Minutes of April 6, 2004 NVRC Meeting.
The bimonthly
meeting of the Nittany Valley Running Club was held at HiWay Pizza on
Westerly Parkway on Tuesday night, April 6. The core group of Jim
Taylor, Dave Eggler, John Domico, Marty Klanchar, Marty and Andy Mazur
were there to discuss a number of important springtime running issues,
including whether the extra-large pizza with pepperoni, onions, and
green olives should be named the official pizza of the Nittany Valley
Running Club. The group welcomed its newest member, Susan Gillmor, who
became a member as soon as Marty Klanchar showed up and received her
check. Susan eagerly partook in the Club's initiation rites, sampling
at least two kinds of beer. We decided to accept her even though she
doesn't like green olives.
Marty Klanchar
was installed as the Club's new Membership Director, replacing former
President Morgan Wasikonis, who had volunteered to be Interim
Membership Director on a short term basis many moons ago. We thank
Morgan for her service beyond the call of duty. Marty's first order of
business was brought up by Susan. She suggested a new membership level.
State College, being a transient college town, gets a lot of people who
are here for 5 years and then are gone. Susan suggested we have a
5-year membership level to complement our 1 and 10-year levels. With no
objection from Marty Klanchar, we said what the heck. Details will be
in the coming Newsletter. Marty Klanchar is finishing updating the Club
membership files. Some of the Club's freeloaders will be getting gentle
dues reminders/amnesty offers soon.
Speaking of
which, Marty Mazur proposed putting the Newsletter back on its old
track of Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, etc, rather than the current Feb-Mar,
Apr-May, etc. The Newsletter got off the proposed track a few years ago
for unremembered reasons, but that track fits the Club's business and
racing schedule better. Motion passed, so expect the next Newsletter in
mid-May.
John Domico gave
a report on the NVRC teams being fielded to run the Boston Marathon to
benefit the Centre Volunteers in Medicne. Terry Losch of Rapid Tranist
Sports has donated the team shirts, which will have the NVRC logo, the
CVIM logo, and the RTS logo. The team has been working hard at getting
team sponsors, with Todd Erdley of Videon Central being the latest to
ante up. The teams have gathered several thousand dollars in
sponsorships to date.
The Club's
newest race, the Run Around Egg Hill 10-Miler and Relay Race, held in
the first weekend of Spring, was a huge success. (Funny, from the
weather, I didn't think Spring was here *yet*!) The race raised about
$3000 to help jump-start a Jr. High running program in Penns Valley.
The amount raised far exceeded that which could have been raised from
race fees alone due to an aggressive drive for sponsors.
Congratulations to Race Director Karl Leitzel.
Plans are
proceeding apace for this year's Art's Festival 10K with the biggest
order of unfinished business being the choosing of the course! The
course has been a big problem in recent years because of continual
summertime construction on the Penn State Campus. The Saturday Morning
Group Run recently helped Race Director Jim Taylor scout out a new
course on the New West Campus, golf course perimeter bike paths, and
the Inner Loop path. Jim is fine tuning the "design" and will soon
measure it out. Race advertising will be in the mail soon.
Marty Mazur
expressed his hopes that he will restart his effort to expand the
Club's Running Routes web pages. Numerous out-of-towners and newcomers
have remarked on how useful the pages have been to them. A few other
web site spiffification efforts were also discussed, including the new,
ultra-spiffy Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK pages, designed by Keith Bailey, that
are now up and running. Keep your eyes on the site!Next Meeting: June 1.
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