The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge
Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.
Monthly Business Meeting and Annual
Picnic
Poole Forge Historic Park
Sunday, September 13, 2020 1:30 p.m.
President Tom Walczak called the
meeting to order at 1:37 p.m. welcoming everyone to our first meeting since
March and since the pandemic struck. He
mentioned our meetings will follow Covid restrictions especially because of our
elderly membership. For today’s picnic
members were asked to abide by Covid guidelines, maintain physical distance,
wear masks when closer than 6 feet, and bring their own picnic lunch. We are
making plans for future meetings but have nothing definite yet. We cannot return to the church through the
rest of 2020. He encouraged members to
check our social media resources (website, Facebook, email) for information on
future meetings and locations. Tom led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
.
NEW
MEMBERS AND GUESTS: None
APPROVAL
OF MINUTES – Tom
reminded everyone the minutes for last March are available for review and he
will ask for approval later in the meeting.
TREASURER’S
REPORT: We have 379 members renewed for 2019-2020.
MEMBERS’
REPORTS:
Tim McLaughlin and Connie visited all the PA bridges
last year. This year they are doing
motorcycle trips and filming each bridge as they travel through it.
Joe McCarthy lived near Speakman #1 in 1980. During a horseback ride through the area he
found the bridge underwater. Fast
forward to today, he encouraged them to raise the bridge during recent
rehabilitation but they didn’t take his advice.
During the last hurricane water was up 3-4 feet on the bridge with
debris bashing the sides so now it needs new siding. At Dreibelbis he found some tire marks, burn
out, on the floor.
OFFICERS’
REPORTS:
President Tom Walczak has only seen two bridges in passing,
Diehl Turner and Heirline, both are okay.
He has not traveled during this pandemic time mostly due to concerns
about his elderly dad living with him.
First Vice
President Jim Smedley
and his wife Gloria took a little road trip in early June to Bedford County to
see Packsaddle Bridge after it was rehabilitated and also stopped to see about
6 other bridges in Bedford and Somerset counties. They also visited Dreibelbis a couple
of times during the rehabilitation and also the bridges being repaired in Bucks
County. In July they visited family in
Ohio and took a one day trip through southern Indiana to see 7 bridges
including the newly built Cedar Ford Bridge in Monroe County.
The deadline for PA
Crossings is Sunday October 4, 2020.
Second
Vice President Ray Finkelstein
– Ray attended the Dreibelbis Covered Bridge Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and said
Fred Moll gave a great talk. He returned
this past week to drive through Dreibelbis.
He continues to do his walking where he often sees Bogert’s and Wehr’s
covered bridges.
Third Vice President Steve Wolfhope visited Dreibelbis and noted what a
nice job they did on the rehabilitation.
Fourth Vice President Rob Griner – Bob was not present but sent his
regards via Tina Conn. He expects to be
at the next meeting.
Treasurer Bob Kuether – no report.
Historian Fred Moll
- Back in February Fred wrote a letter to the Berks County
Commissioners and gave them suggestions on preventing the constant damage to
the height restriction devices at the Pleasantville Bridge. He suggested moving the devices off of the
abutments and installing a camera at the bridge. He read the response he received from the
commissioners. A portion of the letter read “I appreciate your concern for the
recent issues with trucks hitting the height restriction devices that are in
place causing considerable damage not only to the device, but also to the
abutment walls. This was discussed in
our recent bridge meeting and they are proceeding with a plan to move the
“headache bar” off the wing walls. The
new headache bar will be designed to have a breakaway feature which will be
less costly to repair if it is hit….There was discussion about the possibility
of installing a camera. No decision was
made on that at this point, but they are considering it.”
He received
an e-mail from a young couple that invited him to visit them. They moved into Adam Leize’s house near
Reading. It was Adam Leize who built
Leize’s Covered Bridge in 1834. The
people were redoing the house back to its original look including uncovering
the plaster walls and finding a stone wall and fireplace. They wanted more information on the
surrounding area around the bridge. What
made the visit worthwhile was when they took Fred into their backyard and
showed him the original abutments of Leize’s Covered Bridge. He never saw these abutments before because
they were on private property and are covered up with weeds. There was also visible a center pier sticking
out of the center of the Schuylkill River that supported the two span bridge.
It was quite interesting. What
kept Shirley and him busy during these boring days of the virus was watching
and photographing Joe and his men in the rehabilitation of the Dreibelbis
Covered Bridge. Between the two of then
they took 1,627 photographs of the project.
And he also kept a weekly diary of what happened each week at the
bridge. He hopes these will be around
150 years from now when our future generations wonder how the covered bridge
was rebuilt.
Corresponding Secretary Pam Heisey: Not present. No report
Recording Secretary Gloria Smedley:
No report.
ILLNESSES/DEATHS
of MEMBERS: Condolences go out to Betty Miller who
was present today on the death of her husband Curtis. Martha Heist passed away on May 1st. Alda Sheib mentioned that Ginny Eyrich had a
stroke but is improving. Tina Chandler thanked all those that sent cards after
her recent knee surgery. Connie
McLaughlin had a heart attack in the spring and thanked everyone for the cards
and well wishes. Frank Mailey had 3
stents put in his left leg and will return September 23 for same on right
leg. Pam Mailey is undergoing testing
for a high resting heart rate. Arleen
Bradley called Tom on his birthday. She will be 92 on her next birthday, Nov.
1st. She wished to be remembered to the group.
Tom’s girlfriend JoAnn sends regards to the group. In July Olive Jones turned 101. She has good days and bad days and has a visiting
nurse come 2-3 days each week. Jerry
Martin is recovering from a fall.
OLD BUSINESS: Jim Smedley discussed plans for next year’s safari. The 2021 Safari tentatively planned for May 22-24 to southeastern Ohio (same as originally planned this year). He has to contact the motel to see if those dates are available and get new pricing. General info will appear the October newsletter and more details will be provided in the February 2021 newsletter.
NEW
BUSINESS: Tony Abramo discussed plans for the one day
safari he will lead on October 17, 2020 to see Lancaster County bridges. He thanked Gloria and Jim Smedley for making
a couple trips with him and Karen to plan the route for the one day event. He had a flier available and information will
appear in the October issue of PA Crossings.
NEW
COVERED BRIDGE ITEMS: Jim shared details of a new book
called ‘Kissing Bridges of Somerset County” by Ronald Bruner. Jim provided pictures to the author that
appear in the book. It is a good “coffee
table” book with lots of nice pictures.
Members can contact Jim if they want details on cost and how to obtain
the book.
Tim McLaughlin announced that Poole
Forge’s crock for this year is available.
Any members wishing to purchase one should let Dawn Ekdahl know by the
end of the month. Cost to society
members is $65.
ANNUAL
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Connie McLaughlin of the Nominating
Committee conducted the election of officers.
Tom thanked her and Tim McLaughlin for their work on the committee.
A
unanimous vote was cast for the officers listed below:
President: Tom Walczak
First Vice President: Jim Smedley
Treasurer: Robert Kuether
Second Vice
President: Ray Finkelstein
Recording
Secretary: Pam Mailey
Third Vice
President: Frank Mailey
Corresponding Secretary/ Program
Chairperson: Pamela Heisey
Fourth Vice President: Bob Griner
Historian: Fred Moll
Tom thanked Gloria Smedley and Steve
Woldhope for their 6 years each of service as officers.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – March minutes were approved as
presented.
ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 3:15
p.m.
NEXT
MEETING – Our next
meeting will be held on October 4, 2020.
Location yet to be determined.
50/50 RAFFLE DRAWING – Tom thanked Gloria Smedley for her
work on this year’s 50/50 raffle. The
winner of today’s drawing will get $1,194.
The Society made $1,985 on this raffle.
The Society total includes their share of the 50/50 tickets taken in
plus numerous donations also submitted during the raffle. Pat Cook’s granddaughter was asked to draw
the winning ticket. Heather Watkins was
the lucky winner of the $1,194.
Respectfully Submitted, Gloria
Smedley, Recording Secretary, September 20, 2020.