Next Meeting: November 11, 2008

Larry Sorenson presided over the meeting and began by passing out an outline of matters to be reported on and discussed among the 18 members present.

 

We began with greetings to a visitor, Scott Mosher.

 

Officers' reports followed:

 

Membership Chair Paul Johnson reported MRCSS  has 65 paid members. He also said he would bring our library of books to the November meeting and would urge someone to volunteer to look after the books and DVDs.

Treasurer Jack Perecman reported the reassuring amount the club now has in its bank account.  This stimulated a discussion of using the funds to help assure continuing access to the fields and slopes we use for flying. Discussion of the appropriate monetary gifts was considered briefly and then set aside for a more specific discussion at the November meeting when we will decide how to distribute the funds which for this current year amounted to $1400. There was a suggestion that the club might effectively use PayPal as the "financial structure" for payment of club dues, etc.

 

Larry then asked for volunteers to help with our "public relations" work -- making and distributing signs, stickers,  etc. informing others of what the club might offer them. Steve Gaiser volunteered to promote this part of the club.

 

Expanding this topic, several members suggested it might be useful to post on our website images of the building process as well as shots of our flying pleasures.  Just as the "seminar" with Jim Porter energized our building/repairing know-how, images (with sound?) on the web might stimulate both members and prospective members to join the hobby. 

 

This led the discussion to general praise of the exceptional work done by Mike, our skilled flyer and talented webmaster.  Even in his absence we gave Mike a big cheer.

 

Having finished the business portion of the meeting, Larry turned to the prime event of the evening -- A presentation, complete with four pages of charts and explanations of battery cycling and care necessary both during the flying season and during the winter period of inactivity. He explained the rationale for cycling a battery and the steps necessary in preparing batteries  of all kinds -- nicad, nimh, lipo -- for their winter hibernation. For more info, connect with Larry.  His two-Page handout is filled with information you will surely find useful. Great job, Larry.

The meeting ended with a flight of a mini helicopter and a look at  a 2.5 meter ARF RIVA Motoglider just received by Adam Koller.

Vern Bailey

Club Secretary