Volume XV, Issue 10 May, 2008
President's Message
by Darwin Alder
Wanda, Thank You so very much for doing a great job on the Newsletter! We have enjoyed it very much!
Rusti Indicated a ballot count of 22 votes with no write-ins. So we will have the slate of officers as nominated.
For those of you who have not purchased your Banquet Ticket, there is still time and a number of spaces left. Please contact Mary and Dennis Harris to purchase tickets. We need to have a final count soon after Mother's Day.
There will be a lot of fun for all who attend. I have some great ideas in mind, so to see what they are you will need to join us! Gifts, food, and a good time is in store for all!
If you haven't made plans for COA in San Antonio...there is still time! It will be an event of epic Texas proportions.
Have a great summer and we look forward to our first meeting in August!
Sombreros, Shells and Spurs
COA 2008 Convention in San Antonio
July 5-10 at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk 111 Pecan St. East
Registration and other information at www.coa2008.org
or contact Patty Humbird at 979-265-1320 or Lucy Clampit at 713-468-0610
We hope to see you there participating in the fun!
Submitted by Rusti Stover
The Tuesday, April 15, 2008 was called to order by: President Darwin Alder at 7:32 p.m.. The minutes from the last two meetings (March 3rd short meeting at the auction and February 19th regular meeting) were up for approval. Dennis Harris made a motion we accept the minutes as printed in the newsletters. Mary Harris seconded, all approved. Motion passed.
Treasurer’s report: Mary Harris reported we started on March 3, 2008 with
a balance of $8092.11. The March 3rd auction took in $3,168.75. Total inflows
for March 1st – April 14th include the auction total, annual banquet tickets and
2008-09 dues, for a grand total of $3,806.25. Outflows of $140.97 bring the
grand total to date to a balance amount of $11,757.39.
Tina Petway reported there were no grants given out during the 2007-08 meeting
season. Grant applications will be accepted for the coming season.
Membership report: Dennis Harris reported that “we have members”.
Unfinished/old business: Darwin reminded attendees that there are still tickets available for the Annual Banquet scheduled for Saturday, May 17th from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Monument Inn. Tickets are $15.00 apiece. See Mary or Dennis Harris for tickets.
New business: Leslie Crnkovic brought up the subject of the club dropping the August Meeting, since some members are still away on summer vacations. The opening meeting is scheduled for the 3rd Tuesday in August.
Rusti opened a discussion on the fact that the Houston club, in her opinion, should not be dropping meetings that would reduce the number of actual meetings to 6 from 7 a year. She feels that this would not encourage membership. There are no scheduled meetings in June, July, December (when the Christmas Party is scheduled), March (Auction), and May (Annual Banquet) already, making the regular meeting count only 7. Leslie replied that it is very hard to get people to volunteer to do programs and that is one big issue. Rusti would like to see the club think more on this matter.
Mary Harris said it is already too late to cancel August for the next season, as there are no regularly scheduled meetings left in this season. Darwin stated that the matter would be discussed with the membership starting with the new season’s August 2008 meeting.
Darwin asked Rusti if she was still doing the PR work for local newspapers, to advertise the club meetings. Rusti stated she is still sending timely announcements out to several small local newspapers and the Houston Chronicle, but she has not noticed them being printed in recent months. The Chronicle’s "This Week" sections, (9 or 10 regional sections) which are printed every Thursday, have a Meetings and Announcements column that states things will be published on a space available basis. She will try to contact the Chronicle Editor for that section and see if publication of our meetings can improve for the club’s benefit.
Field Trips: Tina Petway would like to assemble members for another Apple Snail gathering field trip in Brazoria County in the upcoming months. Dean and Cliff will help also. More information will be forthcoming. A possible Guymas, Mexico field trip was discussed. Victoria stated that April 26th was designated as a day to clean up the entire Gulf Coast.
Call for adjournment: Dennis Harris made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Barbara Childs seconded, all approved. The meeting closed at 7:50 p.m.
Program chairperson Leslie Crnkovic announced tonight’s program: Dave Green gave a slide show and talk on “Shells and Marine Life of the Solomon Islands”, which was very entertaining and interesting.
Programs for the 2008-2009 HCS Club Year
by Leslie Crnkovic
It is a pleasure to be able to serve the club again as the Program Director. We has a great lineup for next year already beginning. However, we still have lots of spaces to fill and need volunteers like you to give programs. So give me a call with your program or even if you just have an idea for a program to share with me. Thanks and see you at the meetings!
Coming Up This Fall !
Tuesday - August 19th: This will be our first meeting for the new Club Year, and Lucy Clampit, et. al., will provide a program on our adventures in San Antonio at the COA convention. We look forward to an exciting recap of all the fun we had there!
We will also be discussion when to have a “Shell & Tell” night for a future meeting. “Shell & Tell” is a chance for you to bring your favorite shell, slides and / or talk about your favorite shelling adventure / mis-adventure!
Tuesday - September 15th: HCS’s own ‘Rusti Stover’ will present a program entitled: “Hidden in Plain Sight: Micro Shells - What You Can’t See with the Naked Eye”. So start thinking small for this great PowerPoint slide presentation on micro’s.
Tuesday - October 21st: Open
Tuesday - November 18th: Open
December - Christmas Party at the home of Barbara Childs
Programs Looking Forward :
1) A program by Nathan E. Veatch, Galveston Bay Area Texas Master Naturalist & Educational Director at Julian Franklin Productions. Prof. Veatch was my Marine Biology Professor many years ago, and was very instrumental in my becoming a shell collector. I’m looking forward to hearing from my old mentor again.
2) We are in talks to get Dr. Emilio F. Garcia return to give us a program.
3) When the new “Texas Shells” book is out, we will have the TAMU CC gang back up here for it’s release.
5) Shell & Tell Night
4) Your program or your ideas …
Year-End Banquet
The year-end Banquet will be held on Saturday May 17th at the Monument Inn near the Lynchburg Ferry starting at 1:00 p.m. The Address is 4406 Battleground Road, La Porte, Texas. All tickets will be $15.00 per person. Please contact Mary or Dennis Harris (713-772-3843) by the 12th of May with your confirmation.
Driving Directions: From the 610 North Loop East or the Beltway 8 N. Go North to 225. Turn East (Right turn) on 225. Go to 134 (Battleground Road) . Go North on Battleground Road (Left Turn) to the San Jacinto State Park. Continue through park to the Monument Inn near the Lynchburg Ferry landing.
Epitonium Gallery
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