From the President
Joyce Szulc
As we settle into 2022, your club continues to offer a wide range of events and activities during the winter months to suit just about everyone: ski trips, ski racing, tennis parties, bowling, hiking, fish fries, board games, card games, international trips and monthly meetings with entertainment. And that’s aside from the vast assortment of summer activities! I don’t believe there is another club that can match what the Vagabond Ski & Social Club offers.
And how do we do it? It is only through the efforts of member volunteers, of course, who decide they are going to give back to the club. Recently, several members have stepped up to lead events. On behalf of the Board and club members, a big Thank You to each and every one of you who has volunteered.
The need for volunteers never ends, though. I would guess that each member who participates in any type of Vagabond activity has at least a little extra time to offer to the club. Think about what the club provides for you, and then make that decision to volunteer in whatever capacity you feel you can.
This month, we are including a job description for the Social Activities Director. If you enjoy theater, dinners, fish fries and professional sporting events (among other things), you may be the right person for the job. Does this sound like you? We invite members who are interested to attend a Board meeting to get an idea of what it is all about.
With the number of coronavirus cases circulating through our area, we ask that if you have tested positive, have symptoms or have been exposed, please do not attend any of our events, either indoors or outdoors. Let’s keep each other as safe as possible.
Our next general meeting will be Feb. 2, with music provided by Do-Wa-Wa.
Be sure to sign up!
Regards.
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
The club is looking for friendly and smiling faces to assist at the Welcome Desk on meeting nights.
Printed 2022 directories will be available at the February meeting for $5 each. For a PDF version of the directory that is free to download and print, log in at Wild Apricot.
Contact Jan at 414-732-9749 or jan.breitbach@gmail.com.
help wanted
As we have been talking and writing about for the last several months, we have a number of board positions that are currently open (or will be open soon). Each position requires different skills, but one thing is constant: Board members are eager to spend the time and energy to move the club forward.
Social Activities Director
This position oversees a very wide range of activities within the club, including (but not limited to) theater and musical events, domestic trips, fish fries/dinners, professional sporting events and games. In other words, just about anything that club members are interested in!
Primary responsibilities of the Social Activities Director:
• Establish good working relationships with Milwaukee-area theatre and sporting event group managers to obtain tickets for events.
• Seek members willing to volunteer to lead events.
• Work with event leaders to price out events and to set up in Wild Apricot.
• Possess good planning and organizational skills to work on multiple projects at the same time.
• Provide monthly articles for publication in the Life newsletter.
• Demonstrate communication skills to interact with club members, event leaders, other directors and venue managers.
• Attend monthly Board meetings and monthly General meetings.
• Have a general knowledge of Vagabond processes (including Wild Apricot). Working knowledge of Microsoft Word is a must and Excel a plus.
The ideal candidate for Social Activities Director is someone who has run a number of events for the club and is familiar with the club’s practices.
What’s in it for you? Taking on a critical position like this will enable you to be fully engaged with your club, meet and interact with a number of club members and keep the club growing.
From the vice president
Linda Horn
Tech Tip
Add Your Photo to Your Vagabond Online Profile
Note: Adding a photo to your profile can be done using the website, but not the Wild Apricot App. Using an internet connection on your computer or tablet:
1. Go to VagabondSkiClub.com and click Members Only Access in the upper right.
2. Log in to your Vagabond account using your email and password.
3. Click View Profile
4. Click Edit Profile
5 .The first item you will see is Profile Picture. Click the Choose File box next to it. You will be able to browse the photos on your device.
6. Click the picture you want to add and then click “Open” at the bottom of the page. (Double-clicking the picture usually works, too.)
7. Click SAVE There you have it! Your photo is on your Profile Page.
Tech Tip
Add The Wild Apricot App To Your Smartphone
Benefits of the Wild Apricot App:
• You have access to the always up-to-date Vagabond Member Directory.
• You can view and register for events using your smartphone.
• View the events you are registered for using the ‘My Tickets’ tag.
• View and update your profile page.
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.
To access the online directory:
• With an iPhone: The options appear at the bottom of the screen. With an android phone, swipe the screen to see the options.
• Tap “Members” to see the member directory. Tap the search box at the top of the screen to search for a specific member.
• Type in a few characters of the last name, or 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 information, including their phone number, email address, etc.
Tech Tip
Register Someone Other Than Yourself for an Event
Are you wondering if you can register someone other than yourself for an event using online registration? The answer is: Yes, you can if you are paying online for the other person’s event. Here’s how:
After logging in to your Wild Apricot account,
• Click UPCOMING EVENTS.
• Click REGISTER below the event for which you want to register the person. The first screen that appears will display your email address in the email box.
• Delete your email and type in the other person’s email address.
• Click NEXT.
• Complete any additional event information required scroll down and Click NEXT.
• Click PAY ONLINE and complete the PayPal payment information using your credit card.
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
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.