Next Board Meeting: February 25, 7:30 P.M., at Maurer’s Dive Shop

Next Regular Meeting: March 4, 2004, 7:30 P.M. at Penn Gables, Ebensburg

Attendees: Donna Bender, Barb Wyland, Denny and Sandy Beecher, and Lois Keegan

Business:  Donna will be attending to this years fundraiser, more information will follow.

The board worked on the calendar for this year and the updated version is now on the Laurel Divers Website.

John Augustine called the meeting to order.

Treasurers report:
Barb read the treasurers report. There was no income this month; total expenses: 49.32; leaving an available checkbook balance of $2458.45

BUSINESS:
We are looking for anyone that is willing to teach a CPR course for the club members; if you are able to do this please contact Donna.
Elections for officers will be coming up soon.  Think about what you could add to the club by being an officer!

Deposits are due now for the June 24-28 trip to Morehead City. The amount is $150. The final payment of $105 is due by May 5th. We need to know what room arrangements you want so that the rooms can be booked. We want to know if there are any objections to opening up the trip at this time. We have not been able to fill the boat for the last few years and there are some members from the New England Club who are interested in going. If the spots are opened up now we would still fill the boat and if we wait we may lose the chance. Please let Donna Bender know if there are any objections to this thank you.

The Beneath the Seas convention is approaching. It will be March 26-28. There is plenty to see and learn. The program offers several informational courses. You can go online to www.beneaththesea.org for the entire list of courses and the prices. You do need to reserve tickets online. If anyone is interested you need to sign up. The rooms have been reserved for those who have signed up if you are still interested in going and have not signed up please contact Donna.

For anyone interested in the Thousand Island trip, we need a $70 deposit to hold your spot on the second boat. If the second boat isn’t filled, the spots will be opened to the Nittany Divers on the 1st of February. The final payment will be due by the June meeting.

Sue Morra is setting a trip up to Australia for December 26 to January 10th or 11th. There is no price yet.

For all those going to the Wegmans party: Sat. Feb. 28th, meet in Ebensburg, departure at 10:00a.m. from the Hill’s Plaza parking lot.  In Altoona it will be at 10:45a.m. at Uncle Joe’s Woodshed which is at the far end of the Red Lobster/Olive Garden Plaza. We will be meeting at Wegmans around 11:45 then going to Sylvia’s. We will be planning to eat around 5 P.M.

The spots for the thousand Island trip have been released to the Nittany Divers. A final payment of $70 is due by June 3rd.

Our sympathy and prayers are with Everett Newkirk, whose mother passed away recently.

UPCOMING TRIPS/EVENTS:

March 4-8, 2004, Myrtle Beach, SC, travel will be on Thursday and Monday,, diving on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 2 tank boat dives, 80-130 depth. Contact Ron Peterson for more information. (814 472-2144 or Ron@Peterson.net)

March 13, 2004, Nitrox class, 8 a.m., classroom work, open water work will be scheduled, Tim Laurito will be the instructor, call Maurer Diver Shop for more information or to register. (814) 344-6641

March 26-28, 2004, Beneath the Seas, contact Donna Bender, (814 695-0540) or go online to: www.beneaththeseas.org for more information.

April 17, 2004, after Easter dive, 1 p.m., at the quarry.

April 24-May 1, 2004, Honduras, Co Co View Resort, Roatan, Honduras Bay Islands. All inclusive 7 day package including: 24/7 beach diving and 2-tank boat dive trips daily. $850 + tax. Contact Tom Davis for more information.
814 768-3483

May 18, 2004 Quarry clean up and road repair, 6 p.m., bring a shovel or lend a hand.

May 21, 2004, 7 p.m. this Friday will be the kick off for our Every Other Friday Night Dives or EOFND.

May 22, 2004, Make-A-Wish dive, 12 p.m. Contact Donna Bender for more information. (814 695-0540)

June 24-28, 2004, Morehead City, $85 per day, three days of diving will be $255. $150 due when signing up for trip. The balance will be due by May 6, 2004. Contact Jim Smith for more information.
814 696-1938 or JCSDMD1@hotmail.com

July 3, 2004, 4th of July weekend dive, 1 p.m. at the quarry.

July 16-18, 2004, Treasure Dive weekend, the set-up will be the 16the, the party will be the 17th, and the dive will be the 18th.

July 16, 2004, Girls only trip to Morehead, contact Sandy Smith for more information. 814 696-1938

August 13-16, 2004, Thousand Islands, a $70 deposit is required. Deposit is due ASAP. The first 10 people that signed up will be on the first boat. Another 10 people are needed for a second boat. The cost is $65/day, American. Sleeping arrangements will be made later. Contact John Augustine for more information  814 942-8267

August 28-29, 2004, Thousand Island trip with Dee and Harvey Montgomery. Contact Dee at (814) 944-8521.

November 13-20, 2004, Cayman Brac Resort, six 2 tank boat dives on Brac’s pristine reefs, dive the Russian Destroyer Tibbitts, the famous Bloody wall and have unlimited shore diving. All meal, rooms and transfers included. $1036 per person, double occupancy rooms. Airfare approximately $500. A deposit of $100 is needed to hold your spot. Contact Dee Montgomery at  (814) 944-8521 or check www.bracreef.com/resortinformation.html for more information.

December 26-January 10, 2005, Australia with Sue Morra and Saint Francis College. Contact Sue for more information. Smorra@sfcpa.edu
A possible trip to Bahamas aboard the Dream Too to swim with the dolphins for May or early June 2005 is being looked into. Donna Bender will be presenting a video and information at the March meeting. The cost would be $1300 per person plus $75 port fees if 11 book the trip. If 10 book the cost will be $1425 plus port fees.

The day book was $9 and the winner was Bob Maurer, he was present last month and won the entire amount!

The door prize was a Dive slate and z- knife by Dive Rite, which were won by Wendy Kerch.

For Sale Items – can be found at LaurelDivers.com, and then select “Classified Ads”

Laurel Divers patches are available for $3.00.

If anyone is interested in adding any trips to our list please send all information to Laura@LaurelDivers.com. Thank you!

--Laura Butler