Minutes of 11/14/07 Meeting

This meeting opened at 7:30 p.m. by Sis. B. Vondra at American Sokol Office in Oak Brook, Illinois. The Pledge of Allegiance was given. The following BOI members were present: Bev Domzalski, Allison Gerber, Chuck Kalat, Jan Kalat, Barb Kucera, Bob Kucera, Juanita LoGiudice, Nancy Pajeau, Kandi Pajer, Tom Pajer, Irena Polashek, Barb Vondra, Patti Vondra, Howie Wise and Jane Wise. Christina Curran-Wurst and Mary Ann Fiordelis were excused.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
– Happy Belated Birthday!: Tom Pajer and Buddy Benak, 10/1; Barb Vondra, 10/28; Bev Domzalski, 10/30; and Bob Kucera, 11/09.
– Happy Birthday!: Juanita LoGiudice, 11/16; and Irena Polashek, 11/23.

MINUTES:
– Minutes of the September 12, 2007, meeting were reviewed.
MOTION made by Br. T. Pajer to approve the minutes of the September 12, 2007, American Sokol – BOI meeting, seconded by Br. B. Kucera and passed.

BILLS:
– Tom Pajer, DVD copies of traveling camp and National Camp promotion, $21.43.
– Tom Pajer, Skills program copies, $248.20; envelopes, $24.60.
MOTION made by Sis. J. LoGiudice to approve bills, seconded by Sis. N. Pajeau and passed.

CORRESPONDENCE:
Mail Sent:
– None.

Mail Received:
– Patti Komara Packet of Special sales: www.gymtreasures.com, www.artisticcoverings.com,
www.tumblebear.com, www.funandfit.com, www.GymCert.com, www.JumpSport.com, www.gymnastics-equipment.com.
– Maryann Fiordelis: Attendance back up paperwork.
– The Athletic Equipment Source: Christmas Mat Special www.taes.com 800-290-7895.
– American Sokol Directors Newsletter – November.
– COS Sokol Publication 8/9 2007.
– Barb Vondra: thank you note for the funeral arrangement for her mom.
– Hodges Badge Co. – postcard Winter Sale 10% order Dec 1, 2007- Feb 15, 2008, www.hodgesbadge.com.
– Sept/Oct American Sokol Publication.

E-mails received:
– Anna Janous new e-mail address: vajanous@sympatico.ca.
– Bo Bata new e-mail address: bohusbata@verizon.net.
– Vladimir Dostal: World Sokol Federation Meeting Minutes & Fitness Program.
– Sokol Canada: New directors, Director of Men is James Hale, cathyhale@rogers.com and Director of Women is Jana Otrubova, jotruba@engmail.uwaterloo.ca.
– Peter Lattanzio e-mailed “Marching is Fun” handout from Directors’ Conference.
– Br. C. Kalat received an e-mail from Lori Laznovsky regarding camper who left early from National camp this year and is looking for a refund.
MOTION made by Sis. B. Kucera that American Sokol does not give refunds if campers leave the camp early, seconded by Sis. N. Pajeau and passed.

E-mails sent:
– Yahoo Group: Updated Action List Posted, www.american-sokol.org/boi/members.

YOUTH MEMBERSHIP:
– Written report dated November 14, 2007, is attached and posted at www.american-sokol.org/boi/members. Correction made to report: Southern District has 217 registered youth.

NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR
– Br. C. Kalat received another packet of information from Sis. Schnabl. No specific report for this meeting from Sis. Schnabl.

NEW WING
– Winter Slet registration information was e-mailed to Sis. J. LoGiudice; she will mail it to all unit directors and will post the information on the BOI Yahoo Group site for all district directors.
– Mike Wise will forward the information directly to those who are on his database of young adults.

2007 DIRECTORS CONFERENCE AND BOI DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE – October 19-21, 2007, Ft. Worth, Texas
– There was a lot of good feedback from a lot of people. The presenters were good. There was a good variety of information to obtain.
– Giving raffletickets away in exchange for feedback worked well; lots of information was gathered from everyone’s responses.
– Br. Kalat suggested that a thank you go out to Lori Laznovsky as she provided most of the USAG prizes. Also, thank Marsha who provided bags that were handed out and other people who gave items to be disseminated.
– There were 102 people who picked up packets at the Conference. All six districts were represented and 21 units provided people. By moving the conference to different locations each year, the Conference is able to draw from local members; there were 46 people from the Southern District.
– Beth Gardner and Jane and Howie were popular presenters.
– Financials have not been put together yet and will be forthcoming. Food costs were broken down as follows: School Board Meeting: $58.00; Directors’ Conference, $1, 000.00 (including dinner at Joe T. Garcia); Development Conference, $1, 200.00. Registration brought in $1, 980.00.
– Total hotel bill was $3, 500.00; BOI hotel bill portion was $1, 800.00.
– BOI is including stipends paid to three of the speakers who took money; most gave money back or did not ask for any. Greg Schramm did four sessions, Beth Gardner did three sessions and Mark Sherman did two sessions; their fees will be negotiated with Southern District paying for part of their fees.
– The Directors’ Conference had representatives from all Districts except Pacific District (never heard from them). The people who were in attendance from the Pacific District were not designated as official Pacific District representatives.
– BOI normally has a Development Conference every two years, but in 2009 it would be too close after the Slet, so it was decided to hold a Development Conference in 2008. Western District will host the Conference at Sokol South Omaha on October 17-19, 2008.
– Minutes from the Directors’ Conference will be available shortly.
– BOI members were able to tour the Convention Center and see Farrington Field.
– Br. T. Pajer questioned the Omni Hotel room prices and felt the cost is high. Br. Kalat indicated that was fairly low considering the hotel is located in the downtown area of Ft. Worth and that the Slet is still two years away and prices will be rising between now and then and this price is locked in.
– Transportation from the hotel to the stadium will probably be provided by shuttles.
– The Slet will begin on Tuesday and end on Saturday night. There will be a parade in downtown Ft. Worth, TX one morning.
BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING – November 17-18, 2007
– At the Directors’ Conference, there were discussions about presenting a proposal to the Board of Governors whereby we could get exemption from the rule that all participants at our activities have to be youth members for some of our events like the national camp and traveling camp. Sis. B. Vondra and Br. C. Kalat have discussed this issue and were to bring it up at the Board of Governors’ meeting, but decided we will wait for another time to bring this up.
– The Eastern District is challenging the validity of the way the rule was passed that every youth member has to have a parent member.
– At this meeting, an executive director will hopefully be selected. There are 4 final candidates; there will be final interviews during the Board of Governors meeting. Following the interviews, the Board of Governors will make a selection of one. Between Barb Vondra and Chuck Kalat, Br. Kalat will sit in on the interview.
– The National office will be moving. CSA asked us to leave by December 14, 2007. A committee of Barb Vondra, Jean Hruby, Juanita LoGiudice and Larry Laznovsky will be looking at places this weekend. Annette Schabowski has also been involved because of the library.
– The letter submitted by Sokol Greater Cleveland regarding the use of professional services to help the units more will be discussed.

OTHER OLD AND NEW BUSINESS:
2009 American Sokol Slet – June 22 to June 28, 2009
– The status of the calisthenics is still in limbo. We did see the Senior 2 cal at the Conference. The authors indicated that the other numbers are done and waiting to be videoed, but we have heard nothing since the Conference.
– Sis. B. Vondra e-mailed Nicole Marchluk about the Tots cal, but she never replied. Sis. Vondra has not spoken to Children’s cal authors Leslie Milan and BJ Cleveland, but will attempt to do so. This weekend Br. Kalat and Sis. Vondra will meet with Tom Pajer and Christina Curran-Wurst to view the regular adult cal.
– We are still in limbo with a lot of the USAG groups as to whether they will participate and to what extent.
– We are still working on paring down the costs of the Convention Center. Work continues on grants with the City of Ft. Worth in order to keep the cost down.
– The current plan now is to rent the entire Convention Center, so there are no groups that are not associated with our event in that facility. There is a fairly firm commitment from the General Gymnastics people to hold their Gym Fest and National Championships and Team Gym activities; and also, the aesthetic gymnastics will be there. The committee is still working with Tumbling and Trampoline and the Pan American Gymnastic Union. USAG and PAGU were thinking about holding class instructions on how to write cals and various other things during this time.

Strategic Planning Committee Report
– Sis. M. Fiordelis was out-of-town. She will give a report at the next meeting. Active committees are moving along.
National Skills Month
– Br. T. Pajer indicated that the skill cards and ribbons have all been distributed to all units that posted attendance. Br. Pajer will not be able to have an awards or recognition program in place by December as previously stated, but possibly will be ready by May.

Miscellaneous
– In Pittsburgh, there were a couple of World Sokol Federation programs discussed. Each organization selects one special number and they are put on a DVD and then it is sent around and judged. We need to decide if we are going to administer that program to American Sokol. The deadline for submission is the end of February. The idea is to video the special number from the front, one camera and then it will be judged. Information was put in the Directors Newsletter; hopefully, people will start thinking about it and begin working on special numbers and have them ready by the end of February. Br. Kalat is looking for someone to take charge of this program and to promote it. There is no age distinction; it is age independent. Many random ideas were discussed, i.e. TNT numbers.
– Central District will hold a mini instructor’s school at Sokol St. Louis on September 26, 27 and 28, 2008. Instructors are needed. Central District will also be submitting an application for the National Travel Camp for the weekend of June 13, 14, 15, 2008; no site selected yet.
– Sis. K. Pajer questioned the possibility of having skill cards for rhythmics and volleyball. The new group rhythmics program discussed at the Development Conference already has skill cards in place.
– Sis. N. Pajeau brought a gym shoe that might possibly work as a Sokol uniform shoe. The person who owns the company is Steve Bailey. The shoes can have the Sokol name put on them. The cost is about $30/pair.
– Sokol St. Louis published a special edition newsletter for their members only. A copy was given to the American Sokol office regarding the Sokol Children’s Camp.
– Sis. J. LoGuidice noted that a promo DVD for the 2009 Slet has been received for the office files. One person from every unit that attended the Directors Conference received a copy.

Websites
– American Council on Exercise: www.acefitness.org.
– PE-NEWS: Newsletter: www.pelinks4u.org.
– PE4life: www.pe4life.org.
– The Presidents Challenge: Fitness is Fun Newsletter: www.presidentschallenge.org.
– Health & Fitness: www.exercise.about.com.
– President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: www.fitness.gov/enewsletter/Winter07-execdir-main.htm .
– Sign up for newsletters: www.talk.about.com
– Tiffin Mats: www.TiffinMats.com, monthly specials.
– Gymnastic Training tips: www.gymnasticstrainingtips.com. Links and Resources.

ACTION LIST:
– Action list was reviewed; an updated copy is posted on the BOI members web site.

– There will be no meeting in December; however, there may be a work date scheduled to help pack up the office to move to a new location.
– The next regular ASO-BOI meeting will be held at the American Sokol office at 122 West 22nd Street, Oak Brook, IL, on Wednesday, January 8, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. There was no further business to discuss.

MOTION made to adjourn.
Meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Beverly R. Domzalski, Secretary