VAST News What Do You Think?

Landowner Recognition follow up with a bit more to definition
 
 
We want to recognize our landowners
and secondarily remind our members that we are riding on their property (our members need to remember to act as polite guests).
 
We are not looking for images of all the landowners in your club area. If every club was to submit one we would have a lot for the season. Realistically not all clubs will submit any so 4-5? might be oodles.
Simply send pictures of those you think would like their picture in the paper.
 
 
There are various ways that we recognize landowners and a couple have of the suggestions have been:

 
Interview a few and publish with their picture.
Our current publication cycle is 7 issues.
If we do these (and I think it is a good idea) the number of landowners we can highlight in a year is small.
 
Publishing a picture of the landowner with their name, city, club
By having clubs send in the pictures we would have more landowners than who I would be able to visit with individually.
 
 
I would like to do both would love to receive contacts of who would be good to contact.
My ability to interview and photograph the landowners will depend on the number of suggestions I receive and time available.
Looking for landowners: that have interesting story of how they work with clubs, do they ride?, do they use the trail themselves for other recreation?,
why they open their land – is it to allow others to appreciate the outdoors, scenery, it is allowing access to a business that benefits from snowmobiling,
does it help access their maple sugar operation, give them place to ski, sled dog etc..
 
 
 
 
POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE VAST NEWS MAY BE COMING
The budget is being prepared that will not have an increase in TMA prices. That is the good news.
The bad news to those that like the VAST News as it has been may see some radical changes.
 
There are discussions on reducing or eliminating some issues and some suggestions that are more radical than that.
The VAST News is almost entirely paid for through advertising.
Historically the paper has cost each TMA holder about $1 to have the paper mailed to their home.
 
Expense reduction options
Cutting the number of issues would also cut into the advertising revenue making this scenario less likely to happen.
 
Cutting the number of pages in the paper
The suggestion has been made which seems to be the most likely thing to happen is to have all of the Club News in the paper removed and go to the VAST website instead.
Many clubs rely on the paper to get the news of their club to their members to save them the cost of preparing and mailing.
 
Feedback?
While it is possible to put a survey in the next issue of the paper it will be too late to have general input before the Annual Meeting when the changes will be set forth.
 
Would having the club news on the VAST website fulfill your needs?
Is having the paper delivered to your home and to your club members important to you?
 
Any changes will be decided at the next Annual Meeting August 10.
 
If the paper is spared
What wold you like to see included in the publication?
What content are you interested in seeing in the paper?
What benefit do you see in having the VAST News?
What do you read in the paper?
Do your club members read the paper?
Would you be interested in submitting a general interest article to the publication?
Is color important to you in the publication?
 
Do you like the tabloid format?
The current format was done in the hopes that it would allow the paper to stay in the home longer since it would stay neat and organized for the next reader.
It has been suggested to encourage members to donate their issue to their local doctors office, hospital, any public business where they could be appreciated.
 
 
 
Your input is valuable.
 
Thank you,
 
 
 
 
 
Kent

Kent Gardner
VAST News Manager
T 802.229.0005 x16
F 802.223.4316

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Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, Inc.
26 Vast Lane, Barre, VT 05641

Visit us at vtvast.org

I am going to let Kent know we will discuss this at our next meeting next week. If anyone that is not going to our next meting and wants to tell us what you think please do!
Roy.