Tag: Meeting Minutes

General Meeting Minutes

Date: August 8, 2019

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Blind Hartman’s Tavern

Treasury Report – Shaun Luther—111% of target; down since last month due to expenses for Blues Cruise and payment for mailing for the fall. Question asked about comparison of races to last year: Shaun says most races are up for revenue-to-expenses.

Races:

• Charlie Horse—Libby—directors need to have a meeting. Going well otherwise
• Run for the Ages: No report
• Grings Mill—Caroline Hill—406 total runners registered/354 finishers. More this year in sponsorships allowed for some excellent prizes. Better control of expenses equaled much better profit for this year. Some felt the 5K was a little longer than 5K. Probably would like to wheel measure next year. Caroline thanked the volunteers.
• Blues Cruise—Dan Govern—registration at about 200 right now. All swag is ordered: going with Patagonia long-sleeve shirt (women’s and men’s cuts), and Headsweats hat with logo. Dan is upping the swag to attract more runners. The finishers’ medals are in. The overall male and female winners will receive ships’ bells for awards. Dan is going three deep for the age-group awards. He has some donations of Gu gel, 2Toms anti-chafing lube, and some towels. He is trying to get some other free items, and is using UltraSignup and Constant Contact advertising, and is considering a Facebook ad. He is thinking about some training runs, “fat ass” style, but he would need help with this.
• Oley Valley Country Classic: No report
• Kris Kringle—Polly Corvaia—starting to get artwork together for hoodies. Has more gnome figurines to give as awards. Permits to start in September. Application on line is available, paper format will be out soon. Possibility of chip timing discussed with PCS. One issue last year was parking which was congested getting to the start, so she is looking at some different start options. Looking for some assistance with the different aspects, where a volunteer would own a certain portion.
• Shiver by the River—Sue Jackson—dates confirmed with the township, Muhlenberg. App will be out soon. Second Sunday of each month for the series. Working on the shirts. 
• Jr. High Cross Country—Tom Chobot—Oct 19, (Fairgrounds) and Oct 15 (Kutztown, Tuesday) is the Senior High Event. 
• Reading Hospital Friends Half Marathon, 5K, Fun Run—Ellie Alderfer—Oct 13, requesting Pacer volunteers for aid stations and to help with parking, which this year is near the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Drivers have to be kept out of the employee and visitor parking areas for the hospital. Aug 28, a Wednesday night run, will be a preview run for this event.

Committee Reports

Social Committee: Nothing definitively planned, due to the summer.

Communications Committee:

• Newsletter—shout out given to Matt Brophy for taking over the newsletter. He has adapted the newsletter to a new web page format. 
• Facebook—stats: about 1500 likes. There were a lot of post shares with the Special Olympics donation photo from the Charlie Horse race. 

Community Service: no report

Charity Committee: no report

Membership committee: No report

Old business

• Membership promotion at the Grings Mill race—Jane Setley—she was not able to get a membership table for event, just too much going on for that day. Would still recommend a separate effort to do this at each race, though, just not to have the race director try to coordinate.
• Trailer: Steve Maguire—still need to pick one out. Mike Whalen is available to assist. Goal is to get before Blues Cruise.
• Trail maintenance: Mike Whalen is doing some clearing this weekend. Then possibly 2 weeks prior to Blues Cruise to have a more formal event. Bridge in our area is in poor shape, so will need to address further.
• Phil still needs help with Sunshine Committee.
• New signage: Mike Whalen—showed some options that can be printed out for about $5 each. He can supply the chloroplast and the wires, so he will take care of this. 

New business

• Jim Cramer, loss of our fellow runner—celebration of his life on Aug 25 at Camp Swatara (tentative).
• Andrea, a new member: she is involved with Girls on the Run. She would like more involvement from the Pacers, such as sponsorship, especially to fund scholarships that provide the cost to some of the worthy girls who want to do the program, or as volunteers at the event. This will be brought to the board. Tom Chobot will follow up with Andrea for what Pacers can do to assist.
• Issue of a free entry to races will be address at the next race directors meeting.

General Meeting Minutes

Date: July 11, 2019

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Blind Hartman’s Tavern

Presentation to Special Olympics: The check from the Charlie Horse run proceeds was presented to the Special Olympics representatives. The families, athletes, and their global messenger thanked us for our continued support to their organization and the support of their athletes. 

Treasury Report – Shaun Luther—131% of target. Nothing out of the order to report.

Races:

• Charlie Horse: No report
• Run for the Ages: Donna Hey—About 170 people ran. Nolde Forest received 50/50-ish split (favored towards Nolde) of the profits of the race, the extra donations, and raffle proceeds. Motion made to make donation to Nolde Forest, seconded, and approved by the membership.
• Grings Mill: Caroline Hill and Jane Setley–so far 92 registered runners, a little down from previous last year, so they will be increasing the e-mail blasts. Registration closes on 7/31. Setting up on Saturday, 8/3, from 8 to 12. They have tank-style t-shirts this year. 
• Blues Cruise—Dan Govern—registrations down a bit. He wants to bring people back to the race, so Dan is looking to upgrade the swag. He has chosen to give a finisher’s medal this year, as well as, possibly, a winter beanie hat or Patagonia long sleeve winter running shirt. Dan will incorporate a branding theme of the anchor and nautical wheel. He is changing the food, and suggestions are welcome on what would be a good offering. Trail clean up to be announced.
• Oley Valley Country Classic: No report
• Kris Kringle: no report
• Shiver by the River: Sue Jackson, starting to confirm the dates. Some of the paving in the development has been done, so this should improve the course. Tiffany Pantoja is joining as a race director to assist Sue and Kelsie Jackson. 

Committee Reports

Social Committee:

• Bike ride in the fall—Caroline Hill—date to be determined.

Communications Committee:

• Newsletter—Matt Brophy is taking over, and going more towards a news blog style. Thanks to Beth Auman for her efforts over the years with this. The email address for the newsletter is:  Editor@pagodapacers.com
• Constant Contact emails–Polly Corvaia updated the information and can be used by the group.

Community Service:

• Weekly runs: 8/28 is now open—contact Phil if interested in hosting or switching with that date.
• Reading Hospital Race—Beth Auman would like added to the minutes that she is asking the Pacers to support the race as volunteers, as they have in previous years. Ellie Alderfer will coordinate the Pacer volunteers.

Membership committee:

• Membership suggestion: Jane Setley suggested a trial offering of new memberships at the Grings Mill run. The new memberships, for the regular price of one year, would be good for the rest of 2019 and the entire 2020 year, and also give few raffle tickets. She also recommends a Pagoda Pacer membership table at all of our own races. Motion made to take new membership applications at the race (that day only) that allows new members to get the bonus months, seconded, and approved.
• It was suggested that an effort be made to wear club shirts/colors at races for representation, as other clubs do.

Old business:

• T-shirts sales coordinated by Jim Demsko went well, and will be available on 7/17 for those who ordered. This type of offering will likely be available again.
• Trailer—still looking for trailer in a good price range. Two sellers in mind for the purchase.
• New signs for race directions: still needs to be purchases. Mike Whalen will look into this.

New business:

• Mike Whalen mentioned getting a Pagoda Pacer-branded swag bag to be used for all races, with the idea that purchasing in bulk will lower the cost.
• Board of Directors meeting
  • Phil Lechner has asked for some assistance with the Sunshine Committee.
  • Beth Auman is stepping down as editor of the newletter.
  • Charlie Horse and Run for the Ages need volunteer support in the race director positions.
• Charlie Crowell is directing a mini-triathlon, $20, at the Twin Valley pool. A very good introductory event to triathlons. He has further details, if you are interested.