American Volkssport Association®

Current AVA Special Programs

America's Bakeries

Ends December 31, 2014. Walk 20 AVA sanctioned Volksmarches that pass a family-owned bakery to earn the Bakery patch. Any sanctioned AVA event that includes a family-owned bakery and whose walk route goes by the bakery will qualify for the Bakeries program. Chains such as Krispy Kreme or Panera Bread, for example, do not qualify nor do pizza restaurants. Books cost $10. Order from GVA, PO Box 7674, Fredericksburg, VA 22404-7674. Contact Kay Collie at sydnakay@yahoo.com

America's Baseball Walks

Ends December 31, 2013. Criteria: Participate in 18 different sanctioned events that go by a baseball diamond or stadium used by an Olympic, college, major league or minor league baseball team in the United States or Canada. Walks also qualify if they pass by a baseball related museum, statue, memorial, historical or grave marker or other site. Little League fields and diamonds in public parks do not count for the program. Advertising or retail establishments, such as billboards or sports merchandise stores also do not qualify. Complete 18 events to be an All Star Player. There must be 18 different events, but not necessarily 18 different baseball qualifiers. Send $10, made out to FLRVC for booklet to: Colleen Hailey, 413 Rayelene Drive, Vestal, NY 13850. Point of Contact: Colleen at chailey@binghamton.edu or check the FLRVC website linked above.

Carnegie Libraries

Ends December 31, 2012. To qualify for the 4"x4" rectangular 100% embroidered patch you must walk 20 YREs or scheduled events that pass a Carnegie Library. All Carnegie Libraries will be accepted in the US and Canada even though they could be vacant, used for offices, privately owned, etc. Even those that have been destroyed will qualify if there is a date on a plaque giving the year it was razed or if the club researched it and has the information at the finish table for the walkers. Only one stamp will be accepted even if there is a main library and a branch on the same trail. Insert cards will be accepted but no stamp write-ins will be accepted. There will be a complete list of Carnegie Libraries in the US on the website. Clubs please check this list as there are many communities with Carnegie Libraries that already have YREs. The YRE could already be going past a Carnegie Library, or maybe you would have to just alter the YRE, or set up a new trail including the Carnegie Library. There are over 1400 Carnegie Libraries in the US and 156 in Canada. The cost of the program is $10. Please send check payable to Holy Family Walkers to 1714 NW 49th Street, Lawton, OK 73505-3241. POCs are Debra Leffler, (580)355-6949 or email debra6949@sbcglobal.net and Sharon and George Snyder (580)357-2930 or email debra6949@sbcglobal.net and Sharon and George Snyder (580)357-2930 or email walkingfan@aol.com

Celebrating Golden Cinemas

Ends December 31, 2014. Celebrating Golden Cinemas. Any sanctioned AVA event in the U.S. that passes a building that currently or historically served as a classic movie theater, defined as being built more than 50 years ago, qualifies. Use an event stamp once per calendar year. Not retroactive. Book costs $10. Direct questions to kitsapwalks@hotmail.com POC Stephanie Pollard, PO Box 981, Suquamish, WA 98392. Make checks payable to Kitsap Volkssporters.  

Classic American Diners

Ends December 31, 2014. Classic American Diners. 20 walks fill the book. The book is $10, and will be available in December of 2011. Historically, a small restaurant owner had a prefab dining car type diner shipped to a site, set up, and went into business. Generally, if it calls itself a "diner" it  qualifies. Restaurants without the word "diner" qualify if they are in a traditional diner building, OR serve diner style. Closed diners qualify. Old dining car style diners now used for something else also qualify. What doesn't qualify? Fast food chains, coffee shops, and donut shops are not diners. We will maintain a website with more information, and a Facebook page. The name and location of the diner is the only identification required. Award is a beautiful color patch. Send your check payable to "Twin State Volkssport"  to Carolyn Adams, P. O. Box 757, Wells River VT, 05081. Information available at carri@vtlink.net

Forts of the United States

Ends December 31, 2012. This program is not retroactive. All walks must be stamped in the record book using the IVV event stamp. No handwritten entries. Any person that participates in and pays the regular AVA event fee is eligible to record the walk in their Forts book. Each event may be included only once. upon completion, a full-color embroidered patch will be issued. Books will go on sale December 1, 2009. Send check in the amount of ten dollars $10 made payable to TWC-Forts to the POC: Teresa Arnold, 1001 E. Tacoma Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. Phone 918-355-5820 Email arnoldtea@hotmail.com

Grist Mills

Ends December 31, 2013. Criteria: Participate in 12 events that pass by a grist mill. Ruins may be counted only if a historic plaque is displayed at the site. The award is a fully colored 2" x 3" Lucite magnet showing a grist mill. Books will be sent beginning in December 2010. Cost is $10.00. Checks payable to Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Club. Order and return completed books to Edna Little, 2 Cramer Drive, Newport, PA 17074. Point of Contact email thistle4@embarqmail.com

Hillside Letters

Ends December 31, 2012. Qualifications require 12 different sanctioned events. Giant capital letters adorn the hillsides near many towns and cities in the mid-west & western US States. There are about 400 such communities where the letters exist. Criteria is a sanctioned event that goes as close as possible or within sight of an authentic "Hillside Letter". Program cost is $10. Point of Contact: Beth Hendricks, The Black Hills Volkssport Association, 1031 Park Hill Drive, Rapid City, SD 57701. Email walkusa@rushmore.com

Honoring Law Enforcement

Ends December 31, 2012. Qualification are to walk in 24 events that passes a building historically or currently functioning as a city, county, state or federal jail or prison or which houses a law enforcement body such as City Police, Sheriff, State Patrol, Texas Rangers, Border Patrol, etc. would qualify. Cost of program is $10. Point of Contact: Carol Grassman, 7701 Broadleaf Ct., Bremerton, WA 98311. Make check payable to "Kitsap Volkssporters", email grandmac15@aol.com

Hooray for Hollywood

Ends June 30, 2012. Walking through America's cinema history is sponsored by the 4-D's Volkssport Club, Battleground, WA. Participate in 20 events that walk by a movie star's home or grave, a motion picture studio, or a site that was used as a location in a film (home-made videos don't count!). Cost is $10. Many existing YREs throughout the U.S. already qualify. Point of Contact: Becky Forsythe, PO Box 3071, Battleground, WA 98604, rgforsythe@usa.net

Liberty Bell

Ends July 4, 2012. Redeem completed books by December 31, 2012. Complete 15 different events. The trail must pass the bell if it is displayed out-of-doors or pass the location where it is housed.  A list of events will be available with registration by state and additional information will be posted on the Program page as more events are confirmed.  No event may be stamped more than once. This program is not retroactive. Cost of program for book and award is $10. Point of Contact, Nancy Stenger, Heartland Walkers, 1617 Morningside Drive, Hastings, NE 68901-2942, email heartlandwalkers@yahoo.com

Special National Officer Book ( S.N.O.B.)

No ending date. Booklet is approved by the AVA Executive Council in support of Special Funds Development. The IVV stamp may be placed in this book. Conditions: Collect the special stamps from Regional Directors, National Officers and the AVA Executive Director at sanctioned events. Only stamps with the special center slug denoting the NEC member at the event qualifies. To purchase a book send $10.00 per book to address below (no shipping, no discounts). You may also purchase one from your AVA Regional Director or other National Officer. When you have obtained all 15 stamps, send completed book to AVA Special National Officer Book, 1001 Pat Booker Rd, Suite 101, Universal City, Texas 78148. Your award pin and completed book will be returned to you in 7-10 days. Point of Contact: AVA Headquarters, 210-659-2112 or email karen@ava.org

Strolling Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Ends December 31, 2014. Complete 20 different sanctioned events where the route is located in or in sight of a color-named place anywhere in the world: any city, county, country, area (like Black Hills), place (like Yellowstone Park), state (like Nevada - known as "The Silver State"), rivers or any body of water, or mountains with the name of a color in it. Names for any and all shades of colors also qualify. Award is a patch and certificate. Cost is $10. POC: Lois Head, Central Minnesota Volkssports, PO Box 2162, St. Cloud, MN 56302-2162. Info: 320-252-7348 or LMHead@StCloudState.edu

Struttin' Down Main Street

Ends December 31, 2014. Complete 20 different sanctioned events where the route goes for at least one block on the main street of any town in the world. An event counts if, in any language, the word for "main" is in the name of the street, avenue, boulevard, lane, court, circle, row, etc. Participants will be awarded a "Strike up the Band" parade patch and whistle certificate. Books can be ordered now but they will be sent starting on December 10, 2011. Cost is $10. POC: Lois Head, Central Minnesota Volkssports, PO Box 2162, St. Cloud, MN 56302-2162. Info: 320-252-7348 or LMHead@StCloudState.edu

Walking America's Murals

Ends December 31, 2014. Walk 20 qualifying events. A qualifying event is any sanctioned walk that passes a mural of at least 8' x 8' depicting any historical, cultural or local happening on a painted stationary wall or building. Award is a 3" x 4" patch. Books are $10 each: make checks payable to Illinois Trekkers. Send to Walking America's Murals, c/o Debbie Kruep, 220 Clearwater Drive, Belleville, Illinois 62220. For those ordering books before January 2012, the books will be sent out in December. Contact debmarkkruep@yahoo.com

Works Projects Administration (WPA)

Ends December 31, 2014. USA 1935-1943 WPA. Award is a 3" x 4" embroidered patch. Walk 20 YREs or scheduled events that pass anything to do with the WPA: art in a post office, dams, bridges, buildings, park entrances, swimming pools and even sidewalks. The program costs $10. Contact Sharon Snyder at walkingfan@aol.com or Suzi Bentley at schocksinews@aol.com. Visit www.ava.org/clubs/holyfamilywalkers/wpa_special_program.htm. POC: Sharon Snyder, Holy Family Walkers Volksmarch Club, 1714 NW 49th St., Lawton, OK 73505.

Walking America's Trails

Ends December 31, 2013. Events located along American trails, as listed at www.americantrails.org. Qualifications: Participate in 14 different AVA events whose route is at least 50 percent located along a trail listed at the American Trails website. Besides walking, bicycle, snow shoe, cross-country skiing and boating events where at least 50% of the event route is located along a listed trail also qualify. A complete list of rules is in the AVA approved special event book. Send $10 to Volkssport USA, 591 Birch Street, Oak Harbor, WA 98277. For more information contact 1worldwalker@earthlink.net

Walking the United States

(50 States/51 Capitals) No ending date. Earn special recognition! Complete an AVA walk in all 50 states or in all 50 state capitals and Washington, D.C.  The basic state or capital program earns a certificate. Order your "Walking the United States" record book directly from AVA Headquarters, Attn: AVA Headquarters, 1001 Pat Booker Rd., Suite 101, Universal City, TX 78148-4147. Email karen@ava.org  Books are $6.50 each (includes shipping $1.50). A separate book is required for each program -- order two books if participating in both programs. An optional Deluxe Package is available upon completion that includes a state or capital certificate, a large patch, and a patriotic T-shirt.  Details are on the back of each book.

Walking the USA A - Z

No ending date. Walk 26 cities - A to Z. For example walk in Albany for A, Zanesville for Z, etc. The program will continue indefinitely as long as there is interest. Mail payment of $8.00 (includes shipping) to purchase an event book. Once you have completed the event book you qualify to receive a beautiful patch. Note: X is a wildcard and can be a walk at any event that is not already marked for the program. Xenia is still an option. Make a copy of your book prior to mailing the original to: AVA Headquarters, Attn: A-Z Program, 1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 101, Universal City, TX 78148-4147.  Direct questions to karen@ava.org

  

American Volkssport Association
1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 101
Universal City, TX 78148

Office 210.659.2112     Fax 210.659.1212
Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm CST, Closed most Federal Holidays

avahq@ava.org

American Volkssport Association. All Rights Reserved.
Last Revision 4/3/12