Our March meeting took place on the 28th at the Cloverdale Middle School.  The meeting was called to order by President Ray Baker.  President Ray introduced our guest speakers for the evening, Rick and Elizabeth Shafer of Hopes Way.

 

NEXT MEETING-Monday, April 25 at 7:00PM at the Cloverdale Middle School—Please plan to attend!

 

>Dues—We still have four members who have not paid for 2004—phone contact will be made with them.  2005 dues are now due--$48/year or $24/6 months. 

 

>INDY-Time to start planning for the race.  We will work Saturday, 5/14 and Race Day on 5/29.  We will also work the Brickyard on 8/7.  We get to skip the F1 race this year because of the lack of business in the area where our booth is located.  Training will take place Saturday, April 23, and Mike Buis, Todd Lewis and Ray Baker are planning on attending.  PLEASE CHECK YOUR ALCOHOL LICENSE—If it is due in 2005, please let Todd know as soon as possible.  If your license is not going to expire, please get Todd a copy of your license---Speedway requires us to have 9 on file with them. 

 

>Photoscreening-President Ray contacted the state coordinator and they told him that they like to train 2 or 3 groups, so he will be in contact with area clubs to see if they would like to join also.  Again, we would like to target the beginning of the school year for the training.

 

>Adopt-A-Highway-Todd Lewis said that Main Street had contacted him about doing the quarterly trash pick up on April 2.  Larry Haltom and Todd volunteered to help. 

 

>Elections-We started putting together a ballot for our elections.  Ray Baker agreed to run for President for one more year.  Larry Haltom agreed to run for 1^st Vice President and Jack Davis agreed to run for 2^nd Vice President.  Thanks to these guys, we can do what we should be doing and that is rotating the office each year.  Next year, Larry and Jack will move up one slot and we will elect a new 2^nd Vice President.  If you have an interest in the other offices, please let President Ray know.

 

>Entertainment-Elizabeth and Rick Shafer gave a very good presentation on their project that is called Hopes Way.  Hopes Way is a retreat area for ‘special needs’ kids.  Their definition of ‘special needs’ is very wide including not only mental or physically handicapped, but also simply low income children.  Their definition of children is also very wide, as they have hosted children from 2 to 64(a person with Downs).  They have turned their home place, which is around Bainbridge, into a horse ranch and playground/picnic area.  Their vision is to turn it into a miniature western town.  They have built Hopes Way on donations of materials, money and time.  There is no charge for the children to attend.  They hosted over 2,000 children last year, and they invite the families to attend as well.  They have a 15 member board of directors and a 45 member advisory board.  They approached the club about the possibility of paying for fencing that they want to erect around the handicap swingset that they have---to avoid possible injury to other children.  Also, they would appreciate any donation of your time or any old materials/playground equipment you may have.  If you have any questions, please contact Todd or Ray for information on how to contact Rick or Elizabeth.  They are currently members of the Greencastle Lions, and they hope to get Hopes Way to be a District project.

 

***Attendance-33% of our members attended the meeting

 

***Handshake winner-Dave Johnson

 

***Entertainment for meetings- Club members are being asked to provide entertainment for upcoming meetings.   They have been scheduled as follows:                                                      

                                    -April-Mike Buis/Larry Pickens

                                    -May-Jack Davis/Dick Gaddis

                                    -June-Larry Haltom/Linda Gilmartin

                                    -July-Meeting at Lieber

                                    -August-Meeting at Dave Johnson

                                    -September-Norv Gottula/Brian Gilmartin

                                    -November-Ed Truax/Peggy Johnson

 

 

DATES TO REMEMBER

4/29-5/1-State Convention-West Lafayette

5/14-Pole Day at Indy

5/29-Race Day at Indy

8/7-Brickyard at Indy

  

The next meeting will be at 7:00 PM on Monday, April 25 at the Cloverdale Middle School(PLEASE

NOTE DATE AND PLACE).  Until next meeting, Bite’em.