The Donegal Fish and Conservation Association (DFCA) needs you. The organization is holding its membership drive to grow its base and raise funds for its projects.

"If you're enthusiastic for clean, cold-water fishing, and you want to have access to it, we'd love to have you," said Brandon Crouser, DFCA secretary. "If you're an outdoor enthusiast, you should consider joining us."

In a typical year, DFCA would hold two major fundraising events - its outdoor show and kids' fishing derby. With COVID restrictions, the group could not hold either event this past year. Instead, the organization had to think up new ways to raise funds.

"We set up a new website, http://www.donegalcreek.org, for people to make a minimum donation of $10," Crouser noted. "Upon receiving their donation, we send out a membership pin and card as well as add them to the email list for future events like work parties, meetings and trout stocking the Donegal and Little Chiques creeks."

DFCA meetings are held the third Monday of every month, either at Amato's Woodfire Pizza and Italian Restaurant in Mount Joy or, in warmer weather, at the East Donegal Township Chickies Creek Day Use Area.

Crouser added that the membership drive has a goal of $3,000. "That's the number we'd like to get to in order to be able to stock and maintain our trout nursery, pay our electric bill and cover other expenses," he explained. The nursery is a cooperative project with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

DFCA became a nonprofit organization last year and is working on obtaining a second trout nursery in Mount Joy. "We are also working on a major stream bank restoration project with Donegal Trout Unlimited," Crouser stated.

Membership in the club hovers around 300 people, he noted, with about 50 active members. "We'd love to see that number go up," he remarked. "We have a lot of activities planned for the coming year."

In April, the group is planning an invasive plant removal project. "We'll be removing multiflora roses, which are not fun to remove, but it needs to be done," Crouser said. "We definitely could use the help."

For more information on the DFCA and its membership drive, visit http://www.donegalcreek.org or search for "Donegal Fish and Conservation Association" on Facebook. Membership and pins may also be purchased in person at Precision Fly and Tackle, 1957 Fruitville Pike, Lancaster.