Our August Grotto Meeting will be held
Thursday, 26 August at 7:30 p.m.
at Vickie Paul's  house
located at
3716 Silina Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
(757) 631-7575
vicinpgh@yahoo.com

Vickie's home is located between Mt. Trashmore Park and Rosemont Road.  Go south on Rosemont Road from I-264 and turn right onto Silina Drive.  Her house is on the right.  If you come to Plaza Trail South, you have gone too far.

Grotto Business

What a hectic three months this has been since our last Ooze newsletter.  As you can see, we have had a shift of officers.  This was brought on by a Rita Klimas obtaining a great new job as Director of Nursing Education at Wytheville Community College in Wytheville, VA (that's about five and half hours away and 45 miles south of Roanoke, VA on Interstate 81).   Since Rita couldn't be here to Chair the Grotto at regular meetings, she stepped down as Chairperson.  Al Stubbe also wished to resign as Director, since he is no longer caving.  I would like to thank both Rita and Al for all the good work they have done for the Grotto.  I, Joedy Klimas, was voted in as the new Chairman.  Pat Minney was voted in as Vice-Chairman.  Dave Carver was voted in as Director. 

We have $870 in the treasury.    From that sum, the Grotto has purchased five new Petzl "Erin Rock" Helmets, and five Princeton Tec "Yukon XL" lights to be used by people who do not have helmets and lights of their own for $660.17.  They will be stored with Joedy Klimas until next summer and then with Stephanie and Dave Carver for Grotto use after Joedy sells his house and moves to Wytheville, VA.  Anyone needing this equipment should just contact Joedy.  The equipment will be checked over and signed out.  It must be returned in the condition it was received.  The purchase of this equipment starts the Grotto cache.  It is my desire that each year the Grotto should inspect and evaluate all equipment and see if there is money to add to the cache.  By improving our cache, we will be able to gain more members and have more people on trips.   Also purchased for the Grotto, was a copy of "The History of the Virginia Region, Part II: 1971-2000" for $20.00.  I will bring it to our next Grotto meeting.  That should leave us with about $189.03 in the treasury.  

I'd like to apologize for not publishing an Ooze for the last three months.  I have been quite busy.  I completed an eight day Level 1 NCRC cave rescue course in Corydon, IN, took an EMT-Basic course put on by Tidewater Community College (a six month course in 15 days...now that was intense) and moved Rita into an apartment in Wytheville, VA. 

In October, I'll be flying to California to take Level 2 NCRC training.  If anyone is interested in any of the courses I just mentioned, please give me a call.