Report of Activities of the ASABE Senior Active Community
Fall, 2005
The Senior Active group had a successful meeting at the 2005 Annual International
Meeting in Tampa. Members over age 65 enjoyed a 1-day (Wednesday) registration
fee of $55, which included the very nice Awards Luncheon that noon. The program,
which consisted of a lecture session followed by a business meeting, was excellent
and very timely. An estimated 30 members attended at some time during the session.
Program: R. Bruce Curry, program chair and moderator.
"The Impact of the 2004 Hurricanes on the Citrus Industry", Stan Carter, Citrus Division Manager of McArthur Farms, Inc., Pt. St. Lucie, FL.
In this excellent report, we saw the paths of the 4 hurricanes in August and September, 2004, Charlie, Frances, Jeanne, and Ivan. We were shown pictures of some of the citrus damage including dropped fruit, damaged new growth, damaged limbs and broken trees. One of the more serious problems was the spreading of the canker disease by the spreading of leaves from diseased trees over a very widespread part of the citrus area, posing tough future problems.
"Tsunami physics and tsunami warning: Two very different problems", Dr. Gary T. Mitchum, Professor in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.
Dr. Mitchum used maps and elevations of the sea bottom to explain how tsunami waves are formed and how difficult it is to predict how high the wave will be at any given location because of the direction of travel, the slope of the bottom near the shore, and the configuration of the shoreline.
"Experiences and opportunities with FEMA", Alton Robertson, Engineering Consultant.
(Presentation had to be cancelled because Mr. Robertson was called to urgent work on FEMA duties because of hurricanes in 2005 prior to the late July date of the ASABE meeting).
"Innovative Roof Top Gardens - Florida-based ECHO Researches Ways to Reduce World Hunger", Dr. Martin L Price, Executive Director, Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization, (ECHO) Ft Myers, FL.
Dr. Price reviewed the overall scope of his non-profit organization and then introduced some of their latest work on simple roof-top gardens for urban situations, where the roof-tops are the only places where people may raise their own food. He showed pictures of luxuriant growth of vegetables in soil bins made of old tires and other simple inexpensive materials placed on a solid floor or roof.
Business meeting
At the business meeting and discussion period, a form was distributed from Jim
DeShazer and Gary Formanek about possible programs and tours for the 2006 meeting
in Portland, OR. Many interesting places were suggested, and the information was
sent to the ASABE conferences staff for possible tours for the general ASABE members
attending that meeting. Results of the survey were sent to Jim DeShazer and Gary
Formanek for their consideration in planning the 2006 meeting.
The Program Committee for the 2005 meeting was thanked: R. Bruce Curry, chair, G. W. Isaacs, Direlle Baird, Jody Whitney, and Richard Fluck.
Officers for the new year were elected:
| Committee for 2005-6 Senior Actives Community |
| Jim DeShazer, Chair; |
| Gary Bubenzer, Vice-Chair; |
| Bob Peart, Past Chair; |
| Naveen Patni, Representative to the ASABE Meetings Council; |
| John Ogilvie, Webmaster for Senior Active page on asabe.org. |
| Committee for 2006 Annual Meeting Senior Actives Program |
| Gary Formanek, Program Chair; |
The meeting adjourned for the Awards Luncheon.
Looking forward to Portland in 2006
Based on the survey, developing a half-day tour (3 hours) for Wednesday
afternoon at the 2006 Portland ASABE is appropriate. The major interests
consisted of a biofuels commercial plant in Portland, constructed wetlands
with wildlife viewing and the Port of Portland. The Portland biofuels
plant has been delayed in construction. Therefore the selected tour consists
of a tour of the Port of Portland with the emphasis on the "Wetland
Mitigation Management Program" and a tour of Jackson Bottom at Hillsboro,
which is a functioning, constructed Wetland providing tertiary treatment
of local city sewage with wildlife viewing facilities. The 2006 Portland
SAC morning program will consist of topics related to Oregon and the PNW,
including Oregon forest and urban wildlife. Time will be provided for
the SAC business meeting and Awards Luncheon.
The seniors would still like the opportunity to attend the Tuesdays evening
ASABE Fellows Installation and Honor Ceremony
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