VOLUME 8, NUMBER 7 July 2000

The first order of business for this month’s issue is to welcome our new Vice President, Shirley Lindberg of Renton, Washington, to the National Executive Council. Shirley was elected from a field of three very qualified candidates during a special meeting of the Council in San Antonio on July 8. Shirley brings a wealth of business and volkssporting experience to the Council, and we all look forward to working with her as we plan for the future of the AVA.

We closed out the third year of the Millennium Fund campaign with a total of $17,245.86. While this was a little more than $7,000 short of our goal, it still provided much needed support to AVA programs that would otherwise not be funded. A very special thanks to all of our state organizations, clubs and volkssporters who so generously supported this project during this year and the previous two years. We are now in the last year of this four-year project with a new goal of $25,000 for period of July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001. Donations for this year are already beginning to come in. We hope you will continue to support this major fund raising effort.

Our strategic planning retreat on July 8 went very well. The members of the Executive Council and the National Headquarters staff spent eight intense hours looking at our organization, our values, our strengths and our weaknesses; revising our mission and vision; and developing some preliminary goals. The retreat participants are now reviewing the material from the day’s work and refining some of the areas. Our plan from here is for the National Headquarters staff and Dorinda Rolle, the professional strategic planning consultant, to develop a first draft of a workable strategic plan. This first draft will be completed in late August and sent to members of the AVA Strategic Planning Committee for review and comments. Their comments will be evaluated and incorporated in the plan as appropriate, and the revised draft will be presented to the National Executive Council for review at the October Council meeting. After the Council reaches a consensus on the plan, a revised draft will be prepared and sent to our clubs for comment. Our goal is to have a finished product by the 2001 Convention in Bellevue. I am excited that this long needed planning process has started and is progressing on schedule. I am excited that all of our clubs will have an opportunity to participate in the process. And, I am excited that we will have a new, well-marked, trail for the AVA to follow to the future.

Finally, two administrative matters --- First, we created the concept of a club discount on specialty items to allow the clubs to purchase items below the cost that a volkssporter would have to pay so that the club could resell those items and make a little money for the club. The club certainly has the right to pass on that discount to its members, but we frequently get orders from individuals for one single item with a statement that it is a club order and, therefore, they would like the 20% discount. I am not saying this is not a valid club order. Just remember that the club discount was created to help the clubs not individuals. Second, the National Headquarters does not participate in or read the Walklist or the Issue list (editor's note: he is speaking of the Volkssport Issues Email group and the Walklist email group). These are unofficial discussion forums and are not necessarily the positions of the AVA. If there is question concerning an AVA policy, procedure, or activity, it should be directed to the National Headquarters or a member of the National Executive Council.

No five-kilometer walks on Year Round or Seasonal Events. Just a reminder that IVV rules prohibit five-kilometer walks as part of Year Round or Seasonal events. If a sanction request is received with a five-kilometer walk indicated, that portion will not be approved. Additionally, any references to five-kilometer walks we receive in material for Starting Point 2001 will be deleted.

YRE Changes. If the only changes you are making on your YRE involve the front of the form, you do not need to complete the back. BUT, be sure and double check to see if you have any changes involving the back of the form because we are on a short deadline after the proof sheets go out and there is not time to make a lot of changes. The deadline for YRE information is 09/01/00. Your cooperation and attention to detail is vital. Let’s work together to make the Starting Point 2001 the best ever.

Forms are due. YRE/Seasonal renewal forms should be on the way to your Region Director. The forms are due at Headquarters no later than September 1.

Processing. Processing of award books is currently taking approximately four weeks from the time that they are received at Headquarters. Thank you for your patience.

Reminder. Please remember: Seasonal stamps are due back at Headquarters 10 days after the close of the event.

Let’s try it! Upgrades in computer software will now allow us to accept E-mailed contributions for TAW. Please E-mail articles to AVAPR@aol.com We prefer them as attachments. Our first choice remains a hard copy, double spaced accompanied by a disk. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Although the deadline will remain the 25th of the month, with the exception of Christmas, early contributions are not only welcomed, they are highly encouraged!