Dear ASD Membership and fellow dowsers,

We have now stepped into the year 2012. We have been told it will be a year of changes and transformations….

This letter is to ask for your help in supporting the work of conserving the American Society of Dowsers’ Library and historical artifacts.

2011 was a tough year for everyone. The efforts to move forward with the project had many false starts. Construction on Route 2 through Danville made travel to Danville and ASD head quarters challenging. The Economy, Hurricane Irene and the floods earlier in the year compounded the slow growth on the project. We did raise $450.00 more dollars at the national convention this year bringing the total amount to $3,147.

Some great things did happen this year despite all the challenges! Co-vice President Bill Bonnell donated book shelves that need some TLC and painting to fully be used to house the books and other collection items. Co-Vice President Marty Cain donated time, money and energy to re-frame the portraits of our founding leaders. These small gains bring us closer to the overall goal of having the ASD Dowsing Library and Museum. We have still a long way to go and a lot to do to make it the national treasure it is.

It is 2012 and it seems a good idea to set out a plan for the year ahead. Below you will find a breakdown of Volunteer positions that need to be filled.

List of Volunteers needed:

• Regional Team leaders and regional volunteer organizers- responsible for gathering in their region dowsing information on local dowsers, dowsing events and happenings. This information can be gathered both digitally and in hard copy.  All information needs to be organized and well labeled and sent to ASD headquarters Attention: Historical Preservation Committee.  This team of Regional Leaders will also be responsible for visiting and working with regional Elder dowsers to secure their information, research and library materials to eventually be sent to the ASD collection. This group will identify, inventory, photograph, label and ship all such materials to ASD head quarters to be incorporated into the collection. These team leaders will also be encouraged to create a team of volunteers in each region to help them organize and get the work done.
• Regional Digital Volunteers responsible for digital documentation of events and interviews with dowers in their region.  Digital files will be label and sent to ASD headquarter as acquired for the collection. Reimbursement for digital storage and other supplies will be managed via the Historical Preservation chair person and the ASD Office manager.
• Regional Fundraising Volunteers responsible for creating, executing and developing ways to raise money for the ASD Library and collection.
• ASD Head Quarters Conservation Team responsible receiving, conserving, labeling and managing the digital archiving of the collection. This will also include working with library software and developing a system to search and retrieve information in the collection. The collection will be divided in parts suggested as: Books, Media, Recordings, Administrative documentation, Photographs and images, Digests, Tools, Awards and gifts to ASD, Science and Research, etc… each of these areas being a specialized collection within the greater collection and handle in the specific ways unique to the materials in them.

Some general requirements of any volunteer in these positions are:

• Computer and digital recording competence. Much of the work will need to be done locally and sent to ASD Head quarters and requires, more that a basic knowledge of computers and to not be afraid to use them.
  A newer computer with the ability to create compatible digital files that will work with the equipment we have at ASD head quarters is a desired asset also.
• Being a self starter, detail oriented, can work without supervision is also highly desired. At bi monthly meetings tasks will be delegated with a focus on getting the job done in a reasonable fashion.
• Any volunteer for these positions must able to work as a team member and to participate in meetings as  part of a team effort to solve seen and unforeseen  problems as well as develop plans to best serve the conservation project.
• We will meet via bi-monthly teleconference to check in and discuss the development of the project.

Along with organizing Volunteers, there needs to be an effort to bring back to ASD the books and other materials that have gone missing due to poorly maintained protocols for lending and such in the past. I would like to ask anyone who has a book, item, award or any other ASD related item to return it to ASD head quarters. It’s important in order to appraise and insure the collection. It is also important for creating an authentic historical record of who we are and why Dowsing works. This gives our organization something to share with the public. The collection will serve to educate them on the American History of Dowsing, diversity of techniques and applications of dowsing as a viable practice for creating a better planet

Proper handling of the collection has not been of importance in the past through no one’s fault. It has not been a priority. I would like to change that and put it at the top of the list of what ASD is doing in 2012. Restoring the full collection starts with you the MEMBER. This can only happen if we have everything returned. No questions will be asked and the organization will appreciate the efforts made in returning books and materials.

Finally, this collection is the history and story of Dowsing in America. It is the heritage of our organization and it serves to show where we have been and where we will go. It cannot happen without your help in either volunteering or financial support. For the first half of the 2012 year I would like to offer a challenge to all the members to help raise up to $15,000 by this year’s ASD national convention. We have approximately 2,600 members. If every member who is able sent in to ASD head quarters a minimum of $5.00 we could bring the Historical Preservation account to around $15,000. This could then be used for the purchase of bookshelves, glass display cabinets, computers, library software, cameras and other necessary archiving equipment and supplies. Talk to your fellow ASD chapter members and think of ways to fund raise… Raffles, Garage sales, Bake sales, etc… are all great ways to bring the ASD community together in ordered to work on saving and conversing the collection for future generations. If we can meet this fundraising goal and the organization of volunteers on the ground regionally by the National convention in June the second half of the year will have a huge push forward in getting the work done that is so needed in order to conserve the history of ASD for generations to come. Be a part of ASD’s future by saving its past! Remeber we are a 501C.3 Non-profit organization and any contributions you make are tax deductable.

If you would like to send a check for any amount you feel fits your budget you can send it to ASD headquarters ATTN: Historical Preservation committee.

The American Society of Dowsers and the Historical Preservation Committee appreciates any and all help with this. I look forward to hearing from you. If you have interest in any of these volunteer positions please contact me or the ASD office to let know.

Thank you!