Next Board Meeting: Mon., Nov. 22, 2004
Ron Peterson’s house, 7:30 p.m.

Next Regular Meeting: Christmas Party, Saturday, December 4, 2004
7:30 P.M. at Penn Gables, Ebensburg

New members Kim Reese and Tim Keller were approved.

Topics of discussion included: quarry expenses, decrease in donations, the Halloween Treasure Dive and door prizes and other details for the Christmas party.
Meeting was adjourned.

President Donna Bender brought the meeting to order with the Royal Conch Blowing.

Treasurer’s Report:
Ron Peterson, Treasurer, reports the following  amounts for October:  income of $143.00, expenses of $163.56 and an available checkbook balance of $1,576.31.

BUSINESS

Welcome to new members Kim Reese and Tim Keller!

Welcome back Jim Carozza (Boston Jim)!

Larry and Roz Servinsky have submitted applications for membership.

UPCOMING EVENTS/TRIPS

December 4, 2004 – Christmas Party at Penn Gables.  Dinner choices are Stuffed Chicken Breast - $17; Lasagna  - $17; Stuffed Pork Chop   - $17; and Baked Haddock - $20. The last day to sign up for the Christmas Party is Saturday, November 27.  Call Ron Peterson 472-2144 or 472-0774 with changes). Cocktails: 6:00 – 7:00; Dinner: 7:00 and Dancing: 8:00 – 11:00 (D.J.)

Chances are being sold on a beautiful quilt that is actually made to be a wall hanging.  The quilt was handmade by Diane Turcovsky’s friend, Mary, who is also a diver. Cost:  $1 for single chance, $5 for six chances.

December 26-January 10, 2005 - Australia with Sue Morra and Saint Francis University. Approximately $5000.00.  Contact Sue for more information at
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

January 1, 2005 – Ice Dive at the quarry
1:00 p.m.

Make a slate night at the January 6, 2005 Regular Club Meeting.

Dominica with Jonathan Bird - January 15-22, 2005.  If anyone is interested, please contact Donna Bender at 695-0540.  The cost of the trip is $1,045 plus airfare of $750.  The cost of the trip includes unlimited shore diving, boat diving, accommodations and 2 meals per day.

NEW BUSINESS

Nominations for Board members were held and the following club members were nominated: Denny Beecher, Greg Lilly, Bert Sharbaugh and Barb Wyland.

Members are reminded to bring any new or interesting “Gizmos or Gadgets” to our monthly meeting to show to their fellow club members.

Bob Maurer informed club members that his compressor and pool are both broken.  He is working to repair both.  He also brought pictures of the quarry. The photos were taken in the 1950’s.

Bob will bring the ice diving and quarry releases to the Christmas Party.

Bob presented Donna Bender with her Assistant Instructor Certification Card.  Congratulations, Donna!

TRIP/DIVE REPORTS

Lois Keegan reported on their dive trip on October 9-10 to Dutch Springs Quarry, Bethlehem, PA. Lois said visibility was good and the water temperature varied from 58° – 70°.  Newly certified diver, Kim Reese, enjoyed the vis.

Jeff Kerch reported on the Halloween Dive.  12 divers participated.  The water temperature was about 56° with air temperature of 68° – 70°.  Visibility was around 15’.

Congratulations to Sandy Beecher for winning this year’s Chili Cook-Off!  Her name has been added to the plaque that hangs in Maurer’s Dive Shop.

Wendy Kerch won $100 for having the winning number at the Halloween Treasure Dive.

Thanks to Dan and Diane Turcovsky for hosting the Chili Cook-Off Party!

Donna Sabol reported on a recent trip to the aquarium at the Pittsburgh Zoo.  After participating in a check out dive, she is now on their volunteer roster.  Every few weeks, she will dive in one of the aquarium tanks and help perform maintenance. She said it was fun and passed around pictures of the different tanks.  The zoo would like to increase their list of volunteer divers.

Donna Sabol also mentioned that she has spoken to Clyde Mighells and he is working on the details for a Kingston, Ontario trip next summer. A computer crash set him back a little but he is now up and running. Also, Clyde is planning to do an Indoor Underwater Escape at the Christmas Party.

PRESENTATIONS

John Augustine was the speaker at this month’s meeting.  John demonstrated various cutting devices, such as a z-knife, other dive knives, shears, and wire cutters.  He used the knives and cutters on fishing line, wreck line, various thicknesses of rope and 14/2 gauge electrical wire.  Other than being able to cut the electrical wire, the z-knife was really an impressive little cutter. The z-knife easily cut rope at least 3/8” thick. John also spoke briefly about wreck penetration and how a diver needs to be trained and be aware of all the obstacles you could run into once you penetrate a wreck such as sharp metal edges, electrical wire, fishing line and other lines and the darkness. He also spoke about being self-reliant and having your safety equipment in a readily accessible place.  He demonstrated streamlining the BC.  A discussion was also held on the spring loaded fin straps (as opposed to the plastic ones) and the possibility of them getting tangled in fishing line or other lines.

The daybook winner was Shelly Kirkpatrick who was not present.
 
The door prize was a Z-Knife. - Won by John Fry.

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 wkerc@uplink.net Thank you!

The next Board meeting will be at Ron Peterson’s house on Monday, November 22, 2004 at 7:30 p.m.

The next regular Club Meeting will be on Saturday, December 4, 2004 at Penn Gables during the Christmas Party.

--Wendy and Jeff Kerch