BLUE RIDGE GROTTO of the National Speleological Society

Minutes for October 18, 2024

Taylor Lodge; (1200 Texas St., Salem, VA 24153)

 

Attendance:

Nick Schmalenberger, Chair

David Socky, Vice Chair

Marian McConnell, Secretary

MarySue Socky, Membership

Carrie Doupnik

Kevin Johnson

Bob Alderson

Dano McConnell

Dave Jackson* CaveSim

Cyndi Hutchison

Susan Burr

Helene Ferguson

Barry Ferguson

Trish Geiger

 

*Guest

 

TRIP REPORTS:

·         7/3 – The Sinkhole, TN – Bob Alderson with Matt Tomlinson.

·         7/4 – Big Mouth, TN – Bob Alderson with Bill Koerschner, Kyla Lassiter.

·         7/7 – Woodson Adare – Bob Alderson with Krista Bartel and Paul.

·         7/8 – Unknown (Austin Entrance) – Bob Alderson with Spike.

·         7/10 – Great Onyx – Bob Alderson.

·         7/12 – New Discovery – Bob Alderson with Bill K. Cerlion

·         9/21 Culverson Creek, WV: David Socky, Nick Schmalenberger, Susan Burr, Kelly Perkins, Margo Soucek, Jeff Huffman; see photos in program. Lots of salamanders, fish, crayfish, etc.

·         9/25 JS Williams Cave, new cave in Alleghany County, VA – article in Carbide Dump by Bill Koerschner. Dig and survey;.Bob Alderson and David Socky there too.

·         9/28 Boarhole Cave, WV – article in Carbide Dump by David Socky. Survey.

·         10/2 Coralberry Dig, VA – article in Carbide Dump by David Socky. Dig.

·         10/5 Olmec Dig, WV – article in Carbide Dump by David Socky , dig. (Olmec tribe, culture were similar to the Aztec in Mesoamerica)

·         10/9 Warm Springs Project, VA, surface work with David Socky, Jim Schurman, Keith Sweeney.

·         10/11 Roppel Cave – Bob Alderson, Jim Borden, Matt Balizo, Lori Jarla.

·         10/12 McClung Cave, WV – Survey with David Socky, Nick Socky, Paul Walko, Liz Aizubi.

·         10/13 Sheep Cave bolt climb – Bob Alderson.

·         10/16 Rushing Waters and Worm Wood (or Hobbit Hole), VA – Dye tracing and dig with David Socky, Keith Sweeney, Jim Schurman.

 

UPCOMING TRIPS:

●        10/19-20 – CaveSim in Roanoke

●        11/16 – Porter’s Cave, VA (tentative)

 

PROGRAM: Slide presentation on recent cave trips

 

BUSINESS MEETING

Treasury Report – David Socky, Interim* Treasurer – The total for the treasury report as of 10/9 is $5,491.69.  Note: Kelly Perkins has resigned as Treasurer, and as a BRG member as of 10/17, per her email.

 

Committees:  

●        Newsletter – Great October issue, thanks to all who contributed.

●        Membership – currently we have 54 members & 5 subscribers.  

●        ROCKS – Per David Socky - Ongoing work in Allegheny County in Warm Springs every Wednesday, and on the 4th Saturday of each month. Lots of RASS members helping. Digging, surveys, mapping, etc. if anyone is interested.

●        Safety & Techniques – Nick working on a squeezebox.

 

Membership Proposals: Helene Ferguson; she will submit something in writing (started working on it at the meeting); Marian will sponsor her.

 

Old Business 

·         BRG Payment Account: Kelly had set up a Paypal account. You can now pay for dues, t-shirts, etc. this way, or by cash or check. The Paypal payee account is: blueridgegrottoofficers@gmail.com Tabled until David Socky can review.

·         BRG Data and Reports Digitized: Kelly had set up a way to record, track, print out information such as the monthly Treasurer’s report and Membership list. Tabled until David Socky can review.

·         GoFest in Roanoke October 18-20:

 

BRG will be with CaveSim at GoFest this weekend; Dave Jackson (we thank him profusely for his generosity and willingness to host us) agreed to put us under the CaveSim insurance coverage so we can move forward with this weekend! BRG will be next to CaveSim so we can all be "united" in sharing info and activities about caves and caving. More volunteers are needed and welcome. Thanks also to Trish Geiger who suggested this as a solution. Dave was given a thank you card and gift – copy of Emergence – to show our appreciation. David Socky will also get a check to Dave for CaveSim for $150 per our vote in August.

 

The BRG Officers met on Oct 15th. Nick did request that GoFest cancel our space, but ultimately, we still had to pay $150. BRG members were asked to VOTE by email or in person at this meeting regarding the following: Marian McConnell made the motion and MarySue seconded that:  BRG reimburse Nick Schmalenberger for the $150 he paid GoFest for our BRG space. The motion passed, 18 for and 3 against.

Dylan had invited us to send a few folks to a panel of experts on that Sunday October 20 from 3-4. David Socky, Nick Schmalenberger, and Alina MarcHare will be there.

·         Shirts: The t-shirts are in. You can pay by Paypal to blueridgegrottoofficers@gmail.com; or you can pay with cash, check, or money order. Please pay asap. Reminder: the t-shirts are $12 each unless you bought a 2XL which is $15 each. Extras are available for purchase too.  Marian took some group photos tonight.

New Business:

·         Jersey Lily’s closed 10/1, so Kevin Johnson helped us find space for tonight and November 15th at Taylor Lodge. (Thank you Kevin!) December is normally the Christmas party (no meeting) but we have to move that to post-Christmas. We need a space that is either free or not more than $50/month, has enough room for 20-30 people, and a TV for viewing programs. If the venue has good Wifi, would could possibly make the calls Zoom so folks who can’t travel can be there virtually.

·         Christmas card design ideas – please submit before November 15th meeting. Marian submitted one; and we took photo tonight for 2nd idea.

·         BRG annual Christmas Party – the Socky’s graciously offered to have it at their home on a date TBD, pot luck. We need to choose a date and time by the November meeting!

·         Nominations for Secretary and Treasurer. Nominations are open until the November meeting. David Socky will review our Bylaws to see if an officer can do 2 jobs (e.g. Vice Chair and Treasurer).

·         Squeezebox – design, cost estimate, proposal from Nick Schmalenberger? Tabled for now; he and Martin and David are working on one, which when finished, may be presented to BRG and offered for sale.

Announcements:

●        Parking issues at Norman Cave, WV - It is advised not visit this cave entrance until this matter has been resolved. There are plenty of other Greenbrier caves that can be visited instead, so plan accordingly.

●        Healthy Caving – let’s be healthy going underground.  Rules were posted in the DUMP. 

●        Please send verified cave info updates for https://var.caves.org/index.php/conservation/closed-caves/closed-cave-list to Brad Blase.

●        Catawba Murder Hole Cave is CLOSED

●        We are transitioning to Winter Bat Closure. Only a few caves are closed as bat hibernaculum’s, so go caving elsewhere. WV – closed Sep 1 - May 15. VA – closed Oct. 15 – Apr 15.

2023 CAVER CALENDAR:

●        October 19-20 – CaveSim in Roanoke during GoFest for October 19 and 20.

●        Oct. 25-27, 2024: Orientation to Cave Rescue (OCR) weekend class in Blacksburg, VA.

See https://tickets.caving.dev/caverescue/ocr2024/

●        November 7-10 – Karst Waters Institute 4th Appalachian Karst Symposium, Lewisburg, WV

●        November 9 – WVCC Banquet, Lewisburg, WV ($50/person)

●        November 15 – BRG Meeting at Taylor Lodge 6p (meeting starts at 7) – Elections of new Officers – note: Marian will not be able to attend this meeting so we need someone to take the minutes