The Over the Hill Gang Volkssport Club
Minutes of the January 23, 20019 meeting
Round Table Pizza, 34410 – 15^th Ave Ct, Federal Way, WA, 1 p.m.

Call to Order Meeting was called to order by club president, Diane Wagner, at 1 p.m.

Correspondence The Puyallup Food Bank sent a thank you letter to the club for the Christmas donations.

Minutes of the December 12, 2018 meeting A motion was made, seconded and passed to accept the minutes as submitted by the secretary.

Treasurer’s Report Club treasurer, Eleanor Borgardts reported the check book balance.

Committee Reports

Year Round/Seasonals 2018 2019

Auburn 174 –

DuPont – Historic Village 87 21

Boyhood Memories 116 0

Federal Way 55 3

Kent – Town and Parks 54 3

Green River 46 3

Maple Valley – –

Membership Marianne Bastin reported that the membership is 20.

AVA Tom Baites sends out a newsletter called Tom’s Talk. The most recent was after the last board of Director’s meeting.

Congratulations to Julie Heath for her winning photograph on the 2019 Starting Point
A new Regional Challenge to participate in is Walk Across Canada (virtual challenge see AVA.org for information).
The American Wanderer will be printed 4 times a year in 2019 instead of the previous 6 issues.
The AVA is suggesting that clubs “rebrand”. The Over the Hill Gang Volkssport Club would become The Over the Hill Gang Walking Club. The feeling is that this name change would help encourage new walkers.
The free walker issue was addressed. It was suggested that the Convention goers could decide whether to allow or eliminate free walkers. The NW has 51% free walkers and AVA feels they need the lost revenue. It was suggested each club look at their number of free walkers and consider donating a dollar to AVA for each free walker.
AVA election candidates are as follows:

President – David Bonewitz (running for re-election)

Vice President – Nancy Wittenberg (from the NW, running for re-election)

Secretary – Cecilia Minor

Treasurer – Chase Davis (from the NW)

Information about each candidate is available in the most current Checkpoint.

AVA Challenges for 2020 are Celebrating American Flight, Mayflower 400 Anniversary Walks and Rockin’Around the Clock. More information later.
IVV books can now be processed electronically. (Scan you entire book and e-mail it to the AVA office and indicate whether you want pins, patches and/or certificates.)

ESVA The next meeting is April 13, 2019 in conjunction with the Link Light Rail anniversary. Emerald City Wanderers is hosting an ESVA challenge in conjunction to the anniversary. They have a brochure available online at the ESVA website with great information on how to use the Link and where the stops are.

Break for Drawing $12.00 was collected. Janet Paige won $6.00, the club received $6.00. Marilyn Viola won an AVA calendar.

Old Business We are still waiting for the suggested route from the City of DuPont for our June 1 National Trails Day event. They are offering their ‘swag bag’ again and requested we help sell them as a package deal for $8.00.($3 for credit +$5 for the bag) or $3 credit only or $5 bag only. It was agreed that the club would do this provided an additional table and some help is supplied.

New Business

It was agreed that the Hudson Bay Days event, August 18, 19 be sanctioned.
Two members of the club will attend the AVA Convention in Albany.

Dates to remember

Feb. 27 – The Over the Hill Gang Meeting – 1 p.m.

Only 1 March event and 5 April events are scheduled in Washington. It would be a good idea to walk year round or seasonals.

Respectfully submitted,

Marianne Bastin, secretary