More of This Feature • The 2001 AVA Convention • Rhododendron and Bonsai Gardens Walk • Seattle Walk • Photos Point Defiance • Photos Opening Social • Remlinger Farms Walk • Bellevue Walk • Snoqualmie Walk • Olympia Walk • Workshops and Meetings

From Other Guides • Seattle/Tacoma • Northwest for Visitors

Elsewhere on the Web • Rob Sweetgall's Creative Walking • J.A. Jance • WalkSport America

Rob Sweetgall has walked across the USA 7 times. His presentation had us rolling in the aisles and his workshop got us all encouraged to move even more.  If you ever want a dynamic speaker, get Rob!  I'll be featuring Rob in an interview feature in upcoming weeks.

Mystery writer J.A. Jance wanted to raise funds for a hospital helipad in Bisbee, Arizona - so she offered to feature people in her book Devil's Claw for a donation.  Volkssporter Hal Witter of Arizona was one of the takers and so he discovers the body while on a volkssport walk in the book.  She gave an entertaining keynote address to the convention on Thursday.

Sara Donovan of the WalkSport America mall walking program led walkers and gave a brief keynote on Wednesday as we were champing at the bit to get out of the meeting and onto the trail.

Workshops included:

• Selecting Walking Shoes
• Strength by Numbers
• Feldenkrais Movement
• Outdoor Environment
• Walking With Poles
• Cooking Light Demo
• American Discovery Trail
• Chiropractic for Walkers
• Avoiding and Dealing With Injury
• Massage
• Strength Training
• Walking Off Weight with Rob Sweetgall
• Sports Nutrition
• 6000 Footsteps a Day with Rob Sweetgall
• Outdoor Photography
• Club Marketing
• Leading Your Club
• Discovery Walk Festival and International Marching League
• Your Club on the Web
• Club Finances
• Quality Events and Trails
• AVA Operations
• Writing for the AVA American Wanderer
• Robert's Rules of Order
• Club Legal Issues
• Certified Trailmaster Program
• Mapping Your Trail
• Obtaining Local Sponsorships
• New Balance Support for Your Walk

I encourage everyone - volkssporter or plain walker - to come to the workshops at the 2003 AVA Convention.  A great selection of topics with expert presenters.

Business Meetings

The AVA Convention held national elections, returning Nancy Stenger as president, Shirley Lindberg as vice-president, Debbie Miller as secretary and electing Fred Sheets as treasurer.  Ten regional directors were selected by the regions.

To wake us up, auctioneer Larry Brown auctioned items live at the meeting.  I bought a handmade quilt, the better to nap during the bylaws debate.  In fact, the bylaws went much faster than at previous conventions - good work was done by the committee and chairman Lyn Ward.

As a special fund-raising project, the regional directors begged for money and the person raising the most got to kiss a pig on the spot of his/her choice and make the person raising the least kiss the pig on ANOTHER spot of his/her choice.  Lyn Ward raised over $1000 and the very cute and cuddly pig received a buss on on its head from Lyn.  Jesse Miller of the Northwest Region raised the least and Lyn instructed him to kiss the pig on its haunch.

Convention Site Selection

The 2003 AVA Convention will be in Colorado.  It was time to select the 2005 convention site.  The only offer came from the Atlantic Region.  They offered a different format with business meetings and workshops and daily convention walks held over a long weekend - three days worth.   Walking events before and after will likely be offered by the local clubs and packaged together with the convention.

I spoke to support this format, which will be more friendly to working people who cannot dedicate a whole week of leave to come to the convention.  It may also open up our workshops and vendor areas to more of the public.  Like all organizations, the AVA needs to think about who can be groomed for future leadership.  It is a hardship for working people to take that much time off, especially if their families are not likewise addicted to walking.  We need to encourage and support these people to come learn more about leading their clubs and the association.

Meanwhile, there WILL be over a week's worth of organized walking events surrounding the convention for us walking addicts.  The proposal was approved.

Many thanks to Dorman Batson, convention chairman, and to David Stewart, AVA Executive Director, for creating and conducting a wonderful walking convention.  I hope to see you all at the 2003 AVA Convention, Rambling the Rockies in Colorado.

Next >> Photos from the Meetings

Photos copyright 2001 Wendy Bumgardner, licensed to About.com