American Volkssport Association®

AVA Committee Chairs and Liaisons 2009-2011

Please contact a Chair Person or Liaison to share your leadership skills and support.  Together we can grow! We look forward to hearing from you soon.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Audit Committee
Chair: Fred Sheets
fsheets@cfl.rr.com
Executive Council Liaison: Dennis Michele
27 Cane Creek Circle
Fairview, NC 28730
(home) 828-628-4343
se_rd@ava.org

The Audit Committee is responsible for:

• Reviewing qualified candidates and selecting for employment, the individual/firm to perform the annual audit of the AVA.
• Receiving the annual report prepared and submitted by the individual/firm accomplishing the audit.
• Reviewing the audit report and making appropriate recommendations regarding its contents to the Executive Council.

2011 Convention Committee  (Direct link to Convention Website)
Chair: Susan Pinneke
susanp221@msn.com
Executive Council Liaison: Bonnie Johnson
25 - 66th Way NE
Fridley, MN 55432-4202
(home) 763-571-8041
nc_rd@ava.org

The 2011 AVA Convention Committee is responsible for:

• Preparing and giving reports to the Executive Council at each meeting and at other times as necessary on the status and work of the Convention Committee.
• Assisting the Convention Committee Chair and Executive Director in whatever ways may be necessary in planning and conducting the 2011 Convention.

Publicity Committee
Chair: OPEN
To Volunteer Email Executive Council Contact: Curt Myron
president@ava.org  

The Publicity Committee is responsible for:

• Creating and implementing plans to increase public awareness of the AVA.
• Developing, in coordination with the Membership Development Committee, membership recruitment and retention programs.
• Overseeing multimedia ventures including broadcast and radio.

Standards and Evaluation Committee
Executive Council Chair: Heinz Johnson
27727 Ramblewood
San Antonio, TX 78261-2013
(home) 830-980-5723
sw_rd@ava.org

The Standards and Evaluation Committee is responsible for:

• Developing specific standards to be used by member clubs in conducting volkssporting events.
• Developing a means of evaluating events, by club members or a disinterested party, to assure applicable standards are being set.
• Reviewing existing directives and updating standards and evaluations as necessary.

 SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Awards and Recognition Committee
Executive Council Chair: Wayne Holloway
2687 Fria Springs Road
Rescue, CA 95672
(home) 530-676-4203
vicepres@ava.org

The Awards and Recognition Committee is responsible for:

• Working with the Executive Council and the Executive Director to assure consistency of recognition between regions.
• Developing and announcing procedures and timetables for soliciting nominations for recognition awards.
• Reviewing all applications for recognition and making recommendations to assure conformity and consistency with AVA policies and between regions.
• Recommending to the Executive Council those nominated individuals, clubs, or organizations for approval.
• Working with the Executive Director in establishing time and method of distributing awards.

Bylaws Committee
Executive Council Chair: Dennis Michele
27 Cane Creek Circle
Fairview, NC 28730
(home) 828-628-4343
se_rd@ava.org

The Bylaws Committee is responsible for:

• Reviewing the AVA Bylaws and recommending changes to the Executive Council and members.
• Working with the Executive Director to assure timely release of information necessary for any Bylaws changes.
• Recommending wording and procedures for presenting and clarifying changes.

History Committee
Chair: David Toth
dntoth@sbcglobal.net
Executive Council Liaison: Curt Myron
591 Birch Street
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
(home) 360-679-3638
president@ava.org

The History Committee is responsible for:

• The preservation of AVA history through documentation, biographies, and summary reports reports from AVA’s present and past.

Marketing Committee
Chair: Becky Forsythe
rgforsythe@usa.net
Executive Director Liaison: Jacklyn Wilson
1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 101
Universal City, TX 78148
(headquarters) 210-659-2112
avahq@ava.org

The Marketing Committee is responsible for:

• Creating and implementing plans to increase public awareness of the AVA.
• Developing membership recruitment and retention programs.

Nominating Committee
Chair: OPEN
Executive Council Liaison: Pat Lucero
1951 Quail Road
Newcastle, CA 95658-9493
(home) 916-434-0205
secretary@ava.org

The Nominating Committee is responsible for:

• Finding qualified candidates for the next AVA election to be held at the 2011 Convention.

Special Events Committee
Executive Council Chair: Phil Hait
80 Wingate Road
Holliston, MA 01746-1261
(home) 508-429-2988
(fax) 508-429-4299
ne_rd@ava.org

The Special Events Committee is responsible for:

• Identifying and making recommendations as to AVA involvement in any new or ongoing special events or projects.
• Sharing information with the Marketing/Publicity Committee to promote special projects.
• Working with the Executive Director to help coordinate ongoing special events such as National Physical Fitness and Sport Month and National Volkssporting Month.
• Reporting to the Executive Council either personally or through project Chairs on the status of special events.

Sponsors and Partners Committees
Chair: OPEN
To Volunteer Email Executive Council Contact: Curt Myron
president@ava.org

The Sponsors and Partners Committees are responsible for:

• Creating sponsorship arrangements that provide financial and material support to AVA’s efforts to achieve its mission to promote a healthy lifestyle through non-competitive sport.
• Creating and continuing partnership arrangements for mutual benefit with organizations that have goals similar to AVA’s mission.

Strategic Plan Committee
Executive Council Chair: Marvin Stokes
2975 Wild Pecan Court
Port Orange, FL 32129
(home) 386-788-4026
treasurer@ava.org

The Strategic Planning Committee is responsible for:

• Reviewing the AVA mission, vision and five year strategic plan to assure it adequately describes and addresses the current Association situation.
• Scheduling and leading, at least annually, an informal discussion with the Executive Council and Executive Director to evaluate and update the existing plan.
• Identifying and recommending changes to the existing plan at the evaluation meeting or whenever it is deemed necessary.

Training Committee
Executive Council Chair: Sam Korff
74890 Palm Creek Road
Clatskanie, OR 97016-2545
(home) 503-728-0400
nw_rd@ava.org

The Training Committee is responsible for:

• Developing and implementing a total training program for all levels of AVA.
• Identifying target groups to train, such as club members, officers at all levels, office employees.

Identifying areas of needed training:

• How to host a quality event
• How to deal with the media
• How to attract new members
• How to run a meeting using Roberts Rules of Order
• How to design and order awards
• How to mark a trail
• How to find sponsors
• How to do a web page
• How to do a club newsletter
• What are the rules?
• Establishing focused training weekends and convention workshops
• Expanding the website to include training
• Writing guidelines for areas of involvement
• Creating an organization chart
• Creating an expectation guideline for employees and officers

Youth Committee
Chair: Nancy Wittenberg
avayouth@ava.org
Executive Council Liaison: Sam Tollett
3 Delmont Court
Hampton, VA 23666-5508
(home) 757-766-3065
at_rd@ava.org

The Youth Committee is responsible for:

• Monitoring the development and implementation of the Youth Program.
• Preparing and giving reports to the Executive Council at each meeting and at other times as necessary on the status of the Youth Program.

Office Systems Committee
Executive Council Chair: Mike Nelson
s_m_nelson@msn.com
Executive Director Liaison: Jacklyn Wilson
1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 101
Universal City, Texas 78148
(headquarters) 210-659-2112
avahq@ava.org

The AVA Office Systems Committee is responsible for:

• Establishing procedures for implementing approved improvements; and Reporting on progress and results of improvements.
• Evaluating equipment and training necessary to use these technologies and locating funding to offset expense once needs are evaluated.
• Reviewing, continually, the state of technology in the National Headquarters and recommending needed changes to ensure the Headquarters is operating with the latest technology that can be accommodated within fiscal restraints.

(Note: The former Internet and Technology Committee is divided into two committees for this term: AVA Website and AVA Office Systems).

AVA Website Committee
Chair: PENDING

The AVA Website Committee is responsible for:

• Revise/revamp the website as needed; assure that routine website updates are timely.
• Advising the National Headquarters on using Internet technologies to improve work flow and communications.
• Recommending Internet publicity activities to AVA National Headquarters and clubs and providing guidance about getting online.
• Evaluating equipment and training necessary to use these technologies and locating funding to offset expense once needs are evaluated.

(Note: The former Internet and Technology Committee is divided into two committees for this term: AVA Website and AVA Office Systems).

Liaison To Global Committee
Executive Council Chair: Heinz Johnson
27727 Ramblewood
San Antonio, TX 78261-2013
(home) 830-980-5723
sw_rd@ava.org

• This project provides one source for coordinating annual Air Force Global events. The goal for the project is to revitalize and expand the Air Force Global events program.

AVA Structure Review
Chairs: Phil and Bev Jones
sierragoldstriders@att.net
Executive Council Liaison: Wayne Holloway
2687 Fria Springs Road
Rescue, CA 95672
(home) 530-676-4203
vicepres@ava.org

The Structure Review Committee is responsible for:

SPECIAL PROJECTS

AVA Clubs in Schools
Leader: OPEN
To Volunteer Email Executive Council Contact: Curt Myron
president@ava.org  

• AVA’s first Elementary School Volkssport Club was established in 2007. AVA seeks a Project Leader/Coordinator and volunteers to promote this program to elementary, middle and high schools in the United States.

APPOINTEES

Parliamentarian
Paul Lamb
2559 W Lambs Fold Ranch Road
Bisbee, AZ 85603
(520)432-3931
plamb@wildblue.net

Historian
David Toth
8463 Romney
San Antonio, TX 78254
(210)521-8684
dntoth@sbcglobal.net

IVV Liaison
Hans Dieter Fuhr
Breslauer Str. 60
Wiesbaden, Germany D-65203
hans-d.fuhr@t-online.de

American Volkssport Association
1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 101
Universal City, TX 78148