Next Board Meeting: Aug. 25, 2004 at Maurer Dive Shop

Next Regular Meeting: September 2, 2004, 7:30 P.M. at Penn Gables, Ebensburg

REMINDER TO ALL – DUES ARE DUE!
If you have not paid your yearly dues – please do so.  If dues are not kept current, you will not continue to receive this beautiful publication every month!
$24 per year, $16 for second family member and $8 for the third (or more) family members.

Vice President, John Augustine improvised on The Royal Conch Blowing and called the meeting to order until Donna Bender arrived.

Treasurer’s Report:
Ron Peterson, Treasurer, reports the following  amounts for July:  income of $1,444.00,  expenses of $3,038.50 and an available checkbook balance of $1,726.94.
 
BUSINESS

Welcome to new members Donna Sabol who is newly certified from Delta Divers/NY and
Matt Becker who recently certified from Maurer’s Dive Shop, June 04.  A  “Welcome Back” to Sam Ferra!

Audit Report:
The auditors, Greg Lilly, Sandy Beecher, and Rose Maurer, completed their audit before the meeting. Sandy Beecher gave the report.  They questioned one of the deposit amounts. Ron will get back to them with information about that deposit.

UPCOMING EVENTS/TRIPS

August 13 –16, Thousand Islands Trip

August 28-29, 2004 Thousand Islands with Dee & Harve Montgomery.  Contact Dee 814-944-8521

September 4, 2004, Labor Day Dive, 1 p.m. at the Quarry.

September 12, 2004 - Raystown Picnic – we will not be renting a boat, so we need boaters.
Dan Turcovsky volunteered to bring his boat.
Divers are usually taken out at 8:00 and at
12:00. Bring a covered dish.  The club provides hamburgers and hotdogs. We will picnic at the Oak Pavilion at Seven Points Marina.  There is electricity available for crock pots.

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 access to unlimited shore diving. All meals, rooms and transfers included. $1036 per person, double occupancy rooms. Airfare is approximately $500. A deposit of $100 is needed to hold your spot. Contact Dee Montgomery at (814) 944-8521 or check the website at www.bracreef.com/resortinformation.html for more information.

December 26-January 10, 2005 - Australia with Sue Morra and Saint Francis University. Approximately $5000.00  Contact Sue for more information. 814.886.2053 or  smorra@sfcpa.edu)

Mid January, 2005 - Cozumel – Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday.  Airfare approximately $482 + $60 for bus and ferry.  Flying Cancun Airlines out of Reagan International.  Dive shop website: www.aquasafari.com   7 nights with 5 days of 2 tank dives plus 4 afternoon boat dives
Safari Inn: $432 (divers)/$157 (non-divers)
Hotel Bahia:  $503/$228
Suites Colonial:  $475/$200
Casa Mexicana:  $662/$387
For more info:  contact Jim Smith at
814-696-1938
jcsdmd1@hotmail.com

NEW BUSINESS

A general discussion was held on how to increase membership and what to do about non-returning members.  This issue will be discussed again at the Board Meeting.  Suggestions and input are welcomed from current members.

Bob Maurer commented that Judy Risbon, owner of the quarry, called him to complain that members of her family were treated rudely by someone at the quarry during Treasure Dive weekend.  Please see the following message from club president, Donna Bender:
 
Attention all Laurel Divers:

Judy Risbon, the owner of the quarry, has always asked that we question people that we see at the quarry to find out if they have permission from her to use the quarry.  There are times that family and friends of hers DO have permission to use the quarry and it is important that we are asking about their status in a friendly and helpful way.

Whenever you see someone there that you do not recognize and is not a diver or group that has  signed in at the house, please approach them, identify yourself as a member of the Laurel Divers, explain that Judy has asked that we check on people that we do not know to make sure they have permission to be there, and very pleasantly ask them who they are.  If they do not provide you with their names then you can go up to the house and inquire with Judy as to what to do in that situation.  IF they give you their names, but do not seem to have permission, and Judy is not home, you can ask them to leave, but please write down their names and contact Bob so that the situation can be checked on with Judy.  If they identify themselves as family or friends, but something seems not quite right – just ask their names, write it down, and contact Bob and tell him your concern so that it can be checked on with Judy.

Judy does appreciate our assistance in keeping out people who do not have permission to be there, but we must remember that there are people who DO have permission to use the quarry, and we must be courteous to those persons.

Thanks for your help.
Donna

Bob Maurer commented on the DEMA Trade Show.  He said many of the manufacturers were pulling out and that he and Rose would not be attending this year.

TRIP/DIVE REPORTS

Dutch Springs:  Dan and Diane Turcovsky, Jean Mullen, Donna Bender, Lois Keegan and Ron Peterson enjoyed their dives.

Treasure Dive:  Donna Sabol reported.  Clyde Mighells opened the dive with a little magic show. His arms and legs were shackled and he was reluctantly pushed into the quarry by new member, Donna.  To the astonishment of all, he escaped his shackles in 22 seconds.  Club members were treated to a video with a fish’s eye view of the action.

Message from Donna Bender:

Our annual treasure dive is always a fun time for everyone who attends.  It takes a lot of time and effort by many people to put everything in motion – and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved.  If I have forgotten anyone – please let me know – the list is long, and my memory can sometimes be short.  That does not mean we do not appreciate everyones’ efforts.
I would like to extend a very special thank you to so many people who work so hard to make our Treasure Dive a success.  Thanks to the clean up crew from the Tuesday  night prior to the dive.  Ron Peterson -  who hauls his mower and had a lot of work done before we arrived, Jeff & Wendy Kerch -  who had most of the trimming and extra work done before we arrived and who came even though they could not make the treasure dive.  Tom Howard, Dan & Diane Turcovsky, Barb Wyland and Bert Sharbaugh.    Thanks to Ron Peterson for coming down and having the erection party all by himself (actually he was there to help the tent rental person put the tent up), but also thanks for all the extra work the treasure dive is for him – setting up and ordering prizes and making sure they are all accounted for as well as all the extra collection at this time of year with dues and treasure dive.  Thanks to Bob & Rose Maurer – every year they not only generously provide us with greatly discounted prizes, they haul down tables and the grill for our burgers – and then haul it all away for us – usually with a few extra goodies they get stuck with every year.  They also donate an extra prize every year for the “special” prize package.   Thanks to Tom Davis of Titanic Dive Center for the donation of 2 camera/regulator bags, a pair of fins and a significant discount on a 3 piece dive light set.  Thanks to all of the officers – Laura Butler, John Augustine, Barb Wyland, Denny Beecher, Bert Sharbaugh and Dan & Diane Turcovsky for volunteering their time at the prize and registration tables.  Thanks to Ron Peterson and Bert Sharbaugh for placing all the weights – and thanks to Bob Maurer for making all the new weights this year.  And a final Thank you to Clyde Mighells for providing some very unique entertainment at this year’s dive – with promises for something even more exciting next year.  And last, but definitely not least – all of the members who come and support our dive!  Without you – the whole thing would just not happen.

Surface Interval: Ron Peterson reported on his Surface Interval dive.  He dove the Indian River Inlet located between Rehobeth and Ocean City. Water temp ranged from around 68° at 60’ and 48° at 130’. Visibility was between 18 and 20 feet.  Ron reported the dives were fantastic with huge old wrecks.  Some were passenger freighters.

St. Vincent’s Island: John Castle reported on his Caribbean diving at St. Vincent’s Island. He said the diving was great and these islands near Barbados are known for their opportunities for macro photography.

Microbrew Exposition: Diane Turcovsky reported on the Microbrew Exposition expedition.  This was held at the Penn State Hotel and the guys had a great time eating at the gourmet buffet and sampling all kinds of American and European Microbrews. Diane, the D.D. and her friend were able to get in some shopping.

The daybook was $106!  Winner was John Augustine who was present.
 
The door prize was a first aid kit - Won by Jeff Kerch.

Meeting was adjourned.

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!

--Wendy Kerch
 

Laurel Divers
Treasure Dive 2004
Prize List

PRIZE  WINNER
 
Genesis Computer Donna Sabol
80 cf Alum Tank Laura Butler
Princeton Tec Ultimate Dive Light Shelly Kirkpatrick
Akona Adventure backpack Lois Keegan
Pelican 1300 John Augustine
Lift Bag Sandy BEecher
Fins – Titanic dive center Greg Lilly
Book: Reef Fish Barb Wyland
Book:  Reef Creatures Sam Ferra
Book: Reef Coral Everett Newkirk
BC Attachable Knife Ron Peterson
Stainless Steel Fin Straps Pat Donley
Stainless Steel Fin Straps Joe Gordon
Pelican Super Sabre Light Dan Turcovsky
Regulator Camera Bag Mandy Banik
Dive Light SL4 Denny Beecher
Mesh Bag Paul Brawley
Mesh bag Amy Mullen
Soft Weight Belt Bert Sharbaugh
UK Hangers (3) Diane Turcovsky
UK Hangers (3) Chuck Zupon
Divers Tool Kit Sue Morra
Divers Tool Kit Wayne Pappert
See me Safety Sausage Nelda CArter
Super Sabre Night Light Donna Bender
Floating Dive Flag Jerry Lamb
CD: Best of Scuba Do Jean Mullen
CD: Barefoots # 3 Clyde Mighells
Wrist Slate Mary Green
Retractable :Lanyard Jodi Yingling
Z knife  Matthew Becker
Trauma Shears Sylvia MacKinnon
Bob’s Special Box Denny Beecher