Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago

Meeting Minutes 28 January 2009

General

•  Approximately 30 members met at 6:30 at the Chicago Maritime Society new home on the 6th floor of the Helix Building, 310 S. Racine at Jackson.
• Tonight's meeting was run by Joan Forsberg, with food provided by Bob and Claire Gadbois

Board and Committee Reports

• Secretary - John Bell provided copies of the minutes from the last meeting, which were approved.
• Membership – Scott Reimer provided updated membership lists.
• Treasury –  Bob Gadbois reported on the state of UASC finances.
  • Dues are due ! Please get checks and ( updated ) info to Bob.
  • Contact Bob for further information.
• ICSSD – Claire Gadbois reported on the Illinois Council of Skin and Scuba Divers:
  • Feb 19 - Club Appreciation Night
    • John Thompson from SUDS, ( Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba ) will be the speaker.
    • Mr. Beef and Pizza in Mount Prospect
    • 7:00 p.m.
    • Free pizza and soda
  • Feb 20-22 - Our Wold Underwater - Volunteers needed
  • March 29 - Underwater Competition
  • July 18 - Jim Haigh Memorial Dive at Haigh Quarry
  • Sept 19 - International Beach Clean Up
  • Oct 4 - Pumpkin Carving Dive at Haigh Quarry
  • Oct 10 - President's Night
  • Nov 3 - ICSSD Budget Meeting
  • UW Christmas Tree Decorating?
• Newsletter – Cris Kohl - The January/February newsletter has been mailed and should be in members' mailboxes. Material for future newsletters is appreciated.
• Website – Brian Hopkins and John Bell will be working on updating the web site. Any feedback will be welcome. Members are particularly urged to visit the development test site and provide feedback..
• Other:

Old Business

• 2009 Officer Elections - Run by Jim Jarecki
  • President - Joan Forsberg
  • Vice-President - Dean Nolan
  • Treasurer - Bob Gadbois
  • Secretary - John Bell .
• UASC / LOUP Holiday Party Saturday December 6th at the Burnham Yacht Club. A good time was had by all.
• UASC New Year’s Eve Party at the John & Kat Bell residence. Another good time was had by all.

New Business

• New UASC DVD: “Explore Chicago Shipwrecks!” -- Ruth Loftus, Project Coordinator
  • Ready and available to members for $12. For sale to public at $15.
• The Buccaneer Project -- update
  • Sank over new years.
  • Kieth and Hank pumped it out and patched a small hole.
  • Goodies have been donated for raffle at OWU
  • The Tim Early Foundation has agreed to match donations up to $1000 - Forms available tonight or from Joan.
• Upcoming Shows:
  • Our World -- Underwater,” Rosemont (Chicago), Feb. 20-22, 2009 (Fri., Sat., & Sun.)
  • Chicago Maritime Festival,” Chicago History Museum, Chicago, Feb. 28, 2009 (Sat.)
  • Ghost Ships Festival,” Milwaukee, WI, March 20-21, 2009 (Fri. & Sat.)
• UASC shirts -- Jim Jarecki is working on it, not present this evening.
• Chicago “Maritime Trail” markers
  • Howard contacted alderman vidaly (sp?) & president of history museum & 3 professors at DePaul
  • The person at Lincoln park initiative is very interested
• Tentative Club Dives:
  • George Morley - shore dive and picnic, snorkeling options, family outing.
  • Door County - Stay at Ruth Magnus & Mike Brutlag's place, 10 acres, 3 BR, trailer, tentatively scheduled for Labor Day weekend, September.
• SURVEY PROJECTS 2009: See below.
• OTHER:
  • Chet Childs announced that Sam Frank will offer CPR classes again. Current tentative dates are the 11th or the 18th of February ( Wednesdays. ) Classes are Red Cross, and will last 2 hours. There may also be options for DAN O2 classes.
  • Don Doherty - tool crib disaster 100 years ago. Surveyed in 2001/2002, 30-40 feet H2O. 75? people died in a fire. Jan 20th. Remains buried in unidentified graves on south side. Tony Kiefer has done presentations. Don will do a presentation Feb 15th ~ 2:00. Mount Greenwood Cemetary. 68th street crib.
• THANKS to Bob & Claire Gadbois for tonight’s refreshments.
• NEXT UASC MEETING: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, February 25, 2009.
  • Speaker is Dan Johnson, curator of the Lockwood Pioneer Diving Museum in Rockford, IL.
  • Refreshment coordinator for 2009 is Dan Kasberger.
  • Dan and Chet to bring Feb Refreshments

Shipwreck Survey Projects

• Buccaneer - To be scuttled in 2009 in ??’ - Project Leader: Bob Rushman.
• Material Service - Sank on July 29, 1936 in 38’ - Project Leader: Jim J./John L./Tony K.
  • Photographers recently dove on the Material Service and collected info to complete the project.
• Barge No. 2 - Sank on Sept. 29, 1906 in 40’ - Project Leader: John Loftus
  • Project may be nearing completion.
• The Straits of Mackinac - Scuttled on April 10, 2003 in 78’ - Project Leader:Needed

Guest Speaker

• David M. Young has been writing about Chicago for a long time. A former writer and transportation editor for the Chicago Tribune, he is the author of Chicago Transit: An Illustrated History and Chicago Maritime, An Illustrated History, and he co-edited, along with Rita Frese, the recent anthology assembled for the Chicago Maritime Society titled From Lumber Hookers to the Hooligan Fleet, A Treasury of Chicago Maritime History, published by Chicago’s Lake Claremont Press in 2008. His topic tonight will cover various aspects of Chicago Maritime History, plus the challenge of editing this recent anthology.

Other Business

•  The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00, after which a number of members retired to Ricobene's for further discussions and socializing.