Maryland Volkssport Association
Minutes of Meeting
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Patuxent, Maryland

Officers Present: President, Bob Schmick; Treasurer, Kenneth Wilson; Secretary, Steve Arnett; Webmeister, Bill Guion.

Club Delegates: Mike Quinlan (CBCW), Diane Messer (Annapolis Amblers), Jim Hathaway (Seneca Valley), Sandi Cahill (WDCAVC).

Guests: Bob Wright, Suzanne Wright, and Patricia Arnett.

The Meeting was called to order at 1:06 PM by President Bob Schmick

REPORTS

• Minutes from the April 19^th, 2008 meeting were approved.
• Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Ken Wilson presented the financial statements for April, May, June, July, and August. He also mentioned that the clubs can get AVA books from him without paying postage. The reports were approved as presented.
• IRS Update: Bob Wright presented some issues related to the non-profit status of the clubs. There is a requirement to send a report to the AVA by November 15^th each year. Clubs can check online to IRS to identify their status, and identify the club as a non-profit organization with less than $25,000 in gross receipts, including the sale of IVV books, dues, event receipts, etc. The annual report to the IRS must be completed annually. If this report is not accomplished for 3 consecutive years, the IRS will consider your club not to be a non-profit, and the tax free status will be closed. If a club has its own 3c status outside of the AVA, as with the Washington DC Club, this does not apply. Bob also mentioned that clubs must be incorporated to protect the individuals in the club from legal actions.
• Future of the Sport: Bob Schmick reported that the walk statistics for events are continuing a downward trend.
• C&O Canal: No Report
• Webmeister: Bill Guion reported that the interactive maps for events that he created, are now available on the AVA website for all events, both regular and YREs. Clubs need to notify Bill personally of YRE start point changes.
• IVV/AVA: The relationship between IVV and the AVA have improved. At the June meeting of the IVV, Kurt was allowed to fully participate. Canoe and kayak events were approved. The AVA sent a full calendar of events to the IVV, which had a major impact on their thinking about U.S. participation.
• Rediscover MD: The program will end December 31st of this year, which will mark 4 full years of the program's existence. This will be the last presentation of awards. Books are still available for voluntary participation, and the events will be in place with the possible exception of Crisfield.

NEW BUSINESS

• MVA YRE Brochure/Issues: The much discussed brochure is now considered a "dead horse" as too expensive. The information, with map, is now available online. Bob Schmick is looking for a replacement for the Rediscover MD program. \Anyone with an idea should contact him. Bob stated that the special programs are profitable, and create interest. Clubs should check their YREs for participation in the variety of programs. Clubs conducting any events meeting program eligibility should make sure they are included, with information, on the web.
• Bob encouraged the use of group walks to build participation, and draw the people who do not like to walk alone. The Baltimore Walking Club and the Annapolis Amblers routinely hold group walks, and others do on occasion.
• MVA Incentives: A proposal to reduce the fee paid by clubs to the MVA for participation was not approved. A motion by John Carolus, for the MVA to pay the sanction fee for the next 10 new events, was approved. Bob stated that the MVA will pay for the rental of porta-potties.
• Safety Issues at Events: When heat conditions are extreme, the availability of salt tablets and gaterade should be considered. At a recent event a man suffered heat exhaustion while doing the 5K walk. The 5K trail should be the easiest trail possible.
• MVA Shirt: Is there interest in selling a MVA shirt?

CLUB REPORTS

• Annapolis Amblers: The Amblers next event will be the annual Octoberfest event in Annapolis on the first Sunday in October. The next event will be the Boat Parade event the second weekend in December in Eastport.
• Chesapeake Bay Country Wanderers: The CBCW will hold a one day event November 15^th in Watkins Regional Park near Upper Marlboro. The club will celebrate its 20^th anniversary next year, and is planning an event at the Navy Dairy Farm, the location of the initial club event.
• Columbia Volksmarch Club: The next Columbia event will be November 2^nd in Patapsco Park. The annual December walk from the John Dye home will occur on December 11^th. The Feet First in Columbia is moving to Hickory Ridge, and will continue as the start point, but will require driving to the start point for Columbia.
• Baltimore Walking Club: The next BWC event will be November 8^th in Dundalk, MD. Their next event will be the Hamden Lights event December 27/28, 2008. In 2009, the initial events will be in January in Relay, MD, and then at the DuBurns Arena in Baltimore in February.
• Great Greenbelt Volksmarchers: No Report
• Freestate Happy Wanderers: The next club events will the annual New Year's Eve and New Year's Day events in Columbia starting at the Owen Brown Center.
• Piedmont Pacers: The club will hold 3 events in 2009. The club has held 4 events, and the next event is October 4^th at Westminster.
• Potomac River Volksmarching Club: No Report
• Seneca Valley Sugarloafers: The club has events scheduled in Glen Echo, MD and the annual Moonlight walk in Seneca Park.
• Washington DC Area Volksmarch Club: The WDCAVC has finished its series of 5 night walks for 2008, but will hold 5 more in 2009. The next event will be the annual Christmas Event in Alexandria, VA starting at the Masonic Temple in Alexandria the first weekend in December. The club will be celebrating its 30^th anniversary in 2009. The possibility of an event starting at the new National Harbor, and crossing the new Wilson Bridge is being explored.
• World Wide Volkssport Tours: No Report

The meeting was closed at 2:17 PM.

Respectfully submitted