Buddy Line February, 2006
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The Newsletter of the Northern California Rainbow Divers (NCRD) Buddy Line February, 2006 Huge Diving for Life Success! Vote on March 16 Rainbow Divers to Donate $18,100 to Local Charities by Kelly Thiemann Northern California Rainbow Divers sent Now comes the other fun part: choosing Please consider sharing your 29 wild and crazy divers to the annual DFL which organizations to give our “hard favorite health-related local non- jamboree in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, in earned” money to! The list of past recipi- profit with your fellow members September, 2005. Diving for Life, now in its ents includes PAWS, the Women’s Cancer and possibly garnering a contribu- 14th year, annually gathers LGBT divers from Resource Center, Billy DeFrank Center tion of DFL funds to that worthy gay dive clubs around the world to dive, party, (youth AIDS education), and Breast Cancer cause. Every deserving group and raise funds for local health-related chari- Action. We ask you, as a member of the presented has much to gain! ties. The monies raised are allocated back to dive club, to consider nominating a group Nominated groups must be participating dive groups on a pro-rata basis. that you know and support. local 501(c)(3) organizations and As the second largest contingent in Curacao, NCRD will receive a record share of the proceeds: $18,100 out of the $81,320 raised. By the way, Rainbow Divers had an unforgettably fabulous time in Curacao, a Banner ©DFL, printed with permission. small island 60 miles off the coast of Vene- At our March 16th club meeting, nomi- zuela. One hundred and sixty-two LGBT nations will be accepted from NCRD mem- serve the health needs of lesbians divers (and a straight sister or two) took every bers and short presentations made either by and/or gay men. Somewhat room in the entire Habitat Curacao Resort for sponsoring members or by representatives smaller groups have attracted the a week of diving and frolicking. DFL raised of the nominated groups. After group repre- most support in past years, as funds during the week with a raffle, plus silent sentatives depart, the members present will Rainbow Divers tend to invest and live auctions, the latter featuring a variety decide whether to grant all the funds to one these funds to make a maximum of wildly popular kitsch and queermobilia that charity or to split it among several of the difference for our community. drew exorbitant bids from the enthusiastic groups discussed at the meeting. Voting is If you don’t nominate a group, crowd. Locally donated dive items from always tough, as these are all worthy groups please still come to vote! Let’s Bamboo Reef and Pinnacles Dive Center and small enough that any contribution celebrate giving something back were the big draw of the raffle, along with would make a significant impact on their to our community while having the ever-popular L.A. coroner beach towels. budgets and activities. fun times with our fellow divers! 2005 Annual Meeting and Election Results By Dennis Nix Our annual meetings are always dif- ner with wine, we got down to business. Prospective Board mem- ferent. In past years they've been at the Ralph Wolf chaired the meeting, review- bers talked about their plans San Francisco Zoo and the skating rink ing the accomplishments of 2005: a new for 2006 and were elected. in Embarcadero Center. This year, over logo; a new look for the newsletter; trips This new Board has a great twenty NCRD'rs met on December 8th at to St. Lucia, Monterey, the Channel Is- mix of talents and energy: the Asian Art Museum to tour the exhib- lands, Socorro Islands, and Diving for Kelly Thiemann, Ralph its, review the year's achievements, dis- Life in Curacao; and the distribution of Wolf, Gary Morgret, cuss plans for 2006 and elect the new 2004 DFL funds of over $10K to local Dennis Nix, David Zippin, Board. health agencies. Clearly it was a busy, and Feney Matthews. What After enjoying the museum’s world- productive, and fun year for the Board makes this Board unique is class collection and an Asian fusion din- and our club members. (Continued on page 2) Page 2 February, 2006 Northern California Rainbow Divers, Inc. Editor’s Log a California non-profit mutual benefit corporation by Karen Doby OFFICERS In December, I found myself on an I was shocked — not that he didn’t get it President, Feney Matthews airplane, winging my way home from but at my own lack of clarity and words to [email protected] a wonderful 11-day dive trip in Fiji. express just exactly what the appeal of diving Secretary, Gary Morgret Images floating non-stop in my mind, is to me. I’ve been thinking about this for a [email protected] the marvels of the previous 11 days while now, and I’m curious. Why does any- Treasurer, Ralph Wolf aboard the N’aia liveaboard kept re- one dive? A group of us were talking at din- [email protected] turning to me from truly one of the ner a while back and noticed amongst our- Board Member-At-Large, Dennis Nix most amazing dive adventures to be selves a tendency within diving couples for [email protected] found anywhere. The onboard natu- one person to be the more serious diver while Board Member-At-Large, Kelly Thiemann ralists, marine experts in their own their partner’s dive activities tend to be led [email protected] right, were in good company with the by the other. What makes a so-called hard- Board Member-At-Large, David Zippin passengers, largely volunteer staff and core diver tick? What drives us and calls us [email protected] marine biologists from the Monterey to ocean’s edge when too much time has VOLUNTEER STAFF passed since last we submerged? Bay Aquarium, making this one of the Classes Coordinator, Ralph Wolf most intricately informed, interest- This is the gauntlet I lay at your feet this [email protected] ingly recounted dive finds of a life- month. Reflect on it and if you can, tap into Dive Instructor, Maureen McEvoy time for six of us lucky LGBT divers. the feeling of it… Why do you dive? [email protected] The excitement exuded during our This is especially relevant in this month’s Dive Planner, Ralph Wolf [email protected] time in Fijian waters continued to issue of Buddy Line, as we reflect on the suc- work its magic as I couldn’t help but cess of this past September’s Diving For Diving For Life Liaison, Kelly Thiemann [email protected] smile at the memories. Never had I Life. Begun from inception with the notion felt more alive and thoroughly at Membership, Chris Whitney that diving can not only be fun but also raise [email protected] home as I had on this trip. money for charity, DFL has generated more Newsletter Editor, Karen Doby (Interim) My reveries were interrupted by funds this past year than in any other for Bay [email protected] Area non-profits. The articles from Peg the young man of 18 seated next to Programs, Peg Stone me, an exchange student from Aus- Stone and Michelle Clay amply demonstrate [email protected] tralia, who interestingly had nary a how much fun diving can be, while Kelly Software Development, Karen Casella thought of learning to dive. “What do Thiemann and Doug McGrath get us think- [email protected] you do down there?” he quizzed. My ing about which charities are most deserving Trip Coordinator, Ralph Wolf enthusiasm from the N’aia abounded of NCRD’s share of the DFL 2005 proceeds. [email protected] as I began to regale him with tales of We also highlight the results from this Trip Leaders - Roatan, Ralph Wolf, Larry Chow strange and exotic animals. He inter- past December’s election for a new Board as [email protected] rupted to blurt, “Really? That’s what recorded by Dennis Nix. Some bright, ener- Trip Leader - Thailand, David Zippin [email protected] you do? Look at animals?” He was getic folks are now on the line to bring you incredulous with unmistakable disbe- more of what you’d like to see in a dive club. Trip Leader - Wakatobi, Karen Doby [email protected] lief that anyone in their right mind Think about the kinds of events you’d like to Webmaster, Doug McGrath would care to spend time and money see, and drop these folks a line to help focus [email protected] looking at underwater marine life. their efforts on what’s important to you. http://www.rainbowdivers.org/ CLUB POLICIES NCRD Election... Great plans are already in place for Board meetings are held once a month and (Continued from page 1) 2006 and beyond. Karen Doby has or- are open to any member in good standing. If interested in attending, please contact any of ganized a trip to Wakatobi; Ralph Wolf the Board members listed above for location. that many of them have been on has planned monthly dives in Monterey, Membership dues are $35/year, $55/year for domestic partners at the same address, and the Board in years past, while and David Zippin is in the final stages of $20/year for a newsletter-only subscription to others are just getting involved organizing a 2007 liveaboard in Thailand addresses >150 miles from the SF Bay area. with the club. Other members and Burma. Classes are planned as are Advertising is available for $7/month to club members for a business card-size ad, or for volunteered to fill non-Board also some great meeting topics and social $10/month for non-club members.