dogs!"

Jen

[PeterMac]

Pilar's Salty Dogs, I like it!

PeterMac

[skein]

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

It really always was - only now it's official.

Thanks, Jen.

Skein

[FallRiverGuy]

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Thumper]

Pilar --- I'm not very salty, but I enjoyed your posts and have always appreciated your unswerving support of the resources. Thanks for a great job!

[puffins crew]

Thanks for the thread, Jen.

Peace to you, Brother John, there are a lot of thoughts and prayers that are going with you.

Peace, Tom

[northriver1]

Pilar, being new to the big blue program and not wanting to make mistakes I read yours posts and learned and trusted them 100 percent. I came away with more informative information than you can believe, for that, thank you very much, you will be missed.

[timinthegorge]

John..... go away and do what you have to..... but please come back!

Our thoughts are with you! And know there's LOTS of folks who've learned SO much from your sharing nature here on Ifish....

Team Pilar wannabe...... Tim [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Sea Jypzee]

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

I really can't add to what's been said.

[Taylor's viewpoint]

Nice touch Jen, Pilar has been a great help to me and will be missed. :depressed:
TV

[Re:Play]

I have not been on the big blue this summer, but Pilar, your dedication and information is just like the ever ready bunny- just keeps going and going. Thanks.

[crabbait]

Say it ain't so!!!! I have been busy as a squirrel in a filbet dryer and have not been in touch. WAZUPWIDDAT??

You will be sorely missed, John. :depressed:

[Born to be Wild]

He'll be back! Just needs a little vacation.

Originally posted by Captain Pilar:

But I must have some space and figure some things out.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Sometimes things get to be too much for us too handle and we have to slam on the breaks before we crash.

As I said on the "dogs" forum, John (Pilar) emailed me his cell# back when I reached a crisis with my daughter (actually her mom). It was for me to call him in a crisis and if I needed to talk.

I remembered I had it and called him to see if I could help in any way. He told me that maybe he didn't clarify it in his post that he needed time.

I told him I would pass that on for him to the ifisher's that had overwhelmed him with their thoughtful and appreciative post.

John will be back. He just needs a little space and time to figure things out as he said.

Maybe he should have phrased the title of the thread; "Adios Amigos - Leave of Absense", instead.

A captain never abandons his ship.

Corrirod talked with him today also and I would imagine he would tell you the same.

Dan

[Born to be Wild]

Originally posted on the "dogs":

Now I can't add to all the nice, thoughtful and appreciative things you guys have all said about John.

But I will show you another side of John for those of you that don't know him well as I don't. But this email touched me and as he said, he didn't know me either. Jen said he has a big heart. There's obviously more to John than tuna, waves and swells. This is why I called him yesterday on the phone.

From: John Wells
To: 'Dan Dettmann'
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 6:00 AM
Subject: RE: Wow!


Dan,
I am so sorry about your daughter. I have lived that divorce hell so I can imagine what you are experiencing. From 2 yrs to 8 yrs old I did not see my daughter as she went with her mommy back to Connecticut. Even a court order could not stop her from going home and taking my daughter with her. She would not even let me talk to my kid on the phone. Then we got a few hours a week on the phone. When she turned 13 and into a little hellion her mom decided to give me custody and my daughter moved here to live with me.

Wednedsday she graduates from High School and gets a little closer to growing up and becoming a person and a little less like a teenage alien. I hate to offer you advice, Dan because I hardly know you but here goes.

Don't wait to be a part of your little girls life, whatever it takes. Get in there and be her dad. She needs you, even if it is only on the phone. No one will remember the days you spent working your ass off. Your daughter will always remember her dad and how much of a part he played in her life.

There is a group you might consider joining called Tough Love. It is a parents advocacy group and deals with problem kids and thier parents. Mostly it is about support for the parents and helping them deal with difficult situations. They will not judge you and are all about helping you cope as a parent.

The group here in Portland has been very good to me and my daughter. WE made it through high school. For a while there I did not think that was going to happen.

Anyway, Dan, good luck and thanks for hanging in there.

Peace,
John

[tag-a-long]

All I can say is that Pilar will be muchly missed. It brings feelings of great sadness that his time here is over. I feel as if a friend has been lost :depressed:

[husker]

sad day.....pilar was the first guy to really greet me to the board and the 1st one to give advice on a boat issue i had....his post on the salty dogs were always informatitive and gave me serveal key learnings

[ 08-06-2003, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: husker ]

Call or write John if you need anything.

I've had about enough myself.

Rick

[ 08-06-2003, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[timinthegorge]

Whoa ******..... NOT you TOO!!! Jeez, what's going on here???? :whazzup:

[GutZ]

May the Fish be with you!

Thanks John for all you've done for ifish. You are a huge presence here and will be missed.

[baitslinger]

Pilar, your one of the good guys! Good Luck and please post at least once in awhile to say hello!