Meg Meeting of June 17, 2008

Mountain Empire Grotto met at the picnic pavilion at Appalachian Caverns, after dining at Pizza Plus.

Attendance:  John and Teresa Matthews, their friend Whitney, Bill James, John Rossi, Robbie Spiegel, Richard Freeman and Ginny Gent, Renee and Lucas Gaskins, Greg Marshall, Ted Durney, Roddy Addington, Gary and Laura Fielden, and Don Feathers

Don called the meeting to order at 7:25pm. The next meeting will be the summer picnic, to be held Saturday, July 5, at Greg and Candee’s place on the South Holston River. This event will be called River-Nic. Greg will organize some river boating/tubing.

Don estimated that we lost four to five thousand dollars on SERA VAR.

Treasury Report:

Bill James reported that MEG has $3060.11 in the bank and $140 in cash, for a total of $3200.11.

Bill moved that we transfer $2000 of the MEG general account into the SERA VAR account to cover expenses. The motion was quickly seconded and passed without dissenting vote.

Robbie announce a cleanup trip to Gilley this coming Saturday (June 21), meeting at 9am at the Pennington Gap Hardee’s.

Gary has all the left-over tee-shirts, the guidebooks are stored at Appalachian Caverns.

Renee had a message for Don from Paul: Keep the original tee-shirt art as a present. Don sent his warm thanks to Paul.

For River-Nic, Bill is to buy the meat at grotto expense, all other dishes and beverages to be supplied by attending members.

John Taylor may present a slide show at River-Nic; Gary will check.

Gary announced that he and his bride Becky welcome all grotto members to a wedding party at the Gray Fossil Museum Saturday, July 19, from 7:30 to 10:30. There will be a band and food and drink.

Don handed out TAG application forms. and urged all of us to attend.

Tony said that four Bristol Rescue Squad members had volunteered to work at SERA VAR, in exchange for a Basic Cave Rescue class. Tony suggested we give the class in September in Appalachian Caverns. He said it might reduce the liability insurance paid by the Caverns.

The meeting adjourned about 8:15 and was followed by the raffle.

This was MEG's first meeting at Appalachian Caverns. Don called the meeting to order at 7:30pm after attendees took a look at the gift shop and the cave entrance area.

Don asked for opinions on the new meeting place. Richard and Ginny spoke in favor. In the absence of nay sayers, Don set the next meeting for Tuesday, February 12, at the Caverns. He asked if we should have a program or just work on SERA/ VAR issues. Gary volunteered to give a presentation on his recent holiday in the caves of Spain , saying he had about 1400 pictures and needed some help putting them into a presentation format.

Don mentioned that he had a request from a local Boy Scout leader for trip leaders for a coed caving trip to Worley, to take place sometime in the next month or two. Don had already agreed and said that after the meeting he would get together with interested trip leaders.

Don asked if we were still on for a vertical training session on Sunday. Mark said it was already on the calendar and thus official. Tony and Gary said that the entrance area had good potential for setting up some ropes. Roger (the owner) said it was OK with him. The time: 10am. The place: Appalachian Caverns.

Don mentioned the Christmas party, which drew about 30 people to the Rush Street Grill and was judged by all a success.

Don asked for Old Business. None was raised, so Bill conducted the raffle.

New Business

SERA/ VAR budget: Tony and Don and Robbie agreed to work on budget issues, registration prices and other issues at 10am Saturday at the Caverns. Roger said it was OK. Tony said that after that he needed to work on rigging the entrance for the vertical practice session.

Mark said that he had gotten clearance from the property overseer for SERA/ VAR trips to Lathams (Halls Bottom No. 1).

John M. raised the issue of vendors and the campground. Don said that he had approached all the vendors at the last SERA and they all planned to be there. He had also been approached recently by a barbecue vendor in Kingsport and Cavers Connection. Vendors would be asked to pay fees dependent on frontage. Don was asked whether vendors would be asked to register. He said no, and later amplified that traditionally the primary vendor and one helper were exempted from paying the registration cost. Scott R. asked whether we had considered Mahoneys and other general outdoor vendors. Roger mentioned that the tourism board lady in Blountville, recently hired and still eager, was excited about publicizing the event. With regard to Mahoneys, Don said that we wanted the main caving vendors to do well and therefore had to be careful about bringing in too many competitors, while the event for several reasons had to be treated as an invitation-only affair, and therefore too much publicity could backfire.

Tony suggested consulting with the NSS about embedding the NSS membership fee in the registration. He also asked if Don had a punch list yet (answer: no).

Don said that Jim Whidby, among others, could arrange for guidebook printing. Scott M. asked about guidebook ads and said that his company (Swago Packs) likes to invest in guidebook ads.

Don said that he liked Tony's idea of a them tee-shirt with two cavers representing SERA and VAR shaking hands over a race oval representing BIR, possibly with a banner patterned after Bristol's state line sign saying “A Good Place to Cave” instead of “A Good Place To Live”. Scott R. said he knows a Blountville tee-shirt maker and he would get contact and pricing info. Renee said that if we decided to have Paul do the design that he would need to consult with the printer to see if they could do a good rendition of a pencil sketch. Scott M. said that FMG has a tee-shirt guy in the grotto who is also a graphics designer. Scott R. asked how many tees? 1000? Don said that not everyone would want to buy a tee-shirt but we should get pricing for up to 1000. Ellen suggested CoolMax fabric as opposed to cotton.

On the subject of entertainment, Mark said that his local band contact was producing a DVD for our consideration.

Don said that we would get down to the hard decision making on Saturday. The meeting adjourned about 8:30 and Roger led most of us on a quick tour of the caverns, with Wes and Eric assisting (and demonstrating the Halloween Haunted Cave gallows).

Scott R. and brother, Flittermice Scott M., Ellen, and John C., hybrid Flittermouse/ MEGgers John and Teresa M., Eric, Mark, Dema, Renee, Matt, Gary, Becky, Wes, Stephanie, Andrea, Roger, Susan, Don F, Tony, Richard, Ginny, and Robbie were there.