OLOS Rules, OK!

A few gentle reminders to members from the OLOS Committee

OLOS has been notable throughout its 60-year history for its friendly spirit.  We’ve always had a community atmosphere, a sense of shared ownership, and a consideration among members for the comfort and enjoyment of others staying at our lodge.  That’s something we can be proud of; OLOS is a club, not a hotel and most of our members wouldn’t have it any other way.

But every now and again it is important to ask ourselves if we are as considerate of our fellow members as we should be. While the Committee can, under the Club’s constitution, discipline members who ignore the rules, we would rather OLOSians (and their guests) have sufficient respect and affection for OLOS to follow its rules and procedures of their own volition.

The basic rules are set out in the membership application form, the lodge booking rules and in the signs displayed in each bunk room.  The formal Association rules (those regarding finance, elections, office holders etc.) are held by the Club Secretary who will gladly provide copies of them on request. General policies and procedures agreed by the Committee in recent years can be accessed here.

But to jog our collective memory, the key rules and expectations are:

Bookings

The Booking Officer (BO) is a volunteer and the hardest working member of the Club. Please make their task easier. Read the booking instructions (which accompany the booking email every year) and observe them carefully.

Each member is entitled to make bookings for him/herself, family and non-family guests in line with the booking rules..  Should the lodge have vacancies, members are able to book additional guests two weeks prior to the start of the booking. Member bookings receive priority.  A minimum of 5 people must be booked to open the lodge.

Applicants can make bookings for themselves only. No-one is to stay at the lodge without a prior booking or Lodge Manager approval.

In the Lodge

A Lodge Manager (LM) is appointed by the BO for each ski period from members staying in the lodge. The LM allocates bunkrooms, and rosters members, applicants and guests for cooking and cleaning duties.  The LM’s keys including the locker master key are to be used by the LM only. Having an LM keeps things running smoothly.  Having everyone pitch in keeps your lodge in good repair and your subs and booking fees down.  The LM’s word is LAW.

The Lodge Rules and safety procedures are displayed in each bedroom. Read them and if you have guests, make sure that they read them too.

Every member is offered the use of an attic locker. If one locker isn’t enough, members may ask to be allocated an additional locker.  Members may use only lockers assigned to them. Periodic locker audits are conducted. Lockers occupied without being assigned are emptied and the contents disposed of.

All members have an assigned ski rack. The guest ski racks in the ski room are for the use of those staying in the lodge and must be vacated at the end of your stay. Similarly, the drying room must be cleared of your belongings before you leave.

Kids and Guests

Members are responsible for their kids and guests and must accompany them while they are in the Lodge. Please make sure that your children and guests are familiar with the building, with our rules and our expectations of sociability towards other members and guests.  Also brief them about any duties allocated to them and ensure that these are completed.

OLOS has always been a great place for kids and they are absolutely welcome.  We ask only that you supervise and tidy up after them. Under no circumstances are kids to be left unsupervised while their parents leave the lodge for the evening.

The lodge is not open house.  Seek the LM’s permission before inviting casual guests into the lodge and remember that the comfort of your fellow members takes priority over that of your guests.

Under no circumstances is the door code to be given to people not staying at the lodge.  There is an intercom linking the dining room and the front door to allow guests to buzz in

General Courtesy

Whether guests are staying at the lodge or just visiting for a drink, please introduce them to the LM, other members and fellow guests to encourage a good spirit.

Please complete all of the duties assigned to you by the LM on the duty list and tidy up after you and yours in the lounge, bar and TV room.

Out of respect for other members’ eardrums and musical tastes, the stereo is to be kept a reasonable decibel level. It must be switched off no later than 1am.

Members and guests are expected to respect all club and personal property.  That includes personal food and beverages in the bar refrigerator, lockers and skis.

If a member observes something that he/she believes is not in accordance with the club rules, he/she should either:

  • Notify the person involved and reach resolution,
  • Notify the LM (for that particular period), or
  • Notify a committee member.

Membership

Membership numbers are capped in order to give current members a reasonable opportunity to use the Club’s facilities whenever they want. There’s no point in being a member of a club if you can never get in the door.

The Committee at its discretion may or may not accept an application and, having accepted it, may or may not grant membership.

If an application is accepted, being an active participant in the Club and meeting the other requirements set by the Committee are pre-requisites for full membership.

Members accepted into OLOS are expected to abide by the rules and spirit of the club.

Membership fees

OLOS is kept afloat financially by the annual subs and by our booking fees.  These must be paid when they fall due so that the Club is able to keep the lights on, the heaters working, the bulk food bought in, the insurance premiums paid and so on.  If you live in a house or a flat you know the story.

Bookings are conditional upon subs and all other debts being paid. Repeated failure to pay debts owed to OLOS will result in the membership being cancelled. The Committee does not enjoy debt-collecting – please don’t make us resort to that.

Similarly, under the OLOS Rules of Association, the Committee has the right to warn, discipline, suspend or expel members for breaches of club rules or for behaviour unbecoming of a member.  Please don’t make us do any of those unhappy things, either.

All that having been said: get up there and have fun!