Circle Navigator Instructions
Program Enrollment

The Yomechas Federation includes over 80 circles organized into 8 Nations. There are about 800 families in the Federation – a total of about 2000 members. Our annual registration is a significant effort. It requires full cooperation of all circle navigators and members. Please read and follow the instructions provided here.

You are registering for Membership and Fall Campouts
The main purpose of our fall enrollment is to register families for participation in the upcoming program year. But our fall enrollment also includes registration for fall campouts. For timing and convenience, both matters are handled together, but they are distinct tasks. All members must register for the program. Only members who plan to attend the fall campout must register for their campout.

The Navigator is responsible
Each circle navigator (or bunkhouse foreman) is responsible for registering their circle. The navigator must conduct a circle meeting to gather signed registration forms and multiple payment checks from the circle’s members. The navigator (or an assistant) must bring those materials to the YMCA on a designated registration day. Federation volunteers will be present on those days accept and process the materials. (Only circle registrations will be accepted – individuals will be turned away.)

Requires a Circle meeting and about 45 min. at YMCA
Advance preparation requires a one-hour circle meeting with parents only to collect forms and payments. You should also expect to spend about 45 minutes after the meeting to get your registration materials ready for submission.

If you arrive at the YMCA with a properly completed set of registration materials, the actual process should take about 15 minutes. However, depending on when you arrive you might have to wait in line, so plan to spend about 45 minutes at the YMCA. Minor problems will be handled at the registration desk. Navigators who bring substantially incomplete materials will be asked to return later after correcting the deficiencies.

You must use our software to enter your data.
Circle navigators are expected to use a computer program (Yomechas Members 2.1) to complete their registration preparation. The software runs on any Windows (95 or better) computer. If a circle navigator does not have ready access to a Windows machine equipped with a printer, the navigator should find a circle member who can help.

Be sure your registration packet includes the following

• A set of pre-printed member registration forms for returning families.
• Blank member registration forms for new families.
• Blank medical release forms.
• Blank alcohol policy forms.
• Yomechas Members software installation diskettes (2)
• A data diskette with a file containing "starter" data from last year.
• An envelope for non-member YMCA fee payments.
• An envelope for Yomechas Federation dues payments.
• An envelope for fall campout payments.
• An envelope for Nation Fee payments (if applicable to your Nation).

Late enrollment
The Yomechas Federation will accept new members at any time. There are always a few members who join after the program year is underway. Procedures to enroll those members are not included in this document.

At your circle organization meeting each adult member must…

• Complete and sign a Member Registration Form.
• Complete Medical Release Forms for their children.
• Provide payment for the program dues and fees.
• Provide payment for the fall campout if they plan to attend.
• Complete (sign) an alcohol policy form.

Pre-printed Member Registration forms are included in your enrollment packet to simplify the enrollment of returning families. Distribute the forms to returning members. Be sure the members make corrections or updates on the printed sheet if needed. Be sure they sign it. (If you have "extra" pre-printed forms for families that are not returning, simply discard them.)

Blank Member Registration forms are included in your enrollment packet to collect registration information for new families. Be sure your new members complete all required information and sign the form.

Medical Release forms must be completed for all children in the circle. Those forms are retained by the circle navigator and should be taken to all campouts and other events. (If a valid Medical Release is already on file for a returning family, you might not need to obtain a new one.)

After your circle meeting…

Use the Yomechas Members software to complete your registration materials.
The software is basically a customized name-and-address book. Software installation instructions can be found at the end of this document. The software includes a help system.

The data diskette included in your registration packet contains a starter file with information that has been "rolled-over" from last year - the program year has been incremented, children’s grades have been incremented, fee-related items have been cleared. (Brand new circles will find a starter file on their data diskette called "BlankFile.yom" - it contains no member data but has been initialized for the current program year.)

1.         Update/enter member enrollment information.

• Use the Yomechas Members software to open the "starter file".
• Delete the record of any family that is not returning from the prior year.
• Enter any corrections or updates for families who have returned from the prior year.
• Create a new record for each new family (enter all the information from their paper form).

Be sure you enter the YMCA member number or other fee waiver information for any families who are exempt from paying the YMCA non-member fee. (See Dues and Fees later in this document.)

2.         Enter fall campout information.

When viewed on your computer screen, the upper-right corner of the input form has a place for you to enter the number of family members who will be attending the fall campout. (That item does not appear on the paper version of the form.) Complete that item for each family. If a family is not going to attend the fall campout, simply leave the item blank.

3.         Enter Nation Fee information if needed.

If your Nation collects a special "Nation Fee", enter the amount paid by each family in the space provided (upper-right corner of the input form).

4.         Save your work.

• Save your work to the data diskette. (You must bring this to the YMCA when you register).
• Save a copy to your hard disk for yourself.

5.         Print your registration summaries

• From the File menu, select Print Enrollment Forms
• Print your circle roster and fees worksheet.

Before you come to the YMCA check the following:

• Your Roster printout is complete and accurate. All required information has been obtained.
• You have a properly signed registration form for each member.
• You have a properly signed alcohol policy form for each member.
• Your fees summary printout is complete and accurate.
• You have a complete set of payment checks. The amounts agree with your printed fee summary.
• You have saved the data that was used for your printouts to the file on your data diskette.
• You have completed your camp registration envelope.

When you come to the YMCA be sure you bring the following:

• Signed Member Registration Forms for all circle members.
• Signed alcohol policy forms for all circle members.
• Your Circle Roster printout
• Your Circle Fees Worksheet printout
• Your member payments
• Your updated data diskette. (Keep a separate copy for yourself.)
• The software installation diskettes (Please return these for reuse in subsequent years.)

The materials listed above will be collected at our enrollment desk and retained by the Federation.
Before you come to the YMCA make copies for your own records.

Do not bring your circle’s Medical Release Forms. Those forms should be retained in your circle binder.

Before you leave the YMCA be sure you have received the following:

1. Receipts for your member payments.
2. Materials for any new circle members (returning members will already have these)
• Federation Eagle patch (one for each new adult and/or new child)
• Adventure Guide Program patch (one for each new adult and/or new child)
• Member orientation packet (one for each new adult)

3. Some years we also distribute "starter" patches for program activities (one for each member of the circle)

Dues and Fees

All payments must be made by check.

1. YMCA non-member program fee – payable to Indian Boundary YMCA

Families who do not hold a regular Indian Boundary YMCA membership must pay a "non-member program fee" to the YMCA. For program year 2004-2005 the amount is $40.00 per family.

YMCA Member exemption
The non-member fee does not apply to families who hold a regular YMCA membership (family, adult, or child).

To claim this exemption a YMCA membership number must be provided on the Member Registration Form. If a membership number is not provided, the fee must be paid.

Dual-enrollment exemption
The Non-Member Program Fee is charged only once to a family. Some of our families participate in more than one circle. If a family has already paid the fee through enrollment in another circle, the fee should not be collected again. Tell the member to make a notation on their Member Registration Form -- be sure they list the name of the Nation and Circle that accepted the payment.

2. Yomechas Federation dues – payable to Yomechas Federation

Each circle member must pay annual dues to the Yomechas Federation. For program year 2004-2005 the amount is $16.00 per member.

Family Participants	Total Members	Total Dues
One adult, one child	2	$ 32.00
One adult, two children	3	$ 48.00
One adult, three children	4	$ 64.00
etc. . . .

The adult portion of the Yomechas Member Dues must be paid, even if an adult participates in more than one circle. Enrollment in other circles has no effect.

3. Fall Campout Fees – payable to Yomechas Federation

For program year 2004-2005 the campouts will cost $48.00 per person. (One adult with one child must pay $96.00, One adult with two children must pay $144.00, etc.)

Campout fees should be collected separately from program enrollment payments. Please do not combine the payments into a single check. Members should write a separate check for campout fees.

Pay only the $48.00 per person basic Saturday night camp fee. Any other camp fees (such as a Friday night payment) will be collected by your Nation navigator at the camp.

4. Nation Dues – payable to Yomechas Federation

The following Nations collect additional dues, which are used exclusively to enhance these Nations' program activities.

• Woodland Nation - $50.00 per family
• Heartland Nation - $20.00 per family
• Meadows Nation - $20.00 per family

These Nation dues must be paid as a separate check in order to ensure proper credit to the specific Nation's yearly budget.

Installing and using the Yomechas Members 2.1 software

The Yomechas Members software is a special purpose "name-and-address" book designed to run under Windows (95, ME, NT, XP). The computer you use must have a printer. If you do not have access to a suitable computer, find a circle member who can help.

Step 1: Remove your prior installation (if any).

If you have version 1.0 or 2.0 of the Yomechas Members software installed on your machine, you should remove it before you install the new version 2.1.

1. Click the Windows Start button.
2. Select Settings / Control Panel.
3. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
4. Select "Yomechas Members" or "Yomechas Members 2.0" from the list of choices.
5. Click the Add/Remove button.

Step 2: Install the software from diskette.

1. Insert installation diskette #1.
2. Use Windows Explorer to find the diskette’s setup file.
3. Double click the setup file. Follow the prompts.

Step 3: Run the software.

1. Click the Windows Start button.
2. Open your Programs list.
3. Click Yomechas Members 2.1.

Comments

• The Yomechas Members software has an extensive help system to assist you if you have any difficulty understanding it. Click Help on the main menu.
• The software can be removed at any time (see step 1 above).
• You are welcome to make personal copies of the diskettes if you believe they will be useful. (We ask that you return the original diskettes to our Federation for subsequent use next year.)
• Some features of the software have been designed for use by Nation Navigators or Federation officers. Those features may not seem meaningful to a circle navigator.
• If your software installation diskette is flawed, the software can be downloaded from our website at www.yomechas.org.