Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Calendar of Events

Last Week 6/13 Ken Buhrmaster on the Price of Energy

This Week 6/20 BOD Meeting at 5:00 and a Jockey as a Speaker

Next Weeks 6/27 TBD

Coming Up:

7/4 No Meeting

8/8 Chicken BBQ at the Charlton School:

Invocation: George Bailey, Garry Morrow, Dan Stec or Bob Youmans

Suggestions for future programs may be given to Linda LeTendre

- President Rey cited the wonderful things we have accomplished since the last normal meeting, and thanked all involved. On 5/15, 5/23, 5/30, 6/6 we completed two bridges (led by Dick Arthur and Ken C.) and painted rooms at Cloverpatch, built wooden enclosures for well casings at 4H and completed Town in Bloom plantings. We participated in the Charlton and Burnt Hills parades. The membership was complemented for their good turn out at both events. Fred Baily and Chris Nyhan were in charge and did an excellent job. Forty pounds of candy were expended by hand.

- Today was the last day of mentoring at the O’Rourke Middle School. Mary was justifiably complemented for creating and running the program. A poster with all the mentors and students that participated was passed around. Mary also organized a wonderful party attended by students, parents, mentors, district staff and administrators.

- Ken reported that the net profits for the June 10 Golf Tournament was about $1,500. Steve told the group that Hannaford had provided both a cash contribution and all the food and drink for the event. Because we were rained out the first time, Hannaford actually generated two packages of food for us. We could not have accomplished such a classy and profitable event without the extraordinary support we received from Hannaford. Steve thanked by-name the team of Rotarians that worked on the event.

- President Rey drew the group’s attention to an article that Mary contracted in the Weekly for recognizing the organizations that donated money to TIB.

- Chris Nyhan has completed collecting books for the Pakistan project and is ready to send them.

- Dick O’Rourke asked members to consider helping out with the Rotateller by volunteering to be a reporter. The reporters ranks have thinned and more are needed. Steve briefly asked the members for feedback on the Rotateller and mentioned that we will be distributing a questionnaire for members to complete. The immediate feedback was all very positive. The Rotateller staff wants the product to meet the needs and expectations of club members. Please consider giving a little bit of you time once a month or once every six weeks to help.

- We have donated $4,305 to the Rotary Foundation. Our goal is $4,500. Rey mentioned how we got back $4,000 from the Rotary Foundation when he submitted a Simplified District Grant asking for $2,000. It was for the Community Human Services van.

Ken Buhrmaster and the Price of Energy

Ken grew up in Scotia and is the fourth generation involved in the Burhmaster Energy Corp.’s 93 year history. Ken did a great job explaining some very complex factors that go into the market price of gasoline, natural gas, propane and heating oil. He said, ten years ago, the market was relatively stable and you would only have small changes that occurred over weeks and months. Now, he says, you can get a $.12 change per gallon in gas before lunch. Ken explained that energy prices are mostly established at the Mercantile Exchange in New York City. Traders bid on quantities (futures) of energy based on what they think the market price should be weeks or months into the future. This is based on their evaluation of future market forces, not current supply and demand. Ken noted there is a tight balance between supply and demand. He said, while there is plentiful crude oil and natural gas stocks underground, bottlenecks exist in the refining and pipeline transportation of products. He does see the large companies plowing a great deal of resources into research and exploration, but noted that while corporations are expanding refineries, few are being built. Buhrmaster is one of the community’s biggest private energy corporations with the area’s largest storage capacity of 2,000,000 gallons. He says they sell about fives times that amount during the year.