Looking for corporate contacts

The IJA has begun filing grant applications with corporations for support of its convention and general administrative activities. There is a better chance of success if we gain entree to a corporation through an IJA member employed by that company. If you think you can help in this regard, please contact Bill Giduz, IJA President, Davidson, NC.

 

Please pay your dues

Members' dues should be mailed to Kenmore, NY on the anniversary of your last payment. That date is marked on your membership card: Dues renewal is $15 for individuals and $17 for a family membership, with the following supplements applying to cover cost of special mailing of Juggler's World: First class USA - add $3; Canada and Mexico - add $3; Europe, South America and Africa - add $7; Asia and South Pacific - add $9. Your membership expiration date will be printed on your mailing label in the near future, so this information will be easier to track.

 

While you're at it, why don't you help the IJA and boost your membership category. $250 will make you a life member, meaning you never have to send in dues again. $100 qualifies you as a sustaining member, and $25 is the level of contributing membership. All members in these categories will receive special notation in the IJA Roster. Remember, your donations to the UA are tax deductible!

 

Winter meeting minutes

Time and place: January 16-18, 1986. San Jose, California

Executive officers present: Bill Giduz - President & Publica­tions Editor; Glenn Ceponis - Vice President; Ginny Rose - Treasurer; Holly Greeley - Championships Director

 

Other officers present: Rich Cham,berlin - Secretary; Barry Bakalor - Director & Convention Co-Chairman; Sue Bakalor - Convention Co-Chairman

 

Present by telephone: Bill Barr - Immediate Past President; Dale Jones - Director; Allan Howard - Director

 

The meeting convened Thursday morning, Jan. 16, at the home of Barry & Sue Bakalor. The first order of business was discussion of IJA policy concerning videotaping of convention championships events and the business relationship between IJA and Barry Bakalor, video services coordinator.

 

There was consensus of opinion that the IJA should continue videotaping championships events for archival and publicity purposes, but disagreement as to whether IJA should continue to require competitors to sign a release allowing sale of videotapes as a requirement for their participation in the event. One side of the argument held that the release discouraged competitors who were wary of wide release of their material. The other side held that championships videotapes would not be a marketable item unless all acts were included in the final product, and that the majority of IJA members would not be served unless this was the case.

 

Greeley moved that the IJA should not require competitors to sign a release allowing sale of tapes as a precondition of their participation, but that they be asked to do so. The motion was defeated 3-2.

 

A discussion followed concerning Bakalor's personal expenses over the past few years in his service as IJA videotape coordinator. It was agreed that the IJA would reimburse Bakalor on a negotiated schedule for all expenses incurred in his services to date upon receipt by the IJA of an accounting of those expenses. As he recovers those personal expenses, the equipment owned by him will become IJA property. The IJA did not agree to pay Bakalor interest on the money he spent in acquiring that equipment. Bakalor agreed that hereafter he will conduct video services on the same basis as any other IJA office, submitting budgets for anticipated expenses and regular accounting of expenses as they occur. It was also agreed that the IJA board as an entire body will assume responsibility for marketing and price of future videotapes.

 

Rose gave board members a copy of the current IJA financial report and gave to each board member a breakdown of expenses tracked against budget approved for their individual areas of responsibility. She said that a total of $47,000 had been requested by board members, and that an estimate of income showed a gain of $7,000 to the IJA treasury at the end of the fiscal year based on that budget. 1984-85 honorariums of $1,000 for the publications editor, $1,000 for the treasurer and $500 for championships director were moved and approved. Giduz reiterated the new policy of basing 1985-86 honorariums on hours spent in IJA service and urged all board members to keep careful accounting of those hours. It was agreed not to include the convention chairman in the honorarium structure, but to continue the policy of awarding him or her a management fee for that service. Rose also passed out copies of a new special budget request form that officers must use for approval of expenses not covered in their budgets.

 

As an aid to future elected officers and candidates for office, it was agreed that IJA officers with specific areas of responsibility should write up a job description. Those reports will be written in time for review at the summer convention in San Jose.

 

A change was made in the IJA policy of covering convention expenses for officers. Beginning in 1986-87, the presdent, vice president and publications editor will include convention travel expenses in their own budgets, rather than splitting these expenses between their own budgets and the convention budget.

 

At the end of a discussion of championships, it was also agreed to raise first prize money in the US Nationals to $1,000 and to institute prizes in Teams competition of $500, $150 and $50 effective this year.

 

Ceponis reported that it will be difficult or impossible for the IJA to offer group health insurance to its members because of the wide diversity of their occupations.

 

Chamberlin reported he and Howard have revised the list of names of people to be nominated for inclusion in the IJA Hall of Fame and for election for IJA Lifetime Service Awards. All current honorary life members will be grand­fathered into Lifetime Service Awards.

 

Chamberlin reported that membership is holding steady about 2,300. There was discussion on how to Increase membership that centered on ideas for strengthening the IJA affiliate and education programs. There was also discussion of how to entice members to join as lifetime, sustaining and contributing members.

 

Ceponis reviewed the IJA by-laws and several changes were approved. The most significant change would be transition from election of officers with specific areas of responsibility to election of board members of equal standing beginning in 1987. Under the new structure envisioned, members would elect directors who will serve staggered terms of office. It would be the responsibility of those directors to choose from among themselves or other members people to handle specific areas of responsibility, such as publications, treasury, affiliates, education, etc. The board of directors would also elect a member of its body to serve as chairman of the board. Rose agreed to investigate the implications of such a change to our non-profit status and report back to the board at the convention.

 

Dave Finnigan came before the board to present a rough copy of his new book, tentatively titled, "The Complete Joy of Juggling," and to' invite IJA participation in it. He reviewed an achievement level system promoted by the book and board members agreed to endorse it in the name of the IJA for its educational value, pending review of final copy.

 

Board members discussed the concept of an IJA museum and permanent office, and agreed that it was a more achievable goal than the idea of an entire homeland put forth last summer. Greeley agreed to lead efforts to secure funding for the project. IJA educational activities were reviewed. There was consensus for better planning of convention workshops and a pre-convention workshop series. Greeley agreed to try to set up a pre-convention workshop for this summer.

 

Tricia Allen of Denver, Colo., brought before the board a proposal to hold the 1988 IJA convention in that city. The board accepted her proposal pending a site inspection by an IJA officer. Bakalor pointed out that the board is asking for convention site proposals too far in advance and suggested that proposals be called for two years ahead of time instead of 30 months early. The board agreed to implement this system beginning with the 1987 convention in Akron, at which time proposals for a 1989 convention site will be voted upon.

 

IJA members participating in the Saturday morning meeting brought up the possibility of better IJA recruitment of students as members. The idea of reduced membership rates for young jugglers was rejected, but it was agreed to make multiple copies of Juggler's World available to physical education teachers at a reduced rate, to push for "Juggler's World" subscription by school libraries, and to investigate the publication of a teaser issue of a generic "Juggler's World" for distribution by people teaching in the school system.