Financial Report
Net increase in cash on hand $3320
Major expense & equipment items
- Equipment purchased ~$3000
- OUSA $1734
- Park Fees $808
- Map Printing $614
- Miscl ~$300
- Sales tax $402
Net from major events
- Radio Champs $1900
- JROTC $1582
Gross from event fees
- Annual Pass $2610
- Meet Fees $4103
We decided not to increase any fees for 2023
Zelle is the preferred reimbursement method for event directors’ expenses. Checks can be sent if necessary.
We budgeted to update the Umstead map, but Vladimir Lyuk can’t come to the USA to finish, so we have ample savings to hire another mapper.
If club members want to try their hand at mapping, Dave can make excellent base maps Open Orienteering Mapper (only available on Android) is fantastic for mapping. Our tablets can be used if it isn’t raining.
We are on good financial footing, so we should focus on promoting the sport, and not worry that an event may not pay for itself.
Election of Board Members
Mihai Ibanescu and Joseph Huberman: terms are expiring this year (2022).
Adalia is nominated by Ruth. Dave seconds. Unanimous approval.
Vladimir motions for Joseph to be re-elected to the board as president. Ian seconds. Unanimous approval.
Lina 2023
Ian 2024
Dave 2024
Joseph 2025 (president)
Adalia 2025
Volunteers not on Info@ will be added.
New OUSA fee structure and how BOK should adapt
The OUSA Annual General Meeting approved the event fee structure originally championed by BOK years ago, and re-introduced by Badger O Club for a vote at the AGM.
The change takes effect at the end of next year rechartering. At the beginning of 2023 start fees will be $2 per entry instead of $1.50, and there will be no fees for club members. (previously $3.50)
Joseph proposes we keep our annual pass and membership policies.
To be a member of BOK you must be a significant volunteer. As a member, you are on info@BackwoodsOK.org and can answer questions that are sent in from the public When responding to questions you should, Cc: info@ so that others can see the responses and chime in with additional information, and everyone can see the thread.
Joseph proposed that in addition to volunteering one can join OUSA in order to become members of BOK with an option to be on info@. Passed with no objections.
We typically sell about 70-80 annual passes.
BOK Store
We pay $350/year for the Ecwid business plan. This gives us the ability to have variations on items Which we use for limited entry in time slots.
We could use OUSA EventReg for free, but it is currently difficult to customize for our needs at this time. Reports from EventReg are easier to download and participants can see who else is registered.
Dave asked if items could be arranged in a more useful order on the main Ecwid store page? (Yes it is done in the “categories” section.)
Radio Orienteering & New Controls
The ARDF committee decided that ARDF (Amateur Radio Direction Finding) will be referred to in the USA as Radio Orienteering and/or Radio-O.
BOK purchased six 2m receivers for rental to compliment our eight 80m receivers.
Joseph personally purchased a set of equipment for Radio-O because Radio-O flags and boxes frequently need to be configured differently. This way Radio-O events, which sometimes conflict with BOK, wouldn’t need to use the usual BOK equipment. The set includes 20 SI-boxes, printer, download and master boxes, tablet owned by Joseph and also includes 2 start, 2 finish, boxes with flags owned by BOK.
We unanimously decided to increase our controls from 40 to 60 and to purchase all new flags. So we will order 20 more SI boxes and 60 flags. A box is about $100, a flag about $5.
SI is phasing out the Station 8, we may have to go to Station 9 which doesn’t have a hole for the stick. This will require a different technique for hanging. We will try to purchase SI-8s so our equipment is consistent, if possible.
The beginner Radio-O classes were very successful.
Nadia asks if we can order more receivers. Chinese receivers are fine for beginners, but the cheap receivers don’t work at a distance.
Joseph will investigate the possibility of getting some quality ones.
Permanent and Virtual Courses
Imre worked on the permanent course at Bond Park. He will send the proposed courses to info@ for comments. The permanent controls will have a QR code and Orange/White symbol on a post that one can scan. The decaying punches will be removed.
Imre will also create a virtual course using the iOrienteering app. The Town of Cary will cover the cost of the new equipment. Mihai will check with the scoutmaster at troop 216 from St. Michaels if they can provide the labor for setting the 4×4 posts.
There is a permanent course at Ft. Macon.
Vladimir will contact Sugg Farm about installing a permanent course there.
SafeSport
Online classes educate participants about recognizing and preventing sexual abuse and maintaining a healthy environment. OUSA requires that at least one member of the klub is SafeSport certified. Anyone who is working with youth should be certified. If you are an OUSA member OUSA will pay for the certification.
Carl completed his coaching and SafeSport course. Joseph and Ian are also certified.
Mapping Projects in 2022-2023
2022
- White Pines map
- Anderson Park
- Updated Dix and integrated the Pullen Park map
- New Bond Park map
- Woods Charter School (for a school event)
2023
- Urban event in Hillsborough (maybe next year)
- Southern end of Birkhead
- Hurricane Island in the Gulf of Maine
Joseph & Ruth will map and design some simple courses on Hurricane Island that they visit every year. They have middle school programs and graduate oceanography research programs on Hurricane Island. It is about the size of Bond Park. BOK will donate 12 of our old flags and punches as well as teach the counselors how to run an event.
COVID proposed update
The choice of covid mitigations is up to the event director and should be posted in the event information and on the Ecwid registration
To prevent spreading infections, if someone calls in sick before the event (COVID or regular flu), they will get a coupon for another event. This policy should be shown in the Ecwid registration information for every event.
2023 Proposed Event Schedule
Directors are asked to total up the number of unique starts. Ian will send an email to info@ to explain how to get the information with SI-Droid.
| Date | Location | Format | Meet type | Director |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Umstead West | Relay | Advanced | Imre |
| 8 | Eno River | Classic | Open | Dave |
| 21 | Gray Owl | Classic / Radio-O | Open | Joseph, Ruth & Charles |
| 22 | Gray Owl | Classic / Radio-O | Open | Joseph, Ruth & Charles |
| February | ||||
| 5 | Horton Grove | Classic | Advanced | Lina |
| 12 | Eno River | Radio-O | Open | Joseph & Charles |
| 19 | Umstead South | Classic | Open | Matt & Adalia |
| 26 | Schenk Forest | Score-O | Open | Vladimir & Tatyana |
| March | ||||
| 5 | Dix | Radio-O Sprint | Open | Joseph & Charles |
| 11 | Shackleford west | middle/night | Advanced | Dave |
| 12 | Shackleford east | Classic | Dave | |
| 19 | Crabtree | Classic | Open | Ian & Paul |
| April | ||||
| 1 | Schenck | Radio-O | Open | Joseph & Charles |
| 2 | Umstead North | Classic | Open | Mihai |
| 15 | Thornburg Farm | Classic | Advanced | Vladimir & Tatyana |
| 30 | Bond Park | Classic or sprint | Open | Paul & Ian |
| May | ||||
| 7 | Crabtree | Sprint | Advanced | Mihai & Imre |
| 14 | Carolina North | Classic | Open | Will & Matt & Adalia |
| 21 | Eno River SP | Radio-O 80m Classic | open Radio-O | Patrick & Kelly |
| June | ||||
| 4 | Sugg Farm | Sprint | Open | Vladimir & Tatyana |
| 17 | Umstead, Lapahio | Radio Fox-O / Sprint / Score | Open | Carl/Dave/Will/Charles |
| 25 | Schenck or Dix | Sprint | Advanced | TBD |
| July | ||||
| 9 | Dix | Sprint | Open | Gheorghe (To be confirmed) |
| 16 | Raven Rock | Radio-O | Open | Charles |
| August | ||||
| 6 | Umstead, North | Radio-O | Open | Charles |
| 13 | Eno River | Classic | Open | TBD |
| September | ||||
| 10 | Carolina North | Fox Chase | Advanced | Dave |
| 16 | White Pines | Night-O | Advanced | Dave |
| 24 | Umstead South | Classic | Open | Matt & Adalia |
| October | ||||
| 7 | Umstead West | Radio-O Class | Beginner | Nadia |
| 8 | Umstead West | Classic | Expert | Lina |
| 14 | Umstead/Lapahio | NJROTC | Dave/Carl | |
| 15 | Umstead West | Radio-O Class | Beginner | Nadia |
| 21 | Gray Owl | Classic / Radio-O | Open | Joseph, Ruth & Charles |
| 22 | Gray Owl | Classic / Radio-O | Open | Joseph, Ruth & Charles |
| 28 | Siler City | Corn maze / night? | Advanced | Dave |
| November | ||||
| 5 | Umstead North | Classic | Open | Vladimir & Tatyana |
| 11 | Hillsborough? | Street-O | Open | Dave |
| 12 | Umstead West | Radio-O | Open | Joseph & Charles |
| 19 | Horton Grove | Classic | Advanced | Paul & Ian |
| December | ||||
| 3 | Eno River | Score-O | Advanced | Dave |
| 10 | To be decided | Classic | Open | Vladimir & Tatyana |