DMARSPA AUGUST 25, 2022, MINUTES
1. President Marla Carr welcomed DMARSPA members and guests to the August 25, 2022,
meeting.
2. Mike Walag introduced Gary Thelen who did the program on “The Louvre Experience.”
Gary made frequent trips to Paris and made several trips to the Louvre. He was there for the
dedication of the new addition to the Louvre in 1989. Gary studied at the Sorbonne and won a
fellowship to study in Morocco. The louvre was originally built as a fortress on the edge of
Paris in the late 1100’s. The Renaissance came around and fortresses were no longer needed.
In the early 1500’s, it was revived. King Phillip I liked to go hunting and it was called. It meant
wolfhounds. During the Revolution, the art was destroyed. Napoleon needed a place to
display the art he had stolen from conquered countries. The Metro stop has been called the
most eloquent in the world. President Mitterrand decided to use the whole complex to display
art. He hired the architect I M Pei who has a sculpture displayed in the Papa John gardens in
Des Moines. In 1989, he built the glass pyramid above ground and below ground. The arch in
the courtyard was built to commemorate the birth of his son by his Spanish wife. On top, are
the horsemen statutes Napoleon stole from Italy. France returned them to Italy and replicas
are now on top. Pyramid has three entrances. Each entrance has its own mini pyramid. You
can’t see the Louvre in three days. It took six years to construct the Pyramid. DeGaulle
decided that the buildings need to be cleaned. Each monarch added a wing. Sculptures - one
of the most famous is The Winged Victory. The wings were broken off, but the French
reattached them. One part of the Louvre was built as an exhibition area by Napoleon. Venus
Demilo is another famous statute. It has no arms. They were never found. Significant
because it is nude from the waist up only. Mona Lisa is one of the famous paintings. Leonardo
de Vinci was hired from Italy to do the painting. Painting was new in the Renaissance, and
Leonardo experimented with perspective. It took him three paintings to get it right. when he
died, the king of France bought the picture from his estate. The paintings was stolen in the
1950’s by a handiman who thought it should be returned to Italy, where it belonged. he was
caught. What is the meaning of the smile? Back then, people seldom smiled because they
had bad teeth. He probably just didn’t want to paint the bad teeth. Another painting is the
coronation of Napoleon. He crowned himself. There is the crown of Louie the Fifteenth. The
crown has fake jewels, but the real diamonds on top is on display. The only American painting
in the Louvre for a long time was Whistler’s Mother. The artist entered the portrait of his
mother in a contest and won. He got a lot of money. In the 1980’s, the French President
moved it to the Musee De Orsay. Wings built by Napoleon 111 have skylights because candles
would cause fires. Louie the 14th established a porcelain works and pieces are displayed.
Part of the Louvre is a residence with original furnishings. Louie 14th built the one building just
because he liked to built beautiful buildings. Painting of Mistress whose sister was bathing her.
Mistresses were loved, wives for children. This picture is widely misinterpreted. The last slide
is one that nobody bothers to see as it’s behind the one door - a statute of a woman from the
waist up and a male from the waist down.
3. August birthdays were honored by the singing of Happy Birthday.
4. Pledge of Allegiance followed by a moment of silence.
5. Lunch
6. BUSINESS MEETING:
A. Installation of O fficers - Marla Carr, President; Sherry Wilkinson, Secretary; Sandra
Petre, Treasurer.
A. Secretary: Sherry Wilkinson - approved as read with correction of door prize winner
- Ginny Renda.
B. Treasurer’s Report: Sandra Petre- General Account: Balance on hand, $6,289.80.
Deposits - $1272.00, expenses- Barratta’s - $1340, J. Snyder/Membership Books -
$252.76. Balance on hand, August 25, 2022 - $5969.04. SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT;
Balance on hand July 28, 2022, $308.39, deposit - $20. Balance on hand August 25,
2022. TOTAL ON HAND August 25, 2022 - $6297.43.
IRS form 990-N on behalf of DMARSPA for the fiscal year July 1, 2021, to June 30,
2022. This annual filing is necessary for DMARSPA to maintain our income tax exempt
status as a 501-C-4 organization.
1. Report filed.
2. Maintained similar balances as last year.
3. Concluded that DMARSPA financial records are in proper condition as of July
5, 2022.
D. Courtesy Report: Dee Fleischacker - Get well card to Bob Eisler and Rosemary
Hillman.
1. Dee thanked her callers.
2. This year, 61 courtesy cards were sent out this year.
E. Old Business:
1. Volunteer hours need to be turned in today or sent by Sunday.
F. New Business:
1. Marla encourages members to ask newly retired teachers to become
members of DMARSPA.
2. Slate of new o fficers - Same as last year. If anyone is interested in being an
officer next year, please let Marla know.
3. New meeting place discussed.
a. Might have to change December meeting to the first Thursday.
b. Motion by Warren Pitcher - to accept HyVee on Euclid for our new
meeting place beginning in January, 2023.
1). Dorothy Hall seconded.
2). Passed
7. Door prize - Charcutiere box of treats won by Kathy Olivia
8. Cashiers for August: Jane and Sandra Petre
9. September cashiers: Janice Walkup and Alice Rasmussen
10. Please donate school supplies in September .
11. Positive thoughts from Marla
12. Grace Dickerson will have her 100 th birthday. Please send cards.
September Program: Ukrainian Refugees - Nancy Strutezenberg.
Respectfully submitted,
Sherry Wilkinson
Secretary
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