We have had several inquiries regarding the IVV Awards Program and how the IVV books “work.” Here are excerpts from the American Volkssport Association Web site, www.ava.org. This comes from part one; we’ll have excerpts from the conclusion next week.
What is the IVV Achievement Awards Program?
It’s an incentive plan that encourages people to participate in volkssport events (and therefore exercise regularly). It is optional, but most participants do join the incentive plan because it is inexpensive, fun, and interesting to look back at records of accomplishments.
How does the Achievement Plan work?
Individuals buy IVV record books at a price set by the national association. There are two types of books: an event book (for recording the number of volkssport events in which the person participates) and a distance book (for recording numbers of kilometers completed). Most people buy both books to keep records of both events and distance.
Books are printed in different colors to signify the achievement level a person has reached. Books are sold at volkssport events and any other place an association or club may want to sell them.
How are the books marked?
Each event is assigned a certain number by the national association. An ink stamp is made that has on it the event number, the IVV logo, the symbol of the national association, and the year.
When a participant completes the event, he or she presents his book [at the finish table] and the stamp is placed in the book to document his or her accomplishment. The event book is stamped with no additional notation, but the distance book is stamped and the numbers of kilometers completed are also placed in the book.
Distance (kilometer) credit is given for all volkssport events except swim events. Participants in swim events only get credit in their event books.
Sometimes an event is held on more than one day with the same course each day. In this case, there is only one event stamp given in the event book in spite of the fact that a person may participate each day the event is held. That person will get stamped credit in his distance book for the number of kilometers completed, even if he or she completes the course more than once or on multiple days.
If an event is held on more than one day with a different course each day, a separate event stamp may be assigned for each day and each course.
When and how are awards earned?
When a participant reaches various levels of achievement (for example, completes a designated number of events or a certain number of kilometers), he or she may present his book to the national association’s office to receive a reward. If there is no national association, the person may send it to the address of the national association shown on the front of his book. The award levels are printed on the back of the record books.
What are the awards?
Attractive pins, patches, and certificates signifying achievement levels.
This topic will be completed next week in part two.
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“Gratias ago vos” to the contributors to this week's article: Bob Gambert, Tom, Petra and Maya Casarez, Mary Campbell, Lew Harrison, Wayne Henry, Jan and John Jensen, Ramona and Horst Kechelen, John and Renee Kulick, Tim Lynch, John and Patty Marsh, Dave Miller, Phillip and Janice Schneider, Nancy Shawley, Ed Whitworth.
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Miscellaneous notes about this week’s volksmarch events:
• Norm Raynal's sixth marathon is this Saturday in Rombach, Luxembourg. Norm says that pledges have dropped off this year, so please, do what you can to help him help the Landstuhl Fisher Houses. We could not find a listing for the location of the start hall for this walk, so once you get close to town, start looking for arrows to guide you to the start.
• The start for the walk in Schin op Geul, NL, is the “Kantine Struchter Boys.”
• Clark Soeldner, our Italian volksmarching expert, says the finish for the Porcia walk is at the top of the Campanili. You’ll see beautiful dusk views over the towns to the mountains!
Food will be available after the San Martino al Tagliamento event because there is a festival.
E-mail volksmarch schedule information for any country to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Please mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO, AE, 09703-0278.
