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GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP
November 9, 2011
Clymer Library, 115 Firehouse Road, Pocono Pines, Pa.

Speaker: William Stavey: The U.S. Navy in World War II
Attendance: 51

President Freddie Kaltenthaler called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m.

Treasurer’s Report

Barbara Fox, treasurer, presented the financial report for Sept. 20 to Nov. 8, 2011, and on the status of both CDs and the Building/Museum account.
Freddie asked for motion to accept the report – Motion made by John Kaltenthaler, seconded and accepted.

Minutes

Minutes of previous meeting were read by Secretary Virginia Foy. This was basically a summary of the HATT sponsored trip to Lancaster County in September, as no formal meeting was held.

New Business

The president announced the nomination of Fred Tim to the board to replace outgoing director Jack Dodge, without objection. A vote was called for by a show of hands and a majority accepts the candidate.

Publicity & Membership / Rick Bodenshatz – Copies of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence are available on the sign-in table.

He announced that tickets for the Home for the Holidays Concert at Salem UCC would be available at Clymer Library on Nov. 10. Tickets are free and are limited to four per request. Four volunteers are needed to assist both inside and outside the venue and for preparation of refreshments. Marianne Hajduk volunteered to assist.

Rick announced the website for HATT is up and running, and described the content and future use of the site. The address is www.tobyhannatwphistory.org

Rick explained the 501(c)3 requirements that a threshold of income doesn’t matter to be able to avoid paying on income above that amount for a non-profit organization. He presented the changes in the by-laws, amendments required to be in compliance with federal regulations for our application for 501(c)3 status. He distributed the ballots that contained both the wording of the current and proposed changes.Voting is limited to those fully paid members. The two changes (1) reword mission to comply with the requirement (2) dissolution of assessments to non-profit group(s) of our choice.

Vote by checking yes or no, and pass the ballots forward for tabulation.

Later in the meeting, Rick Bodenschatz announced the results of the vote and reported that the membership approved the changes in the by-laws.The tally and the ballots will be entered and become part of the permanent record.

Speaker | William Stavey – The U.S. Navy in World War II

President Kaltenthaler presented the speaker for the day, William A. Stavey, a living history interpreter.

Bill is a docent at the Fenner, Snyder & Robacker Homestead in Sciota, and has participated in Revolutionary War and Civil War reenactments. He appeared in a Navy blue seaman’s uniform to present life as it was in the U.S. Navy during World War II based on his father’s participation as an aviation machinist mate.

He recounted his father’s history as a youngster, apprenticing in a machine shop at age 16, joining the Civilian Conservation Corps in Virginia and, in 1941, enlisting in the Navy. He worked on aircraft and with the outbreak of war, went to the Philippines.
Bill described the “bell-bottom” trousers and the buttons on them – 13, representing the first 13 colonies. He displayed many framed photos and posters.

At the conclusion of his talk and a question and answer period, Freddie turned the floor over to Harold Sumner who spoke about his memories and experiences in World War II.

Roy Tolley brought an artifact, an instrument used by the Merchant Marines ships that traveled in convoys that enabling them to maintain location and proximity of other vessels. The unit gives the distant in yards using mirrors – but not effective at night or in fog, and was later replaced when radar came into use.

A framed scarf was presented which shows a series of old battleships and dates of significant battles.

Kenn Anderson brought his father’s diary that he kept for two years during WWII and an album of photos.

Freddie brought ration books that were used during WWII in order to obtain limited amounts of scarce items, such as coffee, sugar and meat.

Adjournment

A motion was called for and the meeting adjourned to enjoy the displays and refreshments.

Respectfully submitted,
Virginia Foy, Secretary

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