Meeting Minutes
Torch Club of the Fox Valley
19 January 2023
Torchmark
Notes taken by: Sue Bennett, Secretary
Attendees: Sue Bennett, Nancy Bodway, Paul Freiberg, Walt Hedges, Bill Kelly, Barb Kelly, Kris Stahl, Peter Thiel, Scott Vaiitchka, Donna Weis, Bert Wiegand
Virtual attendee: Jan Mirenda Smith
Guest: Lindsay Kaminski
Virtual guest: Sofia Wilson
BUSINESS MEETING was called to order by President Paul at 6:03 p.m.
Minutes of the December Meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s report was approved as reported with a balance of $2,809.72 after receipts of $142.00 for member meals, $255.00 for member dues and disbursements of $176.00 to Touchmark for meals, $215.76 for club website cost.
Barb reminded Paul to submit a bill for the new sound equipment he purchased for the club.
Business: Paul introduced Bill & Barb’s guest, Lindsay Kaminski.
We are still in need of a paper presenter for May.
Kris and Sue have agreed to be the nominating committee. Paul reviewed the duties of each officer. A notification of nominees has to be sent ten days before the March 16th meeting. If any member is interested in serving as an officer, please contact Kris or Sue.
New Business: Paul spoke about the passing of our dear member, Mary Flanagan, and asked members to share memories of her with the group. Mary was an avid traveler, a great friend and certainly an asset to our club. She will be missed. Bill will contact the Neenah Library about donating several books in Mary’s memory. Bill also handed out information on the Celebration of Life for Mary that will be held Saturday, February 25th at Kessler-Fahrenkrug Funeral Home in Neenah from 9:00 -11:00 am, followed by a Prayer Blessing. A lunch will be held at the Bridgewood Resort Hotel in Neenah from noon – 3:00 pm.
Sue brought up the possibility of hosting an informational open house (mock meeting) for Touchmark residents, as a new member recruitment activity. She suggested that we have a sign up at the open house for those who are interested and then invite them to attend a meeting. Barb pointed out that we would also like to recruit some younger members. Our guest, Lindsay, stated that she a member of the Mid Day Women’s Alliance and that it might be possible to do a recruiting event in conjunction with their recruiting event. It was also suggested that we reach out to the universities in the area as well. Nancy Bodway and Peter Thiel offered to help Sue with Touchmark contacts regarding the use of one of their common rooms for a recruitment function and posting information about it on their Activities Board.
Business meeting was adjourned at 6:28.
Presentation: Walt Hedges, The Real Cost of the Electric Car
Technology is a series of patches on the real problem of providing energy to our society. Each patch does not elevate the problem but in turn causes different side effects with which society must deal. Horse power with all its problems was replaced with the internal combustion engine which caused a different set of problems. Now we are about to implement the patch of electrification which will not cure our need for energy but will give us a different set of side effects to contend with.
The current move toward electric cars is caused by the push to rid large population areas of particulate fossil fuel pollution which kills 1 in 5 people. The electric car is an ideal tool to assist this shift.
The problem however is electrification will put a huge demand on the electric grid which currently uses about 61% fossil fuels to generate power. This 61% would need to be replaced by nuclear or renewables. The grid power will need to be expanded by 4 to 5 times if full electrification is expected by 2050. This would go along with a complete overhaul of the grid infrastructure up to each household. These changes will most likely cause both political and social upheaval, which will be the real cost of the electrification patch.
A series of graphs and diagrams is also included on the website as a pdf of a PowerPoint presentation.