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