January 6th, 2025 Minutes

Shamokin Area High School Alumni Association

Winter Meeting Minutes

January 6th, 2025

 

The Winter Business Meeting was held at Grace Lutheran Church - Shamokin, PA.

 

About 19 members were in attendance.  Zoom was available for the meeting.

 

President Ann Henniger Watts ’78 called the business meeting to order at 6pm.

 

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT:  Todd Hockenbroch’s ’97 report was unavailable.

 

SECRETARY’S REPORT:  Minutes from the October 7th 2024 meeting were posted on the website for review.  The minutes were approved.  All were in favor.

 

Nichole Bills Beasley ’03 is interested in taking over the secretary position.  Thank you, Nichole!

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:  Greg Dwulet ’68 was unable to attend the meeting.  He reported the following balances via an email to John Clutcher ‘74:

General account = $10,465.48

Educational account = $28,676.02

 

COMMUNICATIONS:  Nothing to report.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

Banquet:  Bonny Klinger ’68 reported we are set for the banquet on Saturday May 24th 2025 at Masser’s Catering of Paxinos – Banquet Hall.  Details on how to attend and the cost will be in our spring newsletter.  Bonny reported the cost will remain the same, $25.00 per person.  The only change from last year’s menu is coleslaw instead of salad.  Menu - Coleslaw, Fried Chicken, Pork Chops, Corn, Mashed Potatoes, Filling, Dessert, Coffee, and Tea.

 

Bruce Clutcher ’72 provided a revised document on the Banquet Registration Policy and Procedures.  In October he conducted a couple of conference calls with Matt Weller ’91 and Deseree Bielski McCabe ’04 from the SAHS guidance office to firm up the process.  Matt joined us on the Zoom conference call for the meeting.  Some clergy may be compensated if being asked to help and they do not have a student directly involved.  Bruce will update the documentation with some minor changes and will have it reposted to the alumni website under our policy and procedure section.

 

Note – The document on the Banquet Registration Policy and Procedures is available on the website.  See "Banquet Registration Policy and Procedures" under Policy and Procedures.

 

Jamie Hoffman Brodell ’75 reported she will continue to order flowers for the banquet, which go to the outgoing President.  Billing will go directly to our treasurer Greg Dwulet ’68.

 

Afterglow:  No discussion at this time.

 

Entertainment:  Mary Anne Brennan Stump ’00 will discuss the student entertainment for the banquet night with choral director, Joe Dudeck.

 

Invitations/Newsletters:  Madison Blackwell '17 (Newsletter Chairperson) has a February 14th deadline for contributors to submit items to her for the initial first draft.

 

Madison will be unable to continue working on the newsletter after this year.  Marshall Buggy ’19 was on the Zoom call and graciously accepted the invitation to help with this process.

 

Note - A document on the newsletter publication process is available on the website which describes what the committee uses to create, publish, and mail.  See "SAHS Alumni Association - Newsletter Responsibilities" under Policy and Procedures.

 

Program:  Mary Anne Pitorak Miller ’74 will provide more details at the April 7th meeting.

 

Auditing:  Nothing to report.

 

Awards:  Scholarship/Award information will be available following the February meeting of the Education Fund.

 

Note - A document on the awards program is available on the website which describes the process.  See "SAHS Alumni Association Scholastic Awards Program Procedural Document" under Policy and Procedures.

 

By-Laws:  We do have an opening on this committee.

 

Class Representatives:  Jeff Clutcher '78 had nothing to report.

 

Educational Fund:  Scholarship/Award information will be available following the February meeting of the Education Fund.

 

Memorabilia:  Jeff Clutcher '78 had nothing to report.

 

Nominations:  We are in the need for a female VP for the 2025 banquet business meeting.

 

Publicity:  Amy Henninger Rachau '83 reported The Community Calendar of the News-Item listed this meeting for several weeks.

 

Website:  Ashley Miller Yeager '03 took over the duties of the webpage and Facebook for the alumni association.  Awesome progress on adding members and using new ideas.  One recent idea is to have a “Smaller Alumni Experience” hosting regional gatherings.  Thanks Ashley!

 

You can check out the website using the following path:

 

http://www.indians.k12.pa.us/alumni

 

Webpage report reflects Facebook entry for the alumni association created in the fall 2014.  Current membership is at 1,258 (up from 477 at the October 7th 2024 meeting).

 

Facebook Group for Shamokin Area High School Alumni Association

https://www.facebook.com/groups/539207516138422/

 

OLD BUSINESS:

Follow-up from the fall meeting – Erik Anderson ’97 to discuss with our treasurer Greg Dwulet ’68 the possibility of using electronic payment processing for the alumni association.

 

Follow-up from the fall meeting – Amy Henninger Rachu ’83 is the point person to review getting two banners – one for the stadium and the other for the gym from the alumni association.  $600 was approved.  Creation of an Alumni Association Logo is being investigated.  Amy will be reaching out to the high school art teacher and possibly a student contest with a $100 award.  Details TBD but hope to review at our next alumni meeting on April 7th 2025.

 

NEW BUSINESS: 

Erik Anderson ’97 to see if we can display The Coal Bucket for the Alumni Banquet.

 

COMMENTS:

Spring Meeting - Monday April 7th 2025 – Grace Lutheran Church – 6pm.

A Zoom call will be used for all meetings going forward if a technology resource is available.

 

With no further business, Charlie Wayne ’77 and Mary Anne Pitorak Miller ’74 made a motion to close the meeting.  All approved.  The meeting was adjourned around 7:05pm.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

John Clutcher ’74 and Mary Anne Pitorak Miller ‘74

Acting Secretaries