The next board meeting will be on February 10, 2000.  The meeting will be held at Maurer's Dive Shop in Carrolltown at 7:30 P.M.

Treasurer’s Report: Income: $641.90, Expenses: $738.72, Current Balance: $2,318.23.

Jim Smith presented a talk and video on diving at Moorehead City, North Carolina at the meeting.  Jim and Sandy Verdavoir have been working as occasional crew members on the Diver Down located in Moorehead City.  It was an interesting talk and an excellent video--thanks Jim and Sandy!

We will begin working on our annual calendar at the January board meeting. If you would like to run or suggest a trip (even a weekend or day trip), please attend the meeting, or call one of our officers or board members.

We will be handing out tickets for our annual fundraiser at the February meeting. The prize will be $100 for each of five days based on the PA daily lottery number during Memorial Day week.

We will be putting together an order for Laurel Diver Jackets.  The jackets are red with white lettering and a fleece lining.  Cost for the jackets are $66.95 each.  Please call Donna Bender at 472-9796, or e-mail her at Donna@Bender.net if interested.

Bill Kimmick points out an interesting legal debate going on in Ontario at present.  It seems that the Ontario Marine Heritage Act, or Bill 13, is now before the Standing Committee awaiting a third reading prior to becoming law.  The bill gives the Ontario government exclusive ownership of any vessel, aircraft or other abandoned remains that has been submerged in Ontario waters for a period of time (three months according to sources).  With ownership comes the stated intent to not allow any person to enter a "heritage wreck" site, or remove any artifact from the site.  Concerned opponents of the bill are fearful that entering a heritage wreck site (which is not clearly defined) may be interpreted as diving on or around the wreck.  Divers have flooded e-mail concerns to the appropriate agencies, and there is evidence that they are being heard.  It's appropriate for all of us to take action and voice our opinion of this type of legislation.  The Niagara Diver's Association has a nice web site with links to the bill, an Admiralty Law Lawyer's opinion of it, and contact information for the Standing Committee.  You can reach their web site at www.vaxxine.com/nda/.

An unusually mild day attracted a good turnout for our annual New Year's Day Dive.  The water temperature was in the mid-30's with a thin layer of ice covering the quarry.  This year's polar bear awards go to Paul Brawley, Bill Duffield, Lance Marks, Harvey Montgomery, Rick Paige, Dan Turcovsky and Diane Turcovsky.

Mark your calendars for February 19th!  If the snow cooperates, we will hold a cross-country ski party at Joe Gordon's cabin on the Ghost Town Trail at 1:00.  If we're snowless, we'll swap the event for a pool party at Maurer's Dive Shop at 6:00 on the same day.  More details at the next meeting.

Once again, we will be offered a chance to show up the youngsters from Saint Francis College at the annual Scuba Olympics.  The date will be sometime in February or March.  More details at the next meeting.

Jim Smith and Sandy Verdavoir are putting together a trip to Moorehead City, NC for sometime this summer.  The most likely dates will be June 10th and 11th, but other options may be considered. If you watched the video at the January meeting, you're probably interested--if not, let them know and they'll lend it to you.  Call Jim or Sandy at 696-1938 for further details.