District News
  -- District Director

What a beautiful last couple of days we have had and we will get to Spring for real eventually (I hope); no matter what the weather man says.

We have had some real fun the last couple of weeks with training and looking forward to the Officer's Certification Classes. We attended the Officer's Certification Class with Region A and it was very informative on the changes we have coming as well as learned some old stuff again. We are doing the first of three classes for Alabama and hope to see as many as possible show up. Frank has a great group signed up so far and there will be additional classes in the North (April 17-18, 2010) and South (June 12-13, 2010). Please try to attend one of these that are convenient to you. We are trying to make this as easy as we can for all Officers' in the District.

We went to Horizon's Class and helped everyone pick on Frank, we went to Chapter Leadership and Frank helped everyone pick on me. We will pick up on some more classes later in the year.

The District Rally is right around the corner (April 1-3) and we are looking forward to seeing all of you that can come and join us in Huntsville. We are working with the staff of the Marriott and the Visitor's Bureau to have as much local information as possible at the Rally site. There are some nice things in the Northern part of the state as well as southern Tennessee.

Our new District Couple of the Year, Richard and Sue Chapman will be traveling to see the Chapters as much as their jobs and time permits. They are doing a great job promoting the Rally in the Region.

The South picnic is just around the corner and it will be at Roland Cooper State Park again this year. It is scheduled for May the 8th, come and have fun with us and you might even win a watermelon to take home with you, or you can share it with me.

Terry and Barbie have been working with the Alabama Department of Transportation to get a Motorcycle awareness display going in all the Welcome Centers in Alabama. We are getting handouts and other material to hand out. Terry has already received approval for the 15th of May. Please come and join us in the Welcome Centers to show folks there are lots of motorcycles in Alabama and to share the road with us safely. Terry will have more information at the Rally.

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 riding, call a friend, they are probably thinking the same thing.

Roy & Anita Fosnight Please Ride Safe and Often Dir ecto r

District News
  -- Assistant District Director - Central

By the First of March the first OCP class in Alabama will be in the books. Hope to have more about the class and students in next month's article. From reading other Districts websites this is going to be a very informative and educational program. It is an in depth review of the Officers Guidebook. I think we can and will benefit from this program. Frank and Linda are getting other classes scheduled and posted on the District website. Please find one that fits your schedule and make plans to attend.

District Rally is just around the corner. Huntsville is a beautiful place and has plenty to offer. There will be plenty of activities at the rally site and the Space & Rocket Center is next door. Come on out and spend the weekend with us. We are sure that you will find something that will strike your fancy.

Robert & Gail Brown The more you know the better it gets Ass tDir ecto r-Ce ntral

District News
  -- Assistant District Director - South

Happy Valentine's Day everyone;

I know it's a little bit late, but better late than never, huh? We sat around the farm wishing we were out on our bikes on that Sunday, and we should have been, but......

Since last months letter Corky and I have visited a couple Chapters in Alabama and a couple in Florida. We also rode with Chapter A in the annual Mobile Mardi Gras parade. If any of you out there wish to join in, let me tell ya's a thing or two before you go. Take about 100+ gross of beads and a lot of Mardi Gras decorations for your ride and yourself. It's a log parade with a lot of horse droppings along the way and ZILLIONS of people on both sides of the street. Made me wish I had a trike for the first time!!!! I don't know how long the whole parade was but I walked approximately half of it with my two-wheeler between my legs! Roy and Anita Fosnight were there and they went through a LOT more beads than I recommended above. Boy do they have fun. Bill And Cindy Long, Chap A Directors, will take very good care of you while your there too. Mack and Renee Mcinnis, Chap W Directors and many of their members were there in force as well. IT WAS FUN.

Last month I asked all of you Chapter Directors to contact me about your intents, plans, and question in reference to the Mad Day event on May 15, now referred to as "DRIVE AWARE ALABAMA". I now think it would be best for you to make direct contact with the Alabama MAD Coordinators and POC for this effort. They are Terry and Barbie Cleveland, 98w ing* att: net. I just ask that you cc me so I can have an idea of what our Southern Chapters are doing, K? There is no need for me to slow down the process. Terry will have an email out soon, if not already, to all Directors asking for your questions and suggestions.

Corky and I still have a few more Chapters to visit this month on our calendar, so don't be surprised if we show up one night soon, K?

Remember: "Keep The Rubber Down, It Works Best That Way"

Ron & Corky Alexander Ass tDir ecto r-So uth

District News
  -- Motorist Awareness Division District Coordinators

Hello Everyone,

I have received several questions concerning our MAD Day scheduled for May 15. I will try to answer some of those questions in this article. First let me thank those of you who have asked those questions, as that tells me there is interest in what we are trying to do. Make the roads safer for not only the motorcycle rider but the driving public as well. One of the first questions I was asked was, "What should we call this day?" We came up with "Drive Aware Alabama". I think that pretty much sums up what we are trying to do. So hence forth May 15 2010 shall be known as "Drive Aware Alabama Day" (at least in Goldwing Circles). I have gotten permission from the Alabama Dept. of Transportation (ALDOT) and the Alabama Tourism Dept. to set up at the eight welcome centers May 15 from 8am till 5pm. Both of these Depts. have been very helpful and accommodating. As of this writing we are still working out several details about what we can do at the centers concerning, where to set up, can we have tents, hand out water, things like that. I will have these answers for you as soon as possible. What I would like to ask all our Chapter Directors to do is start getting a head count of volunteers to man the welcome centers. I have attached a map with the location of the centers and what I think is the nearest Chapter to that center. The Chapters that are not listed, please let me know which center, or centers, you can help man. We will need all the help we can get. The more people there the better. The last thing I need to talk about for now is the pamplets that we will hand out. We have some now and some on the way, and we will distribute what we have at the Alabama Rally, but if you need some now contact me and we will work out something. If you have any questions concerning "Drive Aware Alabama" or the MAD program in general feel free to contact me at 98w ing* att: net. I will be sending updates along.

Remember to RIDE AWARE.

Terry & Barbie Cleveland Mot oris tAwa reness

REPORTS
  -- District Recruiting & Retention Coordinators

I have made some changes on my computer and I think I can send the monthly report to all that have e-mail. I have asked all the Chapter Directors and the Membership Enhancement Coordinators to let me know if they cannot open the reports.  I had heard from some of you and understand they are now receiving the reports so I think all of you can now open them. I now expect to get back a finished report from all chapters with all the questions answered on all the tabs before the 10th of March.  The reports will always be due back to me by the 10th of every month.  Thanks for your cooperation.

We want you to remember RETENTION begins the first month a new member joins.  Hopefully during the first year of membership, the new member has been active with a chapter and having lots of fun and all kinds of experiences with their GWRRA friends, so when it is time to renew their membership they will want to.  Being part of a Chapter has many benefits such as:

1. Countless NEW FRIENDS are made with a common interest.
2. Lots of EVENTS to attend and ride our Gold Wings with friends.
3. SAFE RIDING emphasis to make our riding experience even more enjoyable.
4. TRAINING experience to improve riding skills and safety techniques.
5. An opportunity to LIVE the motto of "Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge".

We must never forget that our most effective recruitment and retention person is a HAPPY CHAPTER MEMBER.

Dewey & Alice Cole Mem bers hipE nhan cement

District News
  -- MED / Couple of the Year Coordinators

Lyn & I experienced more Global Warming this morning with snow falling as we left for work. We were fortunate however to have had a couple of nice days over the weekend to have a quick ride.

We will be attending the officer certification program this coming weekend and look forward to learning new things and refreshing the things we once knew and forgotten in our old age. Everyone should plan to attend this seminar if they want to truly know how the different divisions and aspects of the GWRRA operate and function under our non for profit corporate umbrella.

Lyn & I will once again host the Couple of The Year Seminar at the Alabama Rally in Huntsville April 1st - 3rd. We request that all chapter couples please make plans to attend. We will cover all duties and most importantly the fun that comes along with the position your chapter has honored you with. Meet the other Chapter Couples that are there and make plans with them to visit each other's chapter meetings or functions they may be having. This is one of the first steps you take to forming friendships all across the state. We will also have The present Al District Couple and The Region A Couple along with some former ones from years gone by to give you their special advice. So please make plans to attend.

As a rule the Riding season kicks off in Alabama with the Chapter Y Funday. This has always been one of the early top events. This year the date is Saturday March 6th. This year THE THEME IS South Of The Border and there is a BEST of class CHILI cook off. So make your best batch and put it in double baggies to prevent any spill and see if you got what it takes to bring home the trophy. Please tote a crock pot along so we can plug up your batch and get it hot. I will be bringing my famous LynnHormellaroni Chili winner of the prestigious What In The Name of  Gagging a Maggot is That Crap Award. So bring a big spoon and come on to the Gardendale Civic Center.

See ya soon
Lynn & Lyn Edwards
Al. MED / Couple of the Year Coordinators

Lynn & Lyn Edwards MED

District News
  -- District Couple of the Year

Riding has been on the light, ok non-existent side, this month but we have still been keeping busy.  First we visited GA-L for their monthly gathering. If you remember last year it was these guys that kidnapped IT. It was the first meeting for the new CD and he did an excellent job even with so many visitors.  The same week we visited our neighbors to the north in Tennessee during what was supposed to be a winter storm.  Their Winter Event (formerly know as Cupid Capers) is always a lot of fun and this year was no exception. We were asked to help judge and attend their Couple of the Year seminar which made it even more fun for us.  We have always found the more you participate in the events the more fun you have.  February was the month for education. Alabama had their Horizons and Chapter Leadership Classes where we taught several classes.  If you have never been please consider taking the next class. I am sure you will get a lot of great knowledge and have a bunch of fun in the process.

It's a great time of year to start servicing your bike and making sure it's ready for the riding season.  Much better to find a problem now and get it fixed, then to have a problem in the middle of riding season. Get together with some friends have a chrome party!

Our schedule this year is starting to fill up quickly. Throughout the year we will be visiting many of you but if you would like us there to help with something, discuss the Couple of the Year program in general or help your chapter's COY couple, please feel free to call us.  We plan on going to as many rallies as time permits.  Of course the first one we are looking forward to is Florida. We are looking forward to this one because neither of us have been to this rally previously. Then it's back to our state for the GoldWing Odyssey Rally here is Huntsville.  If you haven't signed up yet you still have time so come and join us for a great time.

Till next month
Four wheels move the body.  Two wheels move the soul.

Richard & Sue Chapman COY

Alabama District Rally 2010

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