The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge
Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.
Monthly Business Meeting and Bake Sale
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church,
Manheim, PA
Sunday, April 8, 2018
President Tom Walczak
called the meeting to order at 2:09. He
welcomed everyone and lead us in the pledge of allegiance.
NEW
MEMBERS AND GUESTS: Not a new member but attending his first
meeting was Ken Olson of Sykesville, MD.
New members Larry and Pat Whitaker of Exton PA were also in attendance.
APPROVAL
OF MINUTES – Tom
reminded everyone the minutes were available for review and he will ask for
approval later in the meeting.
TREASURER’S
REPORT: Bob Kuether had to leave for a funeral and
asked Jim Smedley to read the treasurer’s report. We have two new members, John & Jeannie
Goryl of Harrisburg, PA. We have 388
members renewed for 2017-2018, 6 more than one year ago. The treasurer’s report was approved as read.
MEMBERS’
REPORTS:
Barbara McCauley sent a card to the Carbon County
Commissioner’s Office thanking them for their care of Little Gap Bridge (PA-13-02). They responded with a phone call and a
lengthy conversation about bridges.
Clyde Scheib mentioned that Bob Greer donated 300
candles for this year’s luminaries at Kennedy Bridge (PA-15-13 #2).
Pam Mailey was out with her husband and happened
upon Gibson’s Bridge (PA-15-10).
OFFICERS’
REPORTS:
President Tom
Walczak had no bridge
report but has been busy with other bridge business behind the scenes.
First Vice President Jim Smedley – No bridge report.
The deadline for PA Crossings is June 9th
during our safari weekend.
Second Vice President Ray Finkelstein had friends from Maine visit and took
them to see all the Lehigh County covered bridges. They really enjoyed it. All the bridges are in good shape other than
Bogert’s (PA-39-01). He is working with
a gentleman from Congressman Toomey’s office getting information about grants that
we might be eligible for. He contacted
the Lehigh County commissioners and Allentown commissioners. One of the commissioners
in Lehigh is a real covered bridge fan and he is trying to get an okay to do a
presentation at one of their meetings.
Ray will be at the Lower Macungie Annual Community Day on May 1st
again this year.
Third Vice President Steve Wolfhope – Steve saw Weaver’s Mill (PA-36-02),
Poole Forge (PA-36-01) and Speakman #1 (PA-15-05) since our last meeting.
Fourth Vice President Tim McLaughlin visited 5 bridges: Bucher’s Mill (PA-36-12), Erb’s (PA-36-34),
Keller’s (PA-36-13), Eberly’s Mill (PA-36-04)
and Speakman #1 (PA-15-05).
Historian Fred J. Moll was not in attendance as he is still
recovering from knee surgery. Gloria
Smedley read his report. He plans to
visit the Berk’s County bridges soon and will report on them at the Anniversary
Dinner.
Recording Secretary Gloria Smedley- No report.
Corresponding Secretary/Program Chair
Pam Heisey is a
member of the PA Canal Society. They
have a picture of Uhlerstown (PA-09-08) on their recent newsletter.
Treasurer Robert Kuether - no report.
REPORTS
OF ILLNESSES OR DEATHS – None.
OLD
BUSINESS – None
NEW
BUSINESS – Tom
Walczak obtained the proclamation for this year’s See Pennsylvania’s Covered
Bridges Week from the Governor’s Office.
It has the wrong dates at the top. He will see if this can be
corrected. Tom read the proclamation.
Jim discussed
the 2019 calendar. 28 members submitted
244 photos plus 14 photos carried over from last year’s submissions. There were many snow photos - 9 of top 33
rated photos were snow photos. Unlike
last year we had many Lancaster County photos and again had an abundance of
Chester County photos. Five bridges are
shown for the first time in our calendars which is now in its 11th
year: Sheeder-Hall (PA-15-12), Hewitt
(PA-05-26), Forry’s Mill (PA-36-28), Neddlie Woods (PA-30-26), and Rupert (PA-19-33). Three photographers have photos in the 2019
calendar that have not had one for a few years:
Judy Kuether, Heather Watkins and Pat Cook. Jim thanked Michael Chorazy, Gloria Smedley, Steve
Wolfhope, Ray Finkelstein and Heather Watkins for being our calendar judges and
all of the members who submitted photos.
Jim is waiting for proofs to come back from the printer and if everything
goes smoothly the calendar should be available at the May Anniversary Dinner.
Jim announced
that today is the deadline for ordering a safari T-shirt.
Judy Kuether
displayed the 2019 60th Anniversary quilt. Raffle tickets will be available at the
Anniversary Dinner in May. The reaction
to the quilt was overwhelming positive – it is beautiful.
Tom mentioned several items that were
discussed at the executive board meeting held prior to this meeting. We are planning a one day covered bridge tour
of Perry County bridges in August. We
will rent a van at the cost of about $30-$40 per person. The majority in attendance were interested in
going on the tour.
We also plan to hold a fundraising
dinner at a nearby Hoss’s Restaurant immediately following our October
meeting. A percentage of the proceeds
from that day’s dinner will go to the society.
More details to follow. The
majority of the group in attendance today was interested in participating in
the dinner.
Lastly, the board discussed
eliminating the February meeting. This
meeting has always been problematic due to weather. It is also Super Bowl Sunday. A show of hands indicated that the entire
group was in favor of eliminating the February meeting. Tom will review the bylaws as to the next
steps to obtain final official approval of this change in schedule.
NEW
COVERED BRIDGE ITEM – Greg Williams picked up a plate of the
bridges of Hummelstown and was given a picture of the Twins (PA-19-11/19-12 #2)
by a friend. Connie McLaughlin had
brochures available for two car shows – one at Poole Forge and a second that
used a picture of Speakman #1 on their brochure.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March minutes were approved as
presented.
ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
following today’s presentation by Steve Wolfhope entitled “Covered Bridges of
Oregon, Washington & Northern California”.
NEXT MEETING - Our Next Meeting will be our
Fifty-Ninth Anniversary Dinner held on May 5th at Dutch-Way Farm
Market Restaurant, Gap, PA from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Respectfully
Submitted by Gloria Smedley, Recording Secretary
April
10, 2018