AUSKF 2023 - 2024 Membership Registration Announcement Letter

February 5, 2023

Dear Federation Representatives:

I hope that this message finds you well.

All of us have learned how to live with the coronavirus, and the AUSKF is no exception! After a long break, the AUSKF has finally resumed some activities and events in 2022, including promotion tests, seminars, and camps for kendo/iaido/jodo.  The AUSKF kendo summer camp, held in Las Vegas in August 2022, was a resounding success: 295 kenshi traveled from across the US and participated with strict safety protocols in place. As you saw in the recent email communications from the committees of education, competition, and iaido, more AUSKF events are planned and scheduled in 2023. These include the AUSKF National Kendo Championships this summer, which has been postponed since 2020. The number of AUSKF members has significantly increased from the past pandemic years, and the AUSKF committees are planning to hold kendo/iaido/jodo activities at pre-pandemic levels as long as they can be conducted in safe and healthy environments. Please wait for more announcements from our committees.

We will be holding the 2023 membership drive for the membership period 4/1/2023 – 3/31/2024 starting March 15, 2023, and the process for renewing membership will be the same as in previous years.  For the 2023 AUSKF membership registration, member federations have the choice of using the spreadsheet-based system or online membership system, and the membership fees are unchanged for the 2023 year.  Please see below for a summary of registration information for the 2023 year.

Lastly, as I mentioned in my previous email message, AUSKF will be transitioning to a new membership management platform later this year.  The transition will not start until after the 2023 membership drive period, and the AUSKF IT Committee will inform you when the current online membership system is suspended and taken over by the new platform. The IT Committee will work with each federation representatives and provide training on how to use the new system. Please wait for an announcement by the IT Committee.   

If you have any questions regarding the 2023 membership drive, please contact me (Keiko.Umemura@auskf.org) or Taro Ariga of the AUSKF IT Committee (Taro.Ariga@auskf.org).

Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.  You have a healthy and wonderful 2023 year.

Sincerely,

Keiko Umemura

Treasurer, AUSKF

2023 Membership Registration

1. 2023 Membership fees:

Adult (18 years and over)         $60

Children (17 years and under) $30

Full time students                       $30

One time Initiation Fee             $10

Age will be that as of the timing of registration. 

2.  2023 Membership Renewal Due Date: March 31, 2023  

Per AUSKF Policies and Procedures, annual membership is due March 31st each year. The annual AUSKF insurance count is based on these numbers. 

3. Online Registration Start Date (3/15/2023):

The 2023 membership period is 4/1/2023 through 3/31/2024 (not calendar year period), and we will roll out the online registrations for individual members on March 15, 2023. The federation representatives need to talk with Keiko Umemura (keiko.umemura@auskf.org) or AUSKF IT committee lead by Taro Ariga-sensei (taro.ariga@auskf.org) to set up their bank account and the 2023 federation fee schedules BEFORE the roll-out. Please inform all of your federation members that the 2022 registration will be closed as of 3/14/2023. If an individual wants to register for last weeks of the 2022 membership, please consult with Keiko Umemura. 

4.  Payment Address (for collective checks): 

If your federation decides to register collectively via spreadsheet, refer to the AUSKF 2023-2024 Spreadsheet-Based Membership Registration for how to submit your file and the member data.  This year, the procedure will be changed, and the instructions will be updated on the AUSKF website shortly.  Please send your payment to the address below, and email xlsadmin@auskf.org for notification. Jean Kodama-sensei (jean.kodama@auskf.org) and Ms. Doreen Mita-Juanitas (doreen.mita@auskf.org) have been assisting the federations to import the membership data and continue working on the spreadsheet registration. 

Check Mailing Address

Keiko Umemura

330 West 85th St., Apt. 4B, New York, NY 10024 

email: keiko.umemura@auskf.org

5. One Check Policy (collective registrations only):

Please make checks payable to All United States Kendo Federation (or AUSKF). Please make sure that your federation collects all fees from individual dojos and submits one federation check. AUSKF will not accept checks from individuals or dojos.

6. Late Registration for 2023

If a person wishes to be registered after the deadline of 3/31/2023, you can use new Supplemental Registration Form (instructions are on this link at AUSKF 2022-2023 Spreadsheet-Based Membership Registration). Alternatively, you can let the individuals register online. We strongly encourage members to register as soon as possible before the deadline. Members will not be eligible for promotion and other regional events unless they are paid and registered. If your federation will hold a promotion test in April, we advise you to confirm the 2023 membership fee payment status of the test applicants when you receive the applications before the testing day.