AU ZONE MEETINGS KEEP MEMBERS UP TO DATE

By Deone Roberts, AU Sport Development

The American Racing Pigeon Union continues to lead the racing sport into the future through proactive efforts toward sport protection.

It is the members who remain the life force behind these efforts. Keeping the latest information in front of membership is vital to maintaining that strength. Through web site alerts, electronic updates and quarterly newsletters, racing enthusiasts receive the latest information from the AU. This information is also reinforced through area zone meetings. 

The American Racing Pigeon Union has conducted zone meetings in several states to make sure AU members receive the most current information available.

As members become familiar with current events and resources available from the AU, they become more effective in responding to ordinance issues, member retention and promotion. Zone meetings have become an effective way of meeting members face to face, offering AU materials to assist with protection and promotion, and sharing important issues facing the sport.

“These meetings help emphasize the information that is vital to share in order to maintain and grow the sport,” said Frank Greenhall, AU President. “We look forward to continuing the meeting format to be able to visit one-on-one with members. They are the reason we are here.”

To date, zone meetings, whether formal or informal, have been conducted in Indiana, California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Most recently, AU representatives attended the Winter Blast fundraising event in Chicago to provide updates to attendees. At that time, the AU presented the Chicago Combine with $10,000 to offset the tremendous legal expenses incurred in the city ordinance battle.

Future meetings are continuously planned. In this ever-changing balance of regulation and sport enjoyment, communication has been a key to effective public relations.

“We are finding also that members have a chance to get with us individually to plan promotion events that are so important to increasing positive public awareness,” said Karen Clifton, AU Executive Director.

Always on the front lines for members, the AU is the only national pigeon organization to hire a lobbyist to address racing issues and ensure pigeon fanciers are represented with our lawmakers. The AU continues its work with the USDA in the area of regulation. The AU also maintains its efforts in shipping issues in order to protect members’ ability to transport birds.

Members are asked to please call their AU national office if they are aware of, or conducting, an event that may be combined with a zone meeting. The AU looks forward to working with and meeting members.

Karen Clifton, AU Executive Director, addresses members in Pennsylvania.

Frank Greenhall, AU President, provides important updates to Chicago members.