FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S DESK
I am certain many share my concerns about the future of volkssporting in the United States. For
several years, we have seen our event participation and the use of IVV Record Books decline. We
hear many concerns expressed about the changing of the sport and the rising costs of running a
club and of individual participation in events. As we enter our third decade of volkssporting, it is
time to evaluate carefully what we are doing and how we are doing it. This evaluation must
include everything from association governance to how we conduct events to how we finance the
association to how we curb the bureaucracy growth that plagues all growing organizations. The
Association will charge the new Executive Council that we will elect in June with the ultimate
responsibility to decide the future of the AVA. They cannot possibly carry out that charge unless
they know the feelings, concerns and recommendations of the memberships. I say memberships
because when we are dealing with the future of volkssporting in the United States, we must
consider not only our clubs, but also, the individual volkssporters who are the lifeblood of our
program.
The task of collecting the necessary information will fall upon the National Headquarters. The
goal is to begin collecting information within the next thirty days. We must have a large body of
data available for the new Executive Council when they convene in San Antonio in mid-September for training and strategic planning. The information collection will continue throughout
the coming years as the Council works to shape the future of the AVA. I have formed a National
Headquarters Team to begin the process of data collection and evaluation. This team includes
Jacklyn Hess, our Director of Operations; Linda Finlin, our Financial Manager; Sandra Ward, our
Director of public Affairs and me. For us to gather the information we need w111 require a good
deal of work by club officers and individual volkssporters. One vehicle we will use will be a series
of surveys. The response to these surveys will be vital to our data collection and to how we will
expand our information gathering. Another vehicle will be focus group sessions during the
convention. While the number of participants at these sessions must be limited, they can provide
excellent information on where we are and where we need to go.
The future of the AVA is in your hands. We asked that, if possible, everyone respond to our
surveys promptly. With good information in hand, the new Council can begin to formulate a
picture of the AVA of the future. Be assured, however, that they will not complete that picture
without careful study and ensuring continuing review by our memberships. The clubs and the
volkssporters will be the driving force in any change. I know everyone will give it their best effort.
With that effort, the AVA will become the premier walking association in the United States as we
move into the new millennium. Thank you in advance for your help in allowing us to continue to
provide "A Whole Different Kind of Walk."
New Grassroots Event Sponsor. We have a new grassroots event sponsor to help our clubs with
their local events. Wilson Performance Footwear, a division of Wilson Sporting Goods, is
interested in providing sponsorship to our clubs. Then
sponsorship will include walking shoes that can be given away or used for a fund raising raffle.
They are currently reviewing events in ten market areas of importance to them. They will contact
clubs directly when they determine the first events they would like sponsor. Their marketing
analyst handling the program is Kathy Wendt.
Executive Council Meeting Report. The report for the March Executive Council meeting is with
this CHECKPOINT. Please share it with the members of your club.
Quarterly Financial Report. The quarterly financial report is also included with this issue of the
newsletter. This financial report reflects our financial activity for the first nine months of the fiscal
year.
Events. Participation. Etc, We have included a set of charts that provide a comparison of the
number of events, participation, and average participation for regular volkssporting events during
the first three months of 1997. These numbers do not include any year-round or seasonal events.
We have provided a set of charts for each region plus a set for all regions combined. Additionally,
we have included three bar graphs that reflect what has happened to our number of events,
participation and average participation over the past four years. These charts show all events --
regular and year-round/seasonals.
Texas Volkssporter Honored. Congratulations to Ellen Ott, former Randolph Roadrunners
president, upon winning two prestigious volunteer service awards. Last year, Ellen was honored
with Prudential's Salute to Good Health Volunteer Award for her service to the AVA and the San
Antonio community. In May, Women in Communications will present Ellen with a Headliner
award for volunteer service to the AVA.
Copyrighted Material in Club Newsletters. A note to clubs -for your protection, please be careful
when reprinting information that appears in another publication (i.e., Walking Magazine, Weight
Watchers, USA Today, local papers, etc.). In almost every situation, written permission must be
sought in order to reprint an article in whole or part. Please seek permission and follow the
publisher's instructions completely if permission is granted.
Final Reminder. Publicity Award Entries and National Star Club Award Nominations are due
April 30, 1997 postmarked by). These programs were established to honor your club's
achievements. Forms and specific information were published in recent issues of CHECKPOINT;
if you cannot find the forms necessary to apply for the programs please call and we will mail or
fax the materials to you. Publicity Handbook. Research and data compilation has begun for the
Publicity Handbook. Your help is needed to make a comprehensive and relevant manual for clubs.
Any clubs wishing to contribute case studies and successful techniques used to publicize and to
market club, activities should send materials to: Sandra Ward, AVA, 1001 Pat Booker Road, Ste.
101, Universal City, TX 78148.
Volkssporters invited to Participate in U.S. Walking Study. A National Walker's Health Study,
conducted by the University of California researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
is in the beginning stages. Researchers want to enroll 55,000 men and women whose principal
form of fitness is walking in order to study the long-term health effects. Participants would be
required to fill out a short questionnaire to start and another after five years. A copy of the initial
questionnaire is included with this mailing. If any of your club members would like to participate,
please reproduce the questionnaire and have them complete it. The completed questionnaires
should be mailed to Paul Williams, Ph.D., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, BIdg. 934,
Berkeley, CA 94720.
Do Not Fax Sanction Requests. Please do not fax sanction requests to the National Headquarters.
If the Sanction Requests are complete and submitted with the 90-day window currently required
in our policy manual, the events will appear in the TAW calendar of events. When sanction
requests are fared, it increases the probability of having duplicate entries in the calendar plus
double billing on the club's account. We ask that you try to get the request to us using the mail.
CHECKPOINT lnserts. We frequently are questioned about the missing inserts to issues of the
CHECKPOINT. The many inserts that are referenced in each issue are intended for the use of the
clubs and they are included only in the copy that goes to the official club address. Individual
subscribers or other club officers who receive the newsletter only get the newsletter. They do not
receive the inserts. It would be cast prohibitive to send the inserts to everyone.
Requests for Insurance Certificates. If you receive a Request for Certificate of lnsurance form
from our insurance agent, do not use it. Your request for insurance certificates must be on the
AVA form and must come to the National Headquarters.
Cordura Seeks Nominations for Trail Awards. For the fifth year running, National Trails Day charter sponsor DuPont Cordura will recognize the 10 trail groups that "best display the spirit and goals of National Trails Day'' with a Trails for Tomorrow award. For consideration, please ~1 out the form in this issue of Checkpoint.
Previous issue of the AVA Checkpoint:
January, 1997
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