Kee-Notes

Weekly Newsletter of the Kiwanis Club of Bethesda, Maryland

Serving the Community Since 1945

Meeting Date: September 10, 2009

Pat Tiede opened the meeting, Scott Brewer led the Pledge and we sang our traditional song.  It was great to see some members returning after a few weeks-- Scott Brewer, Robby Brewer, John Walker, and  Dick Ruprecht.  Our guest speaker Mark Scott was introduced.

Announcements:

• September 14-Monday- District Council Meeting (DCM) - Leisure World - 6:30 pm

• September 17-Thursday-Olney Club Dinner, Montgomery Country Club - 6:30 pm

• September 21-Monday-Foundation Meeting - Hunter's Inn 6:30 pm -Miracle League Meeting to follow

• September 25-Friday-36TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT - Bretton Woods Golf Course - Lunch 12 noon,   Tee-Off  1:00 pm,

• Dinner & Silent Auction 6:30 pm

• September 30- DUES ARE DUE.  Please bring check to a meeting or mail to Treasurer Boswell.

Pat Tiede announced that our club won the District award for Best Newsletter among 170 or so entries. The award will be given at the Mid-Winter Conference.  Thanks to Pat for all her work on the newsletter and the website- she is also the secretary for the Foundation as well as the Miracle League.

Happy Dollars:

Dick Ruprecht HD for his team Pittsburg Steelers who should win the football game tonight, also HD for the Stanley Cup which will come to Washington next year-- not the trophy but the champion's Pittsburg Penguins.  John Ratnavale HD glad to be back from bout of hip pain.  Bob Gradle HD for Pat Tiede's hard work. Scott Brewer HD for Pat who filled in today for John Ratnavale who arrived just in time to eat and give a happy dollar.  Bob Cressy HD for Pat, and also for his Jaguar Club^** where he had 2 Jag's as winners.  Pat Tiede  HD for our speaker, Mark Scott, HD for Gary Boswell who works hard as our Treasurer as well as the Treasurer of the Foundation.

Speaker:

Robby Brewer introduced our speaker Mark S. Scott. A long-time member of Rotary, he is a native of Bethesda and has a degree in engineering. He has been a builder for several decades and recently decided to work as an energy auditor of homes. His company will come out to your home and using infra red video cameras pinpoint areas in the house where air leakage is occurring.  Contrary to advertisements from the window manufacturers only about 10% of heat loss from homes comes from windows. About 30% comes from floors, ceilings and walls that are not caulked or insulated properly.

New homes have strict codes for energy efficiency but new homes are only 1% of the total homes. Mark finds that many homes need better insulation--primarily in the attic.  Another source of air leakage is from fireplaces and ducts from furnaces/water heaters, etc. Another common air leakage area is the top of window or door frames. He has been watching painters for years and they caulk up one side of the frames and then the other side but not the top of the frame. This is another cheap and quick way to save energy. He also recommends (CFL) compact fluorescent light bulbs and pointed out that a 42" plasma TV used more energy than a refrigerator.  A very informative talk.

Secretary Pat Tiede asks guest speaker Mark Scott to draw

                  the 50/50 winning number.

 Watch for more special Features in coming newsletters!

^** Occasionally, it can be interesting to highlight a member’s ‘outside’ interest.  Bob Cressy has been a member of the National Capital Jaguar Owners Club, a car club with over 250 members, for many years.  There are probably over 400 Jaguars of various models and vintages owned by members. They just had their 2009 Concourse in Reston Town Center where cars compete for the honor of ‘best in class’ based on originality, condition and cleanliness vs. other Jags of the same model and vintage.  The scores can be as close as 1,000^th of a point with 100 being perfect.  Competition is intense, colorful and fun.   Bob entered two Jaguars and  each came in second in their classes.  The red convertible is a 1990 Jaguar XJS V-12 with just over 36,000 miles.  It was judged in the “Driven Class” (8A), which means all but the engine (that’s under the ‘bonnet’) and trunk (that’s the ‘boot’, in England) were inspected.  The other car is a Slate Gray Metallic 2005 Jaguar XK-8 which was judged in the Champion Class (16A).  The engine is cotton swab clean with just over 21,000 miles.  Both are considered classics.

Bob Gradle won the 50/50 and returned it to the club.

George Patterson, Editor