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| Robert & Gail Brown The more you know the better it gets Ass tDir ecto r-Ce ntral |
District News
-- Assistant District Director - South
Hello Fellow Wingers:
Summers first day, and longest, is June 21st and we have already set a new HIGH TEMP record here in South Alabama! We reached a whopping 101 and only half way through June. The 12th and 13th were as hot as could be tolerated, but many of us were in the classroom attending the last scheduled Officer Certification Program (OCP) for Alabama. There were at least 55 people there from four States; La, Ga, Fl, and Al. Soooo many things talked about, that I almost went into memory overload! And FUN???? I can't even begin to tell ya how much we had.
Some of the things GWRRA is changing are the use of "terms". For example; we no longer have an EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR for GWRRA. The title is now DIRECTOR, GWRRA. And we don't use the term DIVISIONS. Instead we use the term PROGRAMS. There are no longer Divisions in GWRRA, only Programs because Divisions seem to indicate division of operations. The term STAFF is not used. We use TEAM instead. Also, MEMBERS is used when referring to those of us who are in current membership with GWRRA. PARTICIPANTS are used to indicate the people listed with a specific Chapter. Emphasis is directed to the fact that we are all members of GWRRA and Participants of Chapters, and may attend ANY Chapter gatherings listed with GWRRA, anywhere. We should start using the term GATHERING for when we get our Chapters together during the monthly get together. The term Meeting seems formal and all that CLUB kind of stuff, ya know? Let's take a little quiz here. How many of you out there know the answer to these Questions? How many Regions are in GWRRA? How many Members are listed in GWRRA? How many foreign countries? How many Chapters are there in GWRRA? How many Volunteer Leaders are in office with GWRRA? Can a current membership be transferred? If you don't already know, you'll be surprised when you find out!
The answers to these and other questions can be found on the GWRRA home page: www.gwrra.org.
As I was browsing through the GWRRA site the other night and noticed that GWRRA is supporting Oprah Winfrey with the "NO PHONE ZONE" program. Maybe your Chapter Directors will print off a few copies of the pledge, have you sign it and return them to the address listed on the site? Can't hurt, but might help remind some of those muscle-heads out there to be more focused on driving? May save your life, maybe yours??
Remember: "Keep the Rubber Down, It Works Best That Way"
| Ron & Corky Alexander Ass tDir ecto r-So uth |
District News
-- District Trainers
Greetings fellow riders, as many of you know the Officer Certification Program has been the center of our attention now for several months. We would like to report to you, the membership, that your officers have responded to this program with the dedication that we have all learned to expect from them. As of today over 93% of the CD's and ACD's in the Alabama District have attended and completed this program. I hope all of you will take a moment to thank these dedicated individuals who have sacrificed MORE of their time than normal to attend this program in an effort to make themselves better able to serve you. Their dedication to you and to GWRRA is what makes GWRRA the wonderful organization that it is. We would like to offer our thanks and congratulations to those who have taken the time and made the effort necessary to complete this program. Upon completion of the program each attendee was given an OCP pin for their vest. The pin is white with black lettering (OCP) on it. Please look for these pins and let the person that is wearing it know that you appreciate them and their dedication to you and your chapter.
We mentioned the CD's and ACD's but we have also had several Rider Educators and several "JAM's" attend the program. We would like to thank them, as well as the members of your District Staff for their efforts and dedication in completing this program.
We have scheduled one final OCP class for this year. It will be held at the UAB Medical West training room in Bessemer, Al, on Saturday and Sunday, August 28th and 29th. Any member, whether an officer or not, is welcome to attend this class. We would strongly encourage any officer who has not completed this program to make plans to attend. This includes CD's, ACD's, Rider Ed, as well as anyone else who has the desire to know more about GWRRA. There is a registration form on the District website under the Leadership Training Division logo. If you are planning to attend please fill out and send to us sometime in July.
Once again, a great big thank you from us, as well as all of the Alabama District Staff, to all of you that have taken the time and made the effort to attend and complete the OCP. We hope to see all of you out on the road (we are hoping to be riding again by the July 4th weekend),
| Frank & Linda Teasley Tra iner |
District News
-- District Recruiting & Retention Coordinators
We had a GREAT time at the Georgia District Convention. Next stop is Wing Ding and we are looking forward to hearing the news that Region A's, Steven and Tammy Hollingsworth, are the new International Couple of the Year.
Starting with the July 2010 Monthly Area Report the following changes will be made.
- Chapters are still expected to contact all new and prospective members listed on the monthly area reports and complete the last three columns of the worksheets.
- If you recognize members on the Expiring or Expired lists, please give them a polite reminder the next time you see them. But, members on these two lists no longer need to be contacted by Chapters.
- Chapters will then return the completed worksheets to Dewey.
If Chapters had New or Prospective members to call and you did not contact them or complete the last three columns. Please explain why this was not done. Complete the report and return to me ( Dewey ) before the 31 of July. I have to fill out a report and turn it into region A no later than July 31.
Along with the monthly July 2010 Area Report there will be a FULL area report (July). This is a great tool to use to call GWRRA members who live in your Chapter's area who you may not even know and invite them to come join in your FUN Chapter activities.
| Dewey & Alice Cole Mem bers hipE nhan cement |
District News
-- MED / Couple of the Year Coordinators
REGION "A" COUPLE OF THE YEAR COORDINATORS NEWS LETTER
We just returned from a tremendous Georgia Convention. My hat is off to Carlos & Dee along with their excellent staff for a superb Rally. We are preparing to leave for Wing Ding to watch Steve & Tammy Hollingsworthwin the International Couple of The Year Selection in Des moines, Ia. Please come and cheer them on to VICTORY!
In September we will be replacing Steven & Tammy with a new Region Couple and we wish to introduce the next two couples to you from Alabama and South Carolina. We have to do two couples this time or we will run out of time before the selection in September.
| Lynn & Lyn Edwards MED |
Lynn & Lyn Edwards
Region "A" Couple of The Year Co-ordinators
So here is the "IN THEIR OWN WORDS" July addition.
In Their Own Words
Alabama Couple of the Year
Richard & Sue Chapman
Hi, we are Sue and Richard Chapman and we were honored in Dec of 2008 when Chapter B selected us as the 2009 Chapter B Couple of the Year. Then the honor was extended in Jan of 2010 when we were selected the Alabama District Couple of the Year. Now we would like to tell you about us and how we got here.
I have been riding motorcycles since I was 14, but gave it up when I started driving cars.
Dating in a car seemed to be much easier in a car than on a motorcycle. It was only natural in 1992 when my daughter turned 14 that I got her a scooter to get around Madison. Well, in the process of teaching her to drive that scooter, her Uncle Mike and myself both got the motorcycle riding itch again. I got a 1985 Silver Wing because I was really just planning to ride it around town. The fever got worse because I wanted to start riding on longer trip. In 1994 I purchased a blue 1984 GL1200 and life was good because long rides now were in the future plans. The next thing I did was to join GWRRA and went to a Chapter B meeting. That was a great idea because I met so many new friends, had so many new places to ride, and the best part was I had friends to ride with. I became the Chapter B treasurer, then ride coordinator, ACD, CD, then Sr. CD until I stepped down in 2001. In 2005, I accepted the honor of being the Rider Educator for Chapter B. This was great because I really believe in the education/safety training in GWRRA. After three years, I passed the baton to someone else went back to being a JAM.
Sue was introduced to motorcycles, when she started co-riding a trike in 2003. She participated primarily with Trike Riders International (TRI) until 2004. In early 2004 Sue became a widow and the trike sat for a while. The day came when she had to make up her mind to ride or sell. With no previous experience driving a trike or motorcycle, she decided to learn to drive the trike, so in May of 2004, she moved from Tim's Ford Lake to Huntsville and in June got her motorcycle endorsement. One day at work a co-worker found out she had a trike and introduced her to Alice Chapman (note the last name) who just happened to be a trike rider as well and invited her to a Chapter B meeting in Huntsville, in August 2004 Sue attended her first Chapter B meeting.
I was just a Chapter B JAM at this point and did I mention that I was single. I walked into the meeting and saw this cute little red head sitting at a small table by alone. I asked Alice who she was. Alice just looked at me, smiled and said her name was Sue. Now being the shy guy that I am, I just walked over to the table, sat down and introduced myself. We talked for a few minutes and then the meeting started. Over the next 18 months or so, Sue and I became friends, hung out together at rallies and talked a lot.
The rest of the story begins in January 2007, Sue and I had both been working a lot of hours and had been working late on most Friday nights, so we were both going to drive to Snowball Saturday morning. I invited her to ride down with me that Saturday morning. We arrived about 10:00 that morning and the hotel was allowing us to register early and get out rooms. (Keep in mind at this point we were just friends, riding down to Snowball together, we had never been on a date together.) The lady behind the desk asked my name, registered me, took my credit card, and gave me a room on the second floor. She then handed Sue my credit card and started to walk off. Sue called her back and said she needed to get registered and get her room. The lady behind the desk, looked at Sue, then looked at me and said "You two are such a cute couple, I just through you were married". She registered and told Sue she was on the 8th floor and would be in "a little bit of Heaven". She looked at me and said "and you don't get to visit Heaven either, laughed and walked off. Sue and I both laughed and walked into the rally room, then Sue walked around talking to old friends and meeting new ones. Sue walk up to someone and was admiring the rolling word sign pinned to her shirt. She explained about the sign, then said "I was just talking to your husband about this same subject a few minutes ago". Sue laughed and said she wasn't married. The lady said we made such a cute couple, she just thought we were married. At this point Sue and I were both just laughing it all off and having fun with the whole married thing. Jump to Sunday morning and the Huntsville crew meets in the dining room for breakfast. Randall Southland looks at me as I am walking up and says "I though you and Sue came down here together for a good reason" and points to the event room entrance. That Sunday the hotel was hosting a wedding event seminar, describing various aspects of getting married, including wedding gowns and tuxes for rent. Everyone almost fell out of their chairs laughing so hard. This must have been a sign, because after that weekend, we started dating. We traveled together on rides, to rallies, and many events together till the end of 2007. On New Year's Eve, I went to Sue's place and we were going to spend a quite evening and not get out battling the crowd. After dinner, I gave her a package, which she opened. It contained an engagement ring and I ask this wonderful lady to spend the rest of our lives together. She said "YES". We went to the New Year s Day ride riding two-up on my wing. It was cold so we were bundled up for the ride, so we got to the meeting point and took off her gloves. The ring caught a couple of the ladies attention and the questions started. Needless to say from then until April 19th 2008, the entire chapter was involved in the planning and helping out wedding.
When meeting with the minister who married us, we told him we wanted the entire wedding to be fun for us, our friends, and our family. Sue's daughter and grandson (in his own tux outfit) walked Sue down the aisle. Sue was such a beautiful bride. At the end of the ceremony, we had the minister invite up our entire newly merged family to be introduced to our friends and family. The song we picked to make our exit walk from the podium was thoughtfully selected, because it fit our lifestyle. It was "On the road again".
Sue and I have been having a ball since January 2007 and representing Chapter B in 2009, and in 2010 we continued our travels to lots of gatherings and conventions as the Alabama District Couple of the Year. We enjoy being Couple of the Year because GWRRA is our extended family and do our best to represent our chapter, region and district, GWRRA in a manner that makes everyone proud of us.
Sue and Richard Chapman
In Their Own Words
South Carolina Couple of the Year
Ron & Becky Lees
We are proud participants of SC-T and in April 2009 our chapter honored us as the Chapter Couple of the Year. We had a great year visiting chapters in our district and attending numerous conventions and poker runs within our Region. In April of this year we were honored again by being selected as South Carolina District Couple of the Year. We have both completed the Officer Certification Program, Certified Road Captains, Horizon and Leadership Training, current with CPR and First Aid and Certified Master Tour Riders. Currently along with SC District COY, we are Assistant Chapter Directors, Chapter Ride Coordinators and Chapter Photographers and proud Life members of GWRRA for 26 years (as of August this year).
Ron was born in Westfield, MA. After school he enlisted in the Army and after basic training was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division 84th Engineer Battalion out of Ft. Lewis, Washington. When the war in Vietnam intensified the 84th was put on a troop ship to Vietnam where he did his 12 month tour. After his tour of duty he was honorably discharged. He moved to Lake Worth, Florida and worked at Pratt & Whitney where he learned his trade as a tool room machinist. He has 3 children and six grand children. In 2004, Ron had a cancerous kidney removed 2 weeks after bringing home the GL1800. Six years later, Ron is cancer free. Ron currently is a supervisor in a tool & die/cnc machine shop in Greenville.
Becky was born in Chicopee, MA and in 1969 her family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida. She graduated from Twin Lakes High where she lettered in volleyball and softball. She played in tournament softball on the weekends throughout Florida. After graduation she moved to the west coast of Florida to attend an automotive trade school. She moved back to West Palm 6 months later and performed various jobs until going through a machinist apprenticeship program. After completing the apprenticeship she went to work for a company that sponsored the program. This is where Ron & Becky met. Ron and Becky have been together for 28 years and married for 8 years. Between their 1983 GL1100 and 2004 GL1800 they have compiled two up 300,000 accident free miles. Becky currently is a senior buyer at a manufacturing facility in Greenville.
We started out riding a Honda 500 custom before Ron realized that this was not big enough for the riding we wanted to do. He went to a dealership in January of 1984, where he purchased a1983 1100 Candy Regal Brown Interstate. In August of 1984, we went to a poker run at the dealership and a gentleman came over to us. He introduced himself and stated that he was member of GWRRA and asked us if we would be interested in coming to a chapter meeting. We went to their next meeting and joined GWRRA and became participants of Chapter FL-2A. We became Area Reps (as CD's were known then) for the ChapterFL-2A in 1988 to1990. In 1993 we became Charter Members of Chapter Z and served as ride coordinators for them from 1993 to 1994. In 1994 Ron was laid off from his job and we had promised ourselves that if anything happened to one of our jobs we would move to the Carolinas. We moved to Greenville, South Carolina where we joined up with Chapter E of Greenville. Because of the move from Florida and remodeling of our home our participation with Chapter E was limited but we still went to some events the chapter held. When it was time again for us to get back out and ride we were asked to be ride coordinators for Chapter T in Greer in 2001. Since joining the Chapter we have held positions of Asst. CD (2 different times), Ride Coordinators (2 different times), Chapter Photographer and Scrapbook/Historian. We have done the Ride for Kids 10 years and for the last 8 years have been volunteers at the Ashville, NC ride. We have visited all but 1 of chapters in the district. We have attended all District Conventions within Region "A" at one time or another. We have been to numerous Region "A" conventions and by attending Wing Ding this year it will make it our 7th.
We are proud to be South Carolina's District Couple of the Year and are looking forward to the Region "A" convention. Hope to see you all there.
Ride safe,
Ron & Becky Lees
District News
-- District Couple of the Year
Well we are getting ready to head to De Moines Iowa to watch Steve and Tammy become next International Couple of the Year. Alabama are very proud of them, so wish them well.
Ok, we complained that it was to cold, to rainy and couldn’t wait for some warm weather. Well we got more than we bargained for and now we are complaining about the heat. Just remember to stay hydrated and make more stops than normal.
This last month we started by visiting Chapter D and Q (no pun intended for you ice cream lovers). We also went to the Georgia convention. The setting is always so petty in the mountains. Still hot though. Richard and I had the best job there was, we were judges for the goodies contest. Hard job but someone had to do it. All the bake goods were wonderful…..Those Georgia people sure do know how to bake.
Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.
| Richard & Sue Chapman COY |
Wing-Ding
Region-A Convention
MS Convention
Upcoming Events
Dates of Events may change; please check actual source for details
July - 2010
| 4 | Sun | Independence Day |
| 5 | Mon | Independence Holiday |
| 17 | Sat | "Papa" Luke Jackson Memorial Ride -- 9:00am 2nd Annual Benefit for the Pediatic Brain Tumor Foundation first bike out at 10am. (Jackson Honda 113 Riverfalls Street, Andalusia, Al. For more information contact: Doyce Colvin 334-504-0775) |
| 18 | Sun | Ice Cream Day |
| 31 | Sat | 3rd Annual Alabama & Tennessee BIG BURGER Ride -- Multi-district gathering at Randy's Restaurant in Trenton, GA. Home of 48oz hamburger |
August - 2010
| 5 | Thu | GWRRA - KY District Rally (Thru Saturday) |
| 7 | Sat | Intermediate Leadership Skills -- 8:30am - Training Room at the UAB Medical West Hospital, 796 Memorial Dr, Bessemer, AL 35022 |
| 9 | Mon | Sturgis Rally (Thru 15th) -- Sturgis, SD |
| 14 | Sat | AL District Picnic (North) -- 10am-2pm - Joe Wheeler State Park, Rogersville |
| 21 | Sat | Advanced Leadership Skills -- 8:30am - Training Room at the UAB Medical West Hospital, 796 Memorial Dr, Bessemer, AL 35022 |
| Watermelon Festival -- Franklin County |
September - 2010
| 6 | Mon | Labor Holiday |
| 11 | Sat | Patriot Day -- Terrorist Attack on NY and DC 9th Anniversary |
| 12 | Sun | Ride for Kids |
| Grandparent's Day | ||
| 16 | Thu | GWRRA - Region A Rally (Thru Saturday) |
| 18 | Sat | Trail of Tears -- Commemorative Motorcycle Ride |
| 23 | Thu | GWRRA - NC District Rally - Wings Over the Smokies (Thru Saturday) |
| First Day of Autumn -- 03:34 UTC |
October - 2010
| 1 | Fri | Wings Across Tennessee -- St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital |
| 7 | Thu | GWRRA - VA District Rally (Thru Saturday) |
| 11 | Mon | Columbus Holiday (Observed) |
| 14 | Thu | GWRRA - Mississippi District Rally (Thru Saturday) |
| 16 | Sat | American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association Roadrace (Thru Sunday) -- Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham |
| 21 | Thu | Covered Bridge Festival (Thru Saturday) |
| 30 | Sat | Halloween |
November - 2010
| 2 | Tue | Election Day |
| 6 | Sat | Chapter A Charity and Fall Festival Day -- Tillman's Corner Community Center, 5055 Plantation Rd. (In conjuction with the Alabama Pecan Festival) |
| 7 | Sun | Standard Time Resumes -- Fall Back |
| 11 | Thu | Birmingham Veterans' Day Parade |
| Veterans' Day (Armistice Day) | ||
| 13 | Sat | Sadie Hawkins Day |
| 25 | Thu | Thanksgiving Day |
| 26 | Fri | Iron Bowl |
| Thanksgiving Holiday |
December - 2010
| 4 | Sat | Eldridge-Toy-Run -- All roads lead to Eldridge Children's Home |
| 7 | Tue | Pearl Harbor 69th Anniversary |
| 14 | Tue | Alabama became 22nd state -- 1819 |
| NASCAR founded -- 1947 | ||
| 21 | Tue | First Day of Winter -- 23:44 UTC |
| 24 | Fri | Christmas Holiday |
| 25 | Sat | Christmas |
January - 2011
| 1 | Sat | Chapter-A Annual New Years Day Ride -- 9:00am - Leave from Exit 13 (Hwy 158) & I-65 at the Wal-Mart Parking lot - Destination: Ezell's Catfish Camp, Lavaca |
| New Year's Day | ||
| 3 | Mon | New Year's Holiday |
| 8 | Sat | Alabama Snowball & District Couple Selection |
| 11 | Tue | Alabama secedes from the Union -- 1861, fourth state to secede |
| 17 | Mon | Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday |
| 29 | Sat | TN Winter Event |
February - 2011
| 6 | Sun | Super Bowl Sunday |
| 14 | Mon | Valentine's Day |
| 21 | Mon | President's Day |