Planning Committee Survey

This message was sent to District Planning Network members and is being posted here in hopes that squadron commanders will pass the word to their members.

Summary
The National Planning Committee would like to offer every squadron member the opportunity to provide input to the organization, through the National Planning Committee, by participating in a short, online survey. We need your help to extend this offer, and, there will be something special for the district with the highest percentage of respondents!


Action
We ask that the District Planning Committee Chair (or another officer assigned by the D/C) send an invitation to participate in the survey to each squadron commander as soon as possible with the request that they in turn distribute it to their members.

To make this easy, the attached document contains a brief invitation to participate in the survey with the online “link” on which members can “click” to take the survey embedded in the invitation. Send it to your squadron commanders and ask them to send it via email to as many squadron members as possible. Distributing the “link” electronically is, for obvious reasons, preferred. As a less desirable alternative, squadron commanders can publish the information (the “link”) in the next issue of their squadron newsletter. The link itself is as follows:

USPS® Planning Committee Survey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=tozUmx10Vy6ebPmUI15Jbw_3d_3d)

Another idea that might be fun, and could be done in addition to sending the survey by email, would be to set up a laptop computer on the registration desk at upcoming squadron events, or at your next district event! (Note: You’ll need an Internet connection.)

Simply put, the goal is to get the invitation and “link” to as many members as possible!


Background
Attendees who visited the National Planning Committee booth at the expo held in conjunction with the recent Governing Board meeting in Norfolk were given the opportunity to fill out a short, paper-based survey similar to the one we are offering online. C/C Ernie Marshburn, SN, filled out the first one. While over 10% of the Governing Board meeting attendees filled out the survey, many of those who did were on national committees or repeatedly attend national meetings. So, the results could be considered somewhat biased. The National Planning Committee is interested in a broader perspective that can be obtained through greater survey participation.

To get greater participation, we’ve developed an online survey using the “Survey Monkey” website. Members need only “click” on the hyperlink provided and the survey will appear. The survey will only take members a few minutes to complete, and it is pretty easy.

The National Planning Committee thanks you in advance for your expeditious help in this matter. And, as always, please send your comments and suggestions to us by replying to d-plan-net@usps.org.

Regards,

R/C William M Bellinger, SN, PlanCom Chair
Members of the National Planning Committee

Availability of DB2000V3 release 7.2.0

This is to announce the availability of DB2000V3 version 7.2.0.

This version contains a number of enhancements and bug fixes.

1.If upgrading from a pre version 7 to version 7 or later, and then uninstalling and reinstalling, there was a possibility that databases which were copied from Program Files to My Documents during the first installation of version 7 would be deleted during the uninstall and would not be available during the reinstall, i.e. they were lost. This has been corrected.

2.The encoding/decoding mechanism had the potential to generate incorrect data resulting in the inability to decode an encoded file either on your local machine or on the HQ machine. This has been corrected.

3.A new program DB2000Diag.exe has been added to the install to allow the support group to gather pertinent information on your machine and DB2000 installation to assist in problem determination.

4.Spell checking has been added to the Historian's Report and to the Merit Mark facilities.

5.Electronic Merit Mark committee definitions have been upgraded to allow recommendations by the V/Cs without fudging.

6. HTTP://www.accurecord.com/usps/outgoing/problems.htm has been updated to reflect solutions for the most frequent problems seen.


Stf/C John R. Bradley, SN
Member USPS Information Technology Committee
jrb@accurecord.com

Leadership Development Workshop Update

Planning Committee News Release 20 OCT 07

The Train-the-Trainer Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) got off to a successful start in Hartford and Baltimore with D/C Arthur Kimber, SN, in Atlanta with P/R/C Glenn Daughtridge, AP, in Chicago with Stf/C Robert Landeros, SN, and in San Francisco with the creator of the LDW, Stf/C Herb Shaw, JN. A total of 55 trainers representing 22 districts that cover two-thirds of our district organizations now have been trained.

The LDW is meant to spread leadership skills that positively impact squadron members throughout USPS. A cadre of better trained leaders will enthuse and motivate our members leading to more pride in membership and in assuming leadership roles in our organization and in their own lives.

The two-day LDW trained the district representatives who will now begin offering the LDW to their local squadron members. Several districts already have plans underway to bring the Workshops to their squadrons. We thank the participating districts for supporting this initiative. The materials are free, being provided through a grant from the Century Fund, the very first member-initiative grant.

Please help your district trainer publicize the event within your district as soon as possible. Squadron members should be encouraged to enhance their leadership abilities; this LDW can do it.

We are currently looking at the possibility of offering the LDW to those districts that did not attend.

Distinguished Civic Service Award Application is Due Nov 15.

Have you completed your Distinguished Civic Service Award application form yet? It is due to P/C Gail Nachman, SN on or before 15 November 2007.

Every district and each squadron is eligible to enter. You all do good work in the arena of providing boating classes and VSCs, but you also provide public seminars and workshops, scholarships, courtesy marine patrols, media interviews, children's safety programs, etc. You do qualify.

All you need to do is to fill out the form and send it in.

To learn more about this award, please visit this website:

http://www.usps.org/national/membership/ Click on "Awards - Boat U.S. & Membership" (located on the left-hand side of the page.) Then click on item

1 - The Distinguished Civic Service Award.

If your district has its own competition, please send the completed form to the district chair by the required date. To enter the national competition, please send the completed form directly to Gail. Her address

is:

P/C Gail S. Nachman, SN

4870 Jadestone St

San Bernardino, CA 92407 Email: TeacherGSN@aol.com

Thank you for reading this message. And while you are visiting the Membership website, take a look around. We are fascinating!

R/C Roberta L. Dougherty, AP

Membership Committee

Merit Mark Season

It’s that time of year when we compile the recommendations for those members who have made significant contributions to USPS though their hard work. This is a just a reminder that there is a Merit Mark Resource page (http://www.usps.org/newpublic2/doMM.htm ) containing much of the information needed to successfully submit those recommendations.

Operations Manual Update

UPDATE ... On 07/17/07, Sections 3.47 and 3.48 were added to Chapter 3. These new sections detail the duties of the Chairs for the District and Squadron Member Benefits Committee as well as the responsibilities of the two committees. It may happen that page numbers in the index and other sections of the manual may have changed as a result of these additions.

Please note as well that the National Meetings Committee has been moved from the Executive Department to the Chief Commander.

To download click here.

Boarman National USPS Youth Poster Contest in Norfolk

Ahoy Members submitting District Winning Entries for the Boarman National USPS Youth Poster Contest in Norfolk,

Please be sure to deliver the winning district entries to P/C Phil Osborne, AP by Thursday, 6 September. Contact Phil at Posborne2@aol.com or by cell phone at 614/327-4063. Phil and his team of judges will announce the winners on Friday, 7 Sept at 1400 at the MAR/PR EXPO booth in the EXPO hall. An effort will be made to contact the submitting squadron or District Commander for a photo so be certain to leave your cell phone number with Phil if you are delivering a winning district entry. Winners will be mailed a certificate and the winning prize $$$$ directly.

To view the winning posters and for information on next year’s theme and contest details go to http://www.usps.org/national/membership/youth/poster.htm after the Norfolk meeting.

Roberta

R/C Roberta L. Dougherty, AP
Membership Committee
Recruiting, Retention, Power of One, Youth Activities
Community Outreach
United States Power Squadrons

EVERY MEMBER MAKES A DIFFERENCE!