Its April; Volkssporting Weather

PRESIDENTS' DAY WEEKEND 2013 - Feb 15-18, 2013, in Orange Beach, Alabama.  Sponsors:  Georgia Walkers AVA-0178 and Capital City Wanderers AVA-0261. 

    
     14 Events (7 walks, 4 swims, 3 bikes).  More information available at: http://georgiawalkers.homestead.com

   
       The Hampton Inn and Suites Orange Beach/Gulf Front is the new Presidents' Day Weekend headquarters. The rates start at $79.00 for a king or 2 queen bed inland, $89.00 for 2 queen bed sideview and $129.00 for a 2 queen bed beachfront plus taxes. This includes breakfast.

      You may reserve your rooms now. The Hampton Inn and Suites Orange Beach/Gulf Front has set up a web site for registrations for Presidents’ Day Weekend for Feb 2013. This must be done before Jan 24^th, 2013. You may click on this link:

http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/groups/personalized/M/MOBOBHX-GAW-20130212/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

Or call and ask for group code GAW for all these numbers: Hampton Inn Orange Beach: Direct Number 1-251-923-4400, toll free number 1-855-468-9884 or Central Reservation number 1-800-HAMPTON.

CALL FOR CLUB AGENDA ITEMS - AVA Clubs are called to submit to their Regional Directors agenda items for consideration at the July NEC meeting. Club agenda items are due to their Regional Directors by Monday, May 7th.

TAW DEADLINE -  The June/July issue of The American Wanderer deadline is April 25. All articles and photographs should be submitted directly to Laurel Parrott, Editor, taw@bhi.com or mail to: 3526 Humboldt Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55412. Be sure to include "TAW" in the subject line if emailing.

     Ken

March is Nearly Gone, But Don't Stop Marching!

APRIL IS FAST APPROACHING!  - Saturday, March 31st.  You have 2 Events in the Region from which to choose:  1)  Blowing Springs Park, Bella Vista, Arkansas, with 5km/10km trails, rated 2C, provided with Start Times from 8:00 a.m. to noon by the Ozark Hill Hikers (POC is Doug Evett at 479-381-2406) or 2) Jewett Scott City Park, Mangum, Oklahoma, with 5km/10km trails, rated 1B, provided with Start Times from 9:00 a.m. to noon by Holy Family Walkers (POC is George Snyder at 580-357-2930).

 

Ken

WE'VE SURVIVED THE [T]IDES OF MARCH, NOW LET'S WALK?

 

     Here in Oklahoma, it seems that there has been little else to do than to swim during March.  In Tulsa we've broken records and have gotten more than 7.5 inches of rain since last Sunday.  We have heard that weather conditions are not alot better throughout Arkansas, Kansas, or Missouri.  Clubs that have indoor YREs or other venues available can maintain a walk exercise regimen.  It not only helps with your physical health, but contribute enormously to mental health, if not just helping to alleviate the blahs!

     My advice is "do a Volksswim when its warm and sunny; get out (in) at times like these and do a walk!"

DON'T PROCRASTINATE, CHECK YOUR YRE START BOXES -  During the past month, I have visited a number of YRE Start Points that have Start Boxes FILLED with envelopes left by folks who have completed the event.  Because I am one who often leaves cash in payment for the event participation fee (registration), I surmise that any number of those other envelopes also contain cash.  Of course, the more envelopes, the more possibility of cash.  But more significantly to your Club, the more temptation for the dishonest person who knows, or can deduce, that cash is in your Start Box/Bag.

     A number of Clubs frank (pre-stamp) envelopes to allow walkers to mail the Start Card and event participation fee (registration) to a designated address, some Cubs provide addressed evelopes and ask the walker to stamp and mail it, but other Clubs have a designated location (a folder, a lock box, or a constructed and secure slotted container) for unstamped envelopes to be left.  No matter whether or not you lock a container, it can be opened.  Wisdom dictates, therefore, that if you allow walkers to leave cash in your Start Box upon completing your YRE, you should retrieve all of the envelopes in that Box no less frequently than about once each week.  Inasmuch as the event coordinator or a designee should be keeping a regular eye on the YRE route to be aware of trail blockages due to highway/street construction, washouts, new traffic patterns and the like, that person can retrieve those envelopes as well.

     Avoid a financial catastrophe; check your Start Box as frequently as (and EVEN MORE frequently than) you check your trail!  

  Ken

    

(VOLKS)MARCH ON!

 

AVA NEC MINUTES - The draft minutes of the January 20, 2012, AVA NEC Meeting are posted on the AVA Website. You may locate them by clicking on the AVA Leadership button. Minutes are located near bottom of that page.

FREE VIDEO CREATION SOFTWARE - Recently, the AVA Headquarters received a Smilebox-created video from the Shasta Sundial Stollers of Redding, California, advertising their club and an event.  Cynthia Turbin used www.smilebox.com to create a customized video.  If you would like to consider using Smilebox to promote our wonderful sports, click on the www.smilebox.com link.

GOODSEARCH DONATES MONEY TO THE AVA -  Folks using

Goodsearch have helped raise dollars for the AVA. We encourage everyone to register at www.Goodsearch.com before searching the Internet.  Results of support for the AVA are noted at http://www.goodsearch.com/nonprofit/american-volkssport-association-ava.aspx.

   Ken

Happy Sadie Hawkins Day!

Do You Have Anything Past Due? - To ensure that your Club receives all future event stamps, please submit to AVA Headquarters any past due reports of any nature (including participation reports, officer updates, financial reports, etc.) stamps and monies owed.

TAW Deadline -  The June/July issue of The American Wanderer deadline is April 25.  All articles and photographs should be submitted directly to Laurel Parrott, Editor taw@bhi.com or by "snail mail" to: 3526 Humboldt Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55412. Be sure to include "TAW" in the subject line if emailing.

NEC Meeting -  The next AVA NEC Meeting will be held in Orlando, Florida, on July 6 to 7, 2012. The NEC Meeting following that will be held in Schertz, Texas, on January 18 to 19, 2013.  AVA Headquarters will provide more details once available.

E-Postcard Information – Worth Repeating -  The good news is that many of South Central Region Clubs have properly filed e-postcards and maintained their non-profit status. During the weekend of January 28 & 29, 2012, Gus Glaser, a recently-retired IRS tax attorney specializing in non-profit organizations, researched each AVA Club by tax ID number to determine which Clubs were in compliance, those not in compliance, and other issues relating to our tax status.  AVA is very fortunate to have such a professional willing to volunteer in this effort. Below is a summary of what Gus found.

 Many Clubs are in compliance but have not sent proof of compliance to AVA, so AVA’s records show these clubs as not being in compliance.

 When filing the e-postcard, some Clubs are not putting the Club name in the portion of the e-postcard called dba.  Instead e-postcards are being filed with an individual’s name or no name at all.  Often the Club address is not used, which causes the Club name and address not to be in the IRS data base, therefore not in compliance.

 Clubs are not filing using the proper legal name of the Club. The proper name for a Club is the name the Club used when receiving their tax ID number. Many e-postcards have been filed under a Club’s tax ID number using various versions of a Club name or no name, causing non-compliance.

 Clubs have intermittently filed one year then skipped years, causing the IRS to revoke their non-profit status.

WHAT YOUR CLUB NEEDS TO DO RIGHT NOW:If your club has filed the e-postcards, you must send the proof for each year you filed since 2007 to AVA Headquarters immediately; every AVA Club is required by the IRS to be in compliance, but the IRS does not notify AVA when you file. If the IRS has revoked your Club’s status and you did file e-postcards as required, AVA will take this up with the IRS on behalf of your Club once we have proof from you that you filed.
 
If you are dealing with the IRS now because your Club has already had it's non-profit status revoked because you did not file as required, you need to send copies of any documents you have sent to the IRS for proof to AVA that you are working to have your status reinstated. A form 1023 has to be filed with the IRS along with a filing fee of $100.00. The form 1023 and instructions can be found on the irs.gov web site. Seek out someone in your Club or a professional who can help you submit the necessary forms.  See the IRS document, "AUTOMATIC REVOCATION OF TAX-EXEMPT STATUS," a copy of which is attached to the March Checkpoint  or can be obtained from me.

    Ken

You Would Think It Was February Out There - It's COLD!!!!!

HOLY FAMILY WALKERS, LAWTON, OKLAHOMA - If you haven't already, you should access the AVA Website, view the color photo on the webpage, and read briefly about the program George and Sharon Snyder and participating Club Members have established for ISD (International Student Division) officers and their families, stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for training.  Walking is now among the social activities in which officer students from a number of countries get to share while in the United States.  Good work and good diplomacy Holy Family Walkers!

TAW APRIL/MAY ISSUE DEADLINE - The deadline for the April/May issue of The American Wanderer is Saturday, February 25. If you know of anyone who should be writing for this issue pass this on to them. Remember, when submitting articles to put TAW and your region in the email subject line.

Ken

FEBRUARY!

     It is already February!  So much has happened in January that (1) I haven't posted to this communication tool, and (2) a significant amount of information waits to be communicated to you.  Let me then get started passing on some of that information:

 AVA CHECKPOINT ARTICLE - IRS E-POSTCARD ACTION - All AVA Club Members should be aware of and become familiar with the IRS annual reporting requirements for non-profit organizations.  Take the time to peruse the Checkpoint Article and attachment on this subject; it is vitally important to your Club and, ultimately, to the AVA and to YOU!  If you have any questions after reading the subject Checkpoint Article, please feel free to contact me at AVA.SCRD@hotmail.com.

TAW DEADLINE - The April/May issue of The American Wanderer articles/photographs deadline is February 25th.  Submissions should be made to Laurel Parrott, TAW Editor at 3526 Humboldt Ave. North, Minneapolis, MN 55412 or by e-mail at taw@bhi.com.  Be sure to include "TAW" in the subject line if e-mailing.

NEW AVA MARKETING DIRECTOR -  Welcome Chuck Blische, the new AVA Marketing Director, whose job is fundraising, public relations, and marketing.  Chuck's first day at AVA National HQ was Monday, January 30th.  His e-mail address is marketing@ava.org.

NEC MEETINGS - The next AVA NEC Meeting will be in Orlando, Florida, on July 6 - 7, 2012.  The following AVA NEC Meeting is scheduled for January 18 - 19, 2013.

   Ken