Highlights of Oct. 9 Board Meeting
The CCA Board met virtually Oct. 9. The full minutes have been posted on the CCA website (Members Only > Documents > Meeting Minutes). Here are some highlights, from minutes taken by Secretary Jen Sass:
Present: David (Cotton) Cottingham (Chair), Jen Sass (Secretary), Ginny DeSeau, Marilyn Jones, Rolando Arrieta, Gary Steinberg, Tom Hackman, Hildy Ferraiolo, Ed Gertler, Gary Quam, Alf Cooley, Alan Gale, Risa Shimoda, Kathleen Sengstock, Barb Brown
Safety – Rolando
Rolo is forming an ad hoc safety subcommittee to discuss courses we might want to offer to CCA members in the Spring, including Swift Water Rescue and Wilderness First Aid, and which paddling schools we might want to partner with.
Rolo ordered 100 whistles to be distributed to CCA members. For the next batch, he will check in with Susan and Risa regarding the potential for whistles that are engraved with "CCA."
Rolo would like to organize some online zoom gatherings around paddling safety issues. For example, some topics could be paddling in cold water, and using knives on the river effectively and safely. This is a work in progress.
Alf and Rolo will partner together to offer trainings and tips for upcoming trip coordinators for the coming 2025 paddling season.
Outreach – Cotton for Risa
On Sept. 22, 19 of CCA's Sunday Paddlers were joined by 8 paddlers from Soul Trak on a trip on the GW Canal Loop. They ended with a picnic at Calleva's headquarters at Riley’s Lock. Lynn Miller did an amazing amount of work to help make it successful. CCA will pick up the cost, roughly $115.
Treasurer – Marilyn
For the year ending Sept. 30, Net Operating Income is $2,506.24, after a year with net income of $20,597.28 and total expenses of $18,091.04. Other Income from the Wells Fargo investment account was $2,880.83. Thus, CCA's Net Income (operating income plus other income) is $4,387.07.
Marilyn is doing a deep dive on how much money comes in from membership fees, and how much is spent on different programs and benefits that are available to members. To date, the membership fees cover the benefits provided. Everyone appreciates Marilyn taking the time and attention to be so thorough; this will be incredibly helpful to us moving forward as we make budget decisions.
Instruction – Gary S.
People who have volunteered to participate in an ad hoc group to discuss options for CCA instruction programs in 2025 are Lynn, Tom, Jen, Cotton, Risa, Rolo, Gary, Anna, and Mark. We also noted that it will be important to touch base with our trip leaders. One update is that Dean Hawes (Wednesday paddling coordinator) is interested in helping to organize some clinics for Wednesday and Sunday paddlers who have been boating Anglers to Lock 10 and the GW Canal Loop. Gary will be in touch with the ad hoc group soon. Any thoughts and suggestions about what we might do in 2025 are welcome at any time!
Trips – Gary and Ginny Q.
The trips continue to be impressively popular, well-attended, and much appreciated. Figures for 2024 ("participants" are attendees per trip, totaled):
- Weekend, 14 trips, 140 participants
- Sunday, 23 trips, 328 participants
- Thursday, 44 trips, 376 participants
- Pickup, 2 trips, 4 participants
- Wednesday, 7 trips, 56 participants
- Family, 0 trips, 0 participants
- Other, 4 trips, 21 participants
TOTAL, 94 trips, 925 participants
Conservation Committee - Kathleen and Dianne
The group voted unanimously to approve these donations for Calendar Year 2024:
Anacostia Watershed Society – $250
American Rivers – $250
American Whitewater – $250
West Virginia Rivers Coalition – $300
Alice Ferguson Foundation – $250
Goose Creek Association – $100
Potomac Riverkeeper Network – $300
Benscreek Canoe Club - $150
All amounts for these groups were the same as Calendar Year 2023 except Goose Creek ($250 in 2023).
Archives and History – Barb
Alf and Barb are collaborating on writing about the Petersburg (WV) Races, which the Club ran for 15 years in the 1960s and '70s. At its height 500 paddlers and thousands of spectators attended.
Executive Session
The Board agreed to go into executive session for a confidential discussion.
Next meeting: Wednesday, Dec. 18, virtual