October 8th, 2009
Suncoast Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation
Chapter Meeting
Location: Angry Pepper
Duhme Road
St. Petersburg, FL
Call to order 7:15pm
Thank you for coming. Welcome!
The chapter approved getting new business cards. We're also thinking of gettting gulfster.com to do our advertising and possibly up on Lenny's for a month however updates may be mentioned at the next meeting.
The chapter is doing well with funds and so it's voted that we earmark $500 for the continuation of the Dune Planting Project on Madeira Beach and earmark other monies for the end of the year party. Volunteers are needed to help with the Dune Planting project as well as other important initiatives the chapter is persuing.
We're reminded that Saturday night 10-10-09 at Beach Bar at Mandalay there's a party and Suncoast has been invited to set up a table, hold a surfboard raffle and generate stoke in north county people about Surfrider Foundation. The goal is to gain interest and more activism in north Pinellas County as well as learn how folks feel about off shore oil drilling. Flash, host of the party, advised there will be a videographer available to record people's opinions on off shore oil drilling. The video will be recorded before the bands play, somewhere between the times of 6 and 9pm. In an effort to help boost north county interest, Larry at Island Shop and Skip at Overhead have voiced interest in hosting north county chapter meetings. Ron advised they could help in geting a skim competion, a clean up, and generally more activism in north county.
The chapter voted to stay aligned with Keep Manatee Beautiful's Adopt A Shore Program and keep our pretty little strip of adopted beach in Bradenton. The contract renewal is for 2 years. There is a sign up stating this beach is cared for by Suncoast Chap of Surfrider Foundation. It does not cost the chapter monetarily to keep this beach. Our obligation to keep this special beach is to host 3 clean ups a year, spring, summer and fall. This year the organizer down south did a cigarette butt count in the summer for that clean up event. Then on October 3rd the chapter hosted a clean up on the beach where volunteers were suprised to see butt containers hanging on posts at the entrance to each boardwalk to the beach. Dispite these cool new butt collectors, volunteers still managed to pick up hundreds of butts as well as the usually plastic and glass bottles, bottle tops, and plastic bags. First time volunteers noted that the beach was remarkably clean really. Thanks to the chapters continuing efforts the beach is cleaner than we found it two years ago! It's fantastic to visit this beach! There are no parking meters under the tall pines that shade the sand/shell parking lot. Seabirds and sealife flourish among the clear blue- green water and squeaky white sandy shore. The broken piers make a good perch for the hundreds of Brown Pelicans and colonies of barnicles thrive below the water line.
The oil drilling committee will have a confrence call with Tony Sasso. Counties belived to be effected by off shore drilling are Pasco, Hernando, Lee, Sarasota, Manatee and Pinellas. The Florida wide oil drilling committee is working on talking points and information to be posted on the chapter's website. The committee will be calling on volunteers to call officals offices or even walk in a visit to voice your opinion about Off Shore Oil drilling.
The 3rd annual Surfrider End of the year party is in the planning stages now. The date for the party will be on January 9th. A modeling contest is a possibility. The committee is currently looking for a sizeable venue and bands to donate their time. Some places suggested for the party were Mulligan's Sunset Grille, Caddy's, The Sirata.
Financial report states that chapter has approximately $8000 in the bank and still have 6 surfboards to auction or raffel or give away. The treasurer made up the ultimate account ledger that showed in detail money coming and going throughout the fiscal year. Many members congradulated Jason on such a fine job! A new budget for 2010 is being developed. The chapter voted to earmark about $3600 of the money in the account for Upham...just in case.
Speaking of Upham. Rob Young, a contracted coastal expert, attained by Suncoast chapter is going through some personal health problems. The chapter paid Mr. Young to read over DEP reports and write a position statement on the state of Upham.
On Tuesday, October 13th, At the Tradewinds on St. Pete Beach there is a one day course to educate the public about the t-groin project. The chapter voted to pay the $100 tab for Mike or Lenny to go on behalf of the chapter. Other members of the Upham Committee are working on different aspects of this campaign. For instance, Jessica is doing reasearch paper on the flaws of Dr. Elko's paperwork since 2002. It's learned that Dr. Elko will be hosting a field trip of coastal projects she attended to during her employment with the county. Sort of a walking resume' is how some describe it.
The Upham Committee is considering doing an art contest for best design for the Upham Tshirt logo and flyer. Looking for old school graphics, kind of 70's style, like old OP, small logo on the front and big art on the back. Display and vote on the graphics at the end of year party perhaps. The Upham Committee is putting together a presentation to support the facts of Upham and it is agreed by the committee that we wait to release the details of the contest until the powerpoint presentation is complete.
Research help is needed. Anyone wanting to step up and help, please email the chapter.
A question was raised by Brett. Why are we doing the adopted beach down in Bradenton? The answer is two years ago a very active member Amanda saw this opportunity for the chapter and the chapter agreed to take it on as a way to bolster south of the bridge help and make a sub chapter down there. The Suncoast region truely stretches from Citrus county in the north to the Everglades in the deep south. Almost 400 miles of Florida coastline fall under Suncoast chapter's watch. The core of active members reside in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.
It was suggested then by Ron that we find the dirtiest beach in Pinellas County and see what we can do about adopting the beach in the primary county.
The chapter has been invited to be the only food vendor at Bullibrigade 2009, the largest VW bus show in the southeast. Last year the chapter made major funds and raised awareness for Surfrider at this event and we are honored to be invited back again this year. With the help of good notes from last years event, this years event can prove to be a great fund raiser.
The chapter is working on getting a new, cheaper, better website than the one we have now. We are looking over 3 different options and then will fairly choose the best one. More details on the website will follow.