GWRRA Chapter D

Newsletter

FEBRUARY ‘08’

 

 

 

From Your Chapter Directors

Jack and Peggy Fuller

 

 

It’s hard to believe it is February already.  You know Louisiana weather this time of the year, the temperature could be 75° or 25°.  Our calendar is full the next few weeks, but so is our gas tank.  I am sure we will find time for a ride or two.

 

We attended the District Staff Meeting along with Patricia and Roddy Watt and Jim and Reba Berry.  Jere and Maurine along with Faye and Steve Alexander and their other staff members are preparing for  Wingless Weekend in Alexandria and the Louisiana District Rally in Lafayette.  This should be a busy year filled with a lot of fun and safe riding.

 

See you at the meeting!!!!

 

 

Jack & Peggy Fuller

Chapter Directors

 

From Your Assistant Chapter Directors

Bobby and Sue Hales

 

January did not offer very many opportunities to ride our Goldwings, especially on the weekends. We hope the weather during February will give us more chances to ride.

 

Sue and I really enjoyed the eat-out last month at the Catfish Cabin. It was really nice seeing everyone. Thanks Danny for arranging it.

If anyone would like to share a recent ride they have been on or an up coming ride, I would love to hear about it. You can email it to me at lee807la@yahoo.com or send it to P.O. Box 807, Rayville, LA. 71269.

 

Bobby & Sue Hales

 

 

From Your Chapter Educator

Charles Parker

 

12 natural tips to prevent a cold.

 

This is the cold and flue season, several of us have already been sick with upper respiratory  ailments, so here a few tips to avoid it happening to you. Each year I put these tips in the newsletter,  I hope it helps.

 

#1.   Wash your hands. Most cold and flue viruses are spread by direct contact. It is easy to touch an object that someone else with the virus has touched, and you get it on your hands. Carry and use a hand sanitizer on your hands if you cannot wash them often.

 

#2.   Don't cover your sneezes with your hands. Use a tissue or turn your head away from people and cough or sneeze in the air. You can use your the bend of your elbow also.

 

#3.Don't touch your face. Cold and flue viruses inter your body through your eyes, nose, or mouth.Touching your face is the major way of catching a cold.

 

#4. Drink plenty of fluids. Water flushes out your system as it rehydrates you.  A typical healthy adult needs eight 8 ounce glasses of fluids each day.

 

#5. Take a Sauna. Researchers are not sure why this helps, but a 189 German study found that people who steamed twice a week got half as many colds as those who didn't.

 

#6.  Get fresh air. A regular dose of fresh air is important, especially in cold weather when heating dries you out and makes  your body more vulnerable to cold and flue viruses.

 

#8.  Do aerobic exercises regularly. This helps to speed up the heart and pump blood larger quantities of blood. It makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from the lungs to  your blood. It helps build up your immunity.

 

#9.  Eat food containing phytochemicals.  Dark green, red and yellow vegetables and fruit contain this.

 

#10.Don't Smoke. Everything about smoking is deleterious to  your health. We all know this.  DON'T DO IT!

 

#11. Cut alcohol consumption. Heavy alcohol use suppresses the immune system in a variety of ways. Heavy drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications. Alcohol also dehydrates the body.

 

#12.  Relax. Teach yourself to relax, it activates the immune system on demand.

 

I hope this helps someone.  This is very good information that can help you from catching a cold or the flue.

As always, remember to "Keep the Shiny Side Up", and When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take it.

 

Charles Parker

Rider Educator, GWRRA, La. D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From your Entertainment Director

Danny Donald

 

We had a good turn out for our eat-out at Catfish Cabin.  We had about 40 attending and the food was delicious as usual.

Our eat-out this month will be at Chile Verde in Monroe, 165 North on February 29th at 6:30.

I welcome any suggestions for places to have our eat-outs.  Please give me a call at

728-6936 or email me at dd3racing@aol.com

 

Danny Donald

Activities & Entertainment Director

GWRRA

Region H Louisiana Chapter D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER TRAINING “F”

RALLY PARTICIPATION

 

What is a Rally and what’s in it for me?

 

Each year GWRRA rallies are held at the District, Region and International levels.  District and Region Rallies usually last 2 ˝ to 3 days and International (Wing Ding) may last up to 5 days.  Rallies typically have several things in common.  Competitions, Seminars, Vendors, and Socializing.  Members are encouraged to participate in as many events as they choose.  Chapters should look over Rally schedules and encourage members to participate individually or as a group in such things as talent shows, on and off bike games, field events, and Chapter competition (Banners, Scrapbooks, Mascots, and Dress Competition).  Members are encourages to take advantage of seminars that offer information on such topics as Group Riding, Co-Rider Training, Public Speaking, GPS Operation, Crash Scene Management, Mature Riders, etc.  Many rallies offer Experienced Rider and Trike Rider Courses at a small fee.

 

There is always a lot to see, do and learn and most of it is free!

 

*************IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER************

*************

Eat Out-Chile Verde, North 165,  Monroe-February 29th-6:30

Wingless Weekend -February 22 & 23

Louisiana District Rally -March 27 – 29

 

 

DOOR PRIZES

Ronnie Ainsworth

Steve Alexander

Noble Hatch

Bo Pepper

William Wade

Victor Kennedy

Raymond Greer

Phyllis Pepper

DeWanna Tarver

Maurine Pyburn

Faye Wade

James Jones

Dale Bishop

Jerry Pyburn

Buddy Tarver

Sandy Hudson

Eddie Hendry

Patricia Watt

James Poe

Bob Devinney

Pat Devinney

Susan Poe

Larry Long

Missy Thibodeaux

Charles Parker

Jim Berry

Faye Alexander

Allen Verdick

Janie Ainsworth

Sherry Jones

50/25/25

Bobbie Garr

Noble Hatch

 

Green Ball Drawing

James Jones name was drawn but no winner!

 Pot starts at $135.00

 

 

District Directors

 

Jere & Maurine Pyburn

A Note From Your District Directors

As of this writing we are headed to Lafayette for the annual District Staff meeting. With 6 new Chapter Directors and Staffs, there will be many new faces this year. As in any organization, new leadership is important as it brings fresh ideas and growth. The District Staff always looks forward to getting together with the members and making plans for the coming year. We hope this will be a productive meeting for all who attend. While we are in Lafayette we will be making our final plans for the District Rally and hope those plans will include things to make your stay in Lafayette fun. We hope this will be one of the biggest and best Rallies yet! Be sure and make your Hotel reservations as soon as possible as all rooms will soon be filled.   

Can you believe it is already February? Seems like only yesterday we were putting away the Christmas decorations and soon it will be time to load up and head to Alexandria for Wingless Weekend. We really do hope everyone has made plans to be there and we feel sure you will be pleased with the new facility. This is such a good chance to develop long lasting friendships with members from other Chapters in the District and enjoy some good home cooking. Come and let the District Staff say thank you for your support throughout the year.

February also brings the opportunity for you to take part in the Horizons Training session to be held on February 9 & 10 in Lafayette. Brent and Roxie have made preparations for you to enjoy a good time along with training. Hope to see you there.

We started 2008 by taking part in a Polar Bear ride on New Years Day with members of   Chapter “D”. It was a crisp and cold morning but it really was good to be out on the bike riding with good friends. Good riding weather is just around the corner and we look forward to seeing many of you out on the highways doing what we all love best and what brought us all together………Riding a Honda Gold Wing!

Don’t forget your Sweetheart on Valentines Day

Until next time
Ride Safe and Often,

Jere and Maurine
Senior Master Tour Riders
1763 -1764

 

 

 

 By The Book

Gold Wing Road Riders Association     
Region H Trainer

Dale and Susan Wingrove
7552 Hwy 278
W
Nashville
AR 71852

                870-845-0025                    

 regionhtrainer@hotmail.com     

The “By The Book” articles are intended to help familiarize Volunteer Leaders and GWRRA Members with the guidelines, policies, procedures, and information contained in the GWRRA Officer’s Guidebook.  Any quotes or references to topics contained in our OGB should not be taken “out of context”.  Please feel free to reprint these articles in Region, District and Chapter newsletters. 

 This month’s article comes at the time of year when new staffs are being formed all over the nation.  Last month’s article was about choosing your staff wisely.  Now we will talk about the Chapter Director’s right arm and successor the Assistant Chapter Director. With the elimination of the word tenure, the word term should be inserted. With the elimination of the three year tenure, some CD’s are looking at it as an easy and quick way out.  The purpose of the elimination of the tenure program was to be able to keep good productive CD’s longer than the 3 years that the tenure program limited them to.  In the OGB segment I have highlighted a sentence that should be taken to heart.  A good CD should not appoint someone to just fill the position of ACD.  A good CD will not rush the choice of ACD and consult with his District Director and take time to make sure they are appointing someone to take over as CD. The following segment can be found on Page D-7 of the Officers Guide Book.    

THE ASSISTANT CHAPTER DIRECTOR (ACD)

The status and role of the Assistant Chapter Director is very important to the chapter. They must

receive final approval from the District Director. This gives the Assistant Chapter Director official officer status. You and your District Director should do a lot of discussing about prospective Assistant Chapter Directors. The choice should be made with the thought in mind that the Assistant Chapter Director may be the next Chapter Director. Anyone accepting the role of Assistant Chapter Director should be willing to step into the Chapter Director position upon completion of the Chapter Director’s tenure. Your Assistant Chapter Director should be heavily depended upon, and considered almost as you would a “partner” in the operation of the chapter. Your Assistant can do many things that you would normally do, including conducting Meetings and if need be, staff meetings in your absence. The Chapter Director has final approval on all decisions relating to the operation of the chapter, and if your chapter staff is functioning as it should, then you will become more like an administrator to the chapter, giving directions to coordinate a smoothly operating chapter where everyone feels a part. In fact, your job, as Chapter Director should consist mostly of educating, informing, training  coordinating and directing the chapter through the Assistant Chapter Director's (yes, you can have more than one Assistant Chapter Director in a large chapter) and chapter staff. The more you make the Members feel an important part of the decision-making, the better operating, more enthusiastic, fun-to-be-in chapter you will have. So, use your Assistant Chapter Director as an extension of yourself. They should function in that capacity under your direction just as you function under the District Director’s direction. If they are to be the next Chapter Director then you owe it to the Assistant Chapter Director and your chapter participants, to provide all the training and experience possible.

The more you allow your Assistant to do for you, the more they are helping the chapter. Give them all the responsibility they will take. You are going to put in many hours of hard work over the months and years ahead building a good chapter. Some day you will place everything you built into the hands of another Chapter Director. Shouldn’t they be the best prepared hands you could train?