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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;
January has come and almost gone and Corky and I have had a bunch of fun already. We road with Chapter M of Phenix City on their 2nd annual New Years Day Ride into Georgia. Jim Jackson handed out their New Ride Pins with Hanger Bars to all of us in attendance, and they spared no expenses there. We wear ours with pride. Can't tell ya how many folks asked us: "What is THAT for?" Ya'll need to put this ride on your calendars now 'cause its fun and well worth it.
We just finished our annual Snowball/Officers meeting in Prattville, Al. This is our meeting for all Chapter Directors and their Treasures to get everything in order from last years' functions and our next as well. One of the most important functions conducted during the Snowball is to select our new District Couple of the Year. I am very proud to announce that the 2012 District Couple are Bill and Trina Barden of Chapter Y. We wish them the very best in their new position. We would also like to say Thank You to Greg and Renee Dempsey, Al -B for their work in this position during 2011.
Another wonderful thing happened this month. Corky and I were mentioned in this months Wing World. Al and Peggy Rogers (not Bundy), Ga-L, Rome Ga, sent an article to Wing World in March or April of 2011 and it is just now being published. We had the distinct pleasure of meeting and assisting them, in just a little way, their rescue from the road side. The real heroes were Debbie and Stan Bailey, Danny Allen and Greg Campbell of Lamont Fl. When you read the article you will understand more. Look in February' issue, page 10, "Acts of Kindness".
The weather down here in Southern Alabama is gonna start getting warmer soon, and it's one of my favorite times of year to ride. Not hot, not cold, no bugs and very little rain. So we are gonna get out there very soon. How 'bout you?
| Ron & Corky Alexander Remember: "Keep the Rubber Down, it Works Best That Way" Ass tDir ecto r-So uth |
District News
-- District Rider Educator
Congratulations to Richard Chapman, who received the 2011 Alabama District Educator of the Year in recognition of his unwavering support of the District's Rider Education Program. The award was presented during Snowball. Richard is our current Assistant District Educator.
Our motto is, "Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge". The Rider Education Program attempts to satisfy and operate by that motto. If you haven't attended a First Aid/CPR course or a riding skill course, you're missing a whole lot of Fun, Safety and Knowledge among friends. We're also attempting to make the safety and knowledge part of the motto easier for Alabama members by setting goals and offering incentives for participating in the Rider Education Program.
Our goal for Alabama in 2012 is to enroll every member of GWRRA in Alabama into the Rider Education Levels Program.
One of our incentives is to furnish FREE Level 1 through 3 Rider Education patches and pins. Members pay only for Level 4 patches.
2012 FREE Training opportunities:
Alabama Convention - April 18-21 -- Mobile, AL. All CPR/First Aid and riding skill courses are free to Alabama GWRRA members. Members can complete all the courses that are required for Levels 2 through 4 while at the convention -- FREE of cost.
Rider Education Weekend -- October 6-7, 2012. Again, all CPR/First Aid and riding skill courses are free to Alabama GWRRA members. Members can complete all the courses that are required for Levels 2 through 4 while at the convention -- FREE of cost.
Trailer raffle ticket sales provide the funding for the FREE First Aid/CPR and riding skill courses. Please support your Alabama District Rider Education program by participating in courses and purchasing trailer raffle tickets.
| Jim & Carol Robinson Rid erEd ucat or |
District News
-- District Recruiting & Retention Coordinators
"Never Pay Dues Again"
Doesn't that sound good? It is possible with the new "Find-A-Friend" program that GWRRA started January 1, 2012. Recruit "5" New Memberships (not renewals) and YOUR next renewal is FREE. Each membership counts as "ONE" regardless of the number of family members in the membership.
Free years are issued and redeemed in the form of a Gift Certificate that is sent by the Home Office upon achieving the count of five new memberships. The gift certificate has the equivalent value of a Family Membership---$55.00.
The Certificates are non-transferable and will have a one year expiration date.
You have the option to redeem your Gift Certificate(s) for:
- GWRRA MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
- GWRRA OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE
- WING DING REGISTRATION
- CHAPTER CHARTER FEES
There is no maximum number of Gift Certificates that can be earned.
Memberships recruited during special events (mall show, rallies, motorcycle show, etc.) qualify for this program.
Life Members may use the Gift Certificates for GWRRA Official Merchandise, Wing Ding Registration or Charter Fee.
Free year's membership may be applied toward consecutive years necessary for Life Membership.
Be sure to write your name, membership number and promo code "FAF12" at the bottom of the membership application in order to receive your Find-A-Friend credit. If your new recruits call Member Services to join, please tell them to provide this information to ensure you receive credit.
Happy Recruiting,
| Dewey & Alice Cole Mem bers hipE nhan cement |
District News
-- MED / Couple of the Year Coordinators
Happy New Year!
We have been pretty busy this month. It has been a great January and if the rest of 2012 turns out as well, we should be in for a ton of fun.
Alabama selected their new District Couple so congratulations to Bill & Trina Barden for their selection.
We attended the Alabama District business meeting on the 21st and are currently in Forsyth Ga. to attend the Georgia business meeting on the 28th.
We are planning a Couple of The Year overnight social to include all Chapter couples in Region A who can attend and the existing District Couples, Coordinators and hopefully the International Couple of The Year Coordinators. We want this to be a fun relaxing time for our couples from across Region A to get to know each other. We are currently looking for a good centrally located place to have this. We are going to look at a very promising place next week. We will keep everyone informed.
Well thats about it for this month. I can't wait for Spring and good riding weather.
See everyone soon
| Lynn & Lyn Edwards MED |
District News
-- District Couple of the Year
First we would like to thank Chapter Y for the honor of representing them in the District Couple of the year selection. We are sure Hiram and Lisa, AL-B, and Chase and Fredia Estes AL-T felt the same way about their Chapter's. Everyone represented their Chapter's well. I'm glad I was not the Judge; tuff job. We all had a great time.
Being selected Couple of the Year by the people you ride with the most and know you the best. There is no greater honor they can bestow on a couple. If selected by your Chapter; honor them with the same pride they have in you.
We are honored to have been selected District Couple of the Year. We are going to serve the District with the same passion and pride that we have for our Chapter. The people you meet and the fun you have along the way can not be described. We would like to thank the Judges for their time [borrowed from Roy] Jack and Cathy Perkins, Bill and Dian Gully, also Ron and Corky Alexander. Better them than me; one tuff job.
We plan to make a lot of new friends through out the region. Just thanking everyone for there support does not seem like enough. We are very grateful and we really need you now. If this article does not make sense, remember Trina said I needed a brain.
May the Sun always be at your back and GOD as you copilot
| Bill & Trian Barden COY |
GWRRA in Alabama
-- How did the "Snowball Run" get started?
When GWRRA finally got started in Alabama, home office provided a list of all the members in the entire state. There were 61 names listed including associates (co-riders).
One area that listed only one member was Florence, AL. This member was Charlie Beal. His membership number was #315. He saw Jack's name in the Wing News Magazine as being the State Director for Alabama. He wrote a letter to Jack asking if there was something going on in Alabama for GWRRA. In his letter, he stated that he had been riding for years and had never seen another GWRRA Member!
Being encouraged by Charlie's letter, Jack contacted the Chapter Director for Chapter C in Birmingham to get them to set up a meeting for the first State event. It was decided that the date would be sometime during the first part of January.
We mailed out letters to everyone from the list (all 61 members) to invite them to this event at the Shoney's Restaurant in Birmingham. There were 52 people in attendance. It was the first State function for GWRRA in Alabama.
It was very cold that January day in 1983. We decided to make it an annual event so we came up with the catchy name and called it the "Snow Ball Run". It was just a meeting to let Jack talked about GWRRA, who they were and where we wanted the state to go with it. He introduced the Chapter Directors and let them talk about their events and activities. This would allow the members to know what was going on in the state and to encourage them to participate. Remember, during this age, there was no internet or cell phones, just land lines and snail mail.
Chapter A from Mobile was the largest in attendance with more than 15 people. Chapter B from Huntsville and Chapter C from Birmingham were also there in large groups. But we were exited to see people from areas that we had not set up chapters yet. From the Snow Ball Run we set up meetings to start 2 more chapters; Anniston, Chapter D and Enterprise, Chapter E. It was encouraging to see people from all over the state excited about making new friends and riding places together. There were a lot of questions and we answered most. We took names and questions and got back with them with their answers later, we were new to this too.
We are humbled to know that the "Snow Ball Run" is still a part of Alabama GWRRA. It has grown over the years to not only let people know what's going on in the state but to award members of special achievements and promotions in the organization and of course give award door prizes.
By Jack & Kathy Perkins
Wing-Ding 34
Upcoming Events
Dates of Events may change; please check actual source for details
February - 2012
| 4 | Sat | Horizons Class (Thru Sunday) -- 8:00am - UAB Medical West Hospital, 995 9th Ave, Bessemer |
| 5 | Sun | Super Bowl Sunday |
| 14 | Tue | Valentine's Day |
| 18 | Sat | OCP Class (Thru Sunday) -- UAB Medical West Hospital, 995 9th Ave, Bessemer |
| 20 | Mon | President's Day |
| 21 | Tue | Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday) |
| 25 | Sat | Chapter Leadership Skills Class -- UAB Medical West Hospital, 995 9th Ave, Bessemer |
| 29 | Wed | Leap Year Day |
March - 2012
| 11 | Sun | Daylight Savings Time Begins -- Spring Ahead |
| 17 | Sat | St. Patrick's Day |
| 20 | Tue | First Day of Spring -- 05:20 UTC |
| 22 | Thu | GWRRA - Florida District Rally (Thru Saturday) |
April - 2012
| 8 | Sun | Easter |
| 12 | Thu | GWRRA - LA District Rally - Madness (Thru Saturday) |
| 16 | Mon | Income Taxes Due |
| 19 | Thu | AL District Convention (Thru Saturday) |
| 25 | Wed | Administrative Professionals Day |
| 26 | Thu | GWRRA - TN District's Spring Fling (Thru Saturday) |
May - 2012
| 3 | Thu | GWRRA - MO District Rally (Thru Saturday) |
| 12 | Sat | Region A Couple of the Year get together -- details to come! |
| 13 | Sun | Mother's Day |
| 19 | Sat | MAD Day -- at all Welcome Centers in Alabama |
| 27 | Sun | Rolling Thunder Ride -- Washington, DC. Never forget POW |
| 28 | Mon | Memorial Holiday |
June - 2012
| 9 | Sat | Camp Smile-A-Mile's MC Ride |
| 14 | Thu | GWRRA Georgia District Rally (Thru Saturday) |
| Flag Day | ||
| 17 | Sun | Father's Day |
| 18 | Mon | 21st Annual Ride to Work Day |
| 20 | Wed | First Day of Summer -- 23:33 UTC |