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Volume 17, Issue 7
Georgia Chapter L Region A, Georgia District
GWRRA (Gold Wing Road Riders Association)
What an interesting
month this has been.
First we had a Plaque At-
tack at Chapter B2 where
no one wanted to go, then
we paid our respects at
the funeral of Jim Allen
that no one "really" want-
ed to attend. Jim was in-
strumental in teaching
many training sessions for
The District and was a
dedicated person toward
advancing GWRRA and
its mission. This past
month we also had the
Georgia District Rally in
Dalton where we had at-
tendees from all over the
South. We had a "fair"
attendance this year but,
again, it looked like a
small number of folks
really wanted to attend.
Georgia Chapter L had a
grand total of thirteen
people in attendance.
"Not bad, but not that
good either" seeing how
it's right here in our
backdoor. I feel, no "I
know," that GWRRA has
many products and ser-
vices that benefit us all,
but we have to take ad-
vantage of them when we
can. At the Georgia Dis-
trict Rally this year we
had training seminars,
vendors, games, prizes
and all kinds of conversa-
tions that benefited us
individually and as a
group. One game that
really got the crowd in-
volved was the Pinewood
Derby Race, where every-
one was cheering their
Chapter’s car for the win.
We had an entry but it
was eliminated in the
first round, "bummer."
Several Chapters really
took building their car
very seriously. If (and
when) we have another
Derby you can bet our
entry will do much bet-
ter, as I picked up on
several tips that should
help with speed.
I encourage you to sup-
port our monthly meet-
ing, training classes,
rides and general activi-
ties when at all possi-
ble. I know there's all
kinds of things that get
in your way, but make
that extra effort to sup-
port each event when
possible. It's extremely
important for the suc-
cess of our Chapter and
possibly GWRRA as a
whole.
IF you haven't heard
yet, the 2018 Georgia
District Rally will be
(Continued on page 2)
From Your Directors:
June 2017, What A Month! Scott & Jackie Whitener, Chapter Directors
July 2017 “Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge”
Chapter Officers:
Chapter Directors
Scott & Jackie Whitener
770-548-2001
Assistant Chapter Directors
John & Cathy Rockwell
770-608-7712
Chapter Educator & MAC’s
Murry & Dawn Cail
706-346-9596
Treasurer
Leslie Kleist
706-936-3700
Membership Enhancement Coord.
Jackie Whitener
770-548-2011
Dinner Ride Coordinator
Cathy Rockwell
770-608-7711
Sunshine Person
Miriam Mills
706-862-2683
Webmaster & Newsletter Editor
Dawn Cail
706-766-7406
GWRRA International Directors
Ray & Sandi Garris
Region “A” Senior Directors
Jim & Sue Jackson
Georgia District Directors
Larry & Pamela Clemmer
PAGE 2 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
held in Toccoa, GA. This event will be one where many memories and stories will be made and told for years to
come. I hope to see you at the Georgia District Rally, August 2-4, 2018.
This month please celebrate the birth of our nation. I look forward to the fourth of July each year. Not only do I
recognize the date as our nation’s birth, but I celebrate it as the birth of the greatest nation on earth. We have
our issues as all nations and people do, but our Democratic Process is the most equal and fairest system of all.
Make sure you take time to celebrate the date, and the birth of the greatest nation of all.
I thank everyone of you that attended this year's Rally, those who attend our monthly meetings and those who
support the Chapter every day, day in and day out. Without you, there would be no Chapter "L." Also I'd like to
thank Pat Gainey for accepting the position of Chapter L's Coordinator for the Motorist Awareness Program.
Looking forward to many good things to come.
Scott & Jackie Whitener
Chapter L Directors
(Continued from page 1)
Inside This Issue:
From Your Directors 1
Couple of the Year 3
From Your Rider Educators 4
Getting to Know You 5
Dinner Ride Recap & Upcoming Dinner Rides 5
Individual of the Year 6
Sunshine and Ticketmaster News 6
Birthdays & Anniversaries 6
Chapter Meeting Recap 7
Wing Fling Pictures 8
Dinner Ride Pictures 8
Cheaha Mountain Ride Pictures 9
Chapter Gathering Pictures 10
Events Recognition Program 11
Chapter L Ride Rating System 12
Please, Please, Please RSVP 12
Membership Enhancement Article 13
July Word Search 11
Calendar of Events 12
Articles & Pictures Needed!/Joke 13
Georgia Chapter Meeting Dates 14
International Article 15
Region Article 16
District Article 17
Advertisers 18
PAGE 3 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
Couple of the Year
Durwood & Miriam Mills
June was a fun month. On the 6th, we
and seven of our Chapter L family
rode to Cheaha State Park in Ala-
bama (the highest point in the state).
The ride was really beautiful and the
view from the Lodge Restaurant was
amazing. Everyone enjoyed the
FOOD, FUN and FELLOWSHIP of
the day.
We held our June gathering on the
15th (the 3rd Thursday) so that it
would not conflict with our Georgia
Rally in Dalton at the Dalton Conven-
tion Center. We had 13 attending our
gathering at our regular meeting
place...Landmark Restaurant. We
had a great time, as usual. Al and
Peggy were the only ones present to
receive a "Happy Anniversary" Goody
Bag. Murry and Ginger each received
a "Happy Birthday" Goody Bag. We
had 4 good sports participating in our
game (Scott, John L, Leslie and John
S). The team of Scott and John L
were the winners of the game (PING
PONG RELAY).
They each received a winners
Goody Bag.
Cathy and Scott were the lucky
winners of the 25/25/50 draw-
ing...each one receiving $10.00.
Our Georgia Rally (WING
FLING) began on Thursday the
22nd. It was great fun with lots
of events to participate in. Dur-
wood and I helped with ticket
sales on Thursday. We attended
the "NEW MOTORIST AWARE-
NESS PROGRAM" seminar. I
think that it will be a great incen-
tive for us to be more involved in
getting the word out about motor-
cycle safety to the general public.
I hope that everyone will get ex-
cited about this program. It IS
about OUR safety.
Several ladies from our chapter
participated in the KY Derby Hat
contest on Thursday....that was
really FUN.
On Friday the 23rd, Durwood and
I enjoyed the Couple of the Year
Social. It was very nice to meet
and visit with other couples in
COY program. Fern and Vance
Oaks did a great job hosting this
event. We enjoyed the District Direc-
tors Challenge and the Talent
Show...our very own Mr. Pat partici-
pated in the talent show. He repre-
sented Chapter L very well...we are
very proud of him for stepping up to
the challenge.
Saturday the 24th was the most fun
for us. Chapter L participated in the
Mascot contest and was awarded 2nd
place. We also participated in the
Banner and the Chapter shirt con-
tests. The Pinewood Derby Race was
really fun and exciting.
Chapter L was represented by 14
members during the rally...I hope eve-
ryone enjoyed themselves as much as
we did.
Please join us on the 4th Thursday
this month at Landmark Restaurant
for our July gathering. You will be
very welcome there...we always have
FELLOWSHIP, FUN and FOOD
there. We always have the 25/25/50
drawing and a fun game...if you are
NOT there you don't have a chance to
win, but if you are there you will cer-
tainly be welcomed and you will have
FUN.
Ride Safe and Ride Often
Your COY 2017
Durwood & Miriam Mills
PAGE 4 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
Riding in the Heat
Means Staying Hydrated
Murry and Dawn Cail Senior Rider Educators
With the skyrocketing temperatures of summer now upon us, we need to take a little extra care to keep our minds and bodies tuned-up to deal with the heat. One easily preventable and often overlooked safety haz-ards on the road is dehydration.
What is dehydration?
In simple terms, dehydration is using more water than your body is taking in. This means you don’t need to be running a marathon for dehydration to set in. The act of riding your motorcycle in the heat can be a cause. Spending hours in the saddle under the hot sun without replenishing your fluids can be a recipe for disaster.
What are some of the symptoms of dehydration?
• Headache • Weakness • Dry Mouth • Increased Thirst
Do you feel a little “off?” Listen to your body. The dizziness or sluggishness a motorcycle rider may expe-rience as a result of not taking in enough fluids can have dire consequences.
Hot Weather Motorcycle Riding—Be Prepared
Often, your body may be experiencing mild dehydration before common symptoms begin to appear. With a small amount of extra planning before you get on your bike, you can keep your body strong and your mind sharp for the duration of your ride.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” - Ben Franklin
Reusable Water Bottles
A thermos or reusable water bottle in the drink holder on your bike, as well as an extra packed in a cooler in your saddlebags or trunk could be just what the doctor ordered. When your bottle is empty on the bike, stop, replenish your fluids and at the same time give your body a few moments to rest. Pick a nice, shady spot and enjoy the scenery while you recharge your battery and fluids.
What to Drink
Water is the best option for keeping your body hydrated. A sports drink is also a good choice. Caffeinated beverages like soda, coffee and teas are diuretics and actually encourage fluid loss.
Ride Smart, Ride Safe!
Don’t leave your personal safety to chance during the dog days of summer. Leave home prepared with something to drink in your drink holder and more in a cooler for along the way.
Getting to Know You
Do you know John Law? He has some very interesting stories to tell. Be-
fore he retired he was a Mold Technician at Sidel, Inc. Who knew he was
from Atlanta? John has been riding since he was 16 years old and currently
rides a 2015 Spyder RTS. He also owns a 2010 Spyder RT and has, in the
past, ridden a Yamaha 400 and a Yamaha 650 which he also still has.
John likes riding with Chapter L as well as by himself. He says we are a
“fine group” to ride with.
His hobbies include photography and ham radio. He is a certified scuba-
nav+pad1+NSS-CDS.
If you don’t know John, please get to know him.
PAGE 5 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
Thursday, June 8th, our monthly dinner ride was held at Jerusalem Grill, in Rome. We
had seven members in attendance.
Sunday, June 18th, our ride to Buffalo’s Café was cancelled as we were getting ready for
Wing Fling.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Thursday, July 8th, our dinner ride will be to Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse at 650
Henderson Dr., 403, in Cartersville. We will meet in the parking lot of the Landmark
Restaurant at 6:00 pm, KSU at 6:15 pm.
Sunday, July 23rd, we will meet in the parking lot of the Landmark restaurant at
1:30pm, KSU 1:45pm and ride as a group to Marietta Diner, located at 306 Cobb Pkwy.,
in Marietta.
Mark your calendars and plan to join us.
Cathy Rockwell
Dinner Ride Coordinator
GWRRA Chapter L
Dinner Ride Recap and Upcoming Dinner Rides
We had 2 birthdays during the month of June. Dora
Oliver on June 21st and Murry Cail on June 25th.
There were 4 anniversaries during the month of June.
Pat & Pat Gainey on the 7th, Trey & Amy Cail on the
10th, Al & Peggy Rogers on the 18th and Bill & Noreen
Casino on the 21st.
PAGE 6 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
7/7 Melinda Grimes
7/31 Marvin Seritt
7/16 Jim & Melissa Hegwood
7/22 Tim & Lynn Wilson
GWRRA Anniversaries
7/13 John & Cathy Rockwell (2013)
What's new in the Membership Enhancement world??
GWRRA has announced a new program called Individual of the Year (IOY). Although it's new to
GWRRA, we (Chapter L) have been doing this already. Our last IOY was Leslie Kleist. The re-
quirements are: individuals may be single, divorced, widowed or simply the only member of a cou-
ple who chooses to participate in Chapter life. Beginning with Wing Ding 39, GWRRA will be hon-
oring the Region Individuals of the Year onstage during Couples and Awards Day Aug. 29, 2017. If
you are going to Wing Ding plan on arriving early that day and supporting both the Region Couple
and the Region Individual of the Year. As of now we do not have an individual representing Chapter
L.
I would like to thank each of you who step up and participate in our Chapter activities. If you don't
already, please become active now.
Jackie Whitener, MEC
Sunshine And
Ticketmaster News
Individual of the Year
Meeting was called to order at 7PM Followed with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
COY - Durwood and Miriam Mills were introduced;
GWRRA History: When and where was the first Chapter opened in Canada? Vancouver, 1980
Joke: Slower and smarter
Chapter Happenings: We supported a Charity ride with Chapter S in Dawsonville, good turn out with $3,000.00
raised for the charity. Thanks to all that supported this effort.
Chapter Rides: Jerusalem Grill for a great dinner and to Cheaha State Park, another great ride and lunch, both were
excellent.
District Rally Dalton GA: We entered The Pinewood Derby race, Chapter Mascot Contest, Tee Shirt Contest and the
Chapter Banner Contest. We won second place for our mascot "Little Marvin” and second place for our Chapter Ban-
ner. No win, place or show for the other entries.
Chapter "B" in Marietta is having an indoor yard sale and swap meet. Tables are $15.00, anything you sell you keep
100% of the sale price. July the 8th at 10AM in Marietta.
Rider Educator: Make sure you have a good fitting and dry rain suit. Pay extra attention to wet and slippery roads,
lot of rain the area as of late which is a good thing.
Sunshine Lady: Birthdays - Murry Cail and Ginger King. Anniversaries - Pat & Patricia, Al & Peggy.
MEC: Please make an extra effort to hand out Chapter Visitation Cards to people you meet. Leave at local motorcycle
dealership when possible. Encourage every Chapter member to get involved and support Chapter efforts. Need to
make the Chapter thrive.
"NO" winner for the Chapter Tee Shirt drawing, next month $10.00.
Cathy Rockwell, handed out beads to everyone that had them coming. Several folks already have two strands and
looking for more.
Leslie, John Law, John Smith and Scott, participated in the monthly Chapter Game, "Pass the Balls." You had to be
there. John Smith and Scott won by a landslide.
50-25-25 winner, Scott and Cathy.
Meeting adjourned at 7:45PM
Come and join us, we'll be glad you did..
PAGE 7 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
RECAP OF OUR MONTHLY GATHERING HELD 6-15-2017
PAGE 8 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
A Little Fun at Wing Fling!
Dinner Ride to
Jerusalem Grill
PAGE 9 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
A Ride to Cheaha Mountain
PAGE 10 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
June Chapter Gathering
PAGE 11 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
Many of our Chapter L members have inquired about the bead program so here is
a review of how this program works.
Events Recognition Program
Each individual will be awarded a colored bead which is placed upon a lace and affixed to ei-
ther your vest, a belt loop or possibly a large pin. Laces are maintained yearly. A new lace
will start 2016, 2017, etc. Each participant in the program will be awarded a bead when at-
tending or supporting events as listed below. You do not have to ride, you simply have to
participate.
National, Regional, District and Chapter events, either attending or supporting:
Gold Bead: National – Wing Ding, Reno Rendezvous, 40 to Phoenix, etc.
Silver Bead: Regional – Region A Rally, all regional events.
Blue Bead: District – Chilly Willy, Wing Fling, Wind Down.
Red Bead: Chapter – Fun Days, Plaque Attacks, Visitations, Chapter rides,
Bike Week Coffee Break, etc.
This program is being initiated to encourage and promote individual involvement of Chapter
members and to easily recognize their support with different colored beads. We hope that
you will take this program as a challenge to support as many events as possible, both enthu-
siastically and with regularity.
Come participate with us and have some fun.
I hope this clarifies any questions you may have.
Jackie Whitener
Membership Enhancement Coordinator
Ride Safely and have FUN…………….
Membership Enhancement
Don’t forget to pass out cards!!!!
Ever been out riding and you stop for a rest. Then
another group of motorcycles stops, too. And you
are trying to introduce yourself and invite them to a
meeting but you don’t have anything to write on
and your new friends forget the information you
gave them.
Grab a handful of these Introduction Cards. You
can write your name and email address or whatev-
er you want of the back and start handing them
out!!
Chapter L Ride Rating System First Gear Ride. Mostly four lane roads. Some fairly straight two lane roads. No Interstates. Second Gear Ride. Two lane roads that are straight or may have gentle curves. Some four lane roads are possible. No Interstates. Third Gear Ride. Mostly two lane roads with gentle to moderate curves. Some four lane roads are possible. Fourth Gear Ride. Mostly two lane roads with moderate to aggressive curves. Some Interstate roads may be planned. Fifth Gear Ride. Mostly Interstate route or route may have very aggressive curves.
PAGE 12 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
Please, Please, Please RSVP
RSVP: This is an ongoing issue. If you receive a request email or text for your participation or support, we ask that everyone at least respond to the requestor with a yes/no/maybe. Leaving them in limbo is frustrating to say the least.
IMPORTANT: If we have planned a ride and you have not responded or do not meet us at the departure point but do show up at what was the original destination, you may be there alone. We could possibly change the ride destination if we have what we understand to be all participants at the departure point.
We also need to know in advance how many are attending to alert the eatery on how many to ex-pect. Arriving with more or less could cause undue expense for the eatery.
Hello Everyone!
This month sure did bring us plenty of rain. If you are like Scott and me
we do not like to ride in the rain if it can be avoided. July is going to be a
hot month, though, and we will probably wish we had a few cooling showers.
We had 14 members at our last gathering. Did you invite a friend? Why not? This is how we
can grow our chapter. Remember to invite your friends or family members. We have a lot of
fun and good food to be had by all. Also, if you have a favorite restaurant or a ride in mind,
let us know and we will put it on our calendar. We need all of our members to be a part of
this chapter. Without your participation we wouldn't have a chapter. We offer training, semi-
nars, fun, fellowship and safety. I would like to thank those who participated at the Georgia
District Rally in Dalton this year. We had some fun times and even John Rockwell was in on
the action. See you on our next ride.
Jackie Whitener
MEC (Membership Enhancement Coordinator)
PAGE 13 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
We are looking for you to make an appearance at our
next monthly gathering.
July 27, 2017
Landmark Family Restaurant, 2740 Martha
Berry Highway, NE, Rome, GA
Eat at 6:00 pm. Meet at 7:00
pm.
Come have FUN and
FELLOWSHIP with Chapter L!!
Membership
Enhancement
PAGE 14 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
July 2017
Tues., July 4th—HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Thurs., July 8th—Dinner Ride to Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse, 650 Henderson Dr., #403, Cartersville, GA.
We will meet in the side parking lot of Landmark Restaurant at 6:00 pm with KSU at 6:15 pm. We will ride to
Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse.
Sun., July 23rd—After Church Ride to Marietta Diner, 306 Cobb Pkwy, S, Marietta, GA. We will meet in the
side parking lot of Landmark Restaurant at 1:30 pm with KSU at 1:45 pm. We will be riding to Marietta Diner.
Thurs., June 15th—Chapter Gathering, Landmark Restaurant, 2740 Martha Berry Hwy, Rome, GA. Eat at
6:00 pm, meet at 7:00 pm
Mark your calendar for August 2017 Events:
8/10 Dinner Ride to Applebee’s Restaurant, 826 Turner McCall Blvd., Rome, GA. We will meet in the side
parking lot of Landmark Restaurant at 6:00 pm with KSU at 6:15 pm.
8/20 Sunday After Church Ride to Jim N Nick’s BBQ, 5153 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy., Hiram, GA. We will
meet in the side parking lot of Landmark Restaurant at 1:30 pm with KSU at 1:45 pm.
8/24 Chapter Gathering. Landmark Restaurant, 2740 Martha Berry Hwy, Rome, GA. Eat at 6:00 pm, meet
at 7:00 pm.
8/29—9/2 WING DING in Gaylord, TX!!!!
Got an idea for a Chapter Ride?
Let an Officer know and we’ll make it happen!!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
PAGE 15 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
This is YOUR newsletter. It provides a great opportunity to announce any news or information you may have—motorcycle related or not. Let us hear about new additions to your family—or to your bike. Your fellow members are interested. Got information your fellow riders need to know about? Re-calls? New safety chrome available? Local events? Got something to sell? Let us list it and get the news out—bike stuff, home stuff, whatever stuff! Got family news you would like to share? Grandbabies? Recognitions? Promo-
tions? Job change? Got pictures we can share? New gardens? Bike additions? Babies (2 legged or 4 legged)? Use your imagination. What would you be interested in seeing.
Do you take pictures during our rides and gatherings? We need pictures for our newsletter. Grab those cameras or phones and take some pics. Then send them to [email protected] to be included in our next newsletter!!! We need input, input, input! Be active with your Chapter and support your newsletter.
ARTICLES AND PICTURES NEEDED!
PAGE 16 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
PAGE 17 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
Chapter A 3rd Saturday Eat at 5:00 pm Meet at 6:00 pm
Southern Cooking, 715 Industrial Blvd., McDonough, GA
Chapter B 3rd Saturday Eat at 8:00 am Meet at 8:30 am Come-N-Get It Restaurant, 1409 Church St. Ext NW, Marietta, GA
Chapter B-2 3rd Saturday Eat at 8:00 am Meet at 9:00 am
Beaver Biscuit Co., 1451 Six Flags Road, Lithia Springs, GA
Chapter C-2 3rd Saturday Eat at 5:00 pm Meet at 6:00 pm
Perkins Restaurant, 3-A Gateway Blvd, South, Savannah, GA
Chapter D 2nd Saturday Eat at 9:00 am Meet at 10:00 am
Golden Corral, 2025 Market Place Blvd., Cumming, GA
Chapter D-2 3rd Thursday Eat at 6:30 pm Meet at 7:30 pm Western Sizzlin, 501 Legion Drive, Dalton, GA
Chapter E-2 4th Saturday Eat at 3:00 pm Meet at 4:00 pm
Western Sizzlin Steakhouse, 230 US Hwy 80 East, Pooler, GA
Chapter F-2 1st Saturday Eat at 12:00 pm Meet at 1:00 pm
New Ming Wah, 3415 Wrightsboro Road, Augusta, GA
Chapter H 4th Thursday Eat at 6:00 pm Meet at 7:00 pm
BJ's Buffet & Catering, 2401 Dawson Road, Albany, GA
Chapter I-2 3rd Saturday Eat at 11:00 am Meet at 12:00 pm
Shoney's, 14225 Jones Street, Lavonia, GA
Chapter J 3rd Saturday Eat at 11:00 am Meet at 12:00 pm
Daniel's Steakhouse, 273 Big Sky Drive, Hiawassee, GA
Chapter K 2nd Thursday Eat at 6:30 pm Meet at 7:30 pm Denny's, 2990 West Hwy 17, South Bruns-wick, GA
Chapter M 2nd Thursday Eat at 6:00 pm Meet at 7:00 pm J Harvey's Buffet, 1700 1st Ave., SW, Moultrie, GA
Chapter O 3rd Monday Eat at 6:00 pm Meet at 7:30 pm Golden Corral, 190 Virginia Ave., South, Tifton, GA
Chapter Q 2nd Monday Eat at 6:00 pm Meet at 7:00 pm
Hibachi Buffet, 4025 Watson Blvd. Ste 160, Warner Robins, GA
Chapter R 2nd Thursday Eat at 6:00 pm Meet at 7:00 pm IHOP, 3010 Northside Parkway, Canton, GA
Chapter S 1st Tuesday Eat at 6:00 pm Meet at 7:00 pm Golden Corral, 163 East May Street, Wind-er, GA
Chapter T 2nd Thursday Eat at 6:00 pm Meet at 7:00 pm Locos Grill, 1985 Barnett Shoals Road, Ath-ens, GA
From GWRRA International:
PAGE 18 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
If you said from our GWRRA Chapter Members, you are right. I’m sure you all are aware they are all volunteers.
They, like us, come from all walks of life - factory workers, salesmen, homemakers,
clerks, managers, office workers, and the list goes on and on, but we all have one
thing in common - we all love to ride motorcycles.
They, like us, joined GWRRA for one of many reasons, which we all did. I would be
willing to bet none of them joined because they wanted to be a Chapter Director. No,
it would be a safe bet that it was the furthest thing from their mind. But, after being
a part of their Chapter, like me, they felt they needed to give back for all they received from their GWRRA Chap-
ter. They stepped up and said yes they would serve.
I have said it many times and I will continue to say that the most fun I had as a Director in GWRRA was when I
was a Chapter Director. That is not to say I’m not having fun now, because if I weren’t having fun I would have
stepped down a long time ago. Any time someone takes on a leadership position in any organization, they take on
certain responsibilities, some good, some not so good, and some just because. The one thing they all share when
they start is deciding the best direction for the Chapter. I don’t know one person that has stepped up as the
Chapter Director with the intent to destroy the Chapter, but I have seen Chapters fail in part because of the
Chapter Director and in part because of the Members not supporting the new Chapter Director.
We all need to remember why we joined GWRRA, and for the most part it was to have fun with other motorcy-
clists and maybe learn something along the way. Sometimes we need to be a little more understanding and sup-
portive of our volunteer leaders, like that new Chapter Director who is trying so hard to do the right thing for the
Chapter, and not be so critical and negative. Remember the old saying, “walk a mile in my shoes.” We are all hu-
mans and we are all going to make mistakes. None of us are going to do the same task the same way, but we are
all hoping for the best results that will help our Chapters prosper.
So please remember that your Chapter Director was a Member first, was a friend, and shared the same love each
of us has, and that’s riding a motorcycle. Each of us as GWRRA Members should be supportive and willing to
help that Chapter Director succeed; because when they succeed the Chapter will succeed, and be willing to help
them through the growing pains. An old friend of mine says, “If you want to experience an awesome GWRRA
Membership, participate, participate, and participate.” That might mean stepping up to help with a hand, or
your talent, or some time, or maybe some positive feedback or opinion.
Where do you think our Chapter Directors come from? I can tell you; it’s Members like you.
Bruce & Barb Breeman
Deputy Directors
Where Do You Think Our
Chapter Directors Come From?
From Region A:
PAGE 19 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
Having written so many articles over the years for different newsletters, some months it’s hard putting thoughts into words. This month we came across an article that hit the essence of what was on our mind. The following article was written by the FL1-L2 Membership Enhancement Coordinator: FUN is Contagious Each of us joined GWRRA for a reason and with some expectations. We would think that most of us caught the “GW bug” after listening to enthusiastic GWRRA Members sharing some things that they have enjoyed since becoming a part of GWRRA and a local Chapter. We all joined our Chapters seeking out fun and the op-portunity for more fun. FUN is contagious and it is a tool that is used in the recruitment of additional members. Learning safety and knowledge is a nice benefit of seeking out the quest for fun. We would say that FUN is the #1 expectation of joining and retaining a membership with GWRRA. Think about what some of your other main expectations were and how your experience with GWRRA and your Chapter family has helped you have a meaningful membership. We have a lot to offer to other riders. Our Chapter, as many others, has lost membership due to natural attrition. We have all lost people due to health reasons, retirement and moving, and even death. It is expected that Chapter attendance will go up and down. But membership numbers are also an indicator of other things. Such as: Good numbers are indicative of happy and supportive members, effective leadership and a strong Chapter. Our most current roster has our membership as 77 members who are active with the Chapter. Our Chapter stands out among all other Chapters in GWRRA. This is evident in being the only Chapter se-lected as the International Chapter of the Year both in 2010 and 2015. More importantly is that our Chapter has FUN no matter where we are or what we are doing. A group of us have just returned from the Georgia Dis-trict Rally and guess what happened? We had FUN while at the restaurant having dinner. We had FUN explor-ing a really cool Civil War tunnel, dug by hand in 1850. We had FUN at the hospitality room just talking to oth-er members about our great adventures. I am sure this will be measured at our next Gathering by the number of Pegass nominations which occurred during the Rally. Recruiting and Retention is the lifeblood of our Chapter and GWRRA. Let’s try to spread the FUN, share the FUN, and keep having FUN. Share your enthusiasm about our Chapter life with a friend or co-worker. Give folks information about our social gathering and invite them to join us on a motorcycle ride. Remember our Motto “Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge.” Parts of this article were written by Shirley Ward Ride Safe & have FUN, Donny & Aimee Peters Membership Enhancement Coordinators Until next month, be safe out there and have FUN! Rick & Madalena
Membership
Enhancement
At the 2017 WINGIN’ AT THE RACES WING FLING chapters competed in the Pinewood Derby Race! Eve-
ryone gathered around the derby track to watch and cheer for their favorite cars while District Team mem-
bers setup the cars and called the Ready! Set! Go! It was fun! We had nine GA cars run in the race.
Chapter B’s car won the Georgia race! The second race was between the Outof-Georgia cars, and the winner
of that competition was Chapter SC-P! The battle for the overall best car was on! Chapter GA-B and Chap-
ter SC-P raced neck and neck and Georgia won! Thanks Chapter B! And, Chapter SC-P you did a superb job
too!
We had an excellent Rally! The rain kept some away, but only two pre-registrants did not show up! That’s
great! We had 31 vendors—Chickfila went over well! Everyone enjoyed new games (thanks Jeff & Connie)
and a great costume contest, Kentucky Derby Hat contest, and talent show! I think everyone had fun, and if
you missed it come next year for an event like you have never seen before! We
will be in Toccoa, GA! www.mytoccoa.com/wingfling to register.
Larry & Pam Clemmer
GA District Directors
From the Georgia District:
Chapter GA-B is a
WINNER!
PAGE 20 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
PAGE 21 GEORGIA CHAPTER L VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7
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