Minutes – December 2, 2023

Meeting Location: Jim Landry’s Shop, 37237 Ski Side Avenue, Prairieville, LA

• Fellowship before meeting
• Collection of dues (Rick Albrecht) and selling of shirts and caps (Bill Carter)

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance – Harold Choate

Welcome and Introduction of Guests Cards for Jack Carmena, Clarence Freeman and Hays Towns were passed around for everyone to sign so we could let them know we’re thinking of them while they’re absent.

Officer Reports:

• Vice-President – George Campagna- George has been working on the Skill Topics and Meeting Locations for 2024. He expressed his appreciation to all those who agreed to host a meeting or do a Skill Topic. He went through the schedule as it currently stands for 2024. The information is posted on the website. Terry Landry is going to host the November meeting at his shop. He’s asked for the club to give him a topic they would like to learn about. George advised he’d be sending a poll out soon and asked everyone to respond to it. George has lined up 2 manufacturer’s reps to do presentations for us, the Bosch tool rep and the Behr paint rep will do presentations for the club later in the year. He’s also working with George Lewis on doing a field trip to a Weyerhaeuser plant in Holden sometime in the last half of the year. George asked for suggestions for topics.
• Secretary – Harold Choate- 14 people attended the meeting at Terry Landry’s shop in November. I got a chance to tell Terry how special the presentation was. Not only his knowledge of hand planes but having actual examples of the amazing technology from the 1800s made it unique. There are 45 people on role with the club. The FaceBook contacts has seemed to slow down recently. I went and got new gift cards for the Door Prize drawing. Everyone seemed to prefer Home Depot so that is where I got them.
• Treasurer – Rick Albrecht- Ask Rick for details. He did report that we are all caught up with the places we done work for in 2023. Rick will be collecting dues for 2024 at this and the subsequent meetings. If someone doesn’t pay up by March their name will be removed from the role until they pay their dues.
• Webmaster – Open
• Community Service – Lee Owens- Not much to report. Lee has been making calls inviting organizations to submit their requests. We should have responses soon.
• Education Outreach – Open

New and Ongoing Club Business

• Executive Committee Minutes- The EC decided to use the Gold Hammer Art Miller donated to the club as an annual award to a member who’s done something special. We’ll have to come up with the criteria for the award before an award is made. We’ll be working on that. We also decided to check in with absent members to see why they aren’t active with the club. Harold is going to put an email together to send them and then follow up with a phone call. We are in the process of getting that done.
• Club Merchandise- Bill Carter will be handling the shirts and caps from now on. Richard will remind the meeting of their availability but Bill will be taking care of it from there.
• Back Up for Community Service- We need a backup for Lee Owens as Community Service Director.

Members Questions/Concerns

Safety Topic– Spontaneous combustion is a hazard with the flammable coatings we use. Always dispose of greasy rags in a well ventilated area. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. Someone brought up the sparks generated by grinding as also being a possible fire hazard.

Skill Topic: Epoxy River Table – Jim Landry

Show-and-Tell

Adjourn

Please bring the following items to the meeting: