SONS IN RETIREMENT
TWAIN HARTE BRANCH NO. 172
MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Big Sir Henry Beltran opened the meeting at 8:00 AM and welcomed Sir Ed Nissen, Governor of Area 27, and all Officers, Directors and Committee Chairmen then called for self introductions. Secretary Dan Mohn reported that a quorum was present (See Attached Attendance Record). Big Sir Beltran called for corrections to and/or approval of the April 4, 2011 Minutes as electronically transmitted to all Officers and Directors. Approved (Morrow/Escallier).
TREASURER'S REPORT:
Treasurer Dennis Honeychurch reported a beginning cash balance of $6450.56 and an ending balance of $6407.13 for the month of April. The main expenses for the month were: Printing & Supplies - $61.99; Guest Expense - $20.00; and State Board Pro Rata Assessment - $150.00. The Treasurer’s Report was approved. (Ray/Gil).
ATTENDANCE:
Attendance Chairman Bill Anning reported that 19 Sirs had called that they would not be attending the luncheon. Sir Jim Schneider reported that 6 guests would be attending including the speaker.
MEMBERSHIP:
Membership Chairman Larry Bertuccelli reported that Louis LaForce, sponsored by Sir Gary Davidson, will be inducted at Thursday’s Luncheon Meeting. Sir Bertuccelli further reported that Sir Joseph Walker had passed away, Sir Charlie Cameron resigned due to health reasons, and Sirs Bruce Brown and Rich Froisness resigned because they have moved out of the area. The membership now stands at 149 active and 1 inactive.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:
LUNCHEON: No Report
PROGRAM: The speaker for Thursday’s Luncheon will be Kathi Toepel, Director of Senior Services for the Mother Lode Office of Catholic Charities. Ms. Toepel will discuss senior issues in the Mother Lode.
COMPUTER USERS GROUP: No Report
WEB PAGE: No Report.
GOLF: The next play will be at Poppy Ridge in Livermore on May 10th.
BULLETIN: No Report.
PUBLICITY: Sir Gil Wesson reported that the luncheon meeting notice submitted to the Union Democrat had been published.
MOVIE: Sir Gil Wesson requested approval for two Movies and Dinners during May at the Regal Cinemas Stadium 10 Theater, Sonora. One movie will be for Sirs only, and the second will be for Sirs and Wives/Guests. The actual dates will be determined when the theater schedule becomes available. Approved (Granados/Morrow).
TRAVEL: Sir Don Escallier reported that space is still available for the September 24 – October 2, 2011 cruise through the Hawaiian Islands.
RV: Sir Jim Nolan reported that the trip to Three Rivers was fabulous and the Club was looking forward to another great trip June 12th through June 17th to Felton.
THEATER: Sir Rich Brandau reported that Sirs Dennis Honeychurch and Bill Bamford will be hosting the play, Boeing-Boeing, on June 8th at the Fallon House Theater in Columbia and will be taking signups at Thursday’s Luncheon Meeting.
PINOCHLE: Sir Roland Patton reported that the scheduled Pinochle game will be at the Elks Lodge on May 19th at noon, and that the Sierra and Sonora Branches as well as Elks Lodge members have been invited to join in the play. Beginning with June, the game will be at the Moose Lodge on the 1st Monday of each month.
HIKING GROUP: Sir Jerry Jensen requested approval for: 1) a hike on May 17th, 2011, from the Robert C. Kirkwood Powerhouse to Preston Falls and return, car pooling from the Junction Shopping Center at 8:00 AM; and 2) A raft trip on June 22, 2011, on the Stanislaus River starting at Knight’s Ferry, carpooling from the Junction Shopping Center at 9:30 AM. Approved (Escallier/Hawke).
MOUNTAIN BIKING: Sir Ralph Legg requested approval for a ride on May 24th in Yosemite Valley. Approved (Honeychurch/Hawke).
FISHING: Sir Herb Spierling reported that April fishing was good and requested approval for a Fish Hookers May outing on a date and at a place to be determined by the weather and the fish. Approved (Morrow/Granados).
FELLOWSHIP: Sir Bill Bamford reported that he had sent a card to the Neil Mayo family, and will send a card to Sir Mike Fryhoff who is having an extensive convalescence.
PROPANE GROUP: Sir Roy Gray reported that there were still openings to join the propane group. The latest group price was $2.24 per gallon.
OLD BUSINESS:
A letter requesting a waiver of Rules 72 and 74 was sent to SIR Inc. through our Area Governor on February 11, 2011. Area Governor Ed Nissen reported that he had not heard what action SIRinc was planning to take. Governor Nissen advised that if Branch 172 would remove its membership cap and induct all those on the waiting list, SIRinc would not have to act on the request. Lively discussion ensued. It was the consensus of the BEC to wait for SIRinc to either grant or deny our request for the waiver.
NEW BUSINESS:
It has been, and continues to be, the full intention of Twain SIR Branch 172 to return to the Twain Harte Golf Club for its monthly luncheon meetings. The major problem that the Branch has had, which keeps this from happening, is that the Golf Club has not been able to provide a suitable food service caterer. Big Sir Henry Beltran reported that the Golf Club has recently retained a caterer that currently operates a small boutique restaurant, Cottage Café, in Twain Harte, and has now contracted with the Golf Club for its food service. Big Sir Beltran further reported that he, Little Sir Jerry Morrow, Secretary Dan Mohn, Treasurer Dennis Honeychurch and Luncheon Chairman Jim McCracken met with the new caterer on two different occasions during April to explore menu options and the cost. Following extensive discussion, the best price that the caterer would agree to was $14.50, tax and gratuity included, which price would include a hot casserole type main course, green salad, coffee, tea and ice cream or cake for desert, plus setup and takedown of chairs and tables. The cost of using the Golf Club dining room would add another $100, bringing the luncheon cost to about $15.50 per person. The Club Manager and the Caterer agreed that the maximum dining room capacity is approximately 140. This capacity would meet current Branch Luncheon turnout. Our current luncheon cost is $13 per person, all included, for a varied menu that is far better suited to Branch 172 Sirs than that proposed by Cottage Café. The Cottage Café has offered to do a trial luncheon for June. Big Sir Beltran asked for comments.
Following extensive discussion, Secretary Dan Mohn made the following motion:
Whereas Cottage Café Catering is new to catering at the Golf Club and has little experience serving groups the size of Twain Harte SIR Branch 172, and,
Whereas SIR Branch 172 may have been premature in requesting a proposal from Cottage Café’ Catering before they had become a seasoned caterer, and,
Whereas Cottage Café Catering’s menu is very rigid and relatively expensive, and,
Whereas with more experience serving larger groups, Cottage Café Catering may well be able to propose a varied menu at an attractive price,
Now therefore:
All business having been concluded the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 AM.
The next Branch Executive Committee Meeting will be 8:00 AM, Monday, May 30, 2011 at the Pine Tree Restaurant, next to the Best Western Motel, at 19601 Hess Avenue, Sonora, with breakfast starting at 7:00 AM. The monthly luncheons are held on the first Thursday of each month at the Sonora Elks’ Lodge, with the exception of August, which is the Ladies Day Picnic, sponsored by the RV Club, at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown.
Dan Mohn, Secretary