BLUE RIDGE GROTTO
Meeting Minutes
January 20, 2012
7pm – Vinton Fire Station
Attendance:
Pat
Sims (Chair) |
Mary
Sue Socky (Vice Chair) |
Trish
Geiger (Treasurer) |
Marian
McConnell (Secty) |
Cyndi
Hutchison |
Sharon
Mohney* |
Tom
Tracy* |
Alan
Staton |
Todd
Martin |
Randy
Michael |
Carl
Cornett |
David
Socky |
Dan
McConnell (Safety & T) |
Joseph
Caldwell |
Stephanie
Petri |
Al
Stewart |
Doug
Feller |
|
1. TRIP REPORTS:
a. Rescue in Norman Cave (WV) – Numerous BRG members
participated in or were on stand-by for the rescue of 3 spelunkers on January
9, 2012. See Brian Williams’ article in
the current issue of the Carbide Dump. Thanks to Mary Sue for all the coordination
and phone work; and for all who were part of this successful rescue. There was quite a bit of media coverage; see
also Wil Orndorff’s blog to the Roanoke Times about the terms ”spelunker” vs. “caver” and the
resources (time, energy, money) donated to doing a cave rescue.
b. On November
20, 2011, 13 went to Maxwelton Cave
(WV) – David Socky, Doug Feller, Stephanie Petri, Aaron Moses, Pat Sims, Alan
Staton, Rick Shortt, Elliot George, Nick Socky, Carl Cornett, Brian Williams,
Lisa Simons Hall (friend of Brian’s), and Susan Burr. They split into two groups; one for
photography and one for exploration.
c. On November
26, 2011, 4 went to Porter’s Cave
(VA) – Susan Burr, Trish Geiger, Stephanie Petri, and Cyndi Hutchison. The goal was for Susan to learn the cave;
they had a great time. Did not go
through the Keyhole or past the Big Slit.
d. On January 1,
2012, 13 went to Paxton’s Cave (WV)
– Doug Feller, Pat Sims, Susan Burr, Alan Staton, Glen Hugus
(and his kids – Levi, Ty, and Hope), Anna Webb (Hope’s friend), Andy Funkhouser (and his kids – Rachael and Heather), and Louie
White. The trip was for Alan and his
friends who traditionally cave every New Year’s Day while everyone else is
suffering from a hangover. Susan took
pictures with her new Christmas camera.
e. On December
27, 2011, 7 went to Tawney’s Cave
(VA) – David, Mary Sue, and Nick Socky, Elliot George, Cole Semones,
Pat Sims, and Marian McConnell. They had
a great time playing around and checking out the “Art Room.”
f. The day after
Thanksgiving, November, 2011, David Socky was on his way to go caving but his
car broke down in Kingsport, TN so Mary Sue rescued him.
g. On December
19, 2011, before the BRG Christmas Party, Carl Cornett, Ivy Lidstone
(Carl’s friend), Cole Semones, David Socky, and Pat
Sims, practiced vertical work in the Daylight Cave of Catawba Murder Hole (VA).
h. On January 14,
2012, 10 went to Greenbrier Poor Farm
Cave (WV) – Susan Burr, Pat Sims, Trish Geiger, Doug Feller, David and Mary
Sue Socky, Jessica, Alan Staton, Vanessa, and Stephanie Petri. Doug and Mary Sue fell in; it was wet and
muddy. The group brought along Santa
hats and took some photos for the next BRG Christmas card. Owner of the cave, Pete Stevens, and his
friend Eric, were supposed to come along but didn’t. Pat’s favorite Santa hat accidentally ended
up in a Kroger plastic bag in the recycling bin but Mary Sue rescued it.
i. (Date?) Joseph Caldwell went in Yates Cave in the Greenbrier (WV) area and surveyed about
142’. It was the first time he’s been
caving in 6 years.
j. On January 8,
2012, Dan and Marian McConnell hired a pilot, Pat Richards, to fly them over
the Catawba Murder Great views of the cave as well as McAfee’s
Knob.
k. On January 19,
2012, Marian McConnell interviewed David Poag –
thanks to a contact through Doug Feller.
David was one of 3 boys who had an adventure in the Catawba Murder Hole (VA) in 1950.
This will also be in Marian’s book.
David mentioned going into (back around 1950) a Moomaw’s Cave off of Cove Road in Roanoke (VA); we aren’t sure exactly
where this cave is; it is thought to be on private property and “overgrown.”
l. On January 16,
2012, Mary Sue Socky restocked the cave conservation brochures in the kiosk of Island Ford Cave (VA).
m. On January 15,
2012, David Socky took some film students to Crossroads Cave (WV) and saw lots of healthy bats.
n. The February
BRG trip on February 18th to McClung’s;
and on Sunday February 19th tentatively to ridge walk and check out
some caves on the
property of Blue Ridge Vineyard in Eagle Rock (VA).
2. PROGRAM:
Second half of
David Socky’s pre-Convention video, “13 Bak’tun.”
Note:
It was suggested that Mary Sue contact Wil Orndorff about doing a
program for us about WNS. Some
statistics say that 5.5 million bats have died due to WNS.
3. SPECIAL
AWARDS:
a. Dan and Marian
McConnell were presented a certificate of appreciation from VAR the Virginia
Region Landowner Award (December 1, 2011).
b. Al Stewart was
presented with a birthday card and present; a t-shirt that read, “I’m So Old I
Fart Dust.”
4. TREASURER’S
REPORT:
Petty
Cash 100.00
General
4,907.71
Conservation 266.59
Equipment 216.36
Cave
Bucks 153.30
TOTAL $5,643.96
5. COMMITTEES:
a. Newsletter –
Thanks for articles, photos, etc. Great
cover shot!
b. Membership –
We have 41 members and 1 subscriber.
Time to pay dues!
c. ROCKS – Will
do ridge walking and exploration in February near Eagle Rock.
d. Safety &
Techniques – Let Dan McConnell know what skills you want training in.
6. MEMBERSHIP
PROPOSALS: None.
7. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Grotto
Equipment – Helmet lights are now $15 but seem to work well. Pat couldn’t get chin straps but may be able
to get them on line unless someone has a suggested source.
b. BRG Christmas
cards – 73 were sent out.
c. Roanoke City
Parks & Recreation will be having a “Go-Fest” the weekend of October 19th
although that is the same weekend as Bridge Day. We have been invited to have a caving/cave
conservation display if we wish and have people
willing to man it on that Saturday and/or Sunday.
8. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Annual
donations from cave bucks funds; after some discussion the
following was agreed upon (Susan motioned, Cyndi seconded, and the motion
passed). This is $225 less than we donated last year; but there was no Haunted
Cave so we didn’t have as much income.
VSS
(Virginia Speleological Survey) - $75
Virginia
Cave Board - $75
Bat
Conservation International - $100
VAR
- $100
West
Virginia Cave Conservancy - $200
Vinton
Fire Department - $100 (for use of facilities for our meetings)
Southern
Cave Conservancy - $100 (reduced from
$200)
NSS
– Save the Caves - $75
NSS
– Cave Vandalism Deterrence - $50
NSS
– WNS Fund - $100
Mid-Atlantic
Karst Conservancy - $75 (reduced from
$100)
West
Virginia Assoc. for Cave Studies - $75
National
Cave Rescue Commission - $0 (reduced from $50)
Butler
Cave Conservation Society - $0 (reduced
from $25)
American
Cave Conservation Association - $25 (reduced
from $50)
b. Norman Cave
Rescue synopsis – see notebook of information that Mary Sue put together. 21 people from VPI and 12 people from BRG
participated or were on stand-by.
c. Wikipedia
posting cave locations? The NSS is
fighting this and apparently it hasn’t happened (yet).
9. ANNOUNCEMENTS, MAIL BAG:
·
So
far the Virginia Cave Board is “safe” from the Virginia government.
·
The
NSS has a new home in Huntsville, AL.
·
Jim
Werker, NSS Conservation, and his wife, were in a
very serious car wreck in New Mexico.
·
Spring
VAR will be at Greenbrier Poor Farm April 27-29, 2012; hosted by Tri-State
Grotto.
·
SERA
Cave Carnival will be at Estill Fork, AL May 2-6, 2012.
·
NSS
Convention will be in Lewisburg, WV June 25-29, 2012. Book your motel rooms soon! There will also be some pre- and
post-convention camps.
·
Grand
Caverns Heritage Day will be held June 16, 2012.
Adjournment
at 8:50p.
Minutes
by Marian
McConnell