Membership blog

There will be no USA General Membership meeting in July due to the close proximity of the 4th of July holiday.   We wish all of you a safe and happy holiday celebrating the freedom of our country with family and friends.

Who would have thought a routine visit to my dentist's office would result in a prospective new USA member?  I have had the same dental hygienist for a couple of years now, and the subject of scuba diving came up on this particular visit quite by accident.  She simply asked me if I had any vacation plans for the summer.  When I told her I had a SCUBA trip planned to Grand Cayman, her ears perked up and, to my surprise, she told me she was a SCUBA diver.  She asked lots of questions about our Club and seemed interested in attending a meeting and checking us out on our website.  

It behooves us all to spread the word about our Club to people we meet on a daily basis.   There's always that chance of meeting our next USA Dive Club member.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Now is the perfect time to sign up for a local dive and meet prospective USA Dive Club members.  They are all around us, just waiting to be invited... especially on local dives.    

Ryan, VP of Local Diving, has a full schedule of local dives throughout the summer months and beyond.  Strike up a conversation with someone on the boat and invite him/her to visit our website or join us at a meeting.  

In the meantime, consider joining your fellow members at our in-person General Membership meetings that are now being held at the Courtyard Marriott.  Have a bite with the "Bistro Bunch" before the meeting.  You'll be glad you did.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Spring.....that time of year when a warm-water diver's fancy turns to diving.  Get the gear out, get it checked, and get on the boat. 

Lureen Ferretti was a member in the past, has attended many USA local diving and social functions, and in April 2017, was a guest speaker at our Club with her presentation, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

 

She has too many memorable dives to mention and feels trips to the Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia and Malpelo Columbia would be great dive destinations the Club might consider in the future.  Lureen has accumulated more than 5,000 dives since she was certified in 1992.  We look forward to Lureen having fun with the Club in Fiji.  WELCOME BACK.

Oh, and if you're lucky enough to still have your mom.....GIVE HER A CALL.  Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8th

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Elle Peltcs is no stranger to the USA Dive Club.  She is the lovely granddaughter of USA’s current Treasurer, Ronnie Farr, and the daughter of USA member, Eric Peltcs.  

Ever since she was a little girl, Elle has been Ronnie’s guest on numerous USA Social Events.  Certified at the age of 12, she has been to the Florida Keys with the Club and is very comfortable in the water.  Diving the wreck of the Copenhagen was a memorable dive for Elle, and she dreams of diving in Fiji.  Other interests include swimming and working out.  

Now 18 years of age, Elle currently has the distinction of being USA’s youngest member.

Wayne Sullivan started diving before the days of C-cards. Wayne received his dive training in Cape Cod, MA and loved the sport so much that he became a NAUI instructor accumulating over 15,000 dives in his lifetime.  No longer instructing, he dives for the pure joy of the sport.  

He enjoys photography and recalls the Cay Sal Banks as his favorite dive site.  Wayne also takes pleasure in boating.

Please give our new members the good ole USA Dive Club welcome.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

USA welcomes new member, Beata Jeziorska

Beata Jeziorska found the USA Dive Club on Facebook and wasted no time applying for membership.   Beata is all about the outdoors.  Recently, she was certified as an Open Water diver by Pineapple Scuba, and looks forward to making her post-certification dives with us.  She chose the perfect Club to guide her through these early stages of scuba diving. 

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Yes.....it's time to renew your membership

But first

I would like to welcome two new members to the USA Dive Club family.

John Nardi visited our group at the December Holiday Party which was held at the Hampton Inn.  Not only did John join our Club, he also signed up for an overseas dive trip aboard the Damai 1 liveaboard in Indonesia.  John is a PADI and NAUI certified divemaster with over 1,000 dives.  His most memorable dive was in Truk Lagoon, and he is looking forward to the day he dives in Indonesia.  When not diving, John enjoys fishing.  

Brandon Riemer found us on Facebook.  He is a newly certified diver and was able to take advantage of USA Dive Club's offer of "First Year Free" membership.  Brandon's most memorable dive was seeing a nurse shark while diving from a boat.  He would enjoy diving with the Club on various reefs in the Florida Keys.  Brandon is a friendly guy and loves the outdoors along with all kinds of fun and good laughs.  The Red Sea and the Great Barrier Reef are on his diving "to do" list.

We give both of our new members a warm USA Dive Club welcome and look forward to seeing them both in the very near future.

It's time to renew your membership

Membership in the USA Dive Club expired on December 31, 2021, and many members have been busy sending in their membership dues for 2022.   We thank you.  If you are a Hall of Fame member, dues are optional.

Along with our General Membership meetings, more and more of our planned activities are now in-person events.  For the safety of our members and guests, we follow all CDC guidelines very carefully.

USA is an active dive club with something for everyone.  No longer diving? Not to worry.  The Club offers diversified non-diving social events for everyone's enjoyment.  Remember that your guests are welcome to participate in all USA social and diving activities.  

Another perk is that continuous membership allows you the privilege of priority on dive trips.

Dues remain the same:  $50 for individuals and $90/couple for married couples and domestic partners.  There are three simple ways to renew.

Online banking - You may pay online using Zelle.  Send the appropriate amount to Treasurer@usadiveclub.org indicating in the memo section that you are paying dues.

Mail a check - Write a check made payable to USA Dive Club and mail to USA Dive Club, 4011 NE 24th Ave, Lighthouse Point, FL 33064-8025.  Please indicate in the memo section that you are paying dues.  You may wish to have your bank do this electronically.  It's your choice.

Bring your payment to a meeting - You may bring your check to a General Membership meeting and give it to USA’s Treasurer, Ronnie Farr, in person.  We'd enjoy seeing you.

As always, we invite you to browse through our extensive Photo Gallery to take a look at our social and diving activities.

Newest Hall of Fame Inductee

 

This month we would like to begin by congratulating Alan Feuerman for becoming USA’s newest Hall of Fame member.  Alan joined the USA Dive Club in April 2011.  He wasted no time becoming an active member, enjoying many social activities along with local and overseas diving.  Did you know that when Alan is not scuba diving he enjoys a good game of racquetball?  Through the years, Alan’s service on the Board of Directors included Co-VP of Overseas Diving, Promotions Coordinator/Lobster Pot and currently VP of Social Events.  In order to attain Hall of Fame status, a member must serve on the Board of Directors for a total of 84 months, or the equivalent of seven years.  Click on the 'CONTACT' button at the top of this page and take a look at the list of 40 other current Hall of Fame members.  There is also an “In Memoriam” section.  The USA Dive Club welcomes Alan to the Hall of Fame and wishes him many more years of enjoyable experiences with the Club. This holiday season be good to yourself.  Give yourself the gift of membership in the USA Dive Club.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, we offered USA members a complimentary year of membership.  We are now slowly working our way out of the pandemic and are resuming our membership renewal season. Along with our General Membership meetings, more and more of our planned activities are now in-person events.  For the safety of our members and guests, we follow all CDC guidelines very carefully. USA is an active dive club with something for everyone.  No longer diving?  Not to worry.  Many USAers no longer dive however, they still enjoy our various non-diving social events.  Remember that guests are always welcome to participate in all USA social and diving activities. Unlike most other products today, USA's annual dues have not increased.  Individual member dues remain at $50, and married couples/domestic partner dues remain at $90/couple.  In addition to enjoying interesting and informative guest speakers at our monthly General Membership meetings, there are many reasons to continue your membership.  Colorful, informative monthly newsletter Discounted dive trips Group discounts on many non-diving social events Continuous membership allows you priority on dive trips Pre-planned diving and social activities with people you know and whose company you enjoy There are three easy ways to continue your membership 1) Online banking - You may pay online using Zelle.  Send the appropriate amount to Treasurer@usadiveclub.org indicating in the memo that you are paying dues OR 2) you may send a check payable to USA Dive Club and mail to USA Dive Club, 4011 NE 24th Ave, Lighthouse Point, FL  33064-8025.  If you mail a check, please indicate in the memo section that you are paying dues.  You may wish to have your bank do this electronically.  It's your choice. OR 3) you may bring your check to a General membership meeting and pay in person.......we'd enjoy seeing you. As always, we invite you to browse through USA's extensive photo gallery for a look at our local and overseas diving along with varied social activities. A joyous holiday from USA Membership Coordinators,

Gobble, gobble to our fellow USA Dive Club members,

Where has the summer gone?  The Halloween ghosts and goblins are returning to their lairs, and now the turkeys are running for their lives.

With climate change doing its thing, the water will probably remain warm enough for most summer divers to squeeze in a few more under sea adventures.  Who knows?  You may even meet a future member of the USA Dive Club while you're at it.  

Dive boats provide the perfect environment to talk to new friends and extend an invitation to browse our website or attend a meeting, whether in person or on Zoom. 

We invite you to browse through USA's extensive photo gallery for a look at our local and overseas diving along with varied social activities.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Happy bubbling from your Membership Coordinators,

Stephanie Voris                   and           Julie Manhold

       

         

Hello Fellow Members,

At USA’s September Board of Director’s meeting, Julie Manhold was appointed to the Membership team, and looks forward to joining Stephanie for the remainder of this year.

In spite of the pitfalls COVID-19 has brought with it, our Club has now resumed local and overseas diving, and continues to attract new members.  Warm ocean waters, along with excellent ocean conditions and the best dive buddies anywhere, members have kept our summer dives filled to capacity.

The USA Dive Club would like to welcome new member Xzavion Binns and returning member Bernd Meier.

Xzavion has multiple dive certifications.  As an underwater photographer, he enjoys macro as well as wide-angle photography.  His most memorable dive was with the hammerheads, and he dreams of diving with the manta rays at night.  Other interests include kayak fishing, running, cooking and meeting new friends.  

Bernd is a long-time former member of the USA Dive Club, and has taken the plunge over 2,000 times.  Rarely without his camera, Bernd enjoys local diving, and as a world traveler and underwater photographer, he has been capturing beautiful undersea and land photos from all over the globe.  His most memorable dive was in Raja Ampat, and a trip to Misool might be in his future.

We invite you to browse through USA's extensive photo gallery for a look at our local and overseas diving along with varied social activities.

Please extend a warm USA welcome to our new members.

Happy Bubbling,
Membership Coordinators

             Stephanie Voris                           Julie Manhold