Please note the following changes for the July Club Meeting:

Next Board Meeting:  Thursday, June 30, 2005, 6:00 p.m., Penn Gables

Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, June 30, 2005, 7:30 P.M. at Penn Gables

Treasure Dive Sign-ups until July 9

The Board Meeting was held on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. at Maurer’s Dive Shop.

Present:  John Augustine, Ron Peterson, Greg Lilly, and Bert Sharbaugh

Approved:  Yvonne May membership application.

The Club will send Judy a $200.00 thank you card for quarry use.

There was a discussion on how to use or put shale at the quarry.

Also discussed moving the July meeting date and continued planning the Treasure Dive prize list.

Board Meeting was adjourned.

President Donna Bender called the meeting to order.

Treasurer’s Report:
Ron Peterson, Treasurer, reports the following  amounts for May:  income of $763.00, expenses of $421.17 and an available checkbook balance of $2,038.64

Welcome to new member - Joe Swearman!

The following members were elected as club officers and will assume their new duties in August:
John Augustine – President
Greg Lilly  - Vice President
Joe Gordon – Secretary
Donna Sabol – Treasurer

Chuck Zupon was elected to take over Greg Lilly’s vacant board member seat.

   *  *  *

OLD BUSINESS

John Augustine gave a partial report on the Fund Raiser.  As of meeting time, there were still a few more drawing dates for the tickets.

Club Membership Dues should be paid in July.  Please note:  Member dues must be paid before you sign up for the Treasure Dive.  Dues are $24 a year for the first member of the household, $16 for the second member, and $8 for each consecutive member.

Last Day to sign up for the Treasure Dive is July 9th.

NEW BUSINESS

Thanks to John Augustine, John Betting, and Ron Peterson for handling quarry clean up.

A pile of shale will be delivered to the quarry.  Donna will make arrangements with Grannas Bros.

There will be a Swap Meet at the August meeting.

Volunteers for the audit in July are:  Sylvia MacKinnon, Sandy Smith, and Diane Turcovsky

UPCOMING EVENTS/TRIPS

June 4 and 5, 2005 - Check out Dives. Check out chums were Donna Bender and Laura Butler.

Saturday, June 11, 2005 - trip to Millbrook Quarry, Fairfax, VA.  Admission is $20 at the gate, but $10 if paid ahead of time.  Contact John Augustine for further details.

June 10 & 24, 2005 - Every Other Friday Night Dive

June 23 - 27, 2005 - Morehead City trip with Jim Smith and Diver Down

July 8 & 22, 2005 - Every Other Friday Night Dive

July 12, 2005 - Quarry Clean-up

July 15 – 17, 2005 - Treasure Dive weekend, starting with the erection party on the 15th, open diving on the 16th and the Treasure Dive on the 17th

August 5, 2005 - Every Other Friday Night Dive

August 27, 2005 - Susquehanna River in Lockhaven, The dive will be under a bridge, it’s shallow, clear warm water.  Contact Denny Beecher for details.

September 9 - 11, 2005 - Thousand Island Trip, Kingston, Ontario with Clyde Mighells
$100 deposit due as soon as possible to hold your spot.  The final payment is due at the August meeting.  Reservations are limited to ten people.  The itinerary is as follows:
Friday evening:  Arrive at Alexander Henry, Coast Guard Cutter B& B, Night shore dive under the Alexander Henry
Saturday:  Awake to breakfast aboard ship, Two boats pick up divers at Alexander Henry, Two tank dive to Wolfe Islander II & KPH, Return to ship, rest of the day and meals on your own
Sunday:  Awake to breakfast aboard ship, two boats pick up divers at Alexander Henry, Two tank dive to Marsh & Aloha and Effie Mae, depart for home.
Cost:  Diving (without tip) $120 for all four boat dives  $12 for nitrox refills and $6 for air (Saturday night tanks will be refilled), $35 per night per person  B & B (2 people per room, each room has two bunks)
$15 tank rental Nitrox, $10 tank rental air
 

TRIP/DIVE REPORTS

Lois Keegan reported on the D & R Divers Make a Wish Dive.  Six Laurel Divers participated.  The water was in the mid 50ºs’and eight feet deep.  The visibility was 0 but it was all for a good cause.  D & R raised over $20,000 for Make-a-Wish!

Sylvia MacKinnon and Dan Turcovsky reported on the Dolphin Dream liveaboard trip with Jonathan Byrd.  12 snorkler/divers enjoyed this trip on a refitted shrimp trawler.  Sylvia spoke about the group’s interactions with the dolphins in their natural environment.  She said it was an amazing experience and she felt privileged to have been a part of it.  Dan spoke about his experience diving with the sharks while on this trip.  Dan said the chum crate and sharks were very close to him!  He said it was quite an experience to be in the water with that many sharks.

Wendy Kerch reported on her and Jeff’s trip to Bonaire.  They stayed at Cap’n Don’s Habitat and did mostly shore diving.  The reef was spectacular right in front of Cap’n Don’s.  Water temp was consistently about 82º and visibility 80 – 100’.

Greg Lilly reported that he went diving while on a cruise to Bermuda with his wife.

Jim Smith reported on his and Sandy’s recent trip to Costa Rica.  They dove on the southern Pacific coast off the small island of Caño.  This area is a biological reserve and known for its pelagic rich waters.  They saw mobula rays (devil rays), dolphins and white tip reef sharks.

John Augustine spoke briefly about his recent dive in Lake Erie.  It was a 20 minute dive in 41º water.

Joe Gordon reported he recently dove in the quarry and the water temp was 56º.  He said visibility was between 15 –18’.

* *

The daybook winner was Denny Beecher.  He won $62.

Donna Bender won the door prize.  She won scissors.

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!

Reminder
The next Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. at Penn Gables.

The next regular Club Meeting will be on Thursday, June 30, 2005 at Penn Gables at 7:30 p.m.
                                     --Wendy Kerch