October 4, 2007

Update on Federal Pool & Spa Safety Act
There is movement on Capitol Hill on the Pool & Spa Safety Act. Floor action in the House of Representatives is expected by the end of October. Click HERE for details.

Wanted: Players and Sponsors for APSP President’s Cup Golf Tournament
Join your APSP colleagues for The President’s Cup, a world-class golf tournament to be held Monday, November 26, 2007 at the famous ChampionsGate golf course in Orlando, Florida, only 4 miles from the Orange County Convention Center. The APSP has partnered with Great Golf Events to host this exciting tournament for the APSP community. Proceeds will benefit APSP’s Government Relations Advisory Committee (GRAC), which works to enhance the effectiveness of APSP’s lobbying and regulatory efforts. Support your GRAC efforts and register today. Registration and payment deadline is November 20, 2007. Click here for registration information.

On Bobvila.com: Chlorine-Free and Reduced Chlorine Pools
A current article on Bobvila.com addresses the debated topic of chlorine use in swimming pools. This article follows a recent increase in conversations about chlorine in consumer media. Roy D. Vore, Ph.D., of DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise and a member of APSP’s Recreational Water Quality Committee, was interviewed for this story. Vore delivered a very positive statement on the necessity of chlorine for sanitization, in line with the APSP’s position on this topic. View the full article.

APSP Launches 2007 Pool & Spa Industry Search
APSP recently launched the second edition of its Pool & Spa Industry Search, a unique industry search tool that enables APSP members, industry professionals, and consumers to find the pool and spa products they need. The dynamic search engine is accessible via the APSP home page and through www.PoolandSpaIndustrySearch.com. MORE.

CBS News Sunday Morning Features APSP Member
The August 26 CBS News Sunday Morning featured a segment titled “A Look at Fancy Pools,” with Pools author Kelly Klein discussing how high-end swimming pools have grown increasingly spectacular. CBS News approached APSP’s public relations firm, Gibbs & Soell, to find a high-end pool designer in south Florida to comment on the trend. As a result, APSP member Brian van Bower, owner of Aqua Consultants Group, received extremely favorable coverage. View the full article.

Volunteer Leadership Forum
Hurry and sign up TODAY for the APSP Volunteer Leadership Forum, to be held October 25-27, 2007 at the Crowne Plaza Old Town Hotel, Alexandria, Virginia. Only a few rooms are still available at the hotel. This educational conference is designed for you, our volunteers, and it is FREE. Network with colleagues and learn what your association is doing for you, including the latest information on APSP’s new programs, membership and ethics, government relations, and chapter success stories. Improve your leadership skills and pick up the latest edition of the Chapter Operations Manual. Click here for registration and conference information.

H-2B Returning Worker Exemption Expires—Emergency Action Needed
Despite members’ best efforts and near-unanimous support on Capitol Hill, the H-2B Returning Worker Exemption expired on September 30, 2007. Congress failed to extend the exemption, which keeps returning seasonal foreign workers from being counted against the restrictive 33,000 semi-yearly cap on new H-2B visas. Without exempt returning workers, pool and spa businesses will have far fewer chances to hire H-2B workers at all, and they will not be able to re-hire H-2B employees from earlier seasons.

Your action is needed immediately. MORE.

APSP to Exhibit at BioGuard Dealer Mart
BioGuard will hold its annual Dealer Mart at the Cobb Galleria Center in Atlanta, Georgia, October 9-12. APSP will exhibit at its expo, open Wednesday, October 10 from 1:00 to 8:30 p.m., and Thursday, October 11 from noon to 6:00 p.m. If you plan to attend the BioGuard Dealer Mart, stop by Booth 933 and meet Walter Perry and Teresa Christmas, Regional Service Center Managers for APSP Regions 9 and 10. 

You can contribute to IC. Click here to find out how, or send an email to ic@APSP.org. You may also fax 703.549.0493.