Chamber Day 2006 - Open for Business!!!

[SoCalAngel]

humm. good question. i believe the sundiver but i will double check with that. it would be bad if i was on the wrong boat . so does that mean i will be on your boat? i promise to try my best to not look like a beginner! (i suddenly feel like one of my student pilots! as a flight instructor it is so funny to be the newbie)

Codyjp,

Are you and your buddy on the Sundiver or the Sundiver II? Since you're a new diver and since the Sundiver II is not well-known yet, I want to make sure you get to the correct boat!! (And maybe I want to know if a newbie is on our boat!)

Codyjp, Kelphelper doesn't mind if newbies are on the boat. She hasn't been diving long enough to have forgotten the butterfly in stomach feeling, yet. She has lots of experience, and like most of us, loves to help newer divers become more comfy with the sport.

BTW, I am on the Pacific Star and REALLY need a ride from OC to the boat and possibly back (still hoping someone can't make the din din so I can buy their spot. :blinking: ) I waited wayyyyy too long (obviously) to get both a boat spot and din din tix. I wanted to make sure I would be having a good day, before I spend that kind of moola, ya'll know?

 

[Chamber Day]

We're at $16,830 twelve hours before the official start of the day.

Many thanks to Robert Wagner for giving us a great final push with his $1000 donation today and Gloria Salick with a $500 donation.

There's still time for you to get involved. The website will still be live until 6PM Wednesday for donations to the Challenge (as well as spots on the Flying Dutchman). We've still got time to get you on the list.

So who's up to the Challenge? Who's going to help us in the final push? WHO'S LAST?????

CHAMBER CHALLENGE 2006 - $16,830 total
(Updated 5/2/06 @ 8:10PM - last updated 4/29)

Gold ($1,000 and up)
Robert Wagner
Drs. Ron & Sue Bangasser
Dive Vets
Sport Chalet
Michael Emmerman & Pat Stockhausen
Ocean Institute
Kendal Raine

Silver ($500-999)
Gloria Salick
Stacy Friedowitz (matching grant)
Horizon Charters
Jim Krasne
Whalers Dive Club
Karl Huggins

Bronze ($100-499)
Maria Carillo High School
Kevin Quaid
Jonathan Kehr
Malibu Divers
Hal Frankl
Jeff Hunter
Walker Berwick
Barnacle Busters
Ann McCourt
Lisa Mercier
Richard Gayou - Sea Bass
Aqua Adventures
Michael Madden
Cheryl Tinney
Aggressor Fleet
Sea Divers
Indianvalleyscuba.com
Mark Lacaillade
Diving Charters, Inc. - Sand Dollar
Craig Oberlin
Frank O'Donnell
Burbank Dive Club
Chris Rybak
Conoco-Phillips (matching grant)
Michael & Alice Reedy
Elaine Jobin
Robert & Laura Mosqueda
JP Pylkkanen & Mary-Lou Quinn
SoBay Jim
Tina & Alberto Mantovani
Jeff Lichtenstein
Jerry Nickelsburg
Scott Cox
Diver.net
Gary Romanik
Jeff Mandel
Susy Horowitz
Tessa Alburn
Michael Gallagher
Debbie & Derek Karimoto
Michael Swinney
Frank O'Donnell
Ocean Adventures

Other (less than $100)
Kathryn Cody
Lee & Rebecca Jackrel
Deborah Butt
Karen Cleveland
Sachiko Ewald-Streit
Walt Schob


Ken Kurtis
Chairman, Chamber Day/Eve 2006
www.chamberday.org

 

[Chamber Day]

We had really hoped against hope to get 100 of you to sign up for the Flying Dutchman. Right now (Tuesday night, 8:35PM) we are at . . .

92!!!!!!!!!!

Come on!!!!! Can we entice EIGHT more of you to sign up for the Dutchman? You get a unqiue commemorative t-shirt AND a Dutchman poster (all available by the end of May).

Sign up through this link:

http://www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/SCA/events/event_order.cgi?tmpl=events&event=2030270

Come and join the Lost Crew of the Flying Dutchman. ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

 

[Diver_Jan]

I'm on the Dutchman..........anyone want to sail with me?????????

 

[Codyjp]

Codyjp, Kelphelper doesn't mind if newbies are on the boat. She hasn't been diving long enough to have forgotten the butterfly in stomach feeling, yet. She has lots of experience, and like most of us, loves to help newer divers become more comfy with the sport.

BTW, I am on the Pacific Star and REALLY need a ride from OC to the boat and possibly back (still hoping someone can't make the din din so I can buy their spot. :blinking: ) I waited wayyyyy too long (obviously) to get both a boat spot and din din tix. I wanted to make sure I would be having a good day, before I spend that kind of moola, ya'll know?

your right, Debbie was really great to have around. she is quite friendly, even after i tried (well did) hook my rig up to her sisters tank. oops... i'm gonna bring her a paint pen next time to prevent idiots and newbies like me from stealing tanks!! my bad! I mean, it was big and looked good.

 

[Chamber Day]

Well, we're still reeling from the whole thing. Exhaustion and exhilaration are an interesting combination.

Many thanks to all in the diving community who kicked in to make this a record-setting year. Our official total last night was $100,021. Unofficially, I can also tell you that Billy Wright (my biz partner and co-chair) tells me he thinks we may have not tallied some of the merchandise sold last night in our figures, so we're hoping the number goes even higher.

Thanks again to all and we'll give you more info and post pictures as the dust settles.

Ken Kurtis
Chairman, Chamber Day/Eve 2006

 

[Chamber Day]

In going over last night's numbers, it appears that we didn't add things up correctly. We hope you all understand how hectic the evening is for us and how tough it is to reconcile all the figures while at the same time we have all the turmoil of the raffle, the video projection, etc., etc. And sometimes in the heat of things, mistakes are made.

Last night was one of those times.

The simple fact is that, even though it was checked twice, when the figures were added up, we must have mis-added. We reported our final total as $100,021. That was wrong.

It should have been $102,427. (Admit it, you thought we were going to confess to undercounting, didn't you?)

:

The fact of the matter is that we were even more successful than we had hoped. Our tally numbers from last night actually added up to $100,927. Add in the last-minute $1500 from Michael Kane, and you've got a grand total of $102,427.

But even that's not fully accurate.

Karl Huggins and I sat down this afternoon to go over the numbers without the burden of sleep deprivation and exhaustion. We found (as we do each year) that there were a couple of numbers we have written down incorrectly (to the good) and a couple of items that didn't get added in to our announced total.

So the total we should have announced last night correctly should have been $101,876. Add in Michael's $1500 and we now sit with a grand total of $103,376.

Simply put - beyond our wildest dreams.

So thank you all very much for making the event such a success and for stepping up to support your Chamber. We hope you all had a good time in addiiton to geting a good feeling for helping out. We'll do a final audit and publish those figures most likely in a month or so.

And be sure to mark Wednesday, May 2, 2007, on your calendar for the 20th anniversary edition of Chamber Day.

Ken Kurtis
Chairman, Chamber Day/Eve 2006

 

[Karl Huggins]

WOW! What can I say? The support from the diving community for Chamber Day 2006 was nothing short of incredible! For the last few years the goal of $100,000 was a pie-in-the-sky mark that we had, and this year our updated initial estimate of $ $103,376 surpassed that goal. These funds help to ensure that the Chamber will maintain its ability to be here to help the divers who are in need. We are in the process of completing the bookkeeping for Chamber Day and should have the final Chamber Day 2006 figures by the end of the month.

We want to thank everyone who helped us achieve this great success; all the divers, shops, clubs, publications, manufacturers, and organizations. Without your help Chamber Day could not succeed. Special thanks go to the owners and operators of the thirteen Southern California Dive Boats (Aquatica, Bottom Scratcher, Cee Ray, Great Escape, Island Time, Magician, Mr. C, Pacific Star, Psalty V, Sea Bass, Second Stage, and Sundiver, and Sundiver II). Without their help Chamber Day on Catalina would be impossible.

Thanks also to the top level Chamber Challenge Donors. Our Gold Level ($1,000 - $4,999) Chamber Challenge Donors; Kendal Raine III; Mike, Pat, & T.J. Emmerman; Ocean Institute; Sport Chalet; Dive Vets; Drs. Ron & Sue Bangasser; Robert Wagner; and Michael Kane. At the Platinum Level ($5,000 - $9,999) a bittersweet appreciation to everyone who contributed to the Leon Slavin Memorial Fund, raising $8,275.

In particular I want to thank everyone on the Chamber Day Committee, especially Chairman Ken Kurtis, for making this event come together. The following people give of their time and energy in exchange for dinners of mediocre pizza, soft drinks & tea, chocolate, and the occasional can of Pringles:
Ken Kurtis – Chairman, Billy Wright - Co-chair & raffle prize procurer, Committee members: Rusty Berry, Clara Galvan, Steve Ladd, Jerry Nickelsburg, Annette Rocha, Derek Smith, Mark Tulin, and Tom Wetzel. We are always looking for people who are interested in getting involved, joining the Chamber Day Committee, and coming up with ways to keep thing fresh. If you are interested in helping out next year just let us know.

Praise also goes to Ken Niles, who once again outdid himself with the wonderful Chamber Day, Chamber Evening, and Flying Dutchman artwork. We have had quite a few requests to do a tile mural with the Flying Dutchman art (there will be a separate post on that subject).

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the Aquarium of the Pacific and all the volunteers from the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber Crew and the Aquarium of the Pacific who helped out throughout the day. They made for the smoothest running Chamber Day I have ever seen.

Thank you all very much.

Karl E. Huggins
Program Manager – USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber

 

[Mo2vation]

I had the best time this year on Cha Day. I couldn't make the evening soiree, but I sure had a great time with my good friends on the Pac Star.

Everyone should know - I had ordered some tiles from the Chamber Day website back in early April as a surprise for a friend. Having not received them, I sent in an eMail the evening day before Chamber Day to the USC site to inquire about them. I was very surprised when I received a note back immediately that night from Karl. Long story short: he personally shagged them down for me so I'd have them in time for a very memorable presentation on the boat.

I can't thank Karl enough for his personal attention to this detail. Its this focused and committed leadership that clearly rubs off on all of the people involved in the event. Its my 4th year in a row being a part of the event, and I'm confident I'll be back for many, many more.

A personal thanks to Karl for your assistance, and high fives and big hurrahs for all you do between these events. Thanks for caring.

---
Ken