District News
  -- From the District Director

Happy 4th of July one and all. What a wonderful country we live and play in. I often think about the great people who have brought us to where we are and the regular people who have given all so we could enjoy the freedoms available to us. I wear a patch on my vest that says "All gave some, some gave all". Please take a few minutes to thank all the folks who have helped preserve and protect this great nation. God Bless America

Let's start off with the South Picnic; we had 12 Chapters and 117 people. Thank you Bruce and Gail and all of  Chapter L for bringing the grill, sweating, and best of all, for cooking some great hamburgers and hot dogs. We learned not to let some people play with sharp objects, I almost ran out of band aids. We gave away door prizes, along with food and extra drinks; the trailer was 200 lbs lighter on the way back home. Two lucky people won $121.50 each. The Traveling Plaque was captured by AL A with 4416 miles. It will be up for grabs 28 Jun in Saraland. We hope to see as many as can make it there to get it.

We also did the paperwork for a new chapter, welcome aboard Chapter W, Bay Wings, in Mobile County.

We did the Good Samaritan Ride with a lot of our friends in Tennessee. This is a ride for those who can't. It was started 11 years ago and we have missed riding it 2 years because of illness. This ride raises money for scholarships and for people who need temporary help. It is a community ride that brings together all bike riders for a common good.

We left Thursday 12 Jun for the GA Rally in Athens. We stopped in FT Payne for breakfast and gas. When we got back on the road we heard some familiar voices and then saw two wings coming towards us. The next thing we heard was "Is that you Roy". It was Dennis and Donna Bowman and Bill and Cindy Long from Chapter A on their way to OHIO pick up a new YELLOW Hummer trailer for Bill and Cindy to pull with their trike. It is a nice feeling to run into fellow wingers when you least expect it.
The GA Staff and especially Bill and Betty (Betsy) Livingston, put on a really fun time for all. Betty even got me in a Toga!!!

Alabama had a really good showing:

Largest District outside GA
Largest Chapter outside GA  (AL-B)
Youngest Rider
Oldest Female
3 plaques in the Toga contest
1 in the Dance contest
2 in the bike show
Chapter Banner AL B
2 Grand Prizes

Thanks again to GA GWRRA for a really wonderful time.

Wing Ding is right around the corner and we can still use some help. If you are wandering around Thursday at Wing Ding, come by ticket sales and check to see if we need help, if nothing else, come by to say Hi.

It is getting to be time to start working on the Rally Pin design for 2009. Theme of our rally is Southern Hospitality.  It should have "GWRRA" in the design. It should include " 2009 Alabama Southern Hospitality Rally, Pelham, AL March 26 -28, 2009". We will accept designs until November 20, 2008.

Please remember that Freedom isn't Free and remember our folks who are in Harm's Way, be they Military, Law Enforcement, EMTs or Firemen.

The next time you think about going riding, call a friend; they are probably thinking the same thing.

Roy & Anita Fosnight Please Ride Safe and Often

FUN -- SAFETY -- KNOWLEDGE
  -- From the Assistant District Director

FUN -- SAFETY -- KNOWLEDGE

What do these words mean to you?  If you ask 10 people you would get 10 different answers.  We thought that over our next three articles we would give you something to think about and ponder over when you see or hear these words in relationship to GWRRA.

FUN:  We all need to remember that one members fun may not be another members fun.  I will put GWs members up against any group in a FUN contest, if you don't believe it.. just go to a Rally talent contest.  We spend a lot of money buying and fixing up our Wings, this is our relaxation, just as fishermen buy boats, golfers buy clubs and carts.  Fun is different for all.  Sometimes we forget that we may all be wingers and enjoy riding, but we still have differences.  This is not a bad thing.. it would get pretty boring if we were all alike, people are just different.  Some members go to rallies just for the vendors, while others never step foot into the vendor lot due to contest and seminar participation.  Some people like to ride with a group to a destination and some might like to ride alone or with one more bike.  The point is, this is not any ones job, it is our joy, SO HAVE FUN.  When it stops being FUN, people will stop doing it and find something else. A good way to get the most out of your Chapter or Group is to just show up, enjoy every ones company and do the things you enjoy doing and don't do anything that you do not enjoy doing. You know there may have been something to that saying Live and Let live.

The more you know, the better it gets.

Robert & Gail Brown

District News
  - District Trainers

Greetings fellow riders, we hope you are out riding and enjoying yourselves as much as we have been this past month. We would like to remind everyone that we have some Leadership Training Seminars coming up soon for Alabama. We have a Horizons class scheduled for the first weekend in August, (2nd and 3rd) at the UAB Medical West Hospital classroom. We would like to see all Chapter Directors who have not participated in the Horizons program to make plans to attend. This is a really good day and a half of good information that is designed to help you in your regular (and sometimes irregular) duties as Chapter Director. We would also like to see all ACD's there. This program is designed for them also.

All Chapter Directors, please remind your chapter Couple of the Year, that training is now 40% of their score during the District selection process and this is the last scheduled training for this year. Remind them that the selection process will be at Snowball next year and not at the rally so if they need these classes this will be their last opportunity before selection.

On the 16th of August we have the first Advanced Leadership Class ever offered in Alabama scheduled for the same location. You must have completed Horizons, Knowledge Enhancement, and Intermediate Leadership Skills to attend this class. We hope to see everyone who attended these classes in February to be there to complete the final step in the Horizons program. If you plan to attend please go to the District website and complete the registration form and send to us ASAP so we can prepare properly for everyone. If any of you have need for the Knowledge Enhancement Class or the Intermediate Leadership Skills class sends us an e-mail and if we get enough interest we will make arrangements to schedule these classes for you. If we don't have enough we will again offer them in February of '09. Thanks to everyone who has participated in this program this year and we hope all of you will make plans to attend in the near future.

Remember we also offer the Road Captains course to anyone interested. We have done several of these this year and look forward to doing many more. If your Chapter is interested please have your Rider Educator contact us and we will do our best to set this class up for you at your location.

We hope to see all of you out on the road,

Frank & Linda Teasley

Recruiting Recognition Programs
  -- Membership Enhancement Coordinators

Recruits are based on headcount.  The Friend-Finder Member will receive credit for the number of actual people recruited.  When a Member recruits a family of six, the count that is recorded is six. 

Find-A-Friend (1-25)

To qualify for this level a Member must have from 1 to 25 new GWRRA Members recorded by the GWRRA Home Office in his or her own name.  Members are awarded hanger bars for each additional member recruited.

Hall of Honor (26-100)

To qualify for this level, a Member must have from 26 to 100 new GWRRA Members recorded by the GWRRA Home Office in his or her own name.  As each Member newly achieves the Hall of Honor status, he or she will receive a congratulatory phone call from his or her Regional Director and /or District Director, a letter from the Home Office including a special certificate and a special new pin.  Your name will be listed in Wing World and on the GWRRA web site.  Special hanger bars are presented for recruiting 50 and 100 new GWRRA Members. 

Hall of Fame (101 & over)

To qualify for this level, a Member must have more than 100 new GWRRA Members recorded by the GWRRA Home Office in his or her own name.  When a Member achieves the Hall of Fame status, he or she will receive a congratulatory phone call from GWRRA's Executive Director and his or her Regional Director, a Hall of Fame jacket and a special pin & patch.  The Member's name & photo will become a permanent part in the Hall of Fame gallery at the Home Office.  Your name will appear in Wing World and on the GWRRA web site.

Happy Recruiting,

Dewey & Alice Cole

District News
  - MED / PR Coordinators

Lynn & I have been on the go of late. I took a trip on the bike to Iowa with a little venture up to southern Minnesota and headed south as the flood waters began to cover the upper mid west. I was never rained on the entire trip. On the way home I met Lyn in Georgia and we attended the Georgia Rally. Bill and Betty Livingston and their staff the District Directors put on a great rally and please be sure to ask Roy Fosnight about his Toga. (HE WAS SO CUTE)!!!

Lyn along with Bill & Joyce Smith had a booth at the Alabaster, Alabama spring festival. The Ride for kids was Bill & Joyce's side of the booth and Lyn along with Bill & Trina Barden promoted the GWRRA on the other side

June 30th is almost here. All of the chapters should have their Couple's of the Year chosen by now. The selection of our new District Couple at Snowball January 17th in Montgomery is just over six months away. (How time flies). We have secured the judges for the selection process and I believe everyone will be very pleased with them.

1. Bob & Karla Greer - MED Coordinators for Region-A 
2. Bill & Diane Gulley - Former District Directors of Alabama
3. Bob & Juanee Barrington - International Couple of The Year 2006 - 2007

As you can see we were very fortunate to get a such a fine panel of judges.

One thing that is very important is the Horizons program. This is taught by Frank and Linda Teasley. The next program will be August 2nd, 2008. Contact Frank or Linda for more info at tea swin g*be llso uth:net.

I need to remind all Couples from every Chapter that you need to be enhancing your resumes. I also need from all chapter directors the e-mail address for all chapter Couple of the years. I need to update my list so I can keep all informed of coming get togethers and info seminars that may be beneficial.

In October we will have a couple get together to cover how to prepare for the selection process. (I will keep football schedules in mind as I plan this).

We will be leaving soon for Wing-Ding and with it being so close hope to see many of you there.

Ride Safe and we will see you soon.

Lynn & Lyn Edwards

Couple of the Year

Hello Everyone,

Another month has come and gone and we are still having a blast! We made a trip up to Decatur to visit with chapter I at their monthly gathering. Thanks guys for the hospitality.

Then we were off to the Region-N rally in Kingsport TN. What a great Rally it was. We met so many nice people and had so much fun, we will try to make this rally again next year. While we were there we participated in the best dressed event where we came in 2nd place. Alice Cole took 2 blue ribbons in the baking contest. We would like to thank Dewey & Alice for going with us and keeping us out of trouble. Our ride home was a little wet but we had a great time, thanks in part to Gregg & Pat Harbison our Region A Couple of the Year and Mississippi DD who rode back with us.

Next on the list was the Georgia Rally, The Alabama District was well represented as we won largest district in attendance. We all had a great time. We once again participated in the best dressed compitition and once again came in 2nd. Thanks to Bill & Betty Livingston and the rest of the Georgia staff for a wonderful time.

We are now looking forward to Wing-Ding. We hope to see everyone there.

Ride Safe!

Terry & Barbie Cleveland

News from the Web
- From the Webmaster

Attention all Webmasters!

You are invited to attend a seminar to sharpen your web design skills at Wing-Ding.  If nothing else please come out and keep me company at Wing-Ding.  The seminar is titled "Basic Web Use & Site Design".  I didn't come up with the title but it they are going to mention something about "web usage" then the title should be more along the lines of "Web Usage and How it Impacts Site Design".

So on Saturday at 1:00pm come visit with me in room 102B.

John & Elizabeth Griswold

Upcoming Events

Dates of Events may change; please check actual source for details

July - 2008

August - 2008

September - 2008

October - 2008

November - 2008

December - 2008

January - 2009

February - 2009

March - 2009

April - 2009