b'C H A P T E R N I N EWinding up the program, Paul Parker of CCCHFA appealed to his listeners to help his organization move a campaign to bring those observers to Massachusetts waters. And he ended with a hearty plug for FCW, citing it as a phenomenal asset to our community. Fishermen, he explained, sometimes have communications difficulties in telling folks about our issues. Hence, FCWs people are an incredible value to us.The presentation that evening had to be an eye-opener for people on hand. Unfortunately, though, the turnout hardly reflected the energies funneled into making the program both interesting and informative. In hard fact, 40-plus showed up. Of them, one-half were FCW board members and spouses. Was FCW disappointed? Yes, but not dismayed. The organizations been around long enough to know that it cant expect to draw a Super Bowl crowd for every one of its events. (In this case, the Board of Selectmen at the last moment had called a meeting on the fate of Main Street School.)Notwithstanding the thin numbers, this occasion was an important start for a new, promising relationship. CCCHFA is as dynamic and critical an organization as any functioning in Chatham today; it represents a part of one of the towns biggest economic sectors; it has an essential commitment to sustaining the communitys maritime heritage. Hence, its interests intersect with FCWs. Theyll work together again, for a certainty. John Pappalardo puts this linkage into words. The FCW board is a tremendous group of people, he believes, who could be helpful to our cause, and vice versa. Our association will benefit, but the industry at large will benefit from this type of collaboration. Before, it was very black and white; you were either with us or against us. That was disastrous.This winter, CCCHFA put FCWs leadership on the list to receive its Friday-afternoon e-mail message. That terse document wraps up the actions and deliberations of the associations weekly board meeting. As a result, the bond between the two enterprises can only be tightened.157'