Silicon Valley Disc Golf Club

Hello HellyeritesSpring has sprung and so has the play at our favorite local disc golf venue. It’s great to see the increase in activity at the course both in casual play as well as the monthly event occurring on the 2nd Saturday. Both Pros and Amateurs have attended the monthly in increasing numbers and our thanks go out to Mark Bruce for his dedication and perseverance in directing the event. Beginning in April we’re asking that players contribute $5.00 to the course development fund in addition to the entry fee.

Ah, yes. It seems that we’re chronically on a Frisbee-budget and will be for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, we’ll be able to place an “iron ranger” use-fee collection box on the course. We’re trying to work out the particulars with the Park & Recreation Department and if it becomes a reality it will probably take the form of having the course become a use-fee area that’s not strictly enforced. We can’t legally solicit donations in a Santa Clara County Park, so, the use-fee idea with lax enforcement is the idea we’re pursuing.

Speaking of growth and lack of funds, we’re going to need about $300 by the middle or end of April in order to hire the weed abatement company to come in and knock down the “natural vegetation”. It’s also getting to be that time where help is needed with the water bucket brigade. To keep our use permit for the course we’re required to plant and keep alive various trees and bushes. Coyote Creek has the water, there are buckets by the forward tee on #18 and 49 year old Jim Challas is getting tired of literally carrying the load by himself.

There is a work-day scheduled for Saturday, March 31st at 10 AM. Every 5th Saturday you have the opportunity to help improve the course. There are 2 more alternate placement locations for baskets on #10 & #11, bushes to plant and a variety of odd jobs to complete. Hope to see you at the course.

The Annual Meeting was held in January and incumbent Board members re-elected were Jim Challas, Doug Korns, Scott Van Tyle and Mark Bruce. George Marinos replaces Tom Schot as the 5th member of the Board of Directors. We wish to thank Tom for his tireless work in helping to get the course established at Hellyer. Tom lives and works in Santa Cruz and was the pioneer in getting the Park & Recreation Department to pursue the Environmental Impact Report and Public Hearing ($10,000 spent by the County of Santa Clara) in order for the course to develop. Tom also arranged the installation of the course in November, 1997. Thank you Tom!

SVDGC Board of Directors

Dear SVDGCers THANK YOU donors for the contributions for the latest round of funding to keep the course open for all to play. And we are getting some very good action at the course as more and more players are finding their way to San Jose. The value of the concrete pads we installed earlier this year are being realized as we move into the rainy season. Again, a hearty thank you to the indivduals that helped with funds andlor elbow grease to get those concrete pads in place.

Speaking of WORK, it’s time to have a WORK-DAY! The 5TH SATURDAY of a month is now declared the official work day at Hellyer Park Disc Golf Course. And coming up at the end of this December is a 5th Saturday. So, at 10 AM on Saturday, December 30, let the work begin. Bring your work gloves and tools: shovels, picks, hoes, rakes. We’ve got wood debris and some trash to pick up. There’s always watering and weeding to be done. We want to move a couple of tee sign placements. We can dig a few more holes for future plantings. As we look at the calendar for next year the following months have 5th Saturdays: March, June, September and December 2001.

The ANNUAL MEETING of the corporation has been changed from the end of April to SUPERBOWL SATURDAY. For this coming year of 2001 that means Saturday, January 27th. Enclosed you’ll find a PROXY to be filled out and returned. Having the proxies signed and returned assures us of a quorum for the meeting so that we can conduct business. If you personally show at the Meeting your proxy is returned to you and you can then vote on the issues yourself. The most important item on the agenda is the election of the Board of Directors.

Because we’ve changed the time of the year for the Annual Meeting, we’re allowing anyone who has become a member in the year 2000 to vote in the election at the start of next year. The site for the Annual Meeting will be 3880 5. Bascom Avenue #115, San Jose (at the office of Santa Clara Valley Mortgage). You can take the Bascom exit off of Highway # 85 and head north for a few blocks or take the Camden exit from Highway #17 and head east to Bascom and then south on Bascom. The time will be at 10 AM. We’ll see you or your proxy there.

Also enclosed is the MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL form that you can fill out and return with your DUES for the coming year of 2001. And we’re holding our dues level again in spite of all the inflation around us: $20 per person with an additional $10 per family member.

You can SPONSOR a hole with a $250 contribution and you’ll get your name on a tee sign post for one year, both forward and back tee signs for a specific hole. The following members will have their sponsor sign in the sun next year for their contibution: Doug Korns & Family, Scoll Van Tyle and Santa Clara Valley Mortgage (Jim Challas). We’ve got more holes to be sponsored. It’s also good to remember that your contributions to the Club are TAX DEDUCTIBLE as we have a 501 (c)3 status with the IRS.

We’re still seeking an acceptable LOGO for the Club and then we’ll issue the t-shirts that are called for in the By-Laws. Don’t forget about the 2ND SATURDAY of the month for the MONTHLY TOURNAMENT. Both amateur and pros are encouraged to come out in search of some camaraderie and birdies. See you at the course!

BOD SVDGC

Dear Discers,

The last newsletter was issued prior to the Annual Meeting at the end of April. During the Meeting the membership voted to increase the number of Directors on the Board of Directors from 3 to 5. The 2 new Board members are Mark Bruce and Scott Van Tyle. They join existing Directors Jim Challas, Doug Korns and Tom Schot. Also, the time of the Annual Meeting was changed by the Board from the last Sunday in April to the Saturday preceding the Super Bowl in January. The fiscal year was also changed to a calendar year. The tax returns have been filed for 1999. Our corporate house is in order.

What we’re in need of at the moment are funds for the continuing of play at Hellyer Park. As you know we receive no flinding help from the County of Santa Clara. We need $750 by the end of this month to pay for the insurance required by the Use Permit issued by the County. We also owe our attorney $700 for the work done in acquiring the 501c3 status with the IRS and she is allowing us to gather our operating hinds before she seeks her payment. Remember, when you give a donation to the Club it’s tax deductible!

The Club has signed up with the Volunteer Exchange of Santa Clara County as a venue for community service work. Many of the high schools now require students to complete 40 hours of community work to graduate and we’re tapping into that resource by offering the disc golf course at Hellyer as site to complete their community commitment. We have “dead end” jobs that should be an inspiration for the kids to stay in school and learn. Carrying buckets of water to the trees and bushes, picking up trash and wood debris, sweeping the tee pads, cement work and planting trees and bushes are some of the tasks that will be done by these volunteers. If you see them working, give them a big thanks and an offer to show them the game.

For those of you who don’t know, we’re approved for another 9 holes on the west side of the US #101 Highway and at the south end of the lake in Hellyer Park. There are currently 2 holes up (numbers 1 & 2), however, until we’re ready to fully develop the remnining holes we’re not going to encourage play on the “front” nine. The biggest hurdle in making the front nine a reality is to acquire 2 bridges that can be placed over Coyote Creek from April through October. That’s right, the bridges have to be removable during the winter or rainy season. We also have to pull the holes out during the winter so that people won’t be tempted to ford the bridgeless Coyote Creek. Considering our struggle for annual operating hinds for the current course, it seems that we’re going to need to find a Sugar-Daddy or Sugar-Mama or stock option-filled benefactor to help us filly develop the site. Operators are standing-by awaiting the call from the Big Funder.

The major improvement to the course this year was the addition of cement tee pads. Many thanks go out to the donators (we raised about $4,000) of money and time on this project. All the cement work was hand-mixed and definitely a labor of love. The “back” tee pad on 14 has no cement because it’s actually not in the park. The property line is drawn such that it angles up to Hellyer Avenue and we’ve placed the back tee pad on 14 and the hole locations on 13 on the adjacent property. We silently thank our neighbor for the use of this land.

Remember, elections and the Annual Meeting are in late 3anuary, 2001. We need candidates and or norninations for the Board of Directors. We’ll be sending out a newsletter before the end of the year and your renewal for membership will be included in that December mailing. Enclosed is a postage paid envelope for your convenience if you’d like to contribute a donation to reach the immediate goal of paying for the insurance by the end of this month.

BODSVDGC