Monday, November 17, 2014

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY DISTANCE BOOKS




WHAT DO I DO WITH MY DISTANCE BOOKS

Marion Boom, CVF Awards Coordinator

At the CVF Convention in Banff, I was asked by President Ethel if I could do an article for the newsletter on how I would like to see people doing their CVF Award books, mainly the Distance books which for some unknown reason (at least to me) seem to give many people headaches. During my 2+ years as the CVF Awards Coordinator I have processed many books, both for distance and events, and have seen many things. The first thing anyone should do when acquiring a new award book is to write their name and address on it. This is mainly in case it gets misplaced (we won’t use the word lost). This also
goes for anyone including inserts with their books – put your name or CVF Passport number (which you get when you send in your first book) on the front and staple it to your book. Loose sheets have a habit of falling when they shouldn’t and if there is no name on it well it could belong to anyone.
For new walkers, when you start your first book have someone explain what the process is. When starting out you require at least 500 kms in your book; extra distance is always better than not enough. Don’t worry; you never lose your extra distance. You earned it so it goes with you to your next book. Read the back of your CVF Award books for an explanation on the award levels and books. When stamping your books please make sure the distance can be read. If you have made an error completely cross out the in-correct distance and write the new distance beside it. Remember to put a distance beside each event stamp; yes I have received books with no distance beside an event stamp or if you are someone who does the same YRE everyday just because today you did 10kms that does not necessarily mean you will do the
same tomorrow. To get credit there must be a distance written for each stamp.
When clubs register for an event there is a distance that goes with it. Usually this is 5 or 10 kms. If you pre-walk or check a trail out for the club to make sure it meets all the criteria, and do each route twice you must stamp your book four (4) times, twice for the 5 km route and twice for the 10 kms. You
cannot put one stamp and write 30 kms as the route has not been sanctioned for this distance. Although this does not happen often, it has occurred.
If you belong to a club that sanctions cycling events, you are allowed to put up to 100kms in your walking book each year. Anything over that must go in the Cycling book. Please add each page up and write the total on the bottom (see
diagram below). If there is a difference between my total (yes, I need to add every page in each book I get which is a lot of fun when the book is for 5,000 kms) and what you show, I need to know where the difference is; did I make an error in adding or did the member. Although some people may think they
are perfect, everyone makes mistakes now and then, even those of us who have been walking for many years (you know who you are).

At the end of your book please make sure there is a total for your book (it should equal all the pages added together). This is the distance you will start your next book with. Each book you send in for an award should show a
level on the front. The levels correspond with the levels shown in your red CVF Passport. Do not put the distance you have in your book as your level. Each time you send an award book for processing be sure to include your CVF Passport so it can be up-dated. Please remember, for the most part there is no right or wrong way to do your books. The main thing is the stamps
must be legible, there must be a distance with each stamp, you must have
enough distance for the level you are completing and your total should be correct. Below is an example of a distance book showing the pages from start to finish.
Happy Trails Everyone.


a. 1100 On the first page enter the distance total from your last booklet and on each subsequent page enter the total from the previous page page plus the total of the current page. I.e. : 890 (top) + 210 (bottom= 1100kms

b.105 Total of walks done on this page 105 plus 1100kms from the top = 1205 km is entered on the first page of your next booklet.

c.Note that Item 8 explains the distance to be accumulated in each book and Item 9 explains when to purchase your next booklet.

d.1000 Enter the distance you will have completed when this booklet is full. 1000

e. Always enter your current information

Send completed event and distance books to:

Marion Boom, CVF Awards Coordinator
42 Billingham Cr
Ottawa, ON  K2K 2T7