ODC February 2014 NewsLetter
Owatonna Divers
ODC News Letter
Owatonna Diving Club | PO Box 232, Owatonna MN 55060 | February 23, 2014 |
Upcoming Events
March 9th First Aid/CPR March 11th Monthly Meeting March 12th OJH Pool Sweeping
| April 12th Spring Banquet April 16th BSA Discover Scuba May 17th and 18th Open Water Checkouts May 31st 2014 Dues Deadline |
Every Thursday, 7:00 Pump Nights
2013 Owatonna Dive club Officers
President – Troy Matejcek
Vice President – Denny Javens
Secretary – Bob Kierski
Treasure – Jim Zabel
Board
One Year – Delbert Kepka
Two Year – Jeff Kirchner
Three Year – Pete DeGrood
Club Meetings
We encourage all members, family and new students to attend the monthly club meetings to share experiences, laughs, and ideas for future dives, as well as the state of the club. We meet at 7:00, the 2nd Tuesday of every month. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, March 11th. All are welcome to attend.
VIP Inspections
The annual Tank VIP inspections started January 9th. If you have tanks, bring them down for inspection. Inspection will be done on Thursday pump nights. If you are able to lend a hand it would be greatly appreciated. Please bring your tanks to the Club House as soon as possible so that we can inspect your tanks while we have the volunteers to do it. We will be communicating the Hydro Testing date later. If you have questions or concerns about either VIP Inspections or Hydro Testing please send them to either myself, or John Chapman.
First Aid/CPR Classes
We have significant interest in the First Aid/CPR class. The class is scheduled for Sunday March 9th starting at noon. The class will take about 4 hours. We are looking at charging $25. Please remember that First Aid/CPR certifications are only good for 2 years. If it has been more than a year since you were last certified, you may be surprised to learn the changes that have been made to the rescue procedures and standards. While Dive Instructors, Dive Masters, and Rescue Divers are required to keep their First Aid/CPR certification current, this class is not just for divers. We still have a couple of spots open for ODC members. If you have an interest in attending a First Aid/CPR class please contact me at owatonn...@gmail.com.
Owatonna Junior High Pool Sweeping
Continued use of the pool at Owatonna Junior High causes a lot of unpleasant "stuff" to collect on the bottom. ODC helps keep the pool clean by sweeping it (yes with brooms) the Wednesday after our monthly meeting. Sweeping takes about an hour. ODC provides the weights, air, and brooms. The next Pool Sweeping is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12th at 8:00. Come out on Wednesday and help. It's a lot of fun. If you are new to diving, this is a really good opportunity to get some bottom time, and get some more experience setting up equipment. I can personally vouch for the fact that my breathing has improved considerably, and I consume less air since I’ve been sweeping the pool. By focusing on the task of sweeping the pool, you’re able to forget about those pesky (and noisy) bubbles. Thanks to those who came out last month to sweep.
Discover Scuba
ODC held a Discover Scuba class in Waseca on January 29th and one in Owatonna on February 5th. We had a lot of help. In Waseca, we had 10 students, which is about the most we can handle at one time. For the Owatonna class, we had 6 students. Thanks to all those came out to help with both classes. We continue to get positive feedback from students who are impressed with the club involvement in classes.
We will be holding another Discover Scuba in Owatonna for Mark Krunen’s Boy Scout troop on April 16th. Please let Cory know if you’re able to help.
Snow Tubing at Mount Kato
We had pretty good turnout for the Tubing at Mount Kato. Troy M tells me that everyone had a good time and that no one was killed or injured. If anyone who was there took pictures they’re willing to share, I’d be happy to put them on the web site or include them in future newsletters.
GLSPS/UMSAT
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society’s Upper Midwest Scuba and Adventure Travel show was yesterday (February 22nd). There were 14 people from ODC (that I counted). Attendance for the show was down due to the poor weather and driving conditions. The show started with a welcome and Year in Review from Phil Kerber, GLSPS President. From 9:30 until about 5, there were presentations made in two conference rooms. The topics ranged from Adventure Travel to the shores of North Carolina, Galapagos, and Philippines to searching for uncharted Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes and the history of the Life-Saving Service on the Great Lakes. Besides the presentations, there were a ton of items in the silent auction, and a bunch of vendor booths. And, for those who wanted to get wet, they offered Discover Scuba and Discover Rebreathers classes in the hotel pool. And… of course the Morris’s cleaned up on the raffle.
ODC Membership Dues
Membership dues are due by May 31st. Please stop down to the club and see Jim Zabel (your friendly ODC treasure). I will start sending out reminders and requests to update contact information starting in March. Please remember that dues are $20 per family per year – this includes spouse(s) and dependent children. If you are a dependent child, your $20 covers your parent(s) and siblings. Lifetime membership options are also available.
2014 Dates
· Spring Banquet – April 12th
· Big Blue (Open Water Checkout) – May 17th and 18th
· Isle Royale – July 8th – 12th
· Bayfield – July 30th – August 3rd
· Milwaukee – early May?
Newsletter
If you have a story you would like to write for the Newsletter, or would like to see something in a newsletter, please send me an email at owatonn...@gmail.com. The next Newsletter is scheduled to go out March 23rd. Please have any material to me by noon Saturday March 22nd if you want it in the Newsletter.
Dive Safe, Dive with a Buddy!
Web Site Changes
The ODC web site has moved. It is now at https://owatonnadivers.net. If you notice content that is wrong or missing, please send me a note ASAP at owatonn...@gmail.com.