Meeting Minutes
Torch Club of the Fox Valley
12 January 2017
Atlas Coffee Mill & Café
Notes taken by: Jude Kuenn, secretary
Attendees: Karen Bachhuber, David Debbink, Marcia Debbink, Paul Freiberg, Walt Hedges, Jude Kuenn, Cam Maurice, Mary Poulson, Richard Schoenbohm, Jan Smith, Helen Thiel, Peter Thiel, Sofia Wilson
Guest: Sue Bennett
BUSINESS MEETING
Meeting called to order at 6:40pm.
- Guest Introductions: Sue Bennett was welcomed to the evening.
- Meeting minutes from 12/08/16 were accepted, motioned, seconded and approved.
- Treasurer’s report: 12/30/16 balance is $1999.60. Annual IATC chapter dues invoice will be paid soon. Report was accepted, motioned, seconded and approved.
- Old Business:
A. Delegates to Regional and National conferences
IATC Regional meeting has been moved to fall. This year’s National Convention will be in Kalamazoo, MI, June 15-18. If registering before 3/13/17, fee is $360 each; final registration due by 5/15/17 at $375/person. Club reimbursement has increased, now at $300, if delegate attends on chapter’s behalf. Kalamazoo is a 5.5 hour drive via Chicago. Please consider attending, and let Richard know if you’ll represent us.
B. Planning for officer elections this spring
Two-year officer elections are in March. Nominee committee of Peter Thiel, Chair, Walt Hedges and Jude Kuenn, discussed possible candidates over dinner. Paul Freiberg is moving to president (from VP), and Barbara Kelly has offered to continue as treasurer. Two open positions are vice president and secretary. If you haven’t been on the board yet, reflect on serving as a member.
C. David’s February talk is “Who’s Driving the Bus?” - New Business: none
- Announcements:
A. Mary Poulson – Noonhour Philosophers now meets at the First English Lutheran Church. Chris Shaw, head of Appleton Water Department, will speak Wednesday 1/18/17.
B. Jan Smith – Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass ‘Art After Dark’ will be Thursday 1/19/17, 5-7pm. January’s evening is themed “Steam Punk”. At 7pm upstairs, American Experience’s “Tesla” will be shown. 150-200 folks enjoyed December’s evening.
C. David Debbink – “Pecha Kucha 2017” will be Thursday 3/16/17 at Riverview Gardens, 6-8:30pm. Evening will have 10-12 speakers, each presenting 20 slides, talking 20 seconds to each image. It’s a great opportunity to ‘mine’ minds, and is a powerful and inspiring community. Event is a fundraiser is for Appleton Public Schools.
D. Trout Museum – Members’ Biennial Exhibition runs through 2/18/17. Peter Thiel has two watercolors on display.
E. Richard Schoenbohm – the movie, “Hidden Figures” is recommended.
F. Barbara Kelly – came home from Aurora St. Luke’s Hospital 1/11/17 and is doing well. Site link: www.caringbridge.org/visit/barbarakelly3. Site name: barbarakelly3. Starting at the bottom will recap what Barb went through earlier this month. Kelly’s don’t need food or visitors just now, and look forward to seeing everyone when Barb’s feeling better.
Business segment adjourned at 7:10pm for dinner.
Round Table Evening: 2-3 concise minutes about a book or movie, highlighting a line or an idea that influenced and/or affected you.
Paul – Papa Hemmingway by A.E. Hotchner takes the idea of ‘destroyed but not defeated’ as saying get strong when you’re broken. Of Hemmingway’s end, was it suicide or just giving up?
Jan - No Green Berries or Leaves, History of Performance Art, Blank Slate and a book on short stories are some of the reads currently being enjoyed and ruminated.
Jude – Hamilton by Ron Chernow is a ‘meaty’ read. Namaste is a single word most influencing. In Hindu, it means “I bow to the divine in you”.
Helen – shared her dad’s story about his mother’s ‘judgment chair’. The equivalent to today’s time-out, sitting in the chair was discipline until (wise) judgment was attained. It also helped Helen’s grandmother think on how to address poor behavior.
Peter – Our Ancestors Were German, spoke of the 6mm folks who immigrated to the United States. Milwaukee was a popular destination for Germans, of which Peter is a descendant.
Sofia – remembers “Elizabethtown” a 2005 movie as “the best place to find yourself”. It is gentle with comedy, romance, family interaction, and has good music. It’s life.
Karen – Between the World and Me, plus the movie “Hidden Figures” looks at the same situation Karen worked in. From the book Wicked, “And don't forget to tell him how wonderful he is, Wizards love that!” sounds appropriate for the incoming president.
Walt – Digital Computer Electronics reminds the author the reader is smart, and he/she needs to get out of the way.
Marcia – Kitchen Guide’s Wife reflects how different mother-daughter histories are; the Chinese American daughter caring for her mother who grew up in China and emigrated to the U.S. during WWII. Conclusion: understanding, space and acceptance.
David – career highlight was starting Valley New School. David remembers the catalyst to the school was The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher. “Children will follow a private drummer if you can’t get them into a uniformed marching band.”
Richard – The Iliad by Homer impressed Richard with the act of war: its duty, battles, deaths, honor, hate and pride; the futility of war, even with its moments of humanity.
Mary – Traveling with _________ professor and author David Klein wrote about aging. It’s not depressing, rather an energetic book that makes the reader feel good about the process. (Please accept the secretary’s apologies for missing book’s complete title.) Man of the World, the latest on Bill Clinton, covers what he has been doing since the White House. Clinton’s involvement with initiatives around the world, addressing diseases like AIDS and HIV, provide another side to the man.
Cam – The Power of the Myth by Joe Campbell confirms it’s OK to be skeptical. Ride the mystery and unlock a universe.
The evening adjourned at 9:05pm.