The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge
Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.
Monthly Business Meeting and Bake Sale
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church,
Manheim, PA
Sunday, April 2, 2017
President
Tom Walczak called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m. and led us in the pledge
of allegiance.
NEW MEMBERS AND GUESTS:
None
Tom
reminded members the minutes are in the box in the back for review and approval
later.
TREASURER’S REPORT: We have two new members James and Aleta
Simpson of Palmyra, PA and one new life member Martha J. Moore of Monterey,
TN. We have 382 members renewed for
2016-17, 10 more than 1 year ago.
MEMBERS’ REPORTS:
Joe McCarthy
reported that the company he works for has started the work on Sheeder’s-Hall’s
(PA-15-12). He brought in an original
bolt from the bridge and a copy of the shop drawing of the truss. Fire retardant will be applied to interior
and exterior prior to painting. They
also plan to jack it up some to try and straighten it just enough to not cause
more damage. It should take about 5
weeks to complete the work.
Connie McLaughlin reported on the non-authentic bridge in Cherry Hill, NJ
that was hit by a truck and she drove over Smith’s Bridge (DE-01-02 #2) a few
times as she does each week. She also
noted that Shearer’s Bridge (PA-36-31 #2) appears on the header of the website
for PA’s Department of Commerce.
Pat Cook
saw a romantic shelter on a golf course behind the Bird & Hand Restaurant
in Lancaster, PA.
Mike Rudnick
saw several bridges in Carbon and Adams counties, PA, three in Tennessee, and
the Green Sergeants (NJ-10-01) bridge.
Clyde Sheib
posted an article on the board about the damage to Gibson/Harmony Hill (PA-15-10)
that was hit by a car. The bridge is
closed indefinitely.
Tina Chandler
saw Linton Stephens (PA-15-03) and Rudolph & Arthur (PA-15-01) right after
the snow storm and took some good snow pictures.
OFFICERS’ REPORTS:
President Tom Walczak – Tom shared an
article he posted on the board about the restoration efforts for Harrity (PA-13-01)
in Carbon County. The bridge needs
repairs due to insect damage from sitting in the park. Also on the board is the membership form to
become a friend of Beltzville State Park so you can
make a donation to the restoration efforts.
Tom has been busy this past month preparing the poster and obtaining the
proclamation for See Pennsylvania’s Covered Bridges Week coming up next month.
First Vice President Jim Smedley –
Jim was not at the meeting today due to an event conflict. He made a three day trip to Bedford and
Somerset Counties with Ray Finkelstein and Bob Kuether for further planning of
the safari.
The
deadline for PA Crossings is June 4th, the weekend of our safari in
Bedford County, PA.
Second
Vice President Ray Finkelstein
- Ray visited the bridges we will be seeing on
safari and will report on that later in the meeting. He reminded everyone that April 29th
is the Bogert’s Festival (Cherry Blossom Festival) in Allentown. He will have a table that will be mostly an
informational table to help promote the restoration of Bogart’s. Also he will have a table at the Macungie
Community night. He encouraged members
to drop by and see what a great event this is for his community and for spreading
the word about our Society and preserving covered bridges. Also, Linda asked
him to thank everyone for the get well wishes.
Her left knee surgery worked out well. She is doing well and says hello
to all.
Third Vice President Steve Wolfhope visited Knox Bridge (PA-15-15 #2)
after the snow storm hoping to get good photos but the walkways had not been
cleared. He and Gloria went to Western
PA for a family event and stopped at Claycomb (PA-05-12), Shaffer’s (PA-56-11)
and Dr. Knisley (PA-05-16).
Fourth Vice President Tim McLaughlin – Tim visited Speakman #1 (PA-15-05) after a heavy rain to check the
water level, Rapp’s Dam (PA-15-14) where they have placed the headache bars and
9’ clearance signs, Kennedy (PA-15-13 #2) where he found portal damage, Sheeder’s-Hall’s
to see work being done, and Poole Forge (PA-36-01) where he and Connie were
married one year ago on April 1st.
Historian Fred J. Moll - After giving a program last month at Wertz’s
Red Bridge Fred talked one of the volunteers into helping him measure the
length of Wertz’s Bridge. Wertz’s Bridge
measures 202 feet in the clear and 218 feet and 7 inches portal to portal. He was asked to do a 30 minute covered bridge
program this month for the Fleetwood Grange.
So he put together a 20 minute PowerPoint program and has allowed for a
10 minute question and answer period. In
this short program he plans on covering the importance of Pennsylvania and its
covered bridges, local covered bridges of interest, some railroad bridges, some
foreign covered bridges, and ten photos of our Society and what we do (e.g.
painting bridges, decorating Poole Forge for Christmas, going on safari’s,
meeting with the governor, etc.). Perhaps
he can attract some new members. The
program will be on April 27th.
Recording Secretary Gloria Smedley – On Wednesday March 8th
she and Jim Smedley gave a presentation for the senior citizens at the Chiques
Church of the Brethren in Manheim, PA.
They had an excellent turnout – about 50 people. They left with a sizeable donation of photo
albums of covered bridge pictures from one attendee. Gloria reported that our Facebook page is
going strong with 814 fans of the page.
Corresponding Secretary/Program Chair Pam Heisey - No report.
Treasurer Robert Kuether
- No report.
REPORTS OF ILLNESSES OR DEATHS
– None
OLD BUSINESS –
Ray
Finkelstein provided an update on the safari.
·
Safari
is June 3,4,5
·
Our
regular meeting will be held at the Bedford Quality Inn at 8PM on Friday, June
3rd.
·
Motel
information as in the PA Crossing Newsletter. Call the motel direct both in
Bedford and Somerset. Remember to tell them that you are part of the Theodore
Burr Covered Bridge Society. As of this
past week we have 16 rooms reserved at Bedford and Somerset 18 for Saturday 13
for Sunday.
·
Today
is the last day to order safari shirts. We will take our group photo at Dr.
Knisley Bridge on Saturday. Please wear your Safari shirt for the picture.
·
We
will visit all the bridges in both counties except for Palo Alto, Hewett and
Shaffer. All three bridges are just too
far to include them and at Palo Alto and Shaffer parking is extremely
poor.
·
We
will be visiting some very local rest stops along the way and have gotten a
great response from the owners. He asked
everyone to have patience and support the kindness of the local people. They are going out of their way to
accommodate us.
·
Sunday
lunch will be a picnic lunch at the Somerset Historical Society. We have contacted another local place that is
closed for the season and will open beginning of May. We have spoken to them
and they will accommodate us on Sunday morning between 9:30 and 10AM. They have Ice Cream and you can get
sandwiches made up for lunch. We are
also trying to work out a way in which you can order beforehand and they will
have it ready. Again, a local place
having very good reviews on internet sites. More details next month.
·
We
will be visiting Flight 93 Memorial on Sunday striving to get there between
2:30 and 3PM. He would appreciate if
those that are going would let him know if they want to go to a presentation by
one of the park Rangers. They will accommodate
us as a group but what he needs to know approximately how many people would
like to attend. There is a new building
that you can visit that is open until 5PM.
The talk will take place at to site where the wall is located. That is a long walk but if you want to go to
just hear the talk it is a short walk.
The main building is also a short walk. If you do not wish to go at all
that is your choice, we will give directions back to the motel or if you are
not going on Monday you can head home. He would greatly appreciate if everyone
can advise him of what they want to do.
·
For
those that will continue Monday we will be visiting Burkholder Bridge and Packsaddle
in Somerset, Felton and last Jackson Mill in Bedford. We have planned one last stop in between at
another local place for a rest stop where you will be able to get coffee drinks
and will have pastries for us.
·
If
you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Ray. He left some 2016 Bedford Guides up front for
anyone that is interested as well as some Flight 93 information.
Gloria Smedley provided
a safari T-shirt update from Jim. T-shirt orders are going well. Today is the deadline to order. You can turn your forms and money into Gloria
today. The company we get the shirts
from informed Jim the cost would be more because of the ‘weave’ edge originally
requested. He did not know this when he
presented the photo of the shirt at the February meeting. Because of the additional cost we decided to
go with a rectangular photo with a wood-look frame around it. If members would like the ‘weave’ look on
next year’s shirt we can raise the prices to cover the additional cost. A photo of the new design is on the board. We
have also combined the safari date with the sleeve logo so we can eliminate a
third pass process for the shirt company.
Each year we can just change the date of the safari or include it on the
front of the shirt and just have the logo on the sleeve.
NEW BUSINESS – Gloria Smedley gave an update on the
2018 calendar contest. We ended up with
158 photos submitted, a few more than last year but fewer photographers. Our judges are finished with rating the
photos and Jim will be submitting the winning photos to the printer sometime
this week to obtain proofs. We should be
able to have the calendars ready for the May 6th Anniversary Dinner.
Tom thanked all who
submitted photos for the 2018 calendar.
He thanked Jim for all the hard work and effort that goes into producing
the calendar.
See PA
Covered Bridges Week is May 13-21st.
Steve Wolfhope read the Governor’s Proclamation.
NEW COVERED BRIDGE ITEMS
–
·
Greg
Williams shared several covered bridge items he picked up at various antique
shops including a bird house of Knox Bridge.
·
Judy
Kuether noted there are many ‘free’ items on the tables along the side of the
room.
·
Pam
Mailey shared a vintage postcard of troops marching through a NY covered
bridge.
·
Tina
Cohn purchased a bridge birdhouse while in Florida on vacation
·
Tim
McLaughlin shared a picture he purchased and noted several covered bridge items
he found at Shady Maples Restaurant.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March minutes were approved as
presented.
NEXT MEETING - Our Next Meeting will be our
Anniversary Dinner on Saturday, May 6th at Dutch-Way Farm Market
Restaurant, Gap, PA, Lancaster Co.
ADJOURNMENT: The
meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m. following a presentation by Tim and Connie
McLaughlin entitled “Highlights of Our Trip to New England in 2016”.
Respectfully Submitted
by Gloria Smedley, Recording Secretary
April 5, 2017