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Dear SVCA Members, This is the report that went out to AKC as an update.
Included with this are all board minutes, 1/05; 3/05; 5/05; 7/05; all updated
policies; new USA membership list; USA household list; premium list for
Specialty 2005; all committee reports from March and June, 2005; the nomination
information letter; updated contact sheet and colored USA membership map with
corresponding list of member numbers in states. This is all contained within a
professional folder with see-thru cover so that a page with a large print of our
logo shows clearly.
ty
gail
To: Pat Lejman, AKC
From Gail Smyka, SVCA Contact Person to AKC
July 20, 2005
Re: update on Swedish Vallhund Club of America
This is to update our portfolio with the AKC.
The SVCA would like to thank the AKC for the opportunity of participating, as of 9/1/05, in the Miscellaneous Class at AKC shows. We are eager to bring our wonderful breed into this first major step of AKC recognition.
SVCA Board
Because of the loss of one board member, Mary Carter was appointed in May, 2005, to temporarily fill Richard Thompson’s position. This term expires September 30, 2005. Our Elections will begin on August 15th and conclude on September, 15, 2005. If no additional nominations are received by August 1, 2005, the slate recommended by the Nominating Committee shall be elected. The nomination letter is included in this packet.
The Board minutes from meetings held in January, March, May, July, 2005 are also included.
AKC
The SVCA Contact person to AKC has been in touch with Mary Beth O’Neill in regards to the Pictorial Standard needed prior to being recognized by AKC. We have appointed a committee to work with our contact person as advisor in regards to this. A contact has also been made with Mr. Liosis regarding match requirements for our club. We will contact him again once he has completed his review of our bylaw revisions.
SVCA Membership
As of July, 2005, the SVCA had 118 USA members. There were 102 USA Households. The board of the SVCA has been concerned regarding the attrition of some member/household numbers. They feel that a major factor in this has been the inability of the Club to bring its four issues of the Newsletter to members on time. It is the newsletter and the website that provide some major communication between members and their club. Reasons for the prolonged delays in the receipt of the newsletter were: resignation of one editor, due to personal health issues and catastrophic computer problems with the current editor. The SVCA Board President has spoken with the editor and has been assured that the newsletter will begin production on the regular basis defined in the SVCA Newsletter Policy. The Board made other recommendations to prevent attrition in membership: the Membership Chair will send a reminder to breeders in their renewal packet in order for breeders to contact each of their breeder sponsored persons they had this past year and urge them to remain and renew with club; and the Club will ask members who sponsored others to contact them and urge them to renew with this request to be written by secretary and placed prominently into the newsletter and on the website. The SVCA Board will keep close tabs on the situation. In implementing these recommendations, the Board hopes to involve sponsorship members and breeders in keeping our Club’s membership numbers healthy. The USA maps indicating members in states are attached to this report. Currently, SVCA members reside in 34 states.
The AKC has reported to us that as of June 30, 2005, there were 577 registered SV’s in the USA and 574 have complete 3 generation pedigrees. The AKC will check into those three and notify the SVCA as to the problem. The SVCA will then work to rectify the problem. Also reported are a total of 68 litters recorded, of which 67 have 3-generation pedigrees.
Bylaws, Committees and Policies
The Board reviewed and passed the changes recommended by Mr. Liosis of AKC. Currently he is reviewing these for a final time prior to the bylaws being sent to SVCA membership for secret ballot for ratification.
A number of policies have been reviewed and updated. They are included in this report. We realize that these may require further revision should we be accepted into full AKC recognition.
1. The Show Policy has been revised to comply more with AKC rules. Changes were made in timelines and requirements for entries to shows/trials, held on an independent basis.
2. The Ways and Means Committee Policy was reviewed and approved by the board. This committee will be made up of one or more members wishing to develop and organize events, or activities to accomplish raising funds for SVCA.
3. General Policies Document: Revisions include among others: basic job descriptions for Board members and requirements for board authorization of presenters to represent the SVCA in General Education and Judge Education Seminars in regards to the SV and the SVCA. The Board also changed its meeting schedule to meet every other month on the second Monday or whenever board members state.
4. Fees Document: updated to allow members to receive an updated membership packet with all new complete policies for a small copying fee and postage. Members receive all of the updated information within the newsletter or from the secretary; however, this allows members to get a full, fresh packet at minimal cost.
5. The Awards Policy has been revised to be in line with OFA and Penn Hip standards as well as to address some members concerns.
6. Breeders’ List Policy : revisions included a better definition of persons responsible for managing the policy
The Board has appointed a new committee: Judge Research/Selection. This committee will prepare a slate of judges which members and specialty chairs may consider in contracting judges for our National Specialties. This is a committee which was requested by members at the last general meeting.
The Regional Committee has had a new chairperson appointed. This was necessitated by the loss of the previous chairperson. The new chairperson is eager to work with additional regions and regional contacts within the USA and eventually propose ideas to set up regional fun meets as well as shows and trials.
SVCA Pictorial Standards Committee: this committee was just appointed on
7/12/05. Two of the three persons are known. These three will choose their
chairperson and work in conjunction with the SVCA contact person to AKC in
regards to setting up this standard.
Committee reports are included with this packet.
Specialty 2005
Enclosed you will find the SVCA premium list for the Specialty to be held September 9, 2005, in Cincinnati, Ohio. This will be an Independent Specialty and our judge will be Mr. Carmen Battaglia. The Specialty Chairs will ensure that the proper documentation is done at the event so it can be reported to the AKC. This will include offering the Judge Response form to be sent to AKC. On 9/10 and 9/11/05, we will participate in the Owensville, Ohio, Clermont Kennel Club’s AKC Conformation Show and Obedience and Agility Trials.
We have strived to revise, update and initiate new policies and committees to better our Club. There are things on which we hope to improve, such as membership attrition and our newsletter. We will watch these areas carefully. We hope that this basic update will covey to the AKC our continued desire to achieve our goal of full recognition with the AKC. We are committed to this goal as we are to our goal to preserve and protect our wondrous Swedish Vallhund.
If you find that there are other areas on which we need to concentrate, please inform us.
Thank you for all of your support and consideration.
Respectfully,
Gail Smyka
SVCA Contact Person to the SVCA
36621 Weideman
Clinton Township, MI 48035
SVCA Member Numbers in States as of 7/05
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