MINUTES FOR RETIREES’ CLUB MEETING MARCH 12, 2013
The Retirees’ Club met in Room 102B of the Maverick Activity Center (MAC) on Tuesday, March 12, 2013. A meet and greet with coffee and pastries was held from 10am to 11am.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
President Frank Gault called the meeting to order at 11am. He welcomed several first time attendees. He also announced that Wanda Slinkard agreed to be the games coordinator for the next meeting. Josie O’Quinn announced two nominees for the vacant officer positions: Larry Barcroft - Vice-President for Membership and Bob Wegner – Vice-President for Programs. Bob would like volunteers for a program committee to help suggest and plan the programs. Frank also asked for nominations for the Elwood Preiss Award to be presented at the June dinner. The club has not given this award for community service for several years so Frank suggested giving two awards. Contact Frank if you want to nominate a candidate.
Frank asked Harley Courtney to list the remaining meetings and to introduce today’s speaker. April 9th, College of Business Professor Jim Quick will speak on stress management; May 14th Dr. Christopher Ray and Jim Biggam from Kinesiology will present a program on aging; June 8th will be the dinner honoring new retirees sponsored by the President’s Office ; and June 11 will be the benefits meeting presented by HR to discuss coming changes.
PROGRAM
Harley Courtney introduced Gailon Hardin, 2009 President of the Native Plant Society of Texas. Ms. Hardin’s program was titled “Texas Sustainable Landscaping”. She is a native Texan with three dogs named after native plants. Her children feel lucky to have escaped that naming convention. Her power point presentation detailed how native plants support the ecosystem, help conserve water and preserve biodiversity (the ways plants and animals interact). She was instrumental in creating landscaping with all native plants at the Granbury Road Sub-Courthouse and her own yard is eco-friendly. She suggests replacing lawns and alien plants with all native plants to create and preserve biodiversity. The whole animal, plant and food chain depend on biodiversity. She named many native plants and showed pictures as well as siting several web sites (www.wildflower.org and www.txnativeplants.org ). She suggested several books such as Bringing Nature Home by Dr. Douglas Tallamy; Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas by George Oxford Miller; as well as nature books by Matt Turner.
Frank adjourned the meet at 12:15pm.
Submitted by Rosanne Minyard, Secretary