Annual Letter 2008
December 2008 and Another Year of WVMTR Trail Running
The Holiday Season is upon us as are the short days and long, starry nights of winter. Getting that evening run in can be challenging this time of year, but if you can get out for a full moon run as I did last week it will make the experience of the winter run especially memorable. Maybe that’s something we can plan for the January moon!
Your club has been active this year launching the new face of the WVMTR website thanks to the efforts of Dan Todd, and a new race in August, the Cheat Mt Moonshine Madness directed by Adam Casseday. The Mt State Trail Run Series, organized by Corey LeBrasseur and Chrissy Paulson, saw new sponsors with cool awards and prizes. The seven races that compose the Series were well attended, but participation in the Series itself remained marginal. We also purchased new timing equipment and computer software to produce fast, accurate race results.
So what’s new for 2009, here are a few items. The club has adopted the Snowflake 50k as an event, Mike Dolin RD. We are considering at a new location for the August run/camp weekend, possibly Watoga State Forest. The second running of the Appalachian Crossing will take place over Labor Day. And other yet to be determined runs are in the works. But the immediate “Big News” is on the management side of the club. As we move into our 7th year the need for more member input and involvement in administering the WVMTR is apparent. To meet this need an amendment to the bylaws has been proposed to change our current structure of four elected officers to the election of a seven member Board of Directors. It would be helpful to have motivated Directors from all regions of our membership to take part in the organization’s tasks. In addition to the officers duties specified in the bylaws, some Director responsibilities may be to coordinate membership records, assist in the planning and directing of existing club sponsored races, coordinate volunteer trail work activities, website management, plan and organize club fun runs. Board meetings are conducted electronically so travel is not an issue. The proposed amended bylaws to increase the Board of Directors from four to seven members along with a few cleanup items can be viewed at wvmtr.org on the Members page.
Assuming the proposal meets your approval and passes we will need four new Directors. Please consider nominating someone, including yourself, to fill one of these positions. After reviewing the proposed bylaws on the website please vote accordingly at the bottom of the enclosed 2009 Membership Renewal. There is also a space to make your nomination to the Board. Bylaw vote and nominations are due by the January 10 Annual Meeting in Helvetia. NOTE, if you have already renewed your membership feel free to vote and nominate by email to wvmtr@starband.net or contact one of the current officers. Following the nominations, the candidates will be listed on the website. You will receive an email or paper ballot to vote for four. Promise this will be smoother next year.
I hope you can make the Annual Meeting Run Party on January 10 at our place in Helvetia. It will be a good time and if you stay late enough or overnight I bet we can go for that moonlight run!
Dan Lehmann
December 18, 2008
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