From the President
Joyce Szulc
For many of us, September is the annual renewal date for our memberships. The first email reminder was sent in early August.
You can easily renew online with your credit card by clicking on the green “Renew your membership” button and following the prompts. Be sure to confirm your personal information and to update any information that is not current.
Other ways to renew include in-person at the September general meeting, with your credit card or a check made out to VSSC. Or you can send in the renewal form included in this issue of the Life and your check via U.S. mail. If you have any questions about your renewal, membership director Jan Breitbach can assist you.
Your club runs only because of its volunteers. And we can offer only as many events and activities as we have volunteers to run the events. Maybe it is time for you to step up and keep your club going strong! There are many opportunities for you to consider: at the meetings in the Welcome Area, Membership Desk or Sign-up Tables; as an Event Leader or even as a Board Member.
It would be wonderful to see new names and faces volunteering. Talk to any Board Member now about how you can contribute some of your time.
Once again, we are asking members to register in advance for our monthly meeting. It is very helpful in the planning process at our new venue. This month, we have the band Off the Record providing music for you. Guests are welcome for $10.
The fall season is approaching, and with it we have a different set of activities for you to enjoy with fellow members. I hope to see you at many of these events. Be sure to tell your friends and neighbors (even your relatives) about what a great club we have! And then invite them to join.
Joyce
Payment Options for all events (unless otherwise noted):
1. Online Registration with Credit Card payment
2. In person with completed Event Coupon and credit card or check
3. By mail, send completed Event Coupon with check to Event Leader
Jan Breitbach
It is time to renew your membership for most of our members. You may renew online, by mail with the renewal application or at the meeting. If you believe you are eligible for the 80/30 group, please contact Jan.
The club is looking for friendly and smiling faces to assist at the Welcome Desk on meeting nights.
Contact Jan at 414-732-9749 or jan.breitbach@gmail.com.
From the vice president
Linda Horn
Tech Tip
Renew your membership online It’s quick and easy!
If your membership expires Sept. 30, you have already received a renewal reminder email message. If you haven’t renewed by Sept. 1, you will receive a second renewal reminder with a renewal button that you can click or tap.
A screen will pop up with a ‘Pay Online’ button. Tap or click it to advance to the PayPal payment screen. Complete your PayPal or credit card information, click or tap ‘CONTINUE’ to view the second PayPal screen and click PAY.
If you choose to bypass the email option, you may renew directly from your Profile Page by clicking or tapping the ‘Renew to October 1, 2022’ button. Complete the payment screens with your credit card information.
Tech Tip
For Gmail Users
If you use Gmail, you have the option to separate your incoming emails into categories such as Primary, Social, Promotions and a few others. A Vagabond member reported that emails containing the link to the electronic Life were being sent to the Promotions category, which made them easy to overlook.
If you want to keep the inbox categories and make sure that all Vagabond emails go to your Primary category, do the following:
1 Open Gmail.
2 Check the box next to an email from the Vagabonds.
3 Click MORE near the top of the screen. (The icon that looks like 3 dots stacked on top of each other. It is at the far right of the icons.)
4 Click Filter messages like these. At the top, you will see the Vagabond Ski & Social Club email address.
5 Click Create Filter at the bottom of the screen.
6 Click Categorize As, then click the down arrow next to it and select Primary.
7 Click Create filter. Future Vagabond emails will then go to your Primary category.
Tech Tip
Online registration: Two at a time
Below is another little refresher covering how to register yourself and another person for an event with one payment.
Using a Computer:
• Log on to the Members Only website.
• Click UPCOMING EVENTS.
• Click REGISTER below the event you want to attend.
• Click NEXT. View your profile information and click NEXT again.
• When you get to the “Review & Confirm” screen, click INVOICE ME.
• On the next screen, click NEW REGISTRATION.
• Overtype your email address with the email address of the person you are registering.
• Continue clicking NEXT as you did for your registration until you reach the “Review & Confirm” screen.
• Click PAY ONLINE. Continue with the payment screens.
Tech Tip
Registration reminders
Sign-ups are beginning for Vagabond summer activities. For many of us, it has been a while since we registered for an event online. Below is a little refresher to help jog our memories: To register yourself for an event online:
Using a computer:
1. Go to VagabondSkiClub.com
2. Click ‘Members Only Access’ in the right-hand portion of the screen.
3. Click UPCOMING EVENTS.
4. Click REGISTER under the name of the event you want to attend.
5. Your email address automatically appears. Click NEXT.
6. Check the profile information, add additional required information, and click NEXT.
7. Click PAY ONLINE and complete the credit card payment information.
Using a Smartphone (or tablet) with the Wild Apricot App:
1. Tap the Wild Apricot – Members App.
2. Tap EVENTS.
3. Tap the event you want to attend.
4. Tap REGISTER.
5. Check the profile information, add additional required information (if any), and tap CONTINUE.
6. Tap PAY ONLINE and complete the credit card payment information
Online event registration requires logging in to the Members Only section by entering your email address and password. If you need help registering or logging in – or if you have lost your password – call Linda Horn at (262) 707-1450.
Please sign up online for all events. Go to VagabondSkiClub.com, log-in with your email and Vagabond password to sign up and pay with your credit card.
Tech Tip
Don’t Get Scammed!
An AARP study shows that people are more likely to respond to threatening email messages than to those that promise rewards. That might explain the growth of email extortion scams that threaten to publicize compromising information about you – true or not – if you don’t make a quick payment.
They claim they’ve implanted malware on your computer that lets them capture your keystrokes, watch through your webcam and amass embarrassing evidence about you (such as evidence that you visit adult websites), even if it isn’t true.
They threaten to share the information with all your email and social media contacts unless you pay hush money.
They may refer to one of your passwords, obtained on the black market after a big corporate data breach. Don’t panic. It’s unlikely that the cyber blackmailer has actually invaded your computer.
Warning Signs
• The message seems generic and doesn’t cite any specific websites.
• The threat is poorly worded and includes grammatical errors.
• You are given a short deadline to respond, typically a day or two – a classic high-pressure tactic.
DO
• Do change the password you use for a website you’ve learned has been hit by a data breach.
• Do use two-factor authentication when it’s available.
• Do keep your operating system, web browser and antivirus programs up to date.
• Do cover the lens on your computer’s webcam with a piece of opaque tape when you’re not using it, to block a hacker who might actually use it to spy on you.
• Do check that security settings on your social media accounts are activated.
DON’T
• Don’t reply to an extortionist’s email.
• Don’t pay up in hopes that the blackmailer will go away. He or she may just ask for more money.
• Don’t keep using the password the scammer mentioned in the email. Change it immediately.
• Don’t use the same password for multiple sites.
• Don’t click any links or open any attachments in an extortion email.
Excerpted from: www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/extortion.html
Tech Tip
A New Way to Add a Photo to Your Vagabond Profile Page
Have a photo on your smartphone that would be great on your Vagabond profile? Here’s a new way to add that photo from the Wild Apricot app on your smartphone.
1. Open the Wild Apricot app.
2. Below your name you will see the club’s name in blue. Tap it. You are in the Members Only Section of the website.
3. Tap VIEW PROFILE.
4. Tap EDIT PROFILE.
5. Scroll down a little and tap Choose File under the Photo heading.
6. Tap Photo Library.
7. Tap the photo you want to add. Tap Choose at the bottom of the screen. (May differ depending on the phone being used.)
8. Tap SAVE.
Helpful hints:
• Turning your phone to landscape view makes seeing the website easier.
• Don’t have the Wild Apricot app on your phone?
— Go to VagabondSkiClub.com.
— Tap Members Only Access in the Popular Links box on the right-hand side of the screen.
— Continue with Step 3 above. Now your Vagabond friends will see your photo when they go to your profile page!
Tech Tip
Print your directory
The 2021 Vagabond Directory printable (pdf) version, including member listings and ads, is on the Members Only website. To access it:
• Go to VagabondSkiClub.com and click or tap Members Only Access on the right-hand side of the screen.• Click the PUBLICATIONS tab.
• Click ‘2021 Vagabond Printed Directory.’
• From this screen, you may view or print the directory. Print it the same way you would any PDF:
• Either right-click anywhere in the document and click PRINT.
• Or hover the cursor over the top part of the screen and click PRINT.
Please remember that the most up-to-date information is online using the DIRECTORY tab on the Members Only section of the website or the Wild Apricot App on your smartphone.
Tech Tip
Add an APP to access the Vag website from your smartphone or tablet
Previous Tech Tips explained how to add the Wild Apricot app to your smartphone or tablet. I hope you did, so that you can take advantage of accessing the Members Only section. This is where you can view the member directory, view/update your profile and access many other features with just a few taps on the screen.
You also can create an app for the Vagabond main website at www.VagabondSkiClub.com. A single tap of the icon will display the main web page. Tap the tabs going across the top to see full-color pages about sports activities including skiing, walks, hikes, tennis/pickleball, Social Activities and more. You can access the Members Only website, like you would from a computer, view the current issue of the Vagabond Life, and the photo library which is updated frequently with pictures from recent club activities.
Instructions for an iPhone or iPad:
• Using the browser on your smartphone, go to the Vagabond website by entering www.VagabondSkiClub.com.
• In the shaded line at the top, find the box with an upward- pointing arrow and tap it.
• Scroll down until you see the icon that says “Add to Home Screen” and tap it.
• Touch the word “ADD” on the top right (usually in blue)
• Look at your home page and tap your new Vagabond app to go directly to the Vagabond website.
Instructions for an Android phone or tablet:
• Using the browser on your smartphone, go to the Vagabond website by entering www.VagabondSkiClub.com.
• At the top right hand side of the screen, find the three vertical dots and tap there.
• On the dropdown menu, tap “Add to Home Screen.”
• Look on your home screen to find your new Vagabond app and tap it to go directly to the website
If you need help, contact Linda Horn at (262) 707-1450.
P.S. You may have already guessed that you can add an app for any website using these instructions.
Tech Tip
Do you have the Wild Apricot app on your smart phone?
The Wild Apricot App gives you access to several terrific features, and one of the best is access to the Vagabond Member Directory using your smart phone.
To add the App to your phone:
• Go to the app store you use (Apple app store, google play, etc.) Search for “Wild Apricot – Member” and download it.
• Open the Wild Apricot app and log in to Wild Apricot using the email and password you established previously.
• If you have not yet established a password, you will need to do so using a different device OR,
• Call Linda Horn at 262-707-1450 for assistance.
Once you have the app on your phone and you have logged in, click “remember me” so that you do not need to enter your password each time you want to use the app.
To access the online directory:
• Look at the bottom of the screen. You’ll see four icons:
• Tap “Members” to see the member directory. Tap the magnifying glass to search for a specific member.
• Type in a few characters of the last name, or
• Type in a few characters of the first name
• Then tap Search, or Go or Enter (it varies with the type of phone being used.)
• Tap the name of the person you are looking for to see their public profile page, including their phone number, email address, etc.
Other features available with the App:
• Tap “Event List” to view events open for registration. Tap a specific event to register for it.
• Tap “My Tickets” to view a list of events you have registered for.
• Tap “Profile” to view your profile and make changes as necessary.
Please don’t hesitate to call Linda Horn for assistance at (262) 707-1450.
Tech Tip
How to use zoom
The use of Zoom video and phone conferencing is skyrocketing as families, friends and businesses rely on it more to safely communicate and stay in touch with others. The club is using Zoom for board meetings, committee meetings, and general meetings, too. Below are instructions for using Zoom. Give it a try. It really is fun!
To join a meeting using your computer, tablet or smart phone
• If you haven’t done so already, place the Zoom app on your device.
• Using a computer, go to zoom.us and download Zoom Meetings.
• Follow the instructions and Allow Zoom to run on your computer
• Using a smart phone or tablet, go to the apple store or google play and download the Zoom meetings app.
• When it is time for the meeting, open the email you were sent a day or two prior to the meeting:
• Using a computer
• Click the link to the meeting
• Click Open Zoom Meeting.
• Using a smart phone or tablet
• Open the Zoom app
• Click Join Meeting
Or, if you don’t have the email or the link …
• When it is time for the meeting
• Click or tap the Zoom app.
• Fill in the Meeting ID: 837 335 6215 and Password: 8242 2663.
• DO NOT ENTER ANY SPACES – JUST THE NUMBERS.
- or -
• Dial In using any cell phone or land line
Dial (312) 626-6799 Meeting ID: 837 3356 215 Password: 8242 2663
Please contact Linda Horn at (262) 707-1450 if you need help. She will help you download the app and set up a practice meeting if you would like so all the kinks are worked out before the real meeting.