As we approached the 20th anniversary of NCAS on March 29, 2007, we invited you to join us in our celebrations. We looked back at our experiences and achievements, as well as forward toward ever more effectively promoting critical thinking and scientific understanding among NCAS members and in society.
The Founding of NCAS
On a very pleasant Sunday March 29, 1987, at the outdoor amphitheater of the Edmund Burke School in northwest Washington, D.C., more than 100 very enthusiastic people attended the inaugural meeting to found the National Capital Area Skeptics. NCAS became a new and independent membership organization to objectively examine claims of paranormal phenomena and fringe science, and more generally to promote critical thinking and scientific understanding. That event is described in the first issue of the NCAS newsletter, Volume 1 Number 1, a precursor to our current, more mature Skeptical Eye newsletters. A special 20th Anniversary reprint of that very first NCAS Skeptical Eye newsletter was made available free to everyone at each NCAS event during our 20th anniversary celebration year.
NCAS 20th Anniversary Year Events
Each NCAS event through June 2007 featured some aspect celebrating our 20th Anniversary. See Shadow of a Doubt for details. Anyone may subscribe to our monthly NCAS-Announce email list to receive the montly Shadow of a Doubt bulletin of events and announcements.
NCAS 20th Anniversary Year Memorabilia
The following are the NCAS memorabilia that were available free at our events throughout the 20th Anniversary celebration September 2006 through June 2007. They are still available free at our events while supplies last.
- Special 20th Anniversary reprint of NCAS Skeptical Eye volume 1 number 1
- NCAS button "That's Nice, Prove It!"
NCAS Member Discussions
Throughout that anniversary year, NCAS Members were invited to participate in casual discussions about past personal experiences as a Skeptic and as an NCAS member in a "demon-haunted world". There were also focused discussions about how NCAS can become ever more relevant and effective in the future in promoting critical thinking and scientific understanding.
