MEETING: Friday, December 28, 2012 EDITOR: Tom Hymer
SPECIAL GUESTS, our spouses: Jill Foss, Anne Potucek, Dona Pitzer, Pat Brewer, Annette Roberson, Sonja Brigman, Jim Cambell, Barbara Conner, Bobbie Gann, Sherra Brigman, Virginia Hymer, and my apologies if I missed a spouse or two.
WELCOME GUESTS: Barbara Lilihorn, todays program presenter.
FUN MASTERS: Scott Potucek and Tim Davies fined Bob Bush for being tardy. Then they charged $2 for those who did not bring their spouse, and $1 for those who brought their spouses. Then the sergeant became melancholy about New Years resolutions as how such a thought pertains to the Ambucs. With that they rang out ahead of time with plenty of applause.
NEW MEMBER INDUCTION: Andrew Parr is now a new member of the Hutchinson Ambucs as he was sworn in by President Darren Wicks. Congratulations Andrew and welcome to Ambucs.
PRESIDENT DARREN: Announced that there will be a T-shirt inventory on Saturday January 5, 2013 at 8:00am at the One Hour Heating and Plumbing on Main Street. Access is at the alley between 5th and 6th Avenues.
DOUG FOSS: Announced that on the next meeting Friday January 4, 2013 the Community Service Committee will meet at 6:30PM. If you are on this committee be a really great person and show up.
CASINO FUND RAISERS: Jay Pitzer reported on the Casino night that was held for the Longfellow Foundation. This company installs pilings and piers for the construction of major buildings. In addition to our regular charge for a Casino Night, this group raised an additional $60 to be donated to our club for the purpose of helping kids with Amtrykes.
STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS: Will take place on January 10, 2013 7:00AM at the Stringer Fine Art Center. Ambucs and the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce are collaborating to make this event more accessible to the public. There will be a $10 admission which includes breakfast. Additionally the Chamber has a page on its web site to so those who want to attend this event can sign up there. http://hutchchamber.com/ext_chamberevents.php or call the Chamber Office (620) 662-3391. The Chamber and Ambucs are working together to organize this event. Ambucs will have a brief message at this event to toot our own horn, so to speak, and to greet the guests as they arrive.
CASINO NIGHT: Jay Pitzer announced a Casino night on Thursday January 24, 2013 for the Water Resource Council. We hosted a Casino night for this organization in January 2012. Dealers, put this date on your calendar.
PROGRAM: Program Manager Jeff Roberson introduced todays program presenter, Barbara Lilihorn, Director of the R-CAT public transportation service. R-CAT operates with the assistance of various rural grants that help fund the program. R-CAT offers a variety of transportation services that include fixed routes, direct service to specific locations, and service to outlying towns in Reno County. The cost to ride the R-CAT is $1.00, 50 cents if the person has a disabilty. Many people ride the R-CAT to work, doctors, and shopping. There are 17 drivers who are always on the look-out for someone to wave their hand for a ride. There are about 400 people who use R-CAT and because they often ride many times there are a total of 129,000 ride uses in a given year.
50/50 DRAWING: Ward Davis won the 50/50 pot of $26, although Bobbi Gann had to help Ward to identify that he had the winning number.
NEWSLETTER DRAWING: Lee Gleasons name was drawn for the Newsletter but he was not present. For $15 the Newsletter question for the meeting on January 4TH is How do you stop a R-CAT bus?