Mensa Logo
Tallahassee Mensa - MenTally Online
Tallahassee Mensa Home Page
About Mensa
Calendar of Events
MensaSpeak-Glossary and Acronyms
Join Mensa
Local Officers
Newsletters
Services Available
Resources Available
Gifted Kids
Fun Stuff
Tallahassee's Capital Building
 

Tallahassee Area Mensa Executive Committee

Local Secretary
Robin Preston
locsec@tallahassee.us.mensa.org

Deputy Local Secretary
Doug Klotter
AsstLocSec@tallahassee.us.mensa.org

Treasurer
Ike Samples
treasurer@tallahassee.us.mensa.org

Appointed Positions

Editor
Acting Editor - Robin Preston
editor@tallahassee.us.mensa.org

Not an officer, just the local webmaster:
Robin Preston
webmaster@tallahassee.us.mensa.org

Minutes for Tallahassee Mensa Executive Committee meeting. Feb 21, 2024

The meeting was held at the 4 Rivers Smokehouse, in attendance were Robin Preston, Local Secretary; Doug Klotter, Vice-Secretary; and Ike Samples, Treasurer. There were also several members present.

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. The election results were discussed and Don Swaby, the election supervisor, provided the ballots to be maintained in the group's archives for the requisite period. Locations were selected for upcoming dinner gatherings. Doug agreed to be the point person for the April dinner as Robin will be unable to attend. The treasury was discussed, and Ike advised that with the increase in postage and the number of members who still receive the print version instead of the electronic version of the newsletter, we are just breaking even with our income from National. Discussion followed on ways to encourage members to switch to the electronic newsletter. The pending dues increase was briefly discussed and how it might impact the local groups if more members drop out due to the higher dues and the fact that anyone renewing after March 31 will have to pay the higher price. There being no further business before the board and the attendees wanting to get to the food, the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m.

Minutes for Tallahassee Mensa Executive Committee meeting. Feb 15, 2023

The meeting began at 6:45 PM. The location was at the Carrabba's Italian Grill in Tallahassee, Florida. Present were Robin Preston (Local Secretary), Douglas Klotter (Deputy Local Secretary) and Ike Samples (Treasurer). Also present were two other local members, Kathie and Joseph, along with an out-of-town member, Grant, and three guests, Stephanie, Melanie and Ray. Nice group.

The first order of business was the treasurer's report, the treasury is healthy. The next order of business was planning for future events. The monthly dinner gathers, the PIG*SIG, has been the backbone of the social connections in our group. We have managed to keep this particular tradition going throughout decades, even during the pandemic. Some dinners have been virtual, a few have been sparsely attended, and a very few have been missed. But they do still continue!

As for the next series of events, it was proposed that there be a quick one this month, even though it was too late to publish it in the MenTally. There will be a somewhat informal gathering at the MagLab to attend their yearly Open House on February 25 at 11:00 a.m. Showing the current activities of high magnetism studies at the lab is well worth the time.

Spring in town brings several opportunities. For March, first, we have a trip to the Tallahassee Museum. They have quite a collection of animals and many special exhibits. This is scheduled for March 11 at 11:00am. Next is the PigSig at the Persis Indian Grill on March 15, at 6:30.

Moving to April, we have the LeMoyne Art in the Park event. This is a 2-day event showcasing many artists, of numerous styles, in the downtown chain of parks. We will have an informal gathering on Saturday, April 15, in that we will gather at a pre-designated location and time, and then shop till we drop! (artistically). The Flying High Circus, a massive acrobatic event unique to our town, tentatively set for April 21, at 7 pm. The PigSig will be on April 19 at the Osaka Grill at 6:30. This will be a sponsored event, please give Robin an email to confirm your attendance.

In May, we are considering another trek around Leon Sinks, which is finally open after years of "refurbishing". May 6th, 11:00 am. Also, there is a possible Boat Ride at Wakulla Springs on May 13. Details forthcoming. On to June, the plan is to have another ExComm meeting at the PigSig on June 21. Stay tuned! Another activity brought up is the possibility of a Publix Cooking School event. The previous ones went well. This will be researched and coordinated locally and will depend on individual tastes and schedules.

Dinner arrived, so the meeting was adjourned at 7:09 PM, Eastern Standard Time, February 15, 2023.

Respectfully Submitted, Douglas Klotter.

Minutes for Tallahassee Mensa Executive Committee meeting. Jan 19, 2022.

The ExCom meeting was held in person for the first time since the pandemic began. Yay! The location was the Tallahassee Osaka restaurant.
This was held in conjunction with a group-sponsored dinner.
The officers in attendance were LocSec, Robin Preston; Deputy LocSec Douglas Klotter; and Treasurer, Ike Samples.
This was more of an informal meeting, just to get the ExCom meeting back into gear. Ike will submit a more detailed analysis of the treasury in the future.
The major item was the approval of an Ombudsman, Patrick Cruz. He has asked to join in our little ExCom group and has volunteered for this office.

Best of luck, Patrick!

It was also noted that Carolyn Stimel is bowing out from Proctoring the testing for the local group. If anyone is interested in being our Proctor, please let us know.

The meeting was adjourned rather quickly as the first course appeared.

(Apologies from this author. It was kind of a rushed meeting. Will do better next time.)

On another note, the Movie Night was the next Sat, Jan 29. The movie was Caddy Shack. A good classic and loads of laughs. Popcorn and conversation flowed freely.

Hope to see you at our future events.

Respectfully submitted, D. Klotter

Mensa minutes for the January 11, 2020 Ex Com meeting. Tallahassee Florida, 1:00 pm

Location, D. Klotter's house.

Attending: Robin Preston, Local Secretary. Douglas Klotter, Deputy Loc. Sec. Ike Samples, Treasurer. Grant Logan, Member. Also we had the honor of having Thomas Thomas, our Regional Director.

Meeting started at 1PM.

First order of business is the official notification of the election results. The Executive committee was again voted back into office. We have decided to keep the same positions as before.

There has been an interest from one of our members to take on the position of Ombudsman. Chris Ciborowski has asked that we consider his willingness to volunteer, and it was agreed to consider his request. Unfortunately, he was unable to attend the meeting, so while we certainly appreciate his desire, we thought it best to wait till we can meet with him for further discussions. See you at the next meeting (or earlier), Chris.

Treasurers Report: First, no worries. The same as always: Input and output are about the same. Ike's work on getting the books together is greatly appreciated. The year ending amount in 2018 was $6,360.90, while for 2019 it is $6,347.96. Expenses are the usual printing and mailing costs. One big expense recently was the Escape Room event, for $247, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. A discussion was held regarding the money received from National for various items.

The webmaster noted that the website was up and running with no problems. Yea! She also requested that anyone who takes photos for local Mensa events might consider sending them to her. Something to add to the site!

Regional Director input: Thomas would like to remind all that there are other Mensa-wide and local events that our membership would find interesting. Culture Quest is coming up, and many Floridians participate. Teams gather and at the appointed time and, as a group, answer questions about our culture with some trivia thrown in. At the conclusion of the allotted time, the responses are sent to National who reviews them all and declares the winning team. Something to consider! (https://www.us.mensa.org/attend/culturequest/) Look it over and let us know. Tragic Kingdom (Central Florida) has won for a number of years.

Another item from Thomas is the discussion about Social Media. He would recommend that members be more connected through this type of medium and noted the various ways that this can be done. Mensa itself has Mensa Connect, Facebook, and other pages, and he would like to see more of a Tallahassee presence. So please feel free to join in. [Loc Sec Note: Tallahassee Area Mensa has a Facebook page that is purely informational and directs people to our web site. Over the years there has been no interest shown in having a Facebook presence where someone is willing to be the moderator, if that has changed, please let me know and I'll modify the page's settings so we can have discussions – but we would have to have a moderator first. We are also set up on Mensa Connects - the online discussion forum that is part of the National web site. It has been mentioned several times since it was set up. Feel free to head over there if you are interested in starting discussions, posting events, connecting with other Mensans, or whatever. We do not currently have pages on Twitter or Instagram or any of the other myriad social media platforms. If someone would like to volunteer to be our social media person and set those things up and moderate them, please contact me.]

Now what you have all been waiting for! The Calendar of Events!

February:
2/8 Maclay Garden walk. This time we are going to try the Overstreet Lake loop. Should be interesting.
2/15 6pm. Valentine Day's party at Ike Sample's place. More details forthcoming.
2/19 Pig Sig, Persis Indian Grill. www.persisindiangrill.com.
2/29 Movie Time. D. Klotter's place. Again it's a Pick a Flick event. Bring a favorite and we will vote.

March:
3/8 Frank Lloyd Wright Spring House, preceded by lunch at Azu's. Combination event to have lunch together then head over to see the Spring House. Details to be worked out.
3/18 PigSig. Back to Willie Jewels. This was fun last year, and its hoped it will be fun again!
3/28 Move. This time back to Robin's place. Pick a Flick again.

April:
4/4 Putt putt golf. This was enjoyed by everyone last time and should be again! See you at the Fun Station.
4/4 Ex Com meeting. Sorry for having both the same day, but that's how it works out sometimes.
4/15 Pig Sig at Osaka's.
4/25 Movie at Robin's.

The details of the events may change, so check your emails and the website.

That's about it. Have a Happy New Year!

Respectfully Submitted, Douglas Klotter. 1/23/2020.

Mensa minutes for the Oct 12, 2019 Ex Com meeting. Tallahassee Florida, 1:00 PM EDT
Location: Klotter Residence, Tallahassee, FL
Present: Robin Preston, Douglas Klotter*, Grant Logan.

Greetings to all who read these messages. My profuse apologies for the delay, but it has been a weird autumn.

Ike Samples, our new treasurer, was only there in spirit, but rest assured Tallahassee Mensa funds are still stable. Our funds from National are less than what we spend on mailings and events.

The rest of the meeting dealt with the events to be scheduled for the next few months. Rather than go into the discussion details, here are the resulting items. Most are on Saturday. Note that many of these items have already occurred so I will be referring to them in the past.

Nov 9. Heritage Trail Park. This went well, as this is a nice walk at any time. Unfortunately it was rather short as none of the people were up for one of our longer walks. I would still recommend the location.

Nov 16 was our first visit to the North Florida Fair. The food was enjoyable, and the pig races were quite exciting, especially for those new to the concept of galloping porcine. No pigs were injured.

Nov 20 Pig Sig at Ruby Tuesdays. A tradition here. Good food good times.

Nov 23 Movie night, with the latest Harry Potter. Deathly Hallows 1.

Dec 7: Putt putt golf, at the Fun Station on Sharer Road. 11:00 am. This went off quite well. Weather was mixed, but the group had a great time. I may be mistaken, but it appears that each of us got at least one hole in one. Although, each member also hit the maximum of strokes. One thing you can always say about Mensans: we are always inconsistent!

December 10: Dorothy B Oven Park Holiday Lights. Every year this Park puts on a great display of lights and other festive things. Even if you don't make the Mensa event, I would recommend this. Grant Logan will be coordinating this one. Thanks, Grant.

Dec 18: Pig Sit at Azu Lucy Ho's. 6:30 as always. Back to a Wednesday. Nice restaurant. Hope to see you there.

Dec 28: Movie night. At Robin's again. 9757 Mahan Drive. Last of the Harry Potter films, HP & the Deathly Hallows. As always suggestions for new movies or series are requested.

Jan 11: ExCom meeting. 752 Red Fern Rd. All are invited to participate and suggest new ideas.

Jan 15: Pig Sig at Olive Garden. A favorite of this group, they usually have a great set of items on the menu. (A personal request is that you notify us if you are planning to attend so that we can get a good seat count estimate. Thanks)

Jan 25: Movie Event, Different Location. Bring a Flick and then We'll Pick! This month the movie will be at Doug Klotter's home. Rather than begin another series or saga, each person is invited to bring a movie they think would be fun to watch and those in attendance will select which film to watch - hence the title of the event. We will gather at 752 Red Fern Road, Tallahassee, call 850-491-3952 if you need directions or have any questions.

That was about it. Respectively submitted, Douglas Klotter. Deputy Local Secretary

Hope to see you soon!

*Tigger Klotter was also present, but did not participate in discussions.

Mensa minutes for the July Ex Com meeting. Tallahassee Florida
July 13, 2019. Ex Com meeting. 1:00 PM EDT
Location: Klotter Residence, Tallahassee, FL

Present: Robin Preston, Douglas Klotter*, Grant Logan.

Greetings to all who read these messages. My profuse apologies for the delay, but it has been an eventful summer.

The first order of business is to note the resignation of Tinker Lammert from the position of treasurer. She is experiencing ill health and decided to relinquish these tasks. We all hope for the best for her and would like to express our gratitude and admiration for all the time and effort she has put into our local Mensa group. Our thoughts and prayers (and nondenominational good wishes) go out to you and hope for the best.

By unanimous vote Ike Samples has graciously agreed to take over the position for now. We do hope he will not get scared off and will continue to assist us.

Due to aforementioned illness, there is no official treasurer report, but given the state of the group and the fact we don't spend more than we get, the total is pretty much the same as before. Same ol', same ol'.

On a happier note, we were informed that Tallahassee Mensa received a Ruby Award at the last Mensa AG. Congratulations to all, especially our fearless leader, Robin! Yea!

The rest of the meeting dealt with the events to be scheduled for the next few months. Rather than go into the discussion details, here are the resulting items.

August:
Sat: 10th: Escape Room! This will be a sponsored event, but they always need a head count. Details will be in the emails shortly before. These are great!
Wed 21st: Pig Sig at El Patron. Great Mexican food.
Sat 31st: Movie Night. 3 PM. Another in the Harry Potter Series. If you have suggestion for new movies, let us know.

September:
Sat, 7: Museum of Florida History. While we have been there before, they change exhibits from time to time. And its free!
Sat 14: Pool Party at Ike and Stephanie Samples house. Great thanks for opening their house & pool to our motley crew.
Wed 18th: 6:30pm, The Other Seineyard Seafood Restaurant. Great seafood at reasonable prices. This is the one in Tallahassee, near lake Ella. (Not the one out in Crawfordville.. Woodville.. whatever. ?? )
Sat 28st: Movie Night. 3 PM. Another in the Harry Potter Series. If you have suggestion for new movies, let us know.

October
Sat 5th: Putt-Putt Gulf at Fun Station. A new thing for us. A sponsored event, meaning a game for a member and a guest are on us!
Sat 12th: Ex-Com meeting. At the Klotter Estate again. While this is mostly for the officers, any Mensan's are free to attend. (No smoking indoors, and I have a cat*.)
Now this is a biggie. For the first time ever, we are having our Pig Sig on a Thursday! (another sign of the Apocalypse!)
THURSDAY, 17th: PigSig at Riccardos. They have German Thursday Nights! Extra items on the menu. We have heard about these for years and finally decided to try it. Note, they can get crowded at times, so please let us know if you can if you plan to attend.
Sat 26st: Movie Night. 3 PM. Another in the Harry Potter Series. If you have suggestion for new movies, let us know.

That was about it. Respectively submitted, Douglas Klotter. Deputy Local Secretary

Hope to see you soon!

*Tigger Klotter was also present, but did not participate in discussions.

Mensa Minutes for Tallahassee Area Mensa.
April 13, 2019, 1PM
Location: Private Residence, Tallahassee, Florida

Present: Robin Preston, Local Secretary
Douglas Klotter, Deputy Local Secretary (reporting)
Grant Logan, Member.

In general, this was a brief meeting with the primary purpose of deciding on the times and locations of events over the next three months.

First, the treasurer's report was noted. Unfortunately, our beloved treasurer, Tinker, is having some medical issues that prevented her from attending. Our best wishes for recovery and wellbeing, Tinker. (Subsequent note: For health reasons, Tinker has submitted her resignation. We will miss you, Tinker. Another member has stated a willingness to take over this task, which will likely be confirmed at the next Ex-Com meeting.) ** Anyone from Mensa National reading this will be pleased to know that our LocSec is a former treasurer and was able to put together the forms necessary for National. **

The important financial thing to note is that there is enough money from National to cover the expenses, so you may now breathe a sigh of relief.

Robin has successfully kept the MenTally website up and running. Again, many thanks!

Choosing dates and locations for the group meetings (outings, Pig Sig, etc.) took up the next batch of time. While details can be subject to change as circumstances require, this is the projected list of upcoming events. Time and location specifics will be in the MenTally and on the website. To our out-of-town readers, you may notice that there are fewer events than last season. In Tallahassee, summer gets kind of quiet with the extra heat, humidity and hurricanes. (Three in the last three years! Can we keep up the streak? Hope not.)

May
5/04: Derby Party. D. Klotter's place. 4-8 pm (ish).
5/15 PIG*SIG from 6:30 - whenever. This month we will go to Willie Jewells BBQ, 5442 Thomasville Road #6,
5/18, Saturday, Movie night. Next in the Harry Potter series. 3:00 p.m. at 9757 Mahan Drive.
(A little light in May due to conflicting schedules.)

June
6/8. *Wakulla Springs! A sojourn down to the boats at Wakulla Springs. Details later but will likely try for an early boat to avoid the heat. Say about 9am or so.
6/ 15, Saturday, we will have a Solstice and Birthday Party from 1:00 p.m. - whenever. This will happen at 9757 Mahan Drive.
6/19 Wednesday we will enjoy the monthly PIG*SIG at Masa, 1650 N Monroe St, Tallahassee
6/29, Saturday. Movie night. Next in the Harry Potter series. 3:00 p.m. at 9757 Mahan Drive.

July
7/6, *Saturday. Escape room. Details depend on choice of escape room location and program. This is a Mensa sponsored event, but please call/email with reservations.
7/13. Saturday brings the next ExComm Meeting from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., 752 Red Fern Rd, Tallahassee, 850-491-3952.
7/17 Wednesday we will enjoy the monthly PIG*SIG. Osaka, 1690 Raymond Diehl Rd, Tallahassee, 850-531-0222.
7/27, Saturday. Movie night. Next in the Harry Potter series. 3:00 p.m. 9757 Mahan Drive.

* Is a Mensa Sponsored Event.

That was about it for the meeting. Feel free to attend future ExCom's.

Respectfully Submitted
D. A. Klotter

Mensa Minutes for Tallahassee Mensa.
January 12, 2019, 1PM
Location: Private Residence, Tallahassee, Florida

Present: Robin Preston, Local Secretary
Douglas Klotter, Deputy Local Secretary (reporting)
Grant Logan, Member
Absent: J.A. "Tinker" Lammert

In general, this was a brief meeting with the primary purpose of deciding on the times and locations of events over the next three months.

First, the treasurer's report was noted. The important thing to note is that there is enough money from National to cover the expenses, so you may now breathe a sigh of relief. The most resent balance is $6,360.90. Thank you Tinker! (J.A. Lammert, Treasurer).

Second Robin has successfully kept the MenTally website up and running. Thanks!

Choosing dates and locations for the group meetings (outings, PigSig, etc.) took up the next batch of time. While details can be subject to change as circumstances require, this is the projected list of upcoming events. Time and location specifics will be in the MenTally and on the website.

February
2/02: Mensa Movie time. 3:00pm
2/14: Tallahassee Museum. Valentine's Day special.
2/20: Pig Sig at The Wharf. Bannerman Crossing location. 3439 Bannerman Rd. 6:30pm
2/23: Mag Lab, 11:00 AM in main lobby of main building.

March
3/02: St. George Chili Cookoff. Meet at Best Buy parking for carpool
3/10: Lewis Spring House, Frank Lloyd Wright "museum"
3/20: Pig Sig at Red Robin on Apalachee Parkway. 6:30pm
3/30: Mensa Movie time. 4:00pm

April
4/06 Group sponsored Wakulla Springs boat ride. Details later. Weather dependent
4/13: ExCom meeting. D. Klotter's place. 1:00 PM
4/17: PigSig, Lucilla 1241 E Lafayette St
4/27: Chain of Parks Art festival. Downtown Tallahassee. (Large event. We tentatively plan to meet at NW corner of Calhoun and E. Park Avenue at 11:00am.)
4/27: Mensa Movie time. 4:00pm

May
5/04: Derby Party. D. Klotter's place. 4-8 pm (ish).

There are two other events of interest in Tallahassee over the next 3 months, that should be noted. No official Mensa activity, but I personally recommend and hope to see you there.
3/30: Springtime Tallahassee Parade, 10:30am
4/27-28: Chain of Parks Art festival. Downtown Tallahassee. 10a-5p

That was about it for the meeting. Feel free to attend future ExCom's.

Respectfully Submitted

D. A. Klotter

Mensa Minutes for Tallahassee Mensa.
April 14, 2018, 1PM
Location: Village Inn, 1225 E Park Ave, Tallahassee, Florida

Present: Robin Preston, Local Secretary
Douglas Klotter, Deputy Local Secretary (reporting)
J.A. "Tinker" Lammert, Treasurer
Grant Logan, Mensa Member.
Thomas George Thomas, RVC
Pat Wickman, local member.

After welcoming our visiting RVC, Thomas Thomas, and in accordance with tradition, we had lunch first.

The Meeting was called to order (insert restaurant pun here) at 2:10.

Tinker Lammert passed out copies of the treasurers' report, and the details were approved. Thank you Tinker. As of this meeting, the local treasury has $6,229. Our expenses are for the publishing of the MenTally.

The next item open to discussion was the local events over the next few months. Here are the results:
April 21, 11am: Le Moyne Art in the Park. Meet at corner of Calhoun and Park.
May 12: McClay Garden. Meet near visitor center.
May 16: Pig Sig, Sakura Japanese Sushi & Grill.
May 19: Movie night. Robin's Roost. Mel Brooks. (Mel Brooks movies will continue for several months)
June 2: Florida State Museum (the one downtown)
June 20: China Buffett
June 30: Movie Night
July 14: ExcCom meeting, Village Inn (same location)
July 18: Pig Sig, Red Lobster (on N. Monroe) [subsequently changed to Sweet Pea for some lighter fare in the July heat]
July 28: Movie Night

On the topic of Pig Sig locations, there was a comment that we have been spending too much time at the same places. The response is that anyone is free to suggest and recommend alternatives. If any members wish to make suggestions, they should do so. (Personal note: If you do recommend a place, make sure that they can handle a group of up to 12 people or so. We never know how many will show.)

This was the end of what we normally do at ExCom meetings.

At this point, our RVC, Thomas Tomas (TT) was invited to let us know what is going on in the Regional and National Mensa, as well as comment on our local group.

Our current membership is 76, about the same as before.

Our bylaws have not been updated since 2009, and he recommended that we update soon so as to be in line with various changes in the national bylaws. (Nothing earth shattering. Mostly detailed items.)

Our previous attempt at revision was attempted a few years ago, but National did not accept some of the details. No further attempt was made and the revisions did not take effect. There is some talk of taking up this again and revising the bylaws accordingly.

TT had a comment about the local bylaws, in that we require that the newsletter editor be a member of the local group. This lead to a rather spirited discussion regarding the identity of the editor. While nothing was resolved, this topic will be addressed in the future. There may need to be a change in the bylaws or other alternatives. Items to note is that the LocSec defaults to editor if the current editor resigns, and the ExCom is responsible for choosing the editor.

TT then commented on the general local meetings that he has attended and had some comments regarding our group. One such idea is to expand the use of social media within Tallahassee Mensa. It was noted that few seem to want this locally, but it will be considered.

** Question from Minutes Man (me) to the members of Tallahassee Mensa: Do you want more social media use locally? If so, let the ExCom know. Please feel free to volunteer your services to monitor said usage. ;)

The next question put the ExCom board members by the RVC: "Are you happy?" There were mixed responses. (He should have asked right after desert.)

Thomas also let us know that he plans to run again for our RVC. I wish him well.

The meeting ended around 3:30. The restaurant was much quieter then.

Respectfully Submitted

Douglas Klotter

Mensa Minutes for Tallahassee Area Mensa
January 20, 2018, 1PM
Location: Village Inn, 1225 E Park Ave, Tallahassee, Florida

Present: Robin Preston, Local Secretary
Douglas Klotter, Deputy Local Secretary (reporting)
J.A. "Tinker" Lammert, Treasurer
Grant Logan, Member
Anonymous, Newsletter Editor

In accordance with tradition, we had lunch first. This may have been a mistake as I started to doze off near the end. The food was quite enjoyable, although there was an excess of pancakes.

As this is the first meeting after elections, the ExComm chose the responsibilities of the slate of elected members. Results are listed above. Congrats to all.

Choosing dates and locations for the group meetings (outings, PigSig, etc.) took up the next batch of time. While details can be subject to change as circumstances require, this is the projected list of upcoming events.

2/10 LeMoyne Art gallery
2/21 Pig Sig, Little Italy
2/24 Movie Night Matrix II
3/3 Tallahassee Museum (Jr. Museum)
3/21 Pig Sig Red Robin
3/31 Movie Night. Matrix III
4/7 Mc Clay Gardens
4/18 Pig Sig (no location yet)
4/14 ExCom meeting
4/28 Movie Night Details TBD.

A new group sponsored event was discussed. This is the Escape Room. There are details to be worked out, but should be in mid March (3/10?). Sounds like fun! RSVP required!

G. Logan next had the floor to discuss the postal marking details, with regards to the newsletter postings. There are several requirements between Mensa National and the Post Office that drive what goes on the newsletters. For those who would care to know more of the particulars, I suggest that you contact the newsletter editor directly. I'm not.

Tinker then gave us a summary of the treasury, the details of which can be acquired as needed. The bottom line is that our current account amount is $6415.90. Yea!

There were more detailed discussions, but I am keeping the minutes short. Hope you enjoyed them.

Respectfully (ish) Submitted
D. A. Klotter
Deputy Local Secretary
Tallahassee Mensa
Feb 15, 2018

Addendum: Subsequent to the meeting, we have received a request from the Region 10 coordinator, Thomas Thomas. Yes, that is his real name. He is interested in our local group having an active FaceBook page. This would mean daily updates, postings, etc. The current consensus of the ExCom is (briefly) that a FB page would not be of great benefit at this time, but that the topic will be revisited at the next ExComm meeting.
D.A. Klotter

Minutes of the Tallahassee Area Mensa ExComm
10/14/2017
In attendance:
M. Robin Preston
J.A. "Tinker" Lammert
Grant Logan
Doug Klotter

Pat Wickman was unable to attend.

The meeting was called to order.

Tinker made sure everyone had received the treasury report and gave a copy to Doug. There was some discussion regarding the challenges of the online bill pay and the inexplicable delay of some of the payments to the post office being processed by the bank.

The timing of the November movie event was discussed. Due to the numerous holidays in Thanksgiving, it was agreed to move the November movie event to Saturday, December 9, with a wish for everyone to enjoy the November holidays.

It was suggested on Saturday, December 2, we meet at the fountain on Kleman Plaza outside the elevators at 3 in the afternoon to enjoy the annual Festival of Lights. We will meet at 3 and enjoy the festival and those who wish to can stay for the parade. The idea was agreed upon and the event was added to the calendar.

The November PIG*SIG is set for Ruby Tuesday on November 15.
December PIG*SIG is set for Longhorn Steakhouse on December 20.

Discussion followed about the group outing to St. Marks in November. It was agreed we would meet at 11 at the parking lot by the lighthouse. The event is set for November 4, which is the weekend after the Butterfly Festival, but there should still be lots of butterflies, migratory and winter resident birds, and the beautiful hiking trails to enjoy in the fall weather. Walking shoes and binoculars are recommended.

Discussion then turned to January events which will include a group outing to McClay Gardens on January 6; the PIG*SIG on January 17, the next ExComm meeting on January 20 (which will be the first meeting of the new Executive Committee), and the movie event on January 27.

A general reminder was made about the election and everyone was encouraged to vote. Robin expressed her gratitude to Pat for serving over the past two years in spite of numerous challenges she was facing in her life, and appreciation for those who are stepping up to serve or continuing to serve in any capacity. The group depends on volunteers to keep functioning and she wanted everyone to know how much she appreciates their willingness to help.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
M. Robin Preston, standing in for Pat Wickman

Tallahassee Area Mensa ExComm Meeting
August 12, 2017, Village Inn Restaurant

The meeting was called to order at 1:22 PM. Present were Robin Preston, LocSec; and Patricia Wickman, Asst. LocSec/Secretary.

Old Business.

The Minutes of the previous ExComm Meeting having been distributed digitally and accepted, they were approved

The Minutes of the previous Treasurer's Report having been distributed digitally and accepted, they were approved

The LocSec reported that the TAM Field Trip to the Marianna Caverns was a successful and enjoyable day. Nine members turned out to view the beautiful natural formation and to share a lunch before returning to Tallahassee. The consensus was that this should be an annual event.

New Business.
TAM has been notified by National that we have been given an award for the second year in a row. This year, it was a Jewel Award, Class V, Ruby Level (for groups with fewer than 100 members), honoring the quality and quantity of activities and accomplishments for members of TAM. The award was made at the 2017 American Mensa Annual Meeting held in Hollywood, FL earlier this year. TASM thanks its very active LocSec, Treasurer, and Anonymous Editor for their excellent work on behalf of all of us.

Dates for forthcoming events on the TAM calendar were set as follows. Please consult the official Calendar in the newsletter to confirm details.
Movie Night: Saturdays, August 19 and September 30, 2017
PigSIG: Wednesdays, August 16 and September 20, 2017
Special Event: Saturday, September 9, 2017 a visit to The Challenger Learning Center for either a Planetarium Show or an IMAX movie.
ExComm Meeting: Saturday, October 14, 2018
Mark your calendars and come on out and join us for these events.
Let's earn another award!

No other business being put forward, the meeting was adjourned by a Motion and Second from Pat Wickman, at 1:40 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Patricia R. Wickman, Ph.D.
Asst LocSec/Secretary

TAM ExComm Minutes, 4/8/2017

The Meeting took place at the Village Inn on Apalachee Parkway on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Those present were: Robin Preston, Patricia R. Wickman, Tinker Lammert, and Grant Logan. The meeting was called to order at 2:15 PM.

Item. Previous minutes having been reviewed and accepted, no further discussion was necessary.

Item: Treasurer Tinker Lammert reported that the Treasurer's Report recently has been circulated online and will be published here in the MenTally newsletter as well. The balance is healthy and the account balances.

Ongoing Business

Item: Treasurer Lammert reported that we have been notified by National that we have won a reward of $500.00 in the annual "Plus One" Testing drawing, based on our increase in the number of persons tested this year. LocSec Robin Preston commented that requests for testing remain steady.

Item: Grant Logan requested and received monies for a renewed supply of stamps.

Item: The May PigSIG will take place on May 17th, the third Wednesday of the month, as usual. See the Calendar for details on this and other great upcoming events.

New Business

Item: A discussion ensued concerning the problems currently being experienced by local groups, which have been occasioned by the disarray inside National headquarters. The personnel turnover is only one source of the problem. A change in computer systems seems to have been implemented so poorly that reports are not generated on time, the reports are insufficient, responses to problems and requests are not forthcoming, and the situation has been unnecessarily prolonged. Treasurer Lammert was so disheartened by the problems that she commented that, were she not a Life Member, she would give serious consideration to quitting. The situation seems particularly egregious, and TAM will continue to urge National to straighten out the situation before Mensa's reputation for intellect is damaged.

Item: A plan was discussed and accepted to have a TAM outing to beautiful Wakulla Springs State Park, that will include a boat ride and refreshments furnished by TAM. The event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 10th, beginning at 1:00 PM Details will be announced in the newsletter. All members are welcome.

Item: The next ExComm Meeting will take place on Saturday, July 15, 2017, at the Village Inn on Apalachee Parkway, at 1:00 PM. The meeting is open to all members and we look forward to seeing you all there.

Item: There being no further items, a Motion to adjourn was made at 2:45 PM by Tinker Lammert and seconded by Pat Wickman, and the Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted,
Patricia R. Wickman

Minutes of the Tallahassee Area ExComm Meeting, January 21, 2017

The meeting was called to order at 1:10. Present were Grant Logan, Carolyn Stimel, and Robin Preston, J.A. "Tinker" Lammert was not present due to illness.

Grant advised that the newsletter for national needs to be mailed separately by first class mail to avoid the additional charges of having a third tray at the post office for that single newsletter. He requested that he be reimbursed for the purchase of stamps for the editor to use for those types of needs. The request was approved.

The post office form had been sent to Robin, and she provided it to Grant. Discussion followed on the challenges of getting the labels for mailing the newsletter and the new method of delivering the monthly reports online. Carolyn noted she had not received any prospect lists for a while, and Robin explained the new process of going onto the national site to obtain the reports.

It was confirmed everyone had received the treasurer's report and all was well there.

The location of the dinner gathering in February was confirmed to be Seineyard in Woodville.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted by Robin Preston, standing in for Pat Wickman.

Tallahassee Area Mensa RxComm Meeting
October 29, 2016, Village Inn Restaurant

The meeting was called to order at 1:22 PM. Present were Robin Preston, LocSec; Patricia Wickman, Asst. :LocSec/Secretary; J.A. Lammert, Treasurer; and Grant Logan.

Old Business.

  • The Minutes of the previous ExComm Meeting having been distributed digitally and accepted, they were approved
  • The Teasurer's Report for the Third Quarter of 2016 having been published in the newsletter, no changes were required, and the Report was accepted.

New Business.

  • Secty Pat Wickman invited Mensans to join her on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016 at Railroad Square at 5:00 PM, where the Tallahassee Film Society would be showing the new documentary, Alligator Wrestler, on the life of James E. Billie, Chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Dr. Wickman, one of the interviewees in the film, would be available for Q&A afterwards.
  • The standard of testing that national Mensa uses to qualify prospective members will change on Nov. 1, 2016. The formerly used MAT will be replaced by the RAIT. If you or anyone you know has been tested before and failed to pass, you are now eligible to re-test using the new standard.
  • Dates for forthcoming events on the TAM calendar were set as follows. Please consult the official Calendar in the newsletter to confirm details.
    Movie Night: Dec. 17, 2016
    PigSIG, Wed, Dec, 21, 2016
    Special Event: Dec. 12, 2016.
    ExComm Meeting: Jan. 21, 2017

No other business being put forward, the meeting was adjourned by a Motion from Tinker Lammert and a Second from Pat Wickman, at 1:40 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Patricia R. Wickman, Ph.D.
Asst LocSec/Secretary

Minutes of the July 23, 2016 ExComm Meeting

In attendance were Robin Preston, J.A. "Tinker" Lammert, Grant Logan, and Thomas Thomas - Region 10 Regional Vice Chair
Absent was Pat Wickman due to illness

The meeting was delayed getting started due to not knowing if Pat would be able to attend or not, and the late arrival of Thomas Thomas. It was confirmed that a quorum was present as we had 2 of the 3 ExComm officers, so the meeting was able to proceed.

Meeting was called to order at 1:30 p.m. In the absence of the Deputy LocSec, Robin took the minutes.

Grant introduced Thomas Thomas to Tinker and Robin.

The second quarter treasurer's report was reviewed, all is well with the treasury.

Dates, times, and locations were set for the August and September group outings and events, with the Capital Museum downtown on 8/6 beginning at 10; the PIG*SIG at Red Robin on 8/17 at 6:30; and the Bond Double Feature on 8/27 beginning at 3.

Due to the upcoming Labor Day Weekend, it was agreed to move the September group outing to the second Saturday of the month. The outing was set for the Goodwood Museum on 9/10, time to be announced. The Bond Double Feature was set for 9/17 at 3, and the September PIG*SIG was set for 9/21.

The next ExComm meeting will be held on 10/29.

Thomas Thomas asked if Robin had received the email that had just been sent out from the National office regarding the scholarship program. Robin advised she was still making her way through the hundreds of emails that had come in while she was out of state, but located the email on her phone. Included in the email was a list of regions and groups that had already volunteered to participate. Thomas pointed out that Region 10 was not represented and suggested Tallahassee Area Mensa should be involved. He advised the decision would need to be made quickly as the deadline was August 1. He indicated a scholarship chair needed to be appointed and a form filled out online by the LocSec identifying the person volunteering to be scholarship chair. The scholarship chair would be responsible for reading essays submitted by any student who wished to participate with the award being a $600 scholarship. Robin advised she did not have the time to take that on. Thomas indicated it could be spread out over several months and would not be a large time commitment. Robin reiterated that she did not have the time to take it on. Tinker volunteered to do it, reaffirming that it was just reading essays. Thomas confirmed this and said many essays would be eliminated quickly simply because of bad grammar or spelling and other such obvious issues. Robin went online immediately and filled out the form nominating Tinker for the scholarship chair position to get the process started.

There being no further business before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 2:15.

MenTally Online!

[ Home | About Us | Calendar | MensaSpeak | Join Mensa | Local Officers | Newsletters | Services | Resources | Fun Stuff ]

© Tallahassee Area Mensa. All rights reserved.
Mensa® and the Mensa logo (as depicted for example in U.S. TM Reg. No. 1,405,381) are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by American Mensa, Ltd., and are registered in other countries by Mensa International Limited and/or affiliated national Mensa organizations. Mensa does not hold any opinions, or have, or express, any political or religious views.