BICO General Meeting Minutes for September 17, 2008

INTRODUCTIONS


RECENT ACTIVITIES
It was a quiet Summer in the field for BICO, but the new school year is upon us and our activities are ramping up.   There were some noteworthy accomplishments since mid-July:

---> Ravi Saxena has been appointed our new BICO Publicity Coordinator and Webmaster. 
Ravi Saxena, currently interacting with BICO's FYC team, has volunteered to fill our need for a Publicity Coordinator.  Currently Ravi is working on updating our current "help wanted" listings on Volunteer Match, Volunteer Central, etc.  He is also looking into starting informal  "Meet-n-Greets" as Angela B. used to put it.  This entails finding a social place where seasoned, new, and prospective volunteers can meet.  In addition, he is looking into the possibility of a calendar sale at local businesses in October and closer to the holidays. 

Ravi is also relieving Ann Burchard of her duties as BICO Webmaster.  In this position, he plans to update the web site, help put together an e-scrapbook that can be distributed to donors and prospective volunteers alike, and to help create a MySpace or FaceBook account for BICO.

---> Thank you Ann and Bob Burchard!
Ann Burchard has been maintaining BICOs web site for the past three or fours years.  She had been responsible for making sure the team outings lists have been posted on the web site, as well as for making necessary changes to contact information, meeting minutes, and forms.  In performing her duties, Bob Burchard would make sure that Ann would get the team outings roster on a timely basis.   Ann and Bob were recently succeeded in their duties by Ravi Saxena, a new enthusiastic and tech-savvy BICO volunteer.

On behalf of the BICO Volunteers, I would like to thank Ann and Bob for their efforts to keep the web site up to date.  The web site is a "window into the BICO world," and it is a valuable tool to help new volunteers and donors understand what we do.

UPCOMING EVENTS
---> ICO OLT 101 and OLT 201 Leadership Training by ICO National:  FIRST TIME IN THE MID-ATLANTIC! 
October 10-12 at Camp Barett in Crownsville, MD.
Basic Outings Leader Training (OLT101) is required for anyone leading Sierra Club Class 1 outings (dayhikes), and Advanced Outings Leader Training (OLT201) is required for Class 2 outings (overnights).  This weekend-long, Sierra Club workshop to be held in Crownsville, Maryland will qualify participants to lead both.  The $45 registration fee covers food, lodging, and materials and will be paid by BICO.  Trainers will be Sierra Club outings staff from San Francisco.  Visit http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/training/upcoming.asp to learn more about the workshop and to register.

If you need this training. Please consider going to it.  Since BICO currently does not have a Leadership Training Coordinator, attending this training would eliminate BICO from having to hold the same training this year!

--->  BICO  Calendar Sale
Dave Barry has graciously accepted the responsibility of running this years Sierra Club Calendar Sale for BICO. 

IF YOU WANT TO BUY CALENDARS: 
1) Send your order into Dave Barry (Dave Barry, 506 Devonshire Lane, Severna Park, MD 21146) by the Nov 19th general meeting.  The cost for each wall calendar is $13.75, and for each weekly engagement calendar is $14.75 (MD State Sales Tax is included in this price).  Payment is due with your order.

2) Random House, the company that distributes the calendars, estimates 2 to 3 weeks for shipping, but it is from Maryland so we hope sooner.
 
3) The calendars will be shipped to Bob Burchard's house, and picked up there upon arrangement with Bob.

--->  BICO  Elections
BICO elections for Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer are to occur between the September and November meetings.  More about this VeRy soon.


GENERAL NEWS
General Reminders
---> BICO Team Leaders ... Please plan your outings for the upcoming Fall and Winter seasons and give your new schedules to Ravi Saxena (ravi@ravenurl.com).  He plans to put them up on the BICO web site.  Thank you.

---> Team Leaders, funding agencies are starting to look for long-term participation from youth in the program.  Please take note of the number of returning youth on outings, if possible.   Also, if you have youth that have been in the program for a long time, encourage them to tell their story about being involved in the program.

---> Please send your trip reports from your most recent team outings to Bob Iacovazzi at bicobob3@verizon.net and Lindsay Major Ringgold at lindsaymajorringgold@gmail.com.

Why do we complete trip reports after our outings:
1) Need detailed information to fill out quarterly insurance reports for ICO National
2) BICO fundraising
3) Establish an archive of BICO activities
4) Share information (eventually it can end up as a wealth of information for the group)

---> Current and prospective Certified Leaders: Please renew your Sierra Club memberships when they come due.  It is important for BICO (you) to be covered by the Sierra Club insurance.  If you do not have a current Sierra Club Membership, BICO (you) are not insured during an outing by the Sierra Club.

---> Please tag, and make the Gear Master aware of, gear that is broken.  Nicole Veltre (NVeltre@bcps.k12.md.us) is our current Gear Master.


GROUP  BREAKOUTS

HELP WANTED
---> Certified Leaders and Volunteers to support the BICO Dickey Hill Elementary School (DHILL) and the College Gardens Community Center (CGCC) Teams.  All teams need volunteers, but these teams are currently tight on the number of volunteers, which jeopardizes their ability to carry out trips.  If interested in the DHILL group, please contact Dave Barry (manhat@verizon.net).  If interested in the CGCC group, please contact Bill Roberts (wroberts002@verizon.net)

---> Assistant BICO Leadership Development Coordinator.  The duties of the Assistant Leadership Development Coordinator include helping the Coordinator to 1) Supervising the leader training programs; 2) Ensure that BICO leadership training meets the standards of the Sierra Club and the ICO National Subcommittee; 3) Provide guidance and support to all leaders as needed; 4) Attend outings to support leaders and giving feedback on leadership issues; and 5) Help to identify appropriate training resources (i.e., leadership, first aid, etc.) If interested, please contact Bob Iacovazzi at bicobob3@verizon.net.

NEXT MEETING  
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 in the Media Center at Digital Harbor High School at 6:30 pm.  The meeting will be hosted by Nicole Veltre, DHHS Team Leader and BICO Gearmaster.