Attendees:  Ron Peterson, Brad McVicker, Susie Feighner, Nelda Donley, Bert Sharbaugh, Dan & Diane Turcovsky, Dave McCullough, Barb Wyland, Larry & Arlen McCully, Rick & Julie Paige, Denny & Sandy Beecher, Mark Hooper and this reporter.

BMM:  Chili Cook off!

Discussion regarding checking account.  Nelda will take care of transfer.
Brad mentioned the recent Peter Hughes disaster and it was decided that it would be brought up at the next meeting whether the club members would like to make donations to their memorial fund.  Brad will send a sympathy letter.
The Board agreed to pay the McVicker Men $75 for their DJ services at the Christmas Party and also to pay for their dinner.
Prize List for the Christmas Party will include equipment wash, mugs, Wal-Mart gift certificates, save-a-dive kit, Laurel Diver hat, O2 masks, and Scuba Santas.
The Christmas Party for 2002 will be on Saturday, December 1, 2002.
Next Board Meeting will be November 29th.
Let’s eat!

30 Members present
President McVicker called the meeting to order.
Treasurer, Nelda Donley, gave the treasurer’s report that showed income of $295.00; expenses $746.73; and a balance of $2667.20.

Quarry Releases need to be signed for 2001.  Anyone who has not signed one, please do so.
Liability Releases are available for those who have not signed this year.  See Joe Gordon.

DUES.  Club dues are due by the July meeting.
Single, or first member $24
Second member $16
Third or fourth member $8
**We will continue to pro-rate dues for those members joining mid-year.
If dues are not paid by September 5th, you will be dropped from the mailing list.

President, Brad McVicker, formally welcomed newly approved member, Dave McCulloch and Mike McIntyre.  Dave is newly certified with Maurer Dive Shop and Mike is a SSI Dive-Con.

Nominations for Board Members for the year 2002 were taken at the October meeting and include the following:  Sue Feighner, Bert Sharbaugh, Denny Beecher, Rick Paige, Dan Turcovsky, Diane Turcovsky.  Nominations were opened at this meeting and will add the following to the ballot:  Bill Kimmick and John Augustine.  Voting will take place at the Christmas Party.

Brad read briefly from the report regarding the Peter Hugh’s tragedy in Belize.  It was brought up to the membership whether we would like to donate to their memorial fund.  A show of hands indicated that the membership would be interested in such a donation.  Donations will be taken at this meeting and the Christmas party.  The total will be send in the name of the dive club.  If interested in donating, contact Brad McVicker 814 255-1791

The Annual Underwater Olympics at St. Francis University will be coming up after the New Year.  Start training now to help Laurel Divers whoop the younguns!

November 27, 2001, Board Meeting, 7:30p.m., Maurer Dive Shop

December 1, Laurel Divers Christmas Party, Penn Gables
Please make your reservation and payment by November 17th.  Cocktails at 6p.m., dinner at 7p.m., music and dancing from 8-11p.m.  Menu:  Stuffed chicken breast $12.75, stuffed pork chop $12.75, lasagna $12.75, baked haddock $15.50, all meals include baked potato, corn and desert.

Dec. 2-9, 2001 – Cozumel.  Approximately $1200 for 7days/air/meals/5day 2-tank boat dives.  (7) nights, (5) days of two-tank boat diving plus unlimited day or night shore diving.  All meals are included.  Cost:  $705 per person (double occupancy) with our 10% discount. Flight from Pittsburgh International from $628 to $650 per person.  Passport or birth certificate with raised seal and photo id are required.  Call Dee Montgomery for more details 814 944-8521.

January 19, 2002 – Open Water Certification Classes with Harve Montgomery
Certification Dives will be in March (weekend of the 2nd or 9th) and include a Florida springs/Crystal River trip.  Contact Rose at the dive shop if interested 814 344-6641.

April, May or June, 2002, Bonaire.  Passport needed.  5-1/2 days of diving.  Unlimited shore diving.  Approximately $600 for room (prices are based upon 4-5 persons per cottage), one boat dive per day, air, tanks, weights and daily breakfast buffet.  Approximate cost for airfare is $600.  Let Ron know if you are interested (814) 472-2144 or Ron@LaurelDivers.com

June 28, 29, 30, 2002, Moorhead City, $255 for three days of two-tank boat diving.  $100 deposit for diving due by February 1st.  Jim Smith (696-1938)

2003 – Nekton Pilot – still in the planning stages

NEED EQUIPMENT?  Bob and Rose are running a special for the Dive-In’s - $25 for the day.  Let them know early to get your equipment reserved.

Haunted House night – Brad McVicker reported approximately 10 Laurel Divers showed up at Ron & Lois’s, only to find out that both Seldom Seen and Shadow Box were closed that night.  Returning to Ron and Lois’s, we nevertheless enjoyed the evening with friends and lots of treats!

Diane Turcovsky gave Halloween Dive Report.  Twelve divers submitted themselves to the 53-55 degree water of the quarry for the Halloween Treasure Dive.  It was actually nicer under the water that day.  New member, Mike McIntyre was the winner of the $100 Maurer Dive Shop Gift Certificate.  Congrats Mike!  The divers adjourned to Dan and Diane Turcovsky’s house for the chili cook off.  Another new member, Dave McCullough, made the party merrier with his “Scuba Pumpkin” centerpiece, which consisted of a big, hollowed out pumpkin filled with orange and black corn chips and decorated with a mask and snorkel.  Accompanying small pumpkins held salsa and cheese. Muy Bein Dave!  There were six entries in the chili cook off.  After much tasting, the winner was Diane’s Delicious Dynamic Chili.  Her name will appear on the Chili Cook off Plaque at the Dive Shop.

Mr. Tom Moore was the guest speaker at this month’s meeting.  Tom Moore is a physics teacher at Westmont School District, certified by PADI in 1988, and has logged 154 dives.  On a dive vacation to the Turks and Caicos, Tom suffered decompression illness on dive 5, starting with a sharp pain in his back and resulting in loss of sensation below the waist and loss of bladder control.  O2 was administered immediately and he was treated at recompression chambers on the island and in Miami.  His total time in the chamber amounted to 52-1/2 hours.  He still suffers from loss of sensation below the waist and his bladder control is better, but sometimes questionable.  His message to the Laurel Divers community was that a diving accident can happen anytime and does not necessarily have to involve reckless diving.  He followed safe diving rules, paid attention to his computer and dove conservatively, and still suffered a “hit”.  He urged us to remember that any dive can put us at risk and to get treatment as soon as possible.  Many thanks to Tom Moore for coming to our meeting and giving us some first hand information regarding decompression illness.

NOTICE:   THE SHOP WILL BE CLOSED WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7TH THROUGH SUNDAY, NOV 11TH.  The shop will open for regular business again on Monday, November 12th.
 
Meeting adjourned.

Door Prize:  Dive Log pages, won by John Fry
Day Book:  Sue Morra, not present.  Money will carry over to next meeting.

Scuba Network BC, size Medium, Good Condition $75.00  Josh Keyser (814 536-3308)

Underwater Camera Package:  Nikonos III 35mm lens, oceanic 2000 strobe, ikelite viewfinder, sekonic light meter, ikelite handle.  Jim Hostetler (814 472-5456)

Medium BC $25, Medium female shorty $10, Medium small wetsuit $10 JoeG123@yahoo.com

50-watt dive light, 2 sets of batteries with extras $285.  Bill Kimmick (814 288-3888)

Men’s 2 piece 7mm farmer john wet suite, size medium, $50 or best offer; XL soft weight belt, black $10 OBO  Contact Donna Bender (952 920-1491)

Congrats go out to Laurel Diver, John Fry, whose softball team, M&M Medical, placed 2nd in the world (yes, that’s the WORLD) three weeks ago, at the E-Super World Series.  John is an outfielder for the team.  M&M Medical’s team was undefeated up to the championship game.

Instructor, Harve Montgomery, completed dive #1000 at the Blue Hole Quarry on October 6th with club members Mike McIntyre and Nick Weakland.  This goal required an average of 140+ dives per year for more than 7 years.  Actual total bottom time – 670 hours.  Nearly one month underwater!  Harve says, “Not bad for a retired ‘old man’!”  Laurel Divers extend big time congratulations to Harve.  Here’s to 1000 more.

Also, our congratulations go out to two Laurel Diving buddies – Jim Link and Susie Feighner who tied the knot on November 3, 2001.

Let me know of any events or diving milestones you have made.  Birthdays, anniversaries, 100th dive?  Call me, we’ll talk.  Lois@TechniqueSystems.com or (814 472-0774)