Glossary |
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| AVA or A.V.A. |
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Acronym for the American Volkssport Association. The umbrella organization for the United States. Visit their website at www.ava.org. See also IVV and CVA. |
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| Awards |
Some walks offer awards for sale as a souvenier of the event. Awards
often take the shape of patches, pins, and other forms. There are sub-types
of awards:
- "A" award: can be available at traditional events and are specifically
designed for that event.
- "B" award: can be available at any event, but are not specifically
designed for that event.
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| Checkpoint |
Uaually the half-way point on a traditional walk. It is usually manned and often has hard candies, water, and welcoming faces to greet you and see how you're doing. They will also check off your start number on a numbered sheet, so please have your start card ready. See also Self Checkpoints. |
| Compass |
The Compass is the quarterly magazine put out by the California Volkssport Association. It lists all the Traditional Walks sponsored by California clubs and other articles of interest for the quarter. It is available by subscription only. For all the details, go to the Compass webpage here. |
| Credit |
Credit is given to participants who participate in the Incentive Program and pay the $3.00 fee for that event. You get to stamp both the Event book and the Distance book for each event you pay the fee for. |
| Credit Only |
This phrase means that there are no awards available for the event. It does not mean that you are required to walk for credit. All events can be done for free. |
| CVA or C.V.A. |
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The California Volkssport Association. This organization is a federation of all AVA affiliated clubs in California. It is not a traditional club where individuals can join, but it exists to promote Volkssports in California on behalf of the member clubs. Visit the website at www.cva4u.org. See also IVV and AVA. |
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| Distance Book |
The official AVA record book of distance achievements for people who participate in the Incentive Program. Distance books cost $5.00 each and are available at most events or are available at the AVA website, www.ava.org or the S.W.S. Store. See also Event Book.
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| Doggie Do Walks |
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This program is for Sacramento Walking Sticks Members Only who also walk for credit!
Cost: $0 for members. Track your doggie's walks. There is space for 30 walks. Request a book and doggie name button via email here. Be sure to include your doggie's name so we can get the button right! |
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| Event |
Usually an event is a walk. Bicycle rides, cross country skiing, and swimming events are also sanctioned by the American Volkssport Association and can be entered into your distance and event books. |
| Event Book |
The official AVA record book of events completed by people who participate in the Incentive Program. Event books cost $5.00 each and are available at most events or are available at the AVA website, www.ava.org or the S.W.S. Store. See also Distance Book.
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| Finish Table |
The Finish Table is where you should check in after completing a Traditional Walk even if you walk for free. This tells the sponsoring club that you've returned safely. The Start Table and Finish Table are usually in the same location. If you walk for credit, this is where you will get your books stamped. |
| Friendship Walk |
A group walk that is usually done on a day, most often a weekend day, when no traditional walk is available. The latest, updated Friendship Walk Schedule is available on the Placer Pacer website. They are also listed on our Calendar of Events page. Friendship Walks were the creation of Wayne Holloway (August 17, 1937-May 6, 2017) who was very active in AVA, CVA, and the Placer Pacers and has held numerous Board positions in all 3 organizations. Friendship Walks will now be done by Don Ratliff of the Placer Pacers club. Friendship Walks utilize Year Round Walks.
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| Group Walk |
The Sacramento Walking Sticks and many other clubs use Year Round Walks to set a time for a group to gather and do the walk. Group Walks are usually smaller than Traditional Walks and they usually start off as a group at one time, unlike Traditional Walks that have a Start Time Window that usually lasts several hours. The Monday Madness, Tuesday-Thursday Walks, Wednesday Evening's Happnin' Walks, Friday Fitness, and Friendship Walks are all Group Walks that appear on the SWS Calendar of Events. See also Year Round Walks and Friendship Walks. |
| Hot Walkin' Nights (HWN) |
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A series of special walks put on by the Sacramento Walking sticks in June, July, and August each Wednesday evening. Come join the fun. Check the Calendar of Events page for details. The temperature may be warm, but the Sacramento Walking Sticks are always cool! |
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| Incentive Program |
This program is designed to nudge you off the couch and on to greater Volkssport glory! Participation in the Incentive Program is always voluntary. Participants track the number of events they do in their Event Book and the cumulative distance they do in their Distance Book. Completed books are sent in to AVA who returns them along with a pin, patch, and certificate of achievement. You can get started by purchasing a New Walker Packet for only $10.00. See also Special Programs. |
| IVV or I.V.V. |
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The International Federation of Popular Sports, the English translation for "Internationaler Volkssportverband" which is headquartered in Germany. The IVV is the international organization that governs all of Volkssporting. Over 50 countries have IVV sanctioned events and your Incentive Program books are good at any IVV sanctioned event. Visit their website at www.ivv-web.org. See also AVA and CVA. |
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| K or Kilometer |
A Kilometer a measurment of distance that is 1,000 meters long. Volksporting uses the metric system to measure distances primarily because the sport started in Germany and spread first to Western Europe. The metric system is also a more rational system for measuring things because it is based on the decimal (base 10) numbering system, the one we are most familiar with (in contrast, computers use a binary, or base 2, numbering system). 1 Kilometer is approximately 0.62 miles. Typically our walks are 10K (6.2 miles) and 5K (3.1 miles) long. Quickly convert miles to kilometers here. See also Distance Book and Incentive Program. |
| New Member Mailing |
This is the packet of materials that new members of the Sacramento Walking Sticks receive after their membership application has been processed. It includes a Name Button, a free gift, and other materials that will help you get started with the club. Join today on our Membership page! The New Member Mailing should not be confused with the New Walker Packet: |
| New Walker Packet |
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The New Walker Packet supplies you with all the materials you need to start the Incentive Program. The cost is only $10.00 but the value is way more than that! The packet includes:
- Your first Event book (normally $6.00)
- Your first Distance book (normally $6.00)
- 3 coupons good for event credit (normally $4.00 each)
- Other coupons to redeem for goodies from AVA
That's a value of over $24.00 for $10.00! Purchase of a New Walker Packet does not include membership in the Sacramento Walking Sticks, however. Club membership is seperate and is available at any SWS event, the Membership page, or any membership meeting.
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| Online Start Box (OSB) |
An online alternative to going to a physical start box to sign up for a Year Round or Seasonal Event. Some events are available only through the Online Start Box (typically remote walks) and some also have a physical start box. Go to the AVA website event search page and find an event you are interested in. If the OSB is an option there will be buttons that will lead you through the process on any event where there's an OSB. |
| Ratings |
Most events are rated for difficulty. A rating of 1A is the easiest and is normally flat and entirely on paved surfaces. A rating of 5E is the most difficult and often includes rough terrain and substantial elevation gain. An explanation of the rating system can be found on this AVA web page. |
| Registration Log |
The Registration Log is usually located in the Walk Box for a Year Round Event. This form is where you sign the Amatuer Athletic Release of Liability for the Year Round Event which must be signed before you use the Walk Directions. See also Start Card. |
| Sanctioned Event/Walk |
An obsolete term for a Traditional Walk. See also Year Round Event/Walk.
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| Self Checkpoint |
These are "checkpoints" that are usually found on Walk Directions, especially for Year Round Events in the form of a question that you can only answer if you've been there on the walk. See also Checkpoint. |
| Special Programs |
Special Programs are run primarily by clubs throughout the nation and are a way of making events more fun. Each program requires the purchase of a special book which gets stamped, along with your Event and Distance books, if the event qualifies for that special program. No extra participation fee is required, the purchase of the Special Program book is the only extra cost. Go to our Special Programs page for more details.
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| Specialties |
Badges, pins, awards, and other goodies sold by clubs.
For Sacramento Walking Stick Specialties, go to the S.W.S. Store page to see what's available today!
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| Start Card |
The Start Card is usually used at Traditional Events when you register for the event. You are supposed to carry the copy with you on the walk and show the copy at any Checkpoint along the route. This form is where you sign the Amatuer Athletic Release of Liability for the Traditional Event which must be signed before you use the Walk Directions. See also Registration Log. |
| Starting Point |
This term can mean two distinctly different things:
- It is the term used for the physical location of the Start Table for Traditional Walks and the Walk Box for Year Round walks. Any publicity you see for an event should include this information.
- The Starting Point is the yearly book produced by the American Volkssport Association that lists all of the Year Round and Seasional events sponsored by clubs in the United States, of which there are approximately 1,800. The book is organized by State and City within State. You can order directly from AVA here. Because the print deadline is relatively early and the real world chages often, this page shows all the updates made to events since the book went to print.
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| Start Number |
Each participant in any event is assigned a unique Start Number for that calendar year. On a Traditional Walk the Start Number should be on your Start Card copy that you carry on the walk. Each Registration Log has spaces for consecutive numbers on Year Round Events but there is rarely any need for you to remember this Start Number. |
| Start Table |
This is where every participant in a traditional walk registers before going on the walk. The Start Table and Finish Table are usually in the same location. See also Start Card and Registration Log. |
| Stick's Bucks |
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These are coupons that are good for Credit Fees at Sacramento Walking Sticks events only. The cost is $3.00 per coupon, so you don't save money directly, but they offer a convienience over needing $1 bills at each SWS event you attend. Stick's Bucks are available from most SWS Board Members at events and Membership Meetings. |
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| SWS or S.W.S. |
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Acronym for the "Sacramento Walking Sticks." We are the largest AVA affiliated walking club in the United States! Link to the Membership page to join in on the fun. |
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| Sticks Walk Stick's Walks |
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This program is for Sacramento Walking Sticks Members Only who also walk for credit!
Cost: $0 for members. Participate for credit in 10 Sacramento Walking Sticks events and you receive a Stick's Buck. Read the back of the booklet for complete rules. Get yours at our next event or Membership Meeting. You're not a member and want in on the fun? Print and complete the Membership Application form from our Membership page. |
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| SWSW or S.W.S.W. |
Acronym for Sticks Walk Stick's Walks. |
| TAW or The American Wanderer |
The quarterly newspaper put out by the American Volkssport Association (AVA). Membership in the AVA gets you a subscription to this fine publicaiton. See also Compass. |
| Traditional Event/Walk |
An event/walk that is done once and has a unique stamp assigned specifically to the event. Traditional Events may span more than one day and are usually done on one or both days of the weekend. |
| Walk Alert |
Walk Alerts are weekly emails that give you all the information you need to participate in our events like location, times, driving directions, etc. This email list will never be sold or used for non-club purposes and you may unsubscribe at any time. (We don't like spam either.) Send us your email address so that you too can get our Walk Alerts! |
| Walk Box |
The Walk Box is the collection of forms, the walk stamp, and other materials necessary for walkers to sign themselves into a Year Round Walk. This collection is most often in an actual box, but it sometimes is all housed in a 3-ring binder or in some other manner that works for that particular location. The Walk Box may or may not be available without asking for it and not all employees of any given location will know of its existence. Be prepared to be creative in looking for the Walk Box if you've never been on the Year Round Event before (it's part of the adventure). See also Registration Log and Walk Directions. |
| Walk Directions |
The Walk Directions are the form that you pick up at an event that provide the step-by-step route description. The Walk Directions are usually, but not always, acompanied with a map of the route. You are not allowed to take posession of Walk Directions unless you have first signed the Amatuer Athletic Release of Liability in the form of either a Registration Log or a Start Card. |
| Year Round Event/Walk |
Events that can be done any time for credit. There is always a box or binder that is located in a store (usually) that has the walk directions, stamp(s), money envelope, and all the other materials necessary for the walker to self-register. The Year Round Events page lists all the Year Round Events sponsored by the Sacramento Walking Sticks and has links to the details pages on the AVA website. For Year Round Events throughout the U.S., read this document on how to find events on the AVA website. See also Traditional Event/Walk.
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| YRE or Y.R.E. |
Acronym for "Year Round Event." |
