Hauptversammlung 2017

By Janet Britnell

The 2017 OAV Hauptversammlung (AGM) weekend was hosted by Sektion Kufstein, who were celebrating their 140th anniversary, in the fortress town of Kufstein, the second largest town in Tirol on the border with Bavaria, where old and modern architecture happily co-exist around the old fortress situated 90m high above the town square.

Dr Andreas Ermacora addressing the HV

In addition, workshop discussions on topical AV themes were held on Friday afternoon, the Bundesausschuss (BA, Federal Committee) met all day Friday, and the Hutten und Wege Ausschuss (Huts and Paths Committee) met on Thursday afternoon. Many of the meetings on the fringes of the HV are as important to the sections as the HV itself. In 2017 our President, Allan Hartley, and his wife Marilyn, joined the Sektion Britannia team, which also included Chairman Peter Hinds; Vice-Chairman and IT Representative Mike Garrett; Treasurer Graham McIntyre; Alpine Representative Justin Mash; Nature Conservation Representative Tony Cooper; Frances Hinds; and myself, the Hut Fund Representative.

Mike and Peter about to receive cheque
Photos: Allan Hartley

At the HV itself, 4 Green Cross medals were awarded for outstanding service to mountain rescue. Sektion Britannia won first prize for the largest increase in membership in 2016, and announced that the €1000 prize would be donated to our Hut Fund. The St Poltener Hütte situated at 2481m on the summit of the ancient Felbertauern Pass between Salzburg and Osttirol, was awarded the Environmental 'Seal of Approval' for its environmentally friendly infrastructure and management. In the 2017 guest lecture on 'The Healing Power of the Alps from a Medical Perspective', Dr Arnulf Hartl reported on recent research supporting the importance of physical exercise in the mountains for good health in general and as a positive influence on recovery from, and the prevention of, certain diseases. Other reports included the allocation of funds for hut maintenance, the benefits of being a youth leader, a new code of conduct for volunteers and employees at all levels in the AV, an update on the Bergsteigerdorfer (mountain villages) project, and a celebration of 100 editions of bergundsteigen, the mountain safety magazine. The HV agreed unanimously to accept a proposal to modify the BA Standing Orders with respect to the procedure for electing members of the Presidium, and the proposal that members of other Austrian Alpine associations should enjoy reciprocal rights in OAV huts, without having to pay an additional annual fee. The elections for members of the Presidium and BA followed. I was elected to the BA for 2018 to 2021, as the representative for the two Ausland sections, Britannia and Flandern. The Chairmen of Sektion Flandern and Sektion Stockerau then made a presentation inviting members to the 2018 HV which they will be hosting together in Stockerau, in Lower Austria.

With the formal business over most of the participants returned to the centre of Kufstein, and at 5pm the whole town reverberated to a special Alpine concert played on the HeldenorgelFestabend.

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