Under the leadership of the Board and Chairman Terry LaLiberte and Treasurer Bela Musits the organization has made great strides in the past two years to rebuild trust and re-ignite national programs. Their efforts include the tough job of bringing financial stability to the organization.

If you examine the 2009/2010 Budget process you will find that it was a well planned and thorough process designed to met three goals: to balance the budget, to replenish reserves and avoid raising member dues. The process took over four months and every line item submitted was questioned, a special task force was assigned to review all travel requests and the Board ranked all program expenditures on a prioritization worksheet. After all the work was done (and over $100,000 cut from the budget) one fact stood out: costs are up and revenue is down and NSP's imbalance between revenue and expenses is not sustainable or fiscally responsible.

As a result, the Board took the bold step to create a $10 fee for courses that have historically been free of a National fee. Within a short time of the fee announcement, many members made it very clear this was not the path they wish the leadership to take. The leadership listened and on July 23, in a special meeting, the Board rescinded the decision. In my experience, the action of the Board was unprecedented and should be a clear indication to the membership that now and in the future the Board and the National office are listening and want to work along with you to find the right answers to these challenging questions. Our thanks to all of you who emailed and expressed your questions and concerns and offered suggestions.

I hope you continue to enjoy the summer.

Best regards, Tim

http://www.adventureadvocates.com/NSP

Annual Board and Special Follow Up Meetings in Review

Two NSP Board meetings took place in June and July. The first was the Board's Annual Meeting in Lakewood, Colo., on June 26-27; the second was a special meeting that took place via conference call on July 23.

Annual Board Meeting

At its Annual Meeting the Board reviewed several significant agenda items, and voted on the following action items:

Approved division director committee changes: Dolores LaLiberte (DD; Pacific Northwest) will now serve on the NSP Governance Committee and Rick Hamlin (DD; Eastern) will serve on the Finance Committee.
Approved a 2010 NSP Patroller Education Conference, which will take place again in Snowbird, Utah.
Thanked the NSP Intermountain Division for its hard work in support of the 2009 Patroller Education Conference.
Authorized the "NSP and Subaru--Drive for Safety" campaign concept.
Approved a national recruitment campaign with the theme "Patrollers: We're a Different Breed."
Defeated the "Winter Heroes" campaign and website campaign proposed by NxtConcepts.
Approved budget draft 4.1 for the 2009/10 fiscal year. (View the approved budget HERE.)
Approved Linda Barthel (Central Division) as National Women's Program Advisor.
Approved amendments to the Planning Committee Charter.
Approved RFBA 11-09: Board Meeting Agenda Structure.
Referred RFBA 31-08: National Chair Election Process back to the Governance Committee for clarification.
Approved rewritten bylaws, which will be sent to the membership for ratification on the 2009 BOD election ballot this fall. To view the revised Bylaws click HERE.
Approved RFBA 25-08: National Education Committee Charter, which will be added to the 2009/10 version of the NSP Policies & Procedures manual (P&P).
Approved RFBA 06-09: P&P changes to 6.6.2 and 6.6.3 Education Committee. Changes will be reflected in the 2009/10 P&P.
Approved RFBA 13-09: Enhanced Certified Program Communication/Involvement.
Approved RFBA 12-09: National Outstanding Individual Trophy Design Competition.
Defeated RFBA 14-09: Representative member access to national Board meetings.

Complete draft meeting minutes from the Annual Meeting can be downloaded at this link.

______________________________________________________

Special Meeting

At the Special Meeting, held via teleconference on July 23, the Board reviewed the action taken at the Annual Meeting establishing course fees for NSP elective courses. They voted for the following:

To maintain the OEC fee increase--OEC courses will be $60 vs. $30.
To rescind the $10 National Elective Course Fee--There will not be a $10 course fee on elective courses.

The Board of Directors will continue to look into alternatives for increasing revenue to balance the budget. Complete draft meeting minutes from the Special Meeting can be downloaded at this link.

Complete minutes from the Board of Directors meetings are available on nsp.org under "Member Services," "My Bookshelf" then "Downloads." Draft Board minutes are available in the "Board News" section of the "Member News" area at nsp.org until they're approved. The NSP Board meets via teleconference at 5 p.m. Mountain Time approximately every other month. A schedule of the Board meetings can be found by logging into member services and going to "Member News" then "Board News." All members are invited to listen in on the calls. Please contact Kristen Bergeron to request call codes.

National Office Updates

Administration

2009/10 National OEC Course Fee Increase Notification

As mentioned above, the NSP Board unanimously approved to increase the fee for the Outdoor Emergency Care course to $60 (per participant) from $30. The OEC fee has not been increased since 2004. The new $60 fee will go into effect on Aug.1, 2009; all courses beginning Aug. 1, 2009 or later will require this $60 fee to national. Courses registered prior to July 10 or courses registered after July 10 but commencing before August 1 will not be charged the additional $30 fee. Note: This will not affect OEC refresher courses.

Members Speak: Board Rescinds $10 Elective Course Fee

At its Annual Meeting in June, the NSP Board passed a measure instituting a $10 processing fee for NSP elective courses. The fee was one attempt to gather needed revenue for NSP programs and replenish the organization's cash reserves. Following the announcement of the new fee, many members voiced disapproval, stating their opinions that the additional costs could deter patrollers from taking elective courses. Because of the strong response by the membership, the Board held a special meeting on July 23 to review the fee decision and unanimously decided to rescind the fee.

Board Meeting Packets Available

Packets of Board meeting materials from the Annual Meeting in June are available to the membership. To receive a hard copy of these meeting materials via mail, contact Kristen Bergeron.

National Women's Program Advisor, Assistant Appointed
Linda Barthel of the Central Division's Mt. Brighton Ski Patrol has been appointed adviser to the new NSP National Women's Program. A certified patroller and NSP member for nearly two decades, Barthel has been instrumental in the development of many local, regional and divisional programs, including the Mt. Brighton Junior Program, the Central Division Women's Program and the Central Division Senior Manual. She currently serves as the senior/national patroller rep and Senior Program adviser to Mt. Brighton, an OEC instructor and IT and an Alpine Toboggan Instructor and IT. Assisting Barthel will be Denise Cheney of Colorado's Loveland Basin Ski Patrol in the Rocky Mountain Division, who's been named assistant program administrator. Cheney also brings a wealth of experience to her role. A 10-year NSP member, Cheney is currently the RMD recruitment and retention coordinator and oversees the annual RMD Women's Ski and Toboggan seminar. Barthel and Cheney's first priority will be to assemble a group of advisers from all divisions to assess the needs of female patrollers throughout the NSP. Stay posted as program details emerge.

NSP Seeking Coordinator for National Alumni Program

The NSP is seeking a volunteer program coordinator to direct another new program: the National Alumni Program. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, Sept. 11. Click HERE for more info.

NSP Website Unavailable August 10-14

A significant project taking place at the national office over the past year is an upgrade to the national website (nsp.org) and membership software, which includes a new customized electronic registration system. The upgrade will culminate during the week of August 10-14, when the data conversion and final testing of the site and software will take place. Unfortunately the website will be unavailable during this time. Keep in mind that this will affect online catalog orders and other everyday tasks. During this week, catalog orders must be done via fax to the office (303-988-3005). Thank you for your patience. We'd love to hear your feedback on the updated look and functionality of the site!

Leadership

Attributes of Leadership Series - Part 2: WHO'S IN CHARGE? YOU?

Dave Esty, national marketing advisor to the NSP, has developed a crucial listing of "Eight Attributes of Leadership." We looked at the first two attributes; 1)Absolute Integrity and 2) Know Your Stuff in the June newsletter. The next two: 3) Declare and Share Your Vision and 4) Show Your Total Mission Commitment are looked at in this document. Check the August newsletter for the next attributes in this series.

Jackson Hole Cited in Death of Ski Patroller

Patroller Kathryn Miller died of head injuries after falling in a steep shoot in March. Following an investigation by the Wyoming Department of Employment's Occupational Safety and Health division, Jackson Hole was cited for not requiring Miller to wear a helmet while patrolling. A spokes person for the resort says Jackson Hole will appeal the decision. If the case stands, other resorts may follow Vail Resorts which has decided to require helmet use by employees on its' five mountains.

The NSP advises patrollers to consider helmet use, however it is up to each patroller to decide whether or not to wear a helmet on or off duty. At the same time, it is entirely up to each ski area owner/operator to mandate or not their patrollers and/or all employees to wear helmets.

Marketing/Communications/Events Summer SPM and RSG has Mailed

The summer issue of Ski Patrol Magazine mailed the last week in June. The magazine includes the 2009 Cycle B Refresher Study Guide. Please contact NSP if you have not received a copy.

NSP Sponsor Spotlight: Yakima

Yakima is proud to be the official vehicle rack supplier to the NSP. For 30 years, Yakima has been designing and building products that help people transport their favorite toys to their favorite destinations. As a partner of the NSP, Yakima is happy to offer all NSP members VIP pricing on rack solutions at 50 percent off MSRP. Log on to the member side of nsp.org and go to the "Promotional Offers" page to take advantage today.

NSP Collecting Items for Online Auction

The NSP is gearing up to launch its first members-only online auction, which will take place Nov. 26 through Dec. 9, 2009. The auction will bid off a variety of items of interest to patrollers and will support the NSP Anniversary Campaign. The NSP needs your help to prepare for the auction! We're looking for donations that patrollers will want to bid on. Items can include anything from lift tickets, ski equipment, services and gift certificates to rafting trips, timeshares, hotel stays and more. Keep in mind that all contributions are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.Contact Christine Gouwens for directions on how to donate. The deadline for auction donations is October 16.

National Recruitment Campaign Coming in Sept.

The NSP is looking forward to rolling out a new Recruitment Campaign this fall that will be available to all NSP patrols. Utilizing the slogan "We're A Different Breed," the campaign will include a downloadable brochure and a series of posters that patrols can tailor to their audience. A recruitment sticker is also being created. The campaign is scheduled to roll out in early September. Contact Chris Bourne at cbourne@nsp.org to get directions on how to download these items for your patrol's use.

The 2010 Patroller Education Conference: Mark Your Calendars
After a great 2009 conference, the NSP Board has decided to bring PEC back to Snowbird in 2010 from April 13-17. Join fellow NSP members for amazing $99 ski in/ski out Cliff Lodge room rates along with world class spring skiing and myriad on- and off-snow education opportunities. Check out more information on PEC 2009 in the fall issue of Ski Patrol Magazine, in the next few e-newsletters and at nsp.org. Or email cbourne@nsp.org with questions.

Lew's Cruise Fundraising Event: Bike Breck to Vail

On Aug. 22, Colorado's Loveland Volunteer Ski Patrol is holding Lew's Cruise, a 65-mile bike ride and fundraiser that takes riders from Breckenridge to Vail. The fundraiser will help Lew Gaiter, one of Loveland's assistant PDs, who has incurred significant expenses after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a treatable cancer of the plasma cell. For more information on how to register for the ride or to make a donation, please go to www.lewscruise.org.

NSP Committee Updates

Education Committee

OEC 5th Edition Update

At the Annual Board Meeting, Denis Meade, NSP education director, reported that 34 chapters of the OEC 5th edition have been submitted and 21 chapters have undergone peer review. Sixty-seven reviewers are involved in the process, which is being managed by OEC Program Director Ed McNamara. The review team consists of OEC instructors, pro and volunteer patrollers, NSP affiliates, physicians, nurses, wilderness medicine professionals and EMS providers. Deb Endly, assistant OEC program director, is managing the development of all supplemental materials. This includes learner resources and activities, instructor manual, test bank, electronic presentations, scenarios, skill guides and a new OEC website.

The worktext and all related materials and resources are scheduled to be released in July 2010. The OEC 5th edition project team plans to conduct an official roll out of the new materials with all OEC division supervisors during their annual meeting. In turn, the supervisors will conduct roll-down training to their division instructors and ITs.

New Contract Signed With Brady Publishing

NSP has signed a contract with Brady Publishing for the OEC 5th edition. Brady is a subsidiary of Pearson Education and is the leading publisher of textbooks for public safety professionals.

New Education Department Forms Posted

During May and June, the NSP staff worked with NSP instructors from around the country to update the department's online forms. Those that have been updated include but aren't limited to the OEC order form, course registration form and course completion form. To access the updated documents, go to member services on nsp.org, then "My bookshelf/ Downloads/ Education Forms." Forms will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure they meet the needs of NSP's instructional staff. Contact Carol Hudson with questions.

Outdoor Emergency Transportation Book on Sale

One of NSP's cornerstone educational pieces, the Outdoor Emergency Transportation: Principles of Toboggan Handling manual emphasizes key skills for toboggan-handling proficiency. Includes generic guidelines regarding transportation techniques for patrollers on fixed-heel, free-heel, snowboard, nordic, and other response equipment in varied conditions. An excellent resource to be used in conjunction with local protocols, this text is also designed to be used as a guideline for NSP transportation instructors who will be initiating the training of patroller response and evacuation. Suggested courses include: Introduction to Patrolling, Senior, Alpine Certified, Skiing Enhancement, Toboggan Enhancement, and Ski Trainers Workshop. Available in the Winter Catalog at nsp.org. Was $24.50 - NOW $12

Fundraising Committee

Board Approves Revenue Sharing from Visa Card Program

In June, the NSP Board unanimously approved to share a portion of the revenue NSP receives from its Visa Rewards Affinity Card Program with NSP divisions. This is good news for those supporting the program at local levels. In August, NSP will provide division leaders with items they'll need to promote the program and make it easy for their patrollers to apply for the card. Best of all, card issuer PartnersFirst will be chipping in a $50 cash back offer to all new applicants who are approved and use their new card...Details to follow!

Those interesting in applying for the card today, can click HERE*.
      *$50 cash back NOT included with this offer

Meet a Member of the NSP Staff

Christine Gouwens

cgouwens@nsp.org

303-988-1111 ext. 2629

Christine (pronounced Christina) joined the NSP national office in October 2007 as a Member Services department staffer and went on to become the assistant office manager. She has recently changed roles again, and will now serve as fundraising/development coordinator. In her new role, Christine will be working closely with the NSP Fundraising Committee to develop and implement new initiatives and work on grant applications.

NSP Winter Catalog Item of the Month (available at nsp.org)

The Pron Pack

This pack is designed and manufactured by patrollers for patrollers who want to shuck their patrol belts for full-sized packs with room for medical, avalanche and evac gear. This 1,400-cubic-inch pack has room for everything you need, plus board or skis. Nine large interior mesh pockets plus additional pocket for water bladder; exterior mesh pocket that holds most avy shovels; waist belt pocket. Adjustable swivel waist and shoulder straps.12x15x3" compacted;12x15x7" loaded.

Was $135 - NOW $100 #17248

Final Sweep was created to keep NSP members informed about national news. If you have news that's relevant to the national ski patrol audience, we invite you to submit it for consideration for Final Sweep. Please send it to Kristen Bergeron by the 15th of each month.

This email was sent to rpetry@d.umn.edu by nationalskipatrol@nsp.org.

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