[Zoom meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 10th using the internet link listed below.]
All SLAARC Members,
I have been looking into how to have our monthly meetings be in-person meetings. A number of members have voiced their desire for in-person meetings, and I agree whole heartedly. The question is, how can we do this and make it acceptable to as many of our members as possible. If you look at the Witches Hat, there is no way we can meet the current “social distancing” recommendations. There is just not enough room for the number of members we have traditionally had at many of our meetings.
A couple of months ago, John Haworth (NU8M) told a group of us at a Saturday Morning Breakfast that he had been at the Salem-South Lyon District Library recently. He described the meeting rooms they have available with a projector and screen, a computer, and a zoom meeting setup via a WiFi internet connection. I looked into that option the next week and discovered that from June 12th through September 11th the Library would not be open on Sundays. Additionally, their hours of operation are:
Monday through Thursday 10:00am – 7:00pm
Friday and Saturday from10:00am – 5:00pm
Sundays that they are open, the hours are from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
The library also requires us to request a room at least 30 days in advance.
Over the years we have had a number of discussions at meetings regarding the possible change of the day and or time of our meetings, but have always decided to keep our current schedule. Because of this fact, we decided NOT to look into utilizing the library’s meeting rooms any further. At that time, the “few weeks of lockdown due to Covid 19” had lasted for a year and a half, but it was looking promising that the lockdown would be rescinded in the near future. Well I guess that was being too optimistic, and we all have to learn to live with it for the foreseeable future.
I believe that now is the time to re-visit making some changes to where and when we have our monthly meetings. We have done our best with Zoom meetings, and they are very helpful for those members who cannot physically attend out meetings at the Witches hat, but I think most of us miss the interaction and comradery that actually takes place at a physical meeting once a month.
I believe that we should look at the times available at the Salem-South Lyon District Library and pick a Day and time to try it as our monthly meeting place. We will also be able to allow those members who do not want to meet in person, or those who cannot attend our in-person meetings access to the Library meetings vis Zoom; either Live or on the web at a later time as Jerry (K8GNG) provides the recordings now.
The SLAARC Board of Directors have discussed this issue via e-mail, and we all agree that the SLAARC needs to make some changes based on the above information. For a number of reasons, we all came to the conclusion independently that the best time for our meetings would be on a Saturday, beginning at 10:00 a.m. when the Library opens.
I therefore am announcing to the Membership at large; that the October 2021 Informational meeting will take place via Zoom meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 10th using the internet link listed below.
This meeting will be a discussion of this proposal; and to get feedback from the members as to how they would best like to see it implemented. For those of you who might want to check out the Library room and facilities in the meantime, the Library is open during the hours listed above, and the location is on the corner of Pontiac Road and 8 Mile Road.
Please contact us for the Zoom meeting information.
73,
Mike Sharpe – W8XH
SLAARC President
