Wakeboard Club Help!!!

Ok, looking for a little advice from the wakeworld community, we are interested in having a wakeboarding event in West Palm Beach on November 17, 2007. The event will be sponsored by Coastal Surf and Ski (local boardshop) and JR Watersports (Mastercraft Dealer), the event will by what we are considering a PROS and JOES event, where we will get five or six pro riders to come out and people can pay an entry fee to ride some amount of time with a pro that day. The day will end with a demo/comp between the pro riders with events/vendors and what not going on all day. It should be a unique experience to let the average wakeboarder (me) spend some time with some of our idols. Anyway, in trying to get a permit through Palm Beach County it has become apparent that the best course of action is to run this event through a non-profit club. Well immediately it brings attention to the fact that this area does not have a wakeboard club (what a shame, South Florida Huh?). Anyway, we are trying to do that now, I just wondered if anyone had advice or words of wisdom or pitfalls to look out for as we proceed in forming the club. Also does anyone have a set of bylaws from their club that we could use as a template for ours. Any help would be appreciated. The goal is to get wakeboarders in this area organized so that we can start to have events and grow our sport, after all we can ride year round. Any help would be appreciated.

Visit ccawakeboarders.com & try & get in contact with the president Ryan Andrews(you might wanna be patient on this one as he has finals this week). He essentially created a club with the help of some friends that in a little over a year has expanded to have over 100 members. It's the same principle, get others involved in building this great sport. The problem you might run into is that establishing a 501(c)(7) organization takes time and some legal work. It's not an overnight thing (at least in CA). Another great resource is the WWA, they can help you with all kinds of logistical/legal issues. You might also want to check out the Canyon Lake Wakeboard Club, they run a tight ship and have been very successful for many years.

where in west palm are you thinking of doing this? I live in jupiter.

Big Heavy, thanks for the advice that is great and I will check into the leads. Tim we are permitting the event for Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach (Forest Hill between Jog and SR7)

Oh dude, that sounds awesome. I'm in Pompano and my mom organizes non-profit/charity events for a living so PM and I'll give you her information.

If you do make a club, would it extend up into Port St. Lucie, that's where I am.

here you go... I saw this and remembered your post...

http://www.aquaskier.com/articles/water_ski_club_101.htm

Jimmy, I can help. ALL others please read this for your own club!

1. NWL will sanction your club for $75.00.
https://www.usawaterski.org/clubs/clubinfo.asp

2. NWL will sanction you event for event for $25
http://usawaterski.org/pages/Grassroots/HostEvents.htm

3. This is really cool. NWL will provide a sanction# which is your credit# for $100 of trophies at Dinn Brothers. This will cover 1st, 2nd, & 3rd placement trophies for 4 divisions. The trophies are very nice. That right - you can start a club, sanction an event, get all the insurance, and get your trophies for $100.

4. Once you get your sanction # you can request an insurance certificate to be sent to your venue. Here is most of the info about insurance
http://www.usawaterski.org/graphics/downloads/2007%20USA%20Water%20Ski%20Insurance%20Fact%20Page .pdf

5. When you provide to the venue with an official club#, a tournament sanction#, and insurance certificate that should take care of it. But if they keep asking for a non profit status tell them your event is so small that you cannot afford $500 fee to the IRS for nonprofit status and Im sure it will be enough. But if that dosnt work call me and Ill get it figured out.

6. All entries who already have membership to USA are already members and you get to keep all of your entry fees. Most can join for $35. OR you can do a guest membership for just $10. This is almost 1/2 price of any INT or WWA event.

7. Your gonna have questions along the way so contact Jennifer Lowe at USAWaterSki jlowe@usawaterski.org, (ph) 863-324-4341 She is the membership marketing manager and expert on NWL events. She can help you every step of the way.

8. Please dont forget 2007 NWL Nationals Aug 18 & 19 Dayton OH.

You can always email me or call my cell

Chris Walker
NWL Chairman USA Wakeboard
h2obug@comcast.net
765-744-6310

Everyone thanks for the help. Chris, I appreciate your advice and I am going to look into that avenue. And Dan yeah we kind of were thinking anyone interested close to Palm Beach County would be welcomed.