Special Programs
Special Record Books
In addition to the primary Distance and Event IVV Record Books, there are several additional programs that offer special record books. To participate in these programs, you must first purchase the appropriate record book and then do the required events for IVV credit. These programs may be administered by the American Volkssport Association, a state association or a local club.
Two of the most popular special programs are the 50 States, and the 51 Capitals. Both these programs have no expiration date. That is, the program runs indefinitely and can be done over a period of years.
More information on all of the special programs can be found at http://www2.ava.org/specprog.
Wisconsin County Walking Program
In 2007 Tom Doyle, a charter member of the club, proposed to the Dairyland Walkers Board of Directors that the club establish a program of holding walks in all 72 counties of Wisconsin. That program (formerly named the Thomas M Doyle Walking the Counties of Wisconsin following Tom’s death) was approved and we were off and walking! Eleven years later we walked in Antigo, completing our last county of Langlade. Since that time nearly 20 members (including several out-of-state walkers) have completed the program and . . . the program is still available to all!
It was inevitable that some club members would miss some county walks. Other walkers participated in the program, but joined the club subsequent to 2007. It was not realistic to repeat remote county walks while our efforts were focused on completing the program, nor was it cost effective to sanction walks anticipating only a few walkers to participate in a walk. Recognizing the benefit to the club of maintaining a high level of interest in the county walking program and the benefit to interested members of establishing a mechanism whereby county walks conducted in past years could be completed and credited in the county walking booklet, the Dairyland Walkers determined to grant credit for such walks providing the participants understand potential problems and follow the special rules described below.
Although maps and directions for past walks are available, some of these walks may be difficult without guiding arrows. Furthermore, it will also be difficult or impossible to verify that no route changes have occurred subsequent to our first conducting the walk. Walkers wishing to participate in a “make-up” walk must be aware of such potential problems and be “flexible” when necessary. It is strongly recommended that at least two individuals walk together on all walks. In some cases it will be desirable to reach the walk in more than one vehicle since the original walk was a lineal walk rather than starting and finishing at the same location.
Stamps will not be available since the make-up walks will not be AVA sanctioned. However, the club has developed “stick-on” strips which can be placed on the appropriate line(s) of the program booklet as “make-up” walks are completed. As with many AVA walking programs, there will be the assumption of individual integrity in actually completing the “make-up” walks.
Don Suloff, the club Trailmaster, is the point of contact for these walks and will provide maps and directions to individuals wishing to participate in a “make-up” walk and issue the “stick-on” strip once the walk has been completed. Completed walk claims should be presented to the Trailmaster at a Dairyland Walker special event. Since “make-up” walks are not sanctioned, there is no fee for completion of such a walk, but individuals are encouraged to make a $2 donation to the club to help off-set costs of making the program available.
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