The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.

Monthly Business Meeting

St. Paul Episcopal Church, Columbia, PA

Sunday, August 7, 2022 – 2:00 p.m.

Vice-president Jim Smedley called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m. He lead the group in the pledge of allegiance.

NEW MEMBERS AND GUESTS: No new members or guests.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Jim Smedley reminded all the July Meeting Minutes are available for review on the table and will ask for approval later in the meeting.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Jim Smedley read the treasurer’s report for Judy Kuether. We have 384 members renewed for 2021-2022. Five more than one year ago.

MEMBERS’ REPORTS:

Joe McCarthy reported that Hassenplug is near completion. It has been painted and the crew will be there tomorrow finishing up some odds and ends. He will let Jim know when the ribbon cutting is scheduled so Jim can notify the membership. Officials have decided that the running boards will be covered with black asphalt. Joe also noted that he saw in the Lancaster paper yesterday a motorcycle group that drove a route through several of the Lancaster covered bridges. He hasn’t heard anything about Sam Wagner. (Jim noted they don’t plan to repair it until they find out who is responsible for the damage.)

Pat Cook went on the New York State Covered Bridge Society’s safari yesterday and saw 9 Perry County bridges. She mentioned that Waggoner’s Bridge (which was arsoned last October) now has a roof and siding on it. She didn’t know who had restored the bridge.

OFFICERS’ REPORTS:

President Bob Kuether – Not present.

First Vice President Jim Smedley – No bridge report. Jim mentioned that he saw online that Brubaker Covered Bridge in Preble County, Ohio, was severely damaged by an over-sized tractor trailer on Friday.

Second Vice President Ray Finkelstein – Not present. Ray and Linda are vacationing in Ontario.

Third Vice President Frank Mailey – Not present.

Fourth Vice President Tony Abramo – Tony was on vacation in New York and saw Hyde Hall Covered Bridge. He noted there is a $7 entrance fee to enter the park to see the bridge. He picked up the SPCBW display in Greene County where he found travel brochures with Cox Farm Bridge on the front. Last week he saw Kurtz’s Mill Bridge which had minimal damage.

Recording Secretary Pam Mailey – Not present.

Treasurer Judy Kuether – Not present.

Historian Fred Moll – Fred did some research on a bridge he passed on a recent trip. He found out it was just a red rail car with open ends over a creek in Illinois.

Corresponding Secretary Pam Heisey – No report.

NEWSLETTER EDITORS: Jim Smedley reported the deadline for the Fall PA Crossings Newsletter is Sunday, October 2, 2022.

ILLNESS/DEATH of MEMBER(S):

Steve and Gloria Wolfhope are recovering from a car accident they had on July 23^rd. Both have bruised ribs. Gloria has a fractured thumb and Steve has a chip in a vertebrae in his neck. He has to wear a neck brace for another six weeks.

Tom Walczak is recovering after a 6 day stay in the hospital for treatment of a testicular infection. Tom said to say hello to everyone. He won’t be able to make the safari but hopes to make it to the picnic next month.

Joe Calabrese will undergo one more chemotherapy treatment for kidney cancer.

Desi Kuether was taken to the hospital yesterday with breathing problems. She was diagnosed with COVID and pneumonia. Bob and Judy Kuether and Carol Wright, who all live in the same household as Desi, have to quarantine for at least 5 days and is why they are not at the meeting today.

Pam Mailey was in the presence of Desi last week and has now also tested positive for COVID. She and her husband, Frank, are also quarantining and thus not here today.

Connie McLaughlin, who is here with us today, is recovering from shoulder replacement surgery she had just a couple days ago.

OLD BUSINESS:

2023 Calendars - We have sold 159 calendars and have 17 on consignment. 224 calendars remain.

Hoss’s Fundraiser – The fundraiser last month was a big success. Our sales totaled $672.93 giving us a donation

of $134.59 for the Restoration Preservation Fund.

NEW BUSINESS:

Connie McLaughlin gave an update on next weekend’s safari in Bucks County.

The safari shirts are available for pickup today.

Jim reminded those going on safari to bring a CB if they have one.

There will be a group meeting at 7 p.m. on Friday night to discuss safari plans for the weekend.

For those not staying at the motel we plan to leave the parking lot at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning.

COVERED BRIDGE ITEMS:

Ted and Beth Smith recently visited bridges in New Brunswick. While there they found Covered Bridge Potato Chips and brought two bags for members to try.

NEXT MEETING: Our next meeting will be our annual picnic on Sunday, September 11, 2022 at Historic Poole Forge. Gather at noon, picnic lunch shortly thereafter. Jim asked for a show of hands as to how many would prefer to bring a dish to share or bring their own lunch. The results were about 50/50. So individuals can either bring a dish enough to share with 10 people or bring their own lunch. We will be videotaping the group reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in front of the bridge to submit to ABC27 for telecast. Heather Watkins suggested we bring the P.A. system to the picnic as it is always difficult to hear during our meetings there. Tony Abramo will be bring it to the picnic.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The July 2022 minutes were approved as presented.

PROGRAM TODAY: The program was a movie documentary entitled “Building of the Conowingo Dam”. Snacks and drinks were available to the members.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 4:05 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted by Gloria Smedley for Pamela Mailey, Recording Secretary, August 16, 2022