Christmas Dinner

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John G Zelina

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Sep 22, 2025, 12:30:36 PM9/22/25
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The Christmas Banquet will be held at the Painesville Elks Club Lodge #549, on December 6th,2025. The Lodge is at 723 Liberty Street, Painesville, Ohio. The cost is still $35.00 per person. A head count must be in by the meeting of November 12th. Tickets can be purchased at a meeting, or at aquaamigos.com.

Further business,  I had a discussion with Tony Frazer the web master regarding the website. The web site is receiving no traffic. He also informed me that the license expires in February. It is the feeling of Tony and myself that we do not renew the license, and possibly see if the club can sell the domain name. There had been interest in this in the past. That ship may have sailed, but it is being looked into. If anyone has any thoughts on why we should keep the web site please share. There are other ways of making event tickets available on line without the website. The PayPal account is not effected.

Also the Wednesday dinner meetings are drawing some members. we would like to see more. The next one is October 8th Beal's Pickles and Pints in Willoughby. Come say hey and buy our Christmas Party ticket.

Don't forget Shipwrecks and Scuba is coming soon.


John Zelina 
President

Kelly

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Oct 19, 2025, 7:23:06 PM10/19/25
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Hi John,
Kelly & I were wondering about the club web address. We are assuming you are talking about AquaAmigos.com, is that correct?  What does it cost to  keep the web address? Do we have to pay a renewal fee every year? 
We don’t understand about “selling” the domain name. Would that mean that some person or some other organization would possibly own our web address? They could use AquaAmigos.com any way they want???
Obviously, this depends on what this will cost the club to renew the licence and will the club have enough money in our treasury to continue. 
It’s our opinion that we NOT allow anyone else to have this domain name unless, HOPEFULLY NOT, our club is Disbanded (no longer exists).
Just our thoughts, Kelly & Nancy
 
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John Zelina

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Oct 19, 2025, 8:41:18 PM10/19/25
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To  explain more, the web site at aquaamigos.com is  operated  by Tony Fraser this accounts for the  servers that hold the site. That fee is paid in February.  Since the web site has not been visited by anyone inside or outside the club  in about three months. It has been decided  to not continue  the website. Online ticket sales can be done another way. So after February  there  will be no website. The domain name  is owned by  Matt Ballash. What happens with that is ultimately  up to him. This will need to be brought up as well at another time.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aquaamigos/132677415.2511108.1760916178592%40mail.yahoo.com.

Tony Frazer

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Oct 19, 2025, 8:41:35 PM10/19/25
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Cost is roughly $100 a year between hosting and security fees which I pay and get reimbursement for. The domain is good till 2034. Hosting is good till 2027. 

According to analytics, the website received an average of 3 hits per month over the preceding 3 years. That equates to about $2.75 per hit (most of those hits are me). 

Before anyone says its because we dont have content, you're right. But users aren't looking for content on web pages anymore.They look to social media. Our social media pages have not been utilized to their fullest potential, but they cost us $0 to operate and reach 100x the audience our website does. 

We have had offers in the past for the domain name from a dive shop in Mexico in years past. Not sure they would still pay, but we have it for another 8 years and 6 months. 

I have put hundreds of hours into the website over the past 13 years and it gives me no pleasure to recommend the following: The website has fulfilled it usefulness as a marketing tool, but the time has come to let the sun set on aquaamigos.com. 

Tony Frazer

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aquaamigos/132677415.2511108.1760916178592%40mail.yahoo.com.

Kenneth S. Marshall

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Oct 20, 2025, 12:17:18 PM10/20/25
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My suggestion is to "step down" the web site to something static for the remainder of it's paid time and while we discuss it further.  That way, after these revisions, it doesn't take any more of Tony's time.

1. Keep the HOME page and the LINKS page (to support those other organizations).  

2. Change the HOME page to include just the following items (order can be adjusted):
The Aqua Amigos Scuba Club was founded on December 8th, 1958. [this provides some historical context]

Sign up for our Newsletter! [existing link, maybe a newspaper/newsletter logo]

Visit our Facebook Page to see what's going on now. [make the FB hyperlink more prominent, I nearly missed it]

Contact Us! [existing link]

Pay Dues Online. [existing link, if this is still easy to do]

Amigos Groups Page. [existing link]
3. Update the LINKS page name/link for 'Shipwrecks and Scuba 2023' to: 'Bay Area Divers: Shipwrecks and SCUBA' and change the link to their home page: https://bayareadivers.net/ where they have the updated link to each years event rather than us chasing each years page.

That's it.

I will admit, I don't understand how to work Facebook.  It seems less useful to me than a website, but clearly is preferred by most others.  I don't know how to find info on FB like I do with web sites.  Maybe we need a FB class so the less knowledgeable of us don't get left behind? If it's the way to attract/interact with newer divers, we need the education.  

Also, the existing FB personnel/permissions may need updated.  Several of the people listed aren't involved with the club.

Regards,
Ken

Tony Frazer

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Oct 20, 2025, 12:37:03 PM10/20/25
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There is a host fee and a subscription fee.

The subscription is up in February 26 for the annual subscription. The 3 year hosting fee is good to 27.

I know it sounds wierd but that's how they do it. 

There is no reason to keep throwing money into the website if we are not harvesting new members. To harvest new members we need to target the under 50 crowd. We have nothing to offer them except dinner once a month.


Tony Frazer

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aquaamigos/0c63b237-527f-4cd2-88b3-e8092691d91d%40oh.rr.com.

John Zelina

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Oct 20, 2025, 12:59:22 PM10/20/25
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I was hoping to discuss options  for the club at the next meeting. As it seems  the club is those  that show up at the pickle.  We can still exist without the website and domain name, and try to build from there. It has been said before we need younger  members. However  younger people  dont seem to want to be in clubs right now. Things could  change in future but time will tell. Anyway that's what i was gonna  mention at the next meeting.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aquaamigos/CA%2B22SXH3TZ8qQGiD0O71Z96%2BjtR4xWUXoQMsXpFovsonnY%3D8aQ%40mail.gmail.com.

Allen Krall

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Oct 20, 2025, 1:06:00 PM10/20/25
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Discussion at the next meeting would be a good thing. November is also time for elections and nominations.  We have no one interested in running for our Officers and Trustees. The current people holding these positions have been doing this for three years. John and donna have opted out. Where do we go from here? We have to come up with a game plan going forward. The ideas we have tried so far, have not had the effect we expected. 

Al Krall 

ibed...@aol.com

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Oct 20, 2025, 1:20:06 PM10/20/25
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How about this.
 
Not knowing the domain mane cost this is my suggestion.
 
Ask the members for donations to keep the Domain name if that is OK with Matt Ballash the present owner.  Let them speak with their money not just words.  Matt will remain owner just without any cost.
 
Nothing lasts forever a domain name that isn't used may just be outdated.
 
X member living in Florida  Walt Krenisky

Kelly

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Oct 20, 2025, 2:40:36 PM10/20/25
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Yes, I agree.

Brad Knapp

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Oct 20, 2025, 3:18:22 PM10/20/25
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Clubs come go, and it's a sign of the times. If Aqua Amigos continues to exist, then it can do so without the expense of a website or domain name. I think Facebook is a cheaper and better option as Tony Frazer stated. To grow the club, you need to find a member that will do the work and sponsor dive trips to destinations other than Ohio quarries or Niagara River, places with warm water like the Caribbean, Florida, south Pacific and South Atlantic. Those trips cost money and time, but would be a draw into the club.  You also have a large competition locally with Just Add Water that also puts on these trips. 
    Sell the domain name and see if you can get some money for it, otherwise let it expire and move on. You can always come up with another name in the future.
Just some thoughts from a non active member.  Brad Knapp 


Tony Frazer

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Oct 20, 2025, 9:45:22 PM10/20/25
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Brad, great suggestions. Why not reactivate your membership, step up and provide some new leadership? 

To all inactive members reading  this: If the club is to continue on and grow again, we need active participants. Come and show up to a meeting, sign up for the Christmas banquet, put together a trip, come be a part of the club again. 


Tony Frazer

Allen Krall

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Oct 21, 2025, 7:28:51 AM10/21/25
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Seven people have been trying to hold this club together for the last three years. They are out of ideas to spur participation of the membership. To have a successful, functioning club you need it's members to actively support it. It is not enough to say you are a member, you have to actually walk the walk. We can not continue to be a club without your Ideas and actions.

Al Krall

Kelly

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Nov 6, 2025, 4:20:31 PM11/6/25
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Agree.
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