PRESIDENT'S UPDATE
July 2008

Alice Taylor, President
Crescent Ski Council
luvs2ski@verizon.net
Greetings!
 
    I hope everyone is enjoying summer.  In West Virginia, Mother Nature doesn't seem to be able to decide which season it is.  We have lots of hot, muggy days, but cool evenings that seem more appropriate for fall.   Maybe she's thinking about getting an early start on cooler weather and lots of snow this winter.  At least, I can hope so.  Personally, I'm looking forward to a snowy winter and plenty of opportunities to ski. To be ready for the season, Crescent has been busy with the following:
 
 

CONVENTIONS

 

The Fall Conference is scheduled for October 31 - November 2, at the Glenstone Lodge, in Gatlinburg, TN. Conference information will be distributed shortly and also will be posted on Crescent's web site under Conventions.  Be sure to make your reservations early to get the Crescent pricing.  Among the meetings / workshops will be the selection of the Crescent Ski Week trips for 2010, an update of National Ski Council Federation activities, a website/newsletter workshop, a roundtable forum to discuss clubs' problems, successes, and general concerns, and a planning session for Crescent's 40th anniversary celebration at the Spring Convention.

 

RACING

 

The race at Hawksnest this coming season has been canceled due to the closure of the mountain, and Ron Scott, Racing Chair, has asked the clubs' race directors, as well as CSC's race workers, to advise him of their preferred location for that race slot.  Please ask your directors to respond promptly so Ron can get the schedule set.

 

TRIPS

 

Steamboat Race & Ski Camp:  December 6 - 13, 2008 

Big Sky, MT:  January 17- 24, 2009

Keystone, CO:  March 14 -21, 2009 

 

The 2008 Race & Ski Camp, as always, is selling briskly;  244 are registered to date for the 25th Anniversary trip.  All of  the three-bedroom condos at The Lodge at Steamboat are booked, but lodging still is available in the two-bedroom condos.  Approximately 50 are registered for Big Sky so far.  I don't have specific numbers for Keystone, but I know my club, Kanawha, is taking over 20.  September 1st is the deadline for Crescent to hold rooms for Big Sky, so deposits need to be in by then.  Final payment for Steamboat is due October 1st.  Plan to get as many registrations as possible during your August meetings!  Information about all three trips is contained on CSC's web site.  Members can register directly with Sports America Tours (SAT) for Steamboat, but they must go through the clubs for Big Sky and Keystone.  If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact SAT (for Steamboat) or Lisa Beregi, Trips Chair, at drlab88@aol.com.

 

Lisa has issued an updated club trips schedule but very few clubs have provided information regarding their 2008 / 2009 trips.  Please get your trips listings to her so Crescent's web site can be updated with a complete list.  The listing provides clubs' members with easy access to all trips.  Also, many resorts use this information when deciding where to spend their money (attending Spring Convention trade show, donations for prizes, etc).  If it looks like the authorized clubs don't support the resorts, they will decrease their support of Crescent. 

 

The RFPs have gone out to the tour operators for the 2010 Ski Weeks so Crescent will be ready to present them to club trip leaders at the Fall Conference.  Make sure your club trip leader or a club representative is there to vote for your preferred destinations.  With the ever increasing price of air fare, selection of a destination could be more complicated than ever. 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

 

The June update included the following:  "Article XII of Crescent's bylaws requires clubs to "provide a list of names of Members covered by the payment of dues at the time of payment of dues for purposes of verification of payment".  Crescent's treasurer, Rod Davis, is interested in replacing those lists with a certification, signed by a club's treasurer, that the membership count is accurate at time of payment.  Obviously, that would require a bylaws change.  Please provide Rod and me with your comments regarding the need for such a change."  I've only heard from two clubs so far.  To present a bylaws change to the BOD, 30 days notice must be given.  That means we need to know your thoughts by the end of August so EXCOMM can discuss it via email and decide whether to proceed with a change.  If Rod and I don't hear from you, we are going to assume you don't mind providing the lists when your club dues are paid.

 

Standard Reminder:  Bruce McMurray, CSC's database coordinator, sends me his current listing of club presidents and CSC representatives shortly before the update is issued each month.  I personally recognized that some of the entries in the latest listing are outdated.  If you are not the president of your club nor a Crescent Rep, then please contact Bruce and make sure your club listing gets updated.  Also, please forward this update to the appropriate individuals in your club.  (You probably will get tired of reading this reminder, but I can't stress enough how important it is to keep the database updated.  It is Crescent's primary means of communicating with all authorized clubs.  If your president, reps, trips officer, and others don't get the updates, meeting minutes, vote requests, trip and racing information, etc., it is impossible for your club and its members to stay informed.)

 

Please be sure to disseminate this update to your members and/or post it on your club web sites.  That's any easy way for your members to know what's happening in Crescent.

 

On a more serious and sad note, Buddy Black's daughter was critically injured in a car wreck recently.  Many of you know Buddy through his participation in racing and trips, and as our previous webmaster.  He has created a web site to keep friends and family updated on her condition.  The link is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kristenblack, password mckenzie.  Please let your members know and be sure to sign the guestbook so he’ll know you’ve been there.   

 

The August update probably will be issued over Labor Day.  I know that is technically September, but I'll have much more time to work on it over a long and hopefully relaxing weekend.  If you don't hear from me before then, enjoy what's left of summer and have a great Labor Day!

 

Alice Taylor

President

Crescent Ski Council

402 Woodbridge Drive

Charleston, WV  25311

luvs2ski@verizon.net