AVA Home
Find Walking Events
Find Walking Clubs
What We Are About
Membership
Publications
Special Programs
Articles and Workshops
|
|
|
What is Volksmarching? |
|
 |
|
A volksmarch is a non-competitive 6 mile (10 kilometer) walk. It's not a pledge walk, it's not a race, it is a fun activity you do with a club, with your family, with your pet, or all by yourself. Volksmarching got its name from its origins in Europe. Today there are thousands of volkssport clubs around the world, allied in the International Volkssport Federation, the IVV.
What do local volkssport clubs do?There are over 350 volkssport clubs throughout the USA, and many thousands around the world. Local clubs host the walking events. The club members select a trail for safety, scenic interest, historic areas, natural beauty and walkability. They then invite everyone to come and enjoy it on a weekend or a weekday evening. What kind of trails?The trails are marked or maps provided. Trails may be in cities, towns, parks, forests, rural areas, anywhere there is a pleasant or interesting place to walk. Do I have to join a club?Clubs welcome new members, but you don't have to join a club to enjoy the volksmarch events. All events are open to the public. Clubs are listed online. What does this cost?Many walks are open for no charge, or register for the event award (usually a medal or patch) to show that you are a "winner." Medals are usually less than $7. To keep track of how you are achieving your fitness goals, join our Individual Achievement Award Program. Distance and Event Record Books are available for $5 each at all events. If you register for the event award or pay the credit fee ($3.00 or less), at the finish the event and distance you walked are entered in the Record Books. After milestones such as 10 events, 30 events, 50 events, 500 kilometers, 1000 kilometers, etc. you redeem the Record Book for a Certificate of Achievement, a patch and a hatpin, and your accomplishment is printed in The American Wanderer, our national publication. See the AVA Record Book Guide for details on redeeming the Record Books. Is there a New Walker Program packet to get me started right?But of course! And it's a great deal. You can get one at an event or from a local club for $5 or by mail order from the AVA (follow link for order form)
How long do you walk?Most people take 2 hours to stroll our 10K trails. Many events now have a shorter distance trail that is perfect for beginners and should take only an hour to complete at an easy pace. Some like to run or jog, others enjoy taking a leisurely pace and stopping to sightsee, picnic, or even shop! You go at YOUR own pace, and you are always a winner at the end. What do the trail ratings mean?Trails are rated for difficulty so you can more easily choose which one will suit your walking style.
Where do I find out more?To find a volkssport club or an event near you (or at your destination if you are planning a vacation), call or write one of the clubs. Or call the AVA Hotline (voice only) 1-800-830-WALK. Events are listed by state on the hotline. Is there a national membership?To receive The American Wanderer, plus many travel discounts and special member offers, join Volkssports Associates, our national individual membership program. What is a Year-Round Event?A Year-Round Event is a self-guided walking event available most days of the year. The local club selects a trail, draws maps and writes detailed walking instructions, and sets up a permanent starting point. You arrive during the stated open hours, register, take a map, and enjoy the trail. These events include series of state parks in several states, great tourist attractions and national parks and good daily exercise routes in hundreds of communities. Some are scenic, some are historical, some are just for exercise. Call the club to find out which events suit your interests. Starting points: The starting points are often hospitals, hotels, or convenience stores. At the start point is a start box. The start box takes many forms - it may be a bureau or kiosk, or it may be a file box or tool box. You may have to ask the proprietor to point it out or get it out. The proprietors are often not club members, so please be patient with these people who are volunteering to help the club. The Start Procedure: Inside the start box is a registration log. Please register - you can walk for free but we need to know who is participating in our event. Sign the log and take a start card and trail map. Enjoying the walk: Walk at your own pace, enjoy the local area for as long as you desire (daytime hours only!). If you have any difficulty with the directions provided, be sure to write a note to the host club and put it in the start box when you return. Finishing: At the end, turn in your start card. If you walk for IVV Credit, stamp your books. If you registered for the award, read the instructions in the start box on how to get it - it may be in the start box, may be with the proprietor, or may be mailed, depending on the club. Where do I find these Year-Round Events?Year-Round Event Book, Starting Point. has details on all events in the USA. The online Calendar lists minimum details, with links to more information provided by the clubs. For a full brochure about a trail, either follow the link or call or write the club. Starting Point is your best bet for getting information on all of the routes each year. VOLKSSPORTING TERMS DEFINEDVolkssport - a noun or verb. The noun meaning a group of "people's" sports that include walking, swimming, skiing, swimming, snow shoeing, and biking (and occasionally roller-skating). The verb means to participate in those sports - ex. volkssport Washington state. Volkssporting - a noun or verb. Same definition as above. Volkssporter - A person who participates in Volkssporting events. Volksmarch - a walking event. Also termed volkswalk. In Germany, these events were originally termed Volkswanderung - "volkswandering." Reportedly this was difficult for American military stationed in Germany to understand and so they started using the term Volksmarsch. It evolved into Volksmarch in the United States. Those feeling that the term was too foreign, coined the word - Volkswalk. IVV - Internationaler Volkssport Verband - This is the international parent organization which is headquartered in Germany. Many nations have chapters. Our AVA is one of the chapters of these "International Popular Sports Clubs." The AVA pays dues to the IVV, we have adopted their awards program, we have a vote as a member nation, etc. Volkssporters who travel to other countries will notice that our Distance and Event books are the same size and color, the award patch, pin and certificates are the same, etc. AVA - American Volkssport Association - This is our national organization. Fees are paid to keep our national organization going in support of the member clubs. The AVA heads up nation-wide programs and processes our awards for us. Our officers are all volunteers. IVV Awards Program - just like in Europe, you can record the number of events you participate in and the number of kilometers you walk, ski or bike in record books. These books, available at most organized events are the way you become involved in our international awards program and give yourself an incentive to participate in events. When you begin, you will want both the green book (event record) and blue book (distance record). As you complete certain milestones, the first distance one is 500 K and the first event one is 10 events, you send them in to the national office in Texas. By return mail, you will receive a patch, pin and certificate indicating the award that you have earned. The directions for the program are on the books which you purchase for $5.00 each. You will also receive a "Passport." This is used to record the event and distance milestones you have accomplished. Once you spend $5.00 for the book, there is no additional charge to you for the patch, pin and certificate upon completion. See the AVA Record Book Guide for more details. Credit - This is the entry of a validation imprint (stamp) into the event and distance record books you keep. It shows your progress toward reaching the various levels of event and distance awards. Everyone gets excited as a book is nearly filled up! The validation imprint shows the event sanction number and can only be given on the day of the event. IVV rules allow it only to be stamped in the official record books. If you forget to bring your record books to an event, you have the choice of buying a new book as you eventually will need one! See the AVA Record Book Guide for more details. Credit Only - When you register for an event, either in advance by mail (pre-registration), or in person at the Registration table, you can ask for a Free Walk (no credit or award - or cost. Most events allow free walkers, but some charge all participants a small fee), Credit only, or Award. Credit only means that you want the validation imprint (event stamp) only, no award. Free means that you want neither credit nor award. If an award is offered at the event, and you register and pay for the award, the credit is included in the price. For example, an event may offer the following schedule of fees:
Hatpin - Especially in the Northwest, people enjoy collecting hatpins from the various walks they attend. These souvenirs are not awards, and can be purchased in any quantity desired and without participating in the event. Many events offer both an award and a hatpin. Remember that the award must be earned. To confuse you further, please note that some awards are actually pins.... but usually are larger than a hatpin. Ks - Kilometers (1 Km = .6 mile). Many people refer to walking distance as "getting in their K's." A bad event may be referred to as one in which "at least I got some Ks." A Medal or A Award - This term was started in Germany. Most of the awards were originally medallions. The A medal is the medal that is the award for the current event. Awards must have the initials AVA/IVV and year affixed permanently to it. B Medal or B Award - This is last years or previous year's awards. Usually you can earn these awards at a reduced price. The key to remember is that you must earn these awards even though they are from prior events. Oddly enough, sometimes a patch or cup is referred to as the "B-medal." This is a remnant from the German terminology. Start/finish - This is where the registration and finish area of the volkssporting event is housed. When you arrive for an event, look for the "start" or "start/finish." This is where you register for the volkssporting event. Quite often refreshments are sold, specialties are available and information on upcoming events is spread out on tables. It's a great place for socializing! Pre-registration table - Berta Wilkes in California says that there is no hyphen in pre-registered but many seem to spell it that way! This table is where you go if you sent in your registration fees early. Some flyers indicate that you can register by mail. After picking up your "start-card" or "control-card (German origin)," you go to the next step. Registration table - This is the table at which you pay your credit only or award fees, pick up a "start card" or "Control Card (German)", put your name and address on the card and then move to the next step. Start number or Start table - this is where the club numbers your card. It helps them keep track of the number of volkssporters out on the trail. It is important for you to stop at this table to help the club with their record-keeping and often it is the place where maps and directions are given out. Not all events have a start table, but it is wise to ask if there is one. Checkpoint or Control point (German) - These are strategically placed points along the route where you must pause to have your startcard stamped, punched or sometimes, you need to write something on it. This is proof that you have passed along the route. During organized events, water and, often, sweets are offered at the checkpoint. Ideally, a restroom is available. Recent events have had checkpoints located in coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, etc. and so the checkpoint can be a real rest stop! In Germany the control points often offered a selection of beers, soft drinks, teas, hot wine, schnapps, and sandwiches. In the United States, the food is most often available at the Start/Finish point. Finish - this is the table where you go when you have completed the route. If you have IVV books (which you should) you will present your startcard, and if you have paid for credit only or for the Award, you will get your book(s) stamped. You can only earn the stamp on the day of the event, so if you forget your books, don't expect to come to the next event and get them stamped! If there is an award, and if you have paid the fee, you will be given your award at the finish table. If the awards have not yet arrived, or the club has run out of awards, they will ask you to sign a list with your name and address so that they can mail your award to you. Information table - this is where you should go after you finish the event. Brochures from upcoming events, trip ads and specialty ads are put here for you to browse and take home. TAW - The American Wanderer - This is our national volkssporting publication. It is printed by the AVA in Universal City, Texas and comes out every other month. It is sometimes referred to as "the taw." It contains event listings nation-wide, articles and pictures. You can subscribe by becoming a "Volkssport Associate." This is a program which supports our organization and gives you the TAW and some member discounts. Regional Director - In the US, groups of states are assigned an elected volunteer Regional Director who serves as a liaison with the AVA and the clubs in his/her region and assists in guiding the AVA as a member of the Executive Council. Bratwurst - In Germany, refreshments and socializing are as important to the event as the walk itself. In large tents or "festhalles" people dine on such wonderful German foods as Bratwurst (a light colored sausage best cooked on an outdoor grill), erbsensuppe (pea soup), kuchen (wonderful cakes prepared by the ladies of the town), and of course beer, wine and soft-drinks. All is usually provided as a fund-raiser for the local town charity. Many small German towns have only one event per year. It is a major fund-raiser and social event. In the US, we are encouraging this festive atmosphere and many clubs offer "Wurst," or hot dogs and other refreshments. State and Country Bars - No these aren't the "Honky Tonks" of Country-Western singer's lyrics! Volkssporters like to collect and record everything. The AVA and IVV countries sell small metal bars (about 1 inch + long) to sell to those who have participated in volkssporting events in other states and countries. They have two holes drilled at the top and bottom to allow for linking them into an impressive chain of bars. To start your collection, buy a "header pin" and your own state. Link them together (needle-nosed pliers help) and start your travels! Shop the AVA Specialties page. 50 Staters - These are people who are in the process of or have completed volkssporting events in all 50 US States. When you complete this feat, it is cause for celebrating! Be sure and tell your club about it. The AVA has a 50 states/51 Capitals Record Book to keep track of your accomplishments and upon completion you can get a certificate and other goodies. Also available from various volkssporting specialty sales companies are T-shirts and patches with the states imprinted on them. You can use fabric paint or markers to color in your progress toward your goal of 50 states. Shop the AVA Specialties page or the Volksware page. County Counters - No, not a luncheonette counter in the county office building! County counters are volkssporters who are coloring in T-shirts or patches toward a goal of volkssporting in all the counties of a given state. Convention - The AVA holds a biennial convention. Volkssporters will gather from near and far for a week of events, education, socials and meetings. These conventions are a tremendous amount of fun - drawing over 1,000 people. The convention will also need a tremendous amount of volunteer time... so, get involved!! The Canadian Volkssport Federation also holds a yearly convention. The Volkssport Info-Line 1-800-830-WALK Recorded information listing events and programs nationwide. You can also ask for a convention registration packet.
|
IVV logo
American Volkssport Association 1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 101 Universal City, TX 78148 Voice: (210) 659-2112, Fax: (210) 659-1212 |
|
|
Copyright January 2003, American Volkssport Association Last Revision 4/22/2008 |