After one year of planning, the National Speleological Society (NSS) logo has found its way onto license plates in Maryland! History for the NSS, because this is the first state where this has happened! Maryland seems to have the the easiest requirements for non-profit organizations to attain this special recognition, because to get started, they ask for a mere 25 participants. The initial roll-out for this plate was 27, and recipients started receiving their plates in June 2004 (the photo above, shows a ‘proof plate’). This is just the beginning! Instructions for others in Maryland to have this special plate follow.

Why does Maryland go out of their way to make this easy? To help any organization raise funds. The organization can set what ever amount they want for a donation. In this case, the seeker needs to satisfy two items, a donation to the NSS, and a one-time DMV fee. The person driving the program, Jerry Bowen, President of the Tri-State Grotto (NSS 51562), negotiated with then president, Scott Fee and the NSS for a donation to the organization of $10 or more. Jerry reports that some people wrote checks for larger amounts, one check for a hundred dollars. Whenever funds are raised, the organizer decides what project to apply the funds. Jerry decided to help pay down the obligation on Great-X Cave. All of this was approved by the Board of Governors in October of 2003.

Maryland NSS members are encouraged to upgrade their plate! The way this works now, you must be an NSS member, and own a vehicle registered in Maryland. You will be asked to send a check to Jerry, written to the NSS for no less that ten dollars. He will verify your NSS membership, sign a DMV form indicating you are a member, and mail the form back to you. You would fill out the form and mail it to DMV yourself, and your plates will come to you in the mail.

The following NSS members are the history-making, initial roll-out participants: Jerry Bowen, Bob Williams, Larry Fisher, Dwight Livingston, Daniel Lemaster, Tracy Schaff, Andy Celmer, Patricia Cronin, Phillip Whitt, Gloria Briggs, Malcolm Field, Dale Livingston, Jan Prowell, Monica Taylor, Robert Wright, Kathleen Wright, Bryan Snyder, Michelle Tobias, Laura Kraus, Harry Ratrie, Chris Para, Richard Banning, Carl Moore, Roxanne Shively, Gordon Cole (2), Harold Goldstein. More than half of these are from the Frederick Grotto.

If you have questions about how to start a program like this in your state and want to ask questions, OR if you live in Maryland, and want a plate like this on your car, e-mail Jerry Bowen at:

NSSPLATE@myactv.net

For more information from Maryland’s web-site.