USA Dive Club 2012 Slate of Officers

It is that time of year again to elect our board members for next year. At the December General meeting, you will have to opportunity to vote for that board. Below is the list of candidates the 2011 board has recommended for 2012. You have the option of voting for this slate or anyone can nominate someone from the floor prior to the vote but only if the nominee agrees to his/her name being submitted. Details at the meeting,

Thanks for your support,

Larry Townsend, your President for the remainder of 2011

          President                     -         Larry Townsend
          VP of Programs            -         Glada Blench and Kim Whaley
          VP of Overseas Diving  -         Nils Jacobsen
          VP of Social Events       -         Sarah Crisanto
          VP of Local Diving         -         John and Kathy Ficarra
          Secretary                     -         Robert Shearer
          Treasurer                     -         Steve McCutcheon

Program for December 1

ELECTION of OFFICERS

  and HOLIDAY PARTY

Holiday Greetings! December 1st is our General Meeting.  We will have a quick business meeting to hold elections for the elected offices on the board. Nominations will be entertained from the floor.  If you are going to nominate someone make sure you have their acceptance first.

Again, apologies for our lack of speaker last month:  Our featured speaker, Rich Ladisky was snowed in, in a rare October snow storm that caught the leaves still on the trees and added to the problems our friends in the northeast were experiencing with the snow and ice.  We will be working to reschedule with Rich.

Meanwhile, we will be celebrating the holidays.  As usual our December meeting is our Holiday Party.  Bring a dish and your holiday spirit (BYOB) and join in on our annual festivities with all your USA Dive club friends.

Sea you there?

Glada Blench
VP of Programs
programs@usadiveclub.com

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It is that time of year again where we give thanks and that is what I wish to do here.  First of all a very well deserved thank you to Julie Manhold and Clare Anthon for the magnificent job they did on the 40th Anniversary and Reunion Party. It was one of the biggest and best that I can remember in the 27 years of my membership in our club.  This most definitely falls into that If you missed it category, so if you were not there, ask someone who was to find out what you missed! And next time you see Julie or Clare, tell them thank you, they will appreciate it.

Another round of thank yous are in order for those who served on the board for the last year, some whom you never see in their jobs and some of us you do, but each one is very important to make this club what it is today and has been for forty years, as evidenced by the turnout at our Fall Party.  So my thanks those of you who served and continue to serve in the coming years. And the next time you run into one of our board members, please take the time to tell them thank you also, that is about the only praise they get and it is welcomed.

Thanks again to all of you for being a member of what I believe is the best dive club in the country.

I list them here in alphabetical order,

 Thanks to the following with positions on the board

Clare Anthon          - VP of Social, Hospitality Coordinator

Glada Blench          - VP of Programs

Roman Boszko       - Audio/Video Coordinator

Ronnie Farr            - Overseas Dive Accountant

John Ficarra           - VP of Local Diving

Kathy Ficarra         - VP of Local Diving

Nils Jacobsen         - VP of Overseas Diving

Julie Manhold         - VP of Social, Hospitality Coordinator, Membership Coordinator (starting in July)

Russ Manhold         - Webmaster/Newsletter (until May), President & Membership (until July)

Steve McCutcheon  - Treasurer

Paul Molinari           - Safety Coordinator

Robert Shearer       - Secretary

Eva Thomas            - Photographer/Scrapbook (starting in May)

Larry Townsend      - Promotions, President (starting in July)

Bob Young              - Webmaster/Newsletter (starting in June)

Phebe Young          - Webmaster/Newsletter (starting in June)

Thanks for your support and attendance,
Larry Townsend
Your President for 2011
president@usadiveclub.com

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Local Diving

On October 26th, we had our Halloween Pumpkin Carving Dive with South Florida Dive Headquarters. There were nine club members who came out on this cloudy afternoon not knowing whether the sky was going to hold out for us. Several of us came dressed in Halloween costumes. Our first dive was on the haunted Tracey Wreck and our member Robert was dressed in a skeleton costume stationed in the wheel house ready to scare us upon our arrival.  When we returned to the boat the sky opened up on us and we thought the trip was going to be cancelled out. Then an hour later the sun came out and we did our drift dive, all nine of us together on one flag. We divided in two teams helping out as Glada and I carved away as we were the only ones to have pumpkins.  Then after the 10 minute allowed we all drifted together passing the pumpkin until it became darkness underwater. We all surfaced together to fog, 25 ft of visibility, pounding rain in our faces and big waves like in the movie, “The Perfect Storm”. We grouped tightly together and nobody could see the boat. Finally feeling like an hour but really 5 minutes the boat appeared. Glada and I still hung onto the pumpkins regardless. When we got back to the dock, the pumpkins were judged and Glada won first prize and was awarded $50 gift certificate by South Florida Dive Headquarters.

In November our last dive of the year was scheduled for November 19th with a full boat and waiting list. Unfortunately the seas were forecasted 6-8 ft so we chose to cancel it. It turned out to be 6-8 ft seas that day. With so little diving available in November we were asked to try to reschedule this dive. John & I found a date we could dive so we rescheduled to December 10th with the same dive operator. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for the final last Club dive of the year.

FOR A LIST OF UP COMING DIVES, CLICK HERE FOR USA’s ‘LOCAL DIVING’ PAGE.

Kathy & John Ficarra
VP’s of Local Diving
localdiving@usadiveclub.com

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Social Activities

This message is very special because it is our last as USA’s Social Butterflies.

Lots of fun and good memories will remain with us.  Thanks to USAers and guests who participated in the many social events planned through the past years.

Clare and Julie will now devote more time to their other positions on USA’s Board of Directors, including Hospitality and Membership.

Thanks again for all of the support you have given us. It is truly appreciated. 

Before USA’s 40th Anniversary and Reunion Party report, here are a few words about our most recent Adopt-A-Street cleanup. 

On Sunday morning, November 6th, at 7:00 am, early birds met at the local Cracker Barrel for LT’s Breakfast Club.  By 8:30 am, the early birds joined USA’s Green Team at our regular meeting place in Deerfield Beach for USA’s 13th quarterly Adopt-A-Street cleanup.  This event has become a favorite non-diving activity for many of us.

Thanks to dedicated USA’s Green Team members, Natura Boulevard in Deerfield Beach has never looked better.  In the past 2½ years, the Green Team has brought this section of road to a level of simple routine maintenance.   

USA’s 40th Anniversary and Reunion Party is a Huge Success

USA’s Social Butterflies consider the USA Dive Club’s 40th Anniversary and Reunion Party to be the crowning jewel of their tenure and that jewel is a ruby.  The ruby signifies a 40th anniversary, but it was the reunion aspect of this event that made it so special.

Active members, members rarely seen, out-of-town members from years gone by, Hall of Fame members, former members, guests of those members and non-members.   Ninety members and guests enjoyed a perfect evening.  Some had driven long distances and a few traveled by air.  Former member Carolyn Gordon, now a New York City resident, repeated more than once, “I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”

Upon entering the room, one could see that the banquet hall was decked out in red and white, our 40th anniversary colors.  Aren’t those also the colors of our beloved dive flag?  White chairs with beautiful red sashes, white tablecloths, red napkins and rose centerpieces, garnished with red and white balloons displaying the number 40, all made for a picture-perfect setting.  Souvenir event programs, resembling the old paper version of our Dive Lines Newsletter, were placed at each setting.  Little memo pads and pencils were provided for personal contact information exchange.

Members and guests began arriving at 6:30 pm.  Men came dressed in tuxedos and suits with ladies in evening gowns and cocktail dresses. As each guest was welcomed, he/she was presented a place card to reserve an available seat at any of the tables. Each person was also provided a name badge. 

During cocktail hour, disk jockey Kenny Amaya provided soft background music while long-time friends hugged and kissed, catching up on personal details from the past four decades. 

Candid Camera 2011 played continuously, documenting precious moments from the past 40 years.  USA Dive Club scrapbooks were on display for those interested in a walk down memory lane.  The cash bar offered beer, wine and cocktails along with soft drinks.

The room buzzed with excitement and anticipation of an evening filled with good vibrations.  Servers roamed among the crowd offering delicious appetizers while the hors d’ouevre table tempted us with fresh fruit, cheese and crackers. 

By 8:00 pm, Master of Ceremonies Russ Manhold invited members and guests to be seated as a green salad was served.

USA Dive Club President “LT” welcomed everyone and thanked Clare and Julie for planning this wonderful party.  Shortly after salad, the buffet table was opened for dinner.  A prime rib carving station stole the show.  Also offered were scrumptious chicken, fish and pasta dishes.  Potatoes and a vegetable stir-fry rounded out the buffet menu.  A 40th Anniversary dessert cake added a special touch.   

Master Illusionist Gary Midnight magically appeared at 9:00 pm and entertained the crowd with his slight-of-hand trickery for more than 30 minutes.  Fire, live birds and a very special rabbit were all part of his fast-paced, musically enhanced show.  Gary Midnight was a congenial magician, permitting us to pet his birds and rabbit after the show while cameras clicked and ladies posed with this handsome entertainer.

As Gary Midnight “disappeared”, Russ introduced Dr. Rick as being the most senior USA Dive Club member present that evening.  Joining in 1971, Dr. Rick was a founding member of the USA Dive Club.  Mark, a member since September 2011, was introduced as the newest member present.    A photo of Dr. Rick and Mark will appear in USA’s scrapbook and the online Photo Gallery.  Mark was dressed in a beautiful kilt, the formal attire of his native Scotland.

Russ then introduced the 21 attending Hall of Fame members and a group photo was captured for posterity.  Full names of all those attending, along with a complete list of the Hall of Fame, can be found in the event program.

It was finally time to start dancing and Kenny was more than happy to oblige.  He played dance music ‘till 10:00 pm.  It was then time for the door prize drawing.  USA’s old Lobster Pot was brought out of retirement.  Contained within were the names of all persons present.  Six lucky people took home a beautiful gift.

After the drawing, the music resumed and by 11:00 pm, the hardwood dance floor was so crowded that some of us were dancing on the carpet.  Nobody wanted the party to end however, like all good things; it was now just a happy memory, a very happy memory indeed.

Thanks to all of the members and guests who made this party possible and kudos to our cleanup committee, Joanne, Frank, Russ and Tony.  Your help was much appreciated.

Coming Attractions

Watch future newsletters and emails for additional information on all planned USA Dive Club activities. Our social events are open to all USA club members and their guests.  So, why wait?

Sign up for a social event, get to know your fellow USAers, and let the fun begin!

A USA Dive Club thought.

It’s not about the event.
It’s about the camaraderie of being with people we know and enjoy.

A happy holiday to all from USA’s Social Butterflies, Clare Anthon and Julie Manhold

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Hospitality Hut

Greetings from USA’s Hospitality Hut.

December is here and with it, cooler temperatures.  For a few of us, chillier water temperatures bring an end to the local diving season.

At USA’s November 3rd general meeting, we had the pleasure of welcoming two new guests.

Our first guest was Tim “Rok” Moore.  Rok learned about the USA Dive Club via the Internet.  Certified in Michigan in 1993, he is an Advanced Open Water diver and a retired Instructor.
 

Merrilyn Griffin is a friend of John Christopher Fine.  John, a noted author and frequent USA Dive Club guest speaker, encouraged Merrilyn to attend one of our meetings.  Special thanks to John.  Merrilyn was certified in Florida in 2004.  She is an Advanced Open Water diver with 120 logged dives.

Why not visit our home page www.usadiveclub.com and click on the calendar button to keep up to date on all the diving and non-diving scheduled activities. You may also take a look at the photo gallery and see all the fun we have.

Happy diving to you all.

Clare Anthon & Julie Manhold
Hospitality Coordinators
hospitality@usadiveclub.com

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Membership

The holidays are upon us once again.  As well as being a wonderful time of the year, it’s time to renew our annual USA Dive Club dues.  There has not been an increase in annual dues for many years.  Dues remain $40 per person for 2012.  Are you a member married to another USA Dive Club member?  You get the discounted renewal rate of $70 per couple. 

Membership perks include discounted dive trips, group discounts on many non-diving events, along with discounts at select dive shops in the area.  The best perk of all is enjoying activities that are pre-planned for you with people you know and whose company you enjoy.  The best way to get to know your fellow members is to sign up, and join us, for the many USA Dive Club activities offered to members and their guests.

USA Dive Club membership expires on December 31st. Consider bringing a check or cash to USA’s December 1st dive club meeting or drop your check in the mail to

USA Dive Club Membership Coordinator
13210 SW 17th Court
Miramar FL 33027-3420

Checks payable to:
Under Sea Adventurers

At the November 3rd general meeting, Don Seals was present to receive his USA Dive Club New Member Packet.

Don is an Advanced Open Water diver with 100+ dives.  He enjoys all aspects of diving and asks “why travel to far-away places when we have so many beautiful reefs in our own back yard?”.  Please give Don a warm USA Dive Club welcome at USA’s December 1st dive club meeting.

If your USA Dive Club membership has expired, and you wish to renew your membership, submit a New Member Application, along with appropriate pro-rated membership dues, plus a $10 New Member Initiation Fee.

Under USA’s newly revised Dive Trip Guidelines, trip priority is established based on ‘current continuous years’ of USA Dive Club membership.  Therefore, it is important for members to renew dive club dues annually without a break in membership.

Encourage friends and fellow divers to join USAers for all club activities.  Guests are not required to be USA Dive Club members to participate in USA functions.  Guests are always welcome when accompanied by a USA Dive Club member.

Certified divers interested in joining the USA Dive Club will find membership applications available by clicking on Membership Packet below.

MEMBERSHIP PACKET

Questions?  Click here to contact Membership Coordinator Julie Manhold by e-mail.
 

Warm diving regards,

Julie Manhold
Membership Coordinator
membership@usadiveclub.com

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Promotions

Hi y’all from the Promotions Desk of USA Dive Club.

USA’s Lobster Pot 50/50 winners have been taking home over  $50 cash at monthly dive club meetings.

That’s a better return on your hard-earned money than most banks offer.

Each month we offer a variety of Lobster Pot prizes, many donated by South Florida dive shops.

Congratulations to all our Lobster Pot winners.  Be sure and drop in to see our local dive shops who support us and say ‘Thanks’.

October Lobster Pot Winners 50/50 Lobster Pot - Bill $20 local dive coupon - Barbara $20 local dive coupon - Don $25 Store Coupon from Force-E - Nancy $20 Air Card from Fill Express - Kathy Super Pencil from Force-E - Jeanne Safety Whistle from Force-E - Jay Water Proof Pouch from Force-E - Linda Triptone from Force-E - Alan DAN luggage tags - Linda

If you did not contribute, then you could not have won!

Our 50/50 Lobster Pot has grown to levels unheard of in the history of the USA Dive Club.  This is good news for the winners and for our dive club.  I thank you and the club thanks you.  Let’s keep it up!

And, as I always say, ‘If U miss it, U will miss it!

Larry Townsend
Promotions Coordinator
promotions@usadiveclub.com

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Overseas Diving

 USA Dive Club Overseas Diving program
2012

Exotic Trip Announcement: July 5-22, 2012 Philippines:
Atmosphere Resort: Dumaguette/Negros
Siren Liveaboard: Southern Visayas:
Dumaguete, Apo, Siquijor/Balicasag, Cabilao, (Bohol)/Cebu

The standard trip (7 nights on land and 7 nights on the boat) starts on July 5; we will be at the resort from July 7-14; the boat will pick us up next to the resort and we will take a 7 night one way cruise, ending up in Mactan/Cebu Saturday. Early Sunday 7/22, morning we will fly out and we will be back in Florida the same afternoon. (date-line!). The land based part of the trip is offered with a non diving option, too. Schedule wise, the trip can be either compressed or extended:

          5 nights (3 diving days); departing Saturday July 7
          7 nights (5 diving days); departing Thursday July 5
          10 nights (8 diving days); departing Monday July 2

The Atmosphere resort is a new upscale resort that comes highly recommended. The resort is located at Dumaguete on Negros Island.

See their online material here:
http://www.Atmosphereresorts.com

Included:

          7 nights Atmosphere Dumaguete in a Suite, double occupancy
          Meals, soft drinks, coffee, tea, transfers, internet, and tax included
          5 days of unlimited boat diving
          1 day trip to Apo Island
          Marine park fee, tanks, weights, and belts included
          Transfers
          One day-trip on the Island (we later have to pick which one)

Not-Included:

          Excess baggage fees, juices, smoothies, alcoholic beverages,
          Dive rental gear, dive insurance, travel insurance
          Nitrox ($20/day), extra Apo trip ($20); spa-fees

Our friends Mike & Deb, just came back from Atmosphere and liked the place
Carol has sent around a testimonial that “Apo Island is one of the places to go”

Siren is a relatively new upscale fleet; this is our first club trip with Siren – on Philippines Siren.

http://worldwidediveandsail.com/ourboats/sy-philippinesiren.html

http://worldwidediveandsail.com/liveaboard-diving/3/174.html

This liveaboard trip is on Cebu’s East side. The boat dates are July 14-21. The maps are only for reference (our trip is custom: 7 nights), most days, 4 dives a day. Click here for more information.

We will start our diving at Apo Island. We will tailor the remaining days of diving later.

Predicted Average Water Temperatures: 83F – 88F (29-31C). Note that we dive a full 6 days including all Friday. We fly out an hour past midnight on Sunday morning

Included:

          All foods & accommodations during the cruise
          Tea, (real) Coffee from our espresso machine, fruit juice, soft drinks & beer
          Approximately 23 dives, including up to 3 night dives
          Free Nitrox fill for those who are certified Nitrox divers
          Most dive equipment rental is free (Except dive computer & underwater torch)
               Please note that our rental wetsuits are 3mm shorties. If you tend to feel
               the cold easily it's advisable to bring your own 5mm long wetsuit.
          Marine Park & port fee

We fly in and out of Cebu on Korean Air from Atlanta via Seoul. We are in the process of locking down the airfare, well within our budget (with room to cover both the land based transfer and the two hotel stays). We arrive in Cebu, late pm, sleep in a hotel and take a bus/van to the resort: No more airports, no more security lines, no domestic luggage fees

Included:

          All tips on the trip elements
          All transfers
          Airport Departure Taxes, Marine Park fees

Not Included:

          Hotel in Cebu for an overnight stay on arrival and the “day hotel”
              outbound, from noon to 11pm
          Hotel in Cebu for early arrival for the Siren only option (it is not
              recommended to arrive the day the boat leaves

Deposit is $250-500, dependent on your option. Please note the new priority and guest policy.  (click here for current overseas trip guidelines).

The boat only and land only options are offered on a space available basis, only

The main package, comprising 7 days on land and 7 days on  boat, and (conservatively priced) airfare from FLL, looks like $6,200 (This price is condition on the assumption of total airfare from FLL of no more than $2100).

Click here for trip registration form.  Options/prices are shown below

Nils Jacobsen
Trip Lead & VP overseas diving
overseasdiving@usadiveclub.com

(Our trip is 7 nights, 6 full dive days, from Dauin via Apo to Mactan)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  USA Dive Club Overseas Diving program
2011

USA DIVE CLUB REVISITS LITTLE CAYMAN, JUNE 2011

For trip report click here

SABA/ST.KITTS, OCTOBER 2011

For trip report click here

Nils Jacobsen
VP Overseas Diving
overseasdiving@usadiveclub.com

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USA Calendar

• Thursday, Dec 1st - Regular Monthly meeting and Holiday Party @ 7:30 pm
  Best Western Deerfield Hotel & Suites
  1050 E Newport Center Drive
  Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
   
• Saturday, Dec 10th - USA local dive - @  8:00am
  Two tank Drift Dive with Starfish Enterprise out of Boynton Beach.
  www.idivestarfish.com
   

Click on USA’s calendar to view all future events.

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Contact Information

Under Sea Adventurers Dive Club web site: www.usadiveclub.com

Meetings: First Thursday of each month at:

Best Western Deerfield Beach Hotel & Suites
1050 E. Newport Center Drive, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
BYO Dinner:  6:00; Social: 7:00 pm; Meeting: 7:30 pm

Board of Directors

Elected Officers - Title	Name	E-Mail Address
President	Larry Townsend	president@usadiveclub.com
VP of Programs	Glada Blench	programs@usadiveclub.com
VP of OS Diving	Nils Jacobsen	overseasdiving@usadiveclub.com
VP of Social Events	Clare Anthon Julie Manhold	social@usadiveclub.com
VP of Local Diving	John Ficarra Kathy Ficarra	localdiving@usadiveclub.com
Secretary	Robert Shearer	secretary@usadiveclub.com
Treasurer	Steve McCutcheon	treasurer@usadiveclub.com
Appointees - Title	Name	E-Mail Address
Audio/Video Coordinator	Roman Boszko	avguy@usadiveclub.com
OS Dive Accountant	Ronnie Farr	diveaccountant@usadiveclub.com
Membership Coordinator	Julie Manhold	membership@usadiveclub.com
Hospitality Coordinator	Clare Anthon Julie Manhold	hospitality@usadiveclub.com
Photographer/Scrapbook	Eva Tomas	awards@usadiveclub.com
Promotions	Larry Townsend	promotions@usadiveclub.com
Safety Coordinator	Paul Molinari	safety@usadiveclub.com
Newsletter/Webmaster	Bob Young Phebe Young	newsletter@usadiveclub.com

Membership Dues - $40 yearly; $70 for married USA Dive Club member couples

Download the Membership Packet from our website

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