Oak Creek Swim Club Newsletter

January 2007


HAPPY BIRTHDAY OAK CREEK!

 

This summer marks the 40th birthday of Oak Creek Swim Club!

 

The Club was incorporated in 1966 and opened in the summer of 1968. 

 

We’ll be doing several things to help celebrate this milestone, starting with a look back at the world our first members lived in – 1968.

 

1968 was a big year for the Beatles with Magical Mystery Tour, Hey Jude and the White Album.  Elvis received a gold record for “How Great Thou Art”.  The Fifth Dimension won record of the year for “Up, Up and Away”.  The Rolling Stones released “Jumping Jack Flash”, and Simon and Garfunkel released “Mrs. Robinson”.  The top country song was Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by your Man”.

 

In the sports world, the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl and The Ohio State University was preparing to play against Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson and USC in the Rose Bowl for the National Championship.  The Cincinnati Bengals inagural season was 1968.  The average salary of a baseball player was $20,000 as the Detroit Tigers won the World Series. 


Technology took leaps ahead in 1968 with the first heart transplant, the introduction of the 911 emergency telephone system, oil was discovered in Alaska, Intel was founded in what became the Silicon Valley, Boeing rolled out the first 747, Apollo 8 orbited the Moon, and H-P introduced the first programmable hand-calculator.

 

What were people watching on TV?  How about the premiers of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, Hawaii 5-0. the Mod Squad, and 60 Minutes.  Moms waiting for the pool to open could have watched the first Sesame Street shows.

 

The Oak Creek lifeguards might have benefited from the minimum wage increase to $1.60 an hour.   The average price of a home was $24,500.  A gallon of gas cost $0.34 and a gallon of milk cost $1.31.  A new car retailed for $2,500.  Average income per year was $7,800. 


Key cultural icons were born in 1968.  The first Big Mac was sold (for .49 cents), the first SUV was the launch of the Chevy Blazer, and Roy Jacuzzi invented the first whirlpool bath

 

On a national level, 1968 was one of the most difficult years in our nation’s history.  It was the height of the Vietnam War, including the Tet Offensive, My Lai, and Khe Sahn.  Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated.  Lyndon Johnson was president and his decision not to seek re-election helped usher in the Richard Nixon era.  

 

Locally, Wright State held its first commencement.  Phil Donahue started his first TV talk show on WDTN, John Jakes was writing pulp fiction from his home in Kettering, and Erma Bombeck was a columnist for the K-O Times and Dayton Journal-Herald.

 

People celebrating their 40th birthday this year, along with Oak Creek, include Mary Lou Retton, Lisa Marie Presley, Sammy Sosa, Halle Berry, Will Smith and Dayton’s own Chad Lowe.

 

Congress established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May – creating the three day weekend that we now enjoy as Opening Weekend for OCSC.  Mark it on your calendar and stay tuned for more on our 40th birthday!


Chuck Havener

Oak Creek Swim Club President  

 

 

 

THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

 

Happy New Year and only 130 days until Opening Night!

 

Let me call your attention to several things in this newsletter.  First, this is Oak Creek's 40th birthday and we will be doing a variety of things over the next newsletters and during the pool season to celebrate it!  Second, we have two Board positions we are asking you to vote on.  John Steiner and I have completed a three year term and are both willing to stay on for one, last three year term.  Please return your completed ballots.  Third, please review Mark Whisman's detailed report on the state of the Club and its finances.  We remain fortunate to have Mark and his staff keeping us again as the best Swim Club in the area!  If you have kids looking for summer jobs, now is the time to contact Mark.  Fourth, if you have swim team kids, take note of the first of several updates from Jenn Fullenkamp. Fifth, I regret to share that Cathy Siewe will not be returning to teach group tennis lessons this summer.  She has been a fixture on our courts for longer than most of us have been members and we will miss her!  I know that my kids always loved her lessons!  We are looking for alternatives to offer group lessons.  Contact me if you have any ideas. Sixth, you'll note that we have increased dues for this year by 3%.  There are three reasons for this increase. It is in line with our general cost increases, we anticipate higher fuel bills in 2008, and we took on some extensive renovations last year that dipped into our savings - which we need to replenish. 

 

Finally, many of you know that the City of Kettering recently received a major grant to upgrade Pondview Park over the next few years.  Their plans are fabulous - nature trails, handicap access, and other improvements.  The City approached us initially about an easement across the western edge of our property to facilitate park access.   The Board has agreed to some guiding principles in our negotiations with the city.  We are operating according to the direction in our bylaws to  promote the health and general welfare of our members through the operation of the Club.  If, in doing so, we can be good neighbors to the homeowners around us and to the City, we will act accordingly.  Any benefit to the City from an easement will have a corresponding benefit to our Club or we will not grant it.  We expect those discussions to conclude over the next month and will report on them in more detail in our next newsletter.   If you have questions about this or anything else, please feel free to contact me at chavener@aol.com.

 

Happy 40th Birthday Oak Creek Swim Club!

 

GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT

 

The pool has received 2 fresh coats of epoxy paint, the motor and pump have been serviced, and 3 new lifeguard chairs are ordered and will be ready for opening day!!  These three items alone cost over $15,000 and are included as 2007 expenses. 

 

We had problems last season with the blowing the large 100 amp fuses in our main power line & fuses in a smaller fused sub-panel supplying power to our vacuum motor/pump, both will be replaced with breaker disconnects prior to opening day which completes our electrical upgrade project for the facility.  (Need an electrician, call Aaron from Advantage Electric, he has responded immediately to our urgent repair needs & deserves a plug!)

 

We hope to order some new chaise lounges (125.00 each!) as opening draws closer, but will delay that purchase until we see how many stocks are added to the sell list.  Likewise, the front wooden fence at the entrance & the front office countertop are also on my radar for replacing if funds are available. 

 

Several trees near the back of our property may need removed, Ackerman Tree service has handled our tree trimming needs in recent years, and we will be guided by their professional opinion in determining a plan of attack.

 

Mark Whisman

Oak Creek Swim Club G.M.  

 

Membership

 

2007 Temporary members 1 thru 33 have been offered the opportunity to purchase stock.  As stocks become available, letters will be sent to Temps 34 and above as stocks become available, you will have 2 weeks to decide to purchase before we go to the next person.  If you decide against purchasing stock, you’re family info is deleted from our records and you’ll not be permitted a second year Temporary membership for the 2008 season.

 

2007 Temporary members that are not offered the opportunity to purchase stock prior to May ’08 will be permitted a second year Temporary membership.  They will be placed in numerical order based on your 2007 membership purchase date to stay in correct “seniority” order.

 

Anyone wishing to sell his or her stock should e-mail markwhisman@sbcglobal.net.

 

Employment

 

Most of our 2007 Staff will be returning, however anyone desiring to work at the pool for the 2008 season should e-mail Mark.  Include date of birth, grade level, and a list of experience if applicable.  The minimum age for snack bar jobs is 14 years old as of June 1, 2008.

 

MEMEBERSHIP DUES

 

Dues for the 2008 season are $315.65 (295 dues plus 20.65 sales tax) and must be post marked no later than May 1, 2008.  Dues post marked after May 1st are $335.65 ($20.00 late fee), checks not including the late fee will be returned. 

 

Temporary membership dues are $337.05 (315 dues plus 22.05 sales tax).  Temporary members from 2007 must purchase a full membership (when offered) to be members in 2008. 

 

Please send your dues, along with a note about any family changes to:

 

Oak Creek Swim Club, Inc.

P.O. Box 292233

Kettering, Ohio   45429

 

 

SWIM TEAM

 

First, I would like to say a huge Thank You to all the parents who helped make

the 2007 season a huge success!

 

If you're looking to get your swimmer in the water prior to the start of the season, the South YMCA (at Marshall & David) offers a pre-team swim program. The sessions are four weeks and you can start any time. The goal of pre-team is for summer swimmers to work on stroke technique, starts/turns and build endurance. There are two groups of swimmers,

6&U and 7&older. Practice is Mondays 6:30-7:30 pm and Fridays 7:15-8:15 pm.

Contact Jenn Fullenkamp if you would like additional information.

 

The cost for the 2008 season will be $40 per swimmer, with an $80 family cap.

 

Suits & caps* will only be available for purchase at the pool on May 21 & 22 ONLY, from 6:00-7:30 pm. Suits will NOT be available on Opening Night. If you are not available to purchase your suit(s) on those nights, please contact Jenn Fullenkamp to make other arrangements. After May 22, suits can be ordered through The Finals, at the discounted OCSC price + shipping. 

*The suit style has not changed from 2007. Caps will also be for sale on Opening Night

and at practices until we sell out of them. 

 

We are looking into OCSC T-shirts/sweatshirts, which would be available for pre-order.

More details to come.

 

Additional information on coaches, practices, meets and parent volunteers will be provided

in the next newsletter.

 

Jenn Fullencamp

Oak Creek Swim Club V.P.  

 

OAK CREEK BOARD

 

2007 was an outstanding year at OCSC.  The Annual Steak dinner was a huge success, over 100 people enjoyed this fantastic menu, many thanks to Ed Bush!  We added a new event, Mid-School Madness, championed by Diane Conroy and her committee!  What a riot, this one will surely return in 2008.  I can't wait for the 2008 season begin!  With all our usual events and some new ones, I hope to make this the best Social year yet!  I'm always looking for new ideas so please feel free to contact me with your ideas!  Also, if you'd like to champion an event please let me know, as I can really use your assistance!

 

Happy New Year!

 

George Speidel

Oak Creek Swim Club Vice President  

 

There is one administrative task that the pool membership needs to do to set the 2008 Oak Creek Board.  Chuck Havener and John Steiner have both been members of the OCSC board for three (3) years.  They both wish to continue to serve in their respective capacities in 2008.  Based on our current bylaws the pool members must vote to allow both Chuck Havener and John Steiner a fourth consecutive year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assuming that the members vote to allow Chuck and John to serve for a fourth year, your 2008 Oak Creek Board membership will include the following:

 

Chuck Havener – President (must vote in)

George Speidel – 1st VP/Social
Jenn Fullenkamp – 2nd VP/Swim team
John Steiner – Treasurer (must vote in)
Lee Hilty – Secretary

 

Please complete the following voting ballot and mail it by February 15th to:

 

Oak Creek Swim Club, Inc.

P.O. Box 292233

Kettering, Ohio   45429

 

Lee Hilty

Oak Creek Swim Club Secretary