Helping LMSCs Plan

Who Should Go?

The theme of this year’s Relay is event development, with a focus on building relationships with event directors, clubs, and aquatics facilities. LMSCs should select attendees who have the interest, skills, and passion for working with these groups or are a part of them. To prepare for Relay, we recommend that you spend the next few weeks finding the volunteers in your LMSC who are the most involved in putting on events and persuading them to attend.

We recommend LMSCs send at least one long-time volunteer, one volunteer who runs an event, and one volunteer who has never participated in a USMS national-level meeting.

We also recommend that you make a list of all of the event directors and clubs in your LMSC that have either put on an event in the past or that still do, as well as the aquatic facilities that you think could put on an event. This list will help your LMSC volunteers know who to reach out to with the amazing ideas you’re going to collect at Relay this year.

Eligibility

LMSCs will be funded based on the number of attendees they're entitled, determined by 2022 membership. You’ll find the LMSC attendee entitlements here.
- Please complete the Relay 2023 Group Registration Form and send it to Volunteer Services for the attendees representing your LMSC by September 15, 2023.
Automatic Attendees- The following national volunteer positions receive automatic attendee status, and do not count toward LMSC entitlements:
- Members of the Board of Directors;
- and all members of the LMSC Development Committee
What if attendees want to spend extra nights?
- Attendees may extend their trip before or after Relay at the negotiated room rates (based on availability).
Additional attendee requests - LMSCs with fewer than three entitled attendees have the opportunity to submit a request for additional attendees to USMS President. The request must include the name of the volunteer(s), the rationale for the request(s), and plans for how the volunteer(s) will support event development in the LMSC for 2023 and beyond.

What if more attendees want to come?
- An LMSC may choose to bring more participants but must fund the entire cost for additional attendees.
- Attendees may also choose to pay to participate.
- Contact Volunteer Services for more information on total cost for additional attendees.

Hotel Reservations and Rooming

USMS will be making all hotel reservations for those attending Relay. We're asking LMSCs to make reasonable efforts to submit roommate preferences that have already confirmed they are comfortable sharing a room. If a delegate feels comfortable sharing a room and is in need of a roommate, the National Office will help assist in pairing suitable roommates.

Please complete the Relay 2023 LMSC Group Registration Form, which includes the following information, and submit to Volunteer Services for the attendees representing your LMSC:

Full name;
email address;
the type of room requested (double/double or private room);
roommate preference (if applicable);
Check in/out dates;
food allergies;
other details.

Requests must be submitted by September 15, 2023 to guarantee a hotel reservation. Requests received after this date may be subject to additional fees.

Expense Responsibilities

LMSC

$250 registration fee for each attendee attending
- USMS will bill the LMSC for the total in the monthly financial statements. Please complete the Relay 2023 LMSC Group Registration Form and send it to Volunteer Services for the delegates representing your LMSC by September 15, 2023.
Airline or mileage travel cost for delegate(s) to travel to Relay
Meals while in transit to and from Relay
Home airport transportation or parking (the hotel is a short distance from the main terminal, so no transportation will be needed in Houston)
Other incidentals

USMS

½ of hotel cost for two nights (i.e., no cost for those who share a room, but attendees who request a private room will be responsible for the balance)
The following meals will be provided:
- Dinner on Friday night;
- breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday;
- and breakfast on Sunday