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MAY/JUNE 2016
STREAMLINES for Volunteers

There's lots going on in USMS right now. Read on for details about Convention, awards nominations, copyright guidelines, and much more. And thanks for all you do to make USMS great!
Swimming for Life,
Your Friends at U.S. Masters Swimming
Nadine Day Honored with RJA Award
Immediate past president honored with USMS's top award
RJA Award
The  Captain Ransom J. Arthur M.D. Award is U.S. Masters Swimming's highest honor, given to the volunteer who does the most to further the objectives of Masters Swimming. This year, the award went to Nadine Day of Indy Aquatic Masters for her many years of service, most notably as our immediate past president. Congratulations, Nadine, and thank you for your service!

Continue reading >>>
Convention Update
Check out the detailed logistical information below
Convention
The United States Aquatic Sports Convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Sept. 21 - 25, 2016. Registration forms, travel, shuttle, and tourist information are all available on the USAS website
 
USMS meetings begin on Wed., Sept. 21. The Convention page at usms.org contains the schedule. Other information will be posted soon.
 
Delegate Registration: Everyone attending or presenting at any meeting at convention MUST be registered for convention. Online registration is available for individuals who prefer to pay by credit card, and you can register as many attendees as you like during the session. For those who prefer to register by mail/check, please use the delegate registration form and mail it along with your check. For LMSCs with five or more attendees, you can opt to fill out the group registration form (and pay with just one check).
 
Full Convention Registration:
Received before midnight Aug. 29: $180
Received after midnight on Aug. 29 or later: $210
 
Partial Convention Registration:
One Day: $75
Two Day: $140
 
Hotel Reservations: Hotel information can be found on the USAS website. You are responsible for making your hotel reservations. The convention room rate is $132/night plus tax. You can also call to make reservations (1-800-233-1234). The room block closes after August 15, 2016 or when it fills, whichever happens first. 
 
Air Transportation: Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (ATL)
 
Land Transportation: Super Shuttle (a shared ride transportation service) - $14.50 one way $20  round trip (with round trip reservation) Discount Code is WT76N. Taxi - $30 for first person, $2 for each additional.  Taxi stand is immediately outside the terminal. Another option is to take the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) to the Peachtree Center Station
 
Driving Directions: Driving directions can be obtained by typing the following address into MapQuest or Google: 265 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303
 
Parking: Guests may elect to self-park at off-property parking garages (Peachtree Center, SunTrust Plaza or Courtland St) $20/24 hours. Valet parking is $35 per 24 hours for delegates and volunteers.
 
Internet in sleeping rooms: No Charge
 
Certification Table: The certification table will be open on Wednesday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (vendor area), Thursday 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. (vendor area), Thursday 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. (House of Delegates Room), and Thursday afternoon through Saturday (come find Mary Hull).

LMSC Delegate Entitlements
Notice to LMSC Chairs
hello my name is
LMSC Chairs: Please submit the names and contact information for your delegates ASAP to Convention Coordinator Tracy Grilli.
 
Please send Delegate-At-Large requests to President  Patty Miller and copy Tracy by July 15. Appointments will be made by the president on July 20.
 
Chairs of Finance, Legislation, Long Distance, and Rules Committees: Please contact your committee members and report to Convention Coordinator Tracy Grilli if there are any members from your committees who will not be attending Convention.

Convention Packet
Please note these important deadlines
go green keyboard
July 15: Committee chairs and special appointments send their annual reports to their vice presidents using the USMS Document Template. Those who will be having a meeting at Convention also send their agendas.
 
July 31: Vice presidents send their committees' annual reports and agendas to Convention Coordinator Tracy Grilli. Members of the Executive Committee also submit their annual reports.
 
August 1: All proposed rule or code changes from Rules, Long Distance, and Legislation due to Convention Coordinator Tracy Grilli from respective committee chairs, for inclusion in Convention packet.
 
August 1: Election Committee submits election information to Convention Coordinator Tracy Grilli for inclusion in Convention Packet.
 
August 31: Convention packets posted on the USMS website and emailed to all delegates.
Proposed Legislation, Rules and Long Distance Rules Changes Due July 10
Don't miss this important deadline
rules
Proposed changes to the Code of Regulations can be submitted to the Legislation Committee for Organizing Principles, Parts 2, 4, 5, and 6. Changes to Part 1 and the Glossary can be submitted to the Rules Committee and changes to Part 3 can be submitted to the Long Distance Committee.
 
See the convention section of the Guide to Operations for detailed instructions and the form for submitting proposed Legislation changes. Proposed Legislation changes are due July 10.
SCY Top 10 Submissions Due
It's time to submit SCY Top 10s!
2015 Top 10 patch
SCY Top 10 tabulations (both individual and relay swims) are due to Mary Beth Windrath, National Swims Administrator, by June 30. Late submissions will not be accepted. Instructions can be found in the USMS Records and Tabulation Document, located in the Guide to Operations.

Have Your Elected Officers Changed?
Report these changes now!
elections
If your LMSC has elected any new officers, please remember to notify Membership Director Anna Lea Matysek of these changes. We need this information to be sure the right individuals are receiving information in a timely manner during their tenure. 

Service Award Nominations Due Soon
Nominate a fellow volunteer today
camaraderie
Each year U.S. Masters Swimming recognizes the extraordinary efforts of our members beyond the water's edge. USMS's success is a result of the amazing contributions of our talented and dedicated volunteers. Help us identify initiative and performance by nominating people you know who fulfill the ideals of the following awards. The deadline for nominations is July 1; please review the submission instructions for each award and help recognize an amazing volunteer.
  • Speedo/USMS Coach of the Year
  • Dot Donnelly Service Award
  • Kerry O'Brien Coaching Award
  • Club of the Year Award
  • June Krauser Communications Award
  • Fitness Award
  • Open Water Service Award
Let us know who deserves to be recognized!

Elections Deadline Extended
Nominations open in Dixie and Oceana Zones
USMS Elections
In accordance with our Election Operating Guidelines, the USMS Board of Directors has authorized an extended special nomination period from May 4, 2016, through May 31, 2016, for the Dixie and  Oceana Zones, which have no candidates for this year's At-Large Directors elections; therefore, the election committee is soliciting nominations for these positions.

In addition, we will accept floor nominations for all at-large director positions at convention during designated HOD meetings; however, all eligible candidates must submit proper documentation to be slated. The committee will follow up in a subsequent report to state which meetings(s) are eligible.

The original nomination period closed April 30, 2016. More information and nominations materials are available on the Election 2016 page. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Elections Committee Chair Cheryl Gettelfinger.
Peer-to-Peer Calls
Why reinvent the wheel when you can learn from others?
Need to Know
Mark your calendars for the next four peer-to-peer teleconference calls for: 
  • Top 10 Recorders: Sunday, June 12 at 5 p.m. PT | 8 p.m. ET
  • Registrars: Sunday, July 17 at 5 p.m. PT | 8 p.m. ET (This call will be part webinar with AnnaLea Matysek and part P2P call. Don't miss it!)
  • Communications Chairs/Webmasters/Editors: 
    August date and time to be determined 
  • Role Roundtables at Convention in Atlanta: 
    Saturday, September 24

Watch Out for Copyright
Guidelines for marketing and promotions collateral
Copyright
Websites, newsletters, and other marketing and promotions collateral are great for communicating with your members and recruiting new members. But it's important to remember that even in this age of freely available content on the Internet, copyright still holds power and violating it could land you or your club in hot water.

Copyright sounds complicated but it's actually a rather basic concept: Creators of any piece of writing, art, or photography hold the copyright to their creation upon its creation. So what does that mean for volunteers working on club and LMSC communications? It means you always have to get permission from creators before you use their content. Some content creators may request payment for use of their materials, others may not.

In addition, it's never a good idea to simply copy an article or image you find online. If you do, you or your club could find out the hard way how scrupulously some content creators guard their copyrights.

For online articles or blog posts, most authors would prefer that you provide an introductory blurb to their content and then send your readers to the original article or post. Never copy and publish someone else's written intellectual property on your site or in your newsletter without getting permission to do so.

If you find an image online that you'd like to use, you must first secure permission from the content creator and then you must properly credit their contribution in your publication.

That said, there are a few sites online that offer freely available content. Wikimedia Commons is a great one that offers guidelines for attribution for a range of different uses for each image uploaded to the site. Pixabay is another stock photography site that offers free, high-quality images to users under Creative Commons licensing. There are also paid image sites such as BigStock and iStock where you can purchase professionally produced photos and illustrations at inexpensive rates. 

For more information, check out the Websites, Social Media, and Newsletters section of the Guide to Operations.

Quick Links
About U.S. Masters Swimming
U.S. Masters Swimming, founded in 1970, is a membership-operated national governing body that promotes health, wellness, fitness, and competition for adults through swimming. It does so by partnering with more than 1,500 adult swim programs across the country; promoting information via the bimonthly member magazine, SWIMMER, monthly e-newsletters, STREAMLINES, and website, usms.org; and by sanctioning and promoting pool, open water, and virtual events and competitions. Nearly 60,000 adults are registered members of U.S. Masters Swimming.
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