October 2009 River Meeting Notes

In attendance: Natasha, Vinny, Alyssa, Harold, Kareim, Ryan, Shad, Jared, Chicken, Jim, Lam, Caroline, Laura, Margery 

Chairs: Jared Kelly

Host: Chicken Nesmith

Trip Reports

Trip reports for KYP, 7 Trees, and AO fundraiser trips.  

Finance

• We brought in more money than we spent by $2180.

• We didn't exceed our budget in any category, except SWR (and we readjusted the budget to accommodate it). 

• Fall fundraiser: Raised $3,107 with a 1-day Middle Fork Trip run by All Outdoors.

Wilderness First Aid

• Bobby Foster only available April 24-25 (need to set this 1st, before the rest of the calendar is set)

• We can run WFA training almost for free, we just need to find a venue.

• If you have any good ideas for venues, send your ideas to Shad. 

• What to do about the alternating years for SWR vs. WFA?

• Ryan - do 2 WFAs and one SWR 

Season Close

• Boats back w/ Mike @ PRS.

• We returned from Lotus all PFDs, wetsuits, paddle jackets, ensolite pads and 20 paddles.

• Kitchen gear, oar frames, & some paddles are still at Lotus.

• Volunteers took sleeping bags, wetsuits, & paddle jackets home to wash & will return them to the Oakland shed soon.

• Pablo & Chris will come up with a needed gear list soon to arrange for a budget for purchases, so we're ready for the season next year. 

• 30 year anniversary of ICO rafting party

• Interested in organizing an off-season party?  Contact Bill W or Jared -- soon! 

Chair Election

• Voting last week of October, announcement of results on 11/1.

• Two candidates: Vinny Abeygunawardena and Chris Thorsen

• All "Active" volunteers will be able to vote:

  • Current contact information in roster

  • Participated in at least one trip or meeting in the last 2 years. 

• Vote to be conduct via online form, managed by neutral ICOer (Shane and/or Kathleen)

Discussion: Modified training for 2009

• Proposal: Skip basic training for 2010, instead concentrating on intermediate/advanced training for our apprentices. Take hands-on approach to converting our 'A's to 'G's for 2010 rather than investing in new volunteers.

Comments included:

• Benefits: support the apprentices to improve their skills, and increase the numbers of trained G guides to help run trips

• Cons: discourages potential applicants who were asked to apply in '10, some of whom may have been previous participants.

• Why not do both at the same time?  Save $$

• We have 18 potential applicants for next year's training class

• It may be too challenging to do both jobs at once.  Basic training is important in its own right.

• 37 apprentices are currently compliant, plus 5 ATGs, and 13 trip leaders and 17 G guides

• Remember the mission, and how best to serve the organization: We need more 'G's and the currently high level of volunteerism may allow us a special opportunity to increase this pool

• What do apprentices really need?

• We could alternate basic & beyond basic training every other year.

• Apprentices likely have a range of skills and preparation for getting to G status.  Some may benefit from more directed, intensive training, while others might need just an assessment of skills, or a mentor to work through the issues.

• One apprentice wanted to do basic training over again, but it's not available.  An advanced training for As would be really helpful.

• We could stagger the basic and beyond basic trainings.  We promised potential training applicants that we would hold a basic training.  We would be lying to them if we canceled it.

• Last year we had trainer burnout and trainers on the canyon, so we didn't do both basic and beyond basic training.

• Rowing training for G guides?

• Ask apprentices if they'd like evening classroom sessions for knot review, etc. 

Next steps:

• Gather information: Chicken, Laura, & Margery will set up some standard questions for As, and will call the As to assess their interest in extra training next year.

• If there's interest, then we could design a survey for other related issues: trainer interest, G guide rowing training, etc. 

• Decision must be made by 12/1, to spare Ryan recruiting efforts.

2010 Calendar

Training Committee Meeting 11/4 (to recommend whether to hold basic, beyond basic, or both trainings)

Training decision by December 1 by all of ICO; simple majority vote

Yodler announcement 12/1

Applications available 12/15

2010 Winter Retreat 1/30-31

Applications due 2/7

Applications review 2/20

Tune-up 3/6-7

(Classroom sessions 3/3, 3/10

Flat water 3/13-14 (other day could be 1st aid/ CPR)

Training 1 3/20-21

Training 2  3/27-28

(Easter 4/3-4)

Training 3 4/10 - 11

Training 4 4/17-18

WFA 4/24 

Best to include CPR & 1st aid within Basic training.  Unless we get other trainers certified, we need to work with Mel and her schedule. 

Volunteer positions accepted for next year:

Retreat Coordinators: Laura & Kareim

Training Coordinators: Lam (BT) and Chicken(BB/extended apprentice training)

Outreach Coordinators: Kareim & Laura 

Issues to discuss at the retreat:

Decide calendaring date and method (all trips, or just the first few months of trips) 

XXXXXX 

what year did you train?  with whom?

commitment to extra training?

how many days/weekends?

mentoring?

want help with:

more stick time?

goal for next year? 

Chicken will set up conference call