GWRRA Chapter D
Newsletter
January ‘08’
From Your Chapter Directors
Jack and Peggy Fuller
This is the time of the year we all have more functions than we can attend. For those of you who were not able to attend the Christmas Party, we missed you and hope you can be there next year. Everyone had a great time and all the guys wanted to trade presents with Mike Hudson!
At the close of each year, many of us look back and review the things we accomplished or the things we did not accomplish. We are all hopeful we affected others around us in a positive way. Although the 2007 is gone we can all benefit from the lesson we have learned in the past.
We are looking forward to a new and better year with everyone in Chapter D. Our goals should be to continue having fun safely and enjoy our future blessings.
See all of you at the January meeting!!!!
Jack & Peggy Fuller
Chapter Directors
From Your Assistant Chapter Directors
Bobby and Sue Hales
We are looking forward to some good riding with everyone in this coming year.
We hope that everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Sue and Bobby Hales
From Your Chapter Educator
Charles Parker
Who would have thought it, it is 2008 already, and there has already been a chapter ride. We couldn't make it, but I hope many of you did .We had a safe riding year in 2007 with no major accidents or injuries, and that is a good thing. Lets all plan to make 2008 another good one by riding within our limits, riding with proper gear, and by making the t'clock inspection before we get on our bikes. Hopefully we can get a MSF course scheduled in this area, and if so, please plan to take it.
More from the "Hurt Report"
Passenger carrying motorcycles are not over represented in the accident area.
The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with motorcycles are not distinguished from other accident populations except that the ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are overrepresented. Also, these drivers are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.
The large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents but they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in accidents.
Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are underrepresented in accidents most likely because of the contribution to conspicuity and with association with more experienced and trained riders.
Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.
Some of these findings are not so surprising as others. Some don't involve any of us,and that is good news. I recommend we study each one, and learn from it.
Happy New Year to all of you, and lets have safe year.
Keep the shiny side up, and when you come to a fork in the road, take it.
Charles Parker, Rider Educator, GWRRA, La. D
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From your Entertainment Director
Danny Donald
Our eat-out this month will be at Catfish Cabin in Monroe on January 25th 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 “E”
GWRRA DIVISIONS
Six Divisions have been established to help carry out the Motto and Ideals of the Association. Each is headed by a National Director.
1. Rider Education Division
Basic purpose is to make the motorcycle environment safer by increasing skills and awareness.
2. Member Enhancement Division
Focuses on the “Friends for Fun” aspects of the Motto.
3. Leadership Training Division
Focuses on the “Friends for Knowledge” aspect by providing a smorgasbord of formalized training programs.
4. Motorist Awareness Division
Fully embraces the Association ideals by providing information on Motorcycle/Motorist interaction.
5. Communication Division
Provides a message board for use by members of the association who are interested in many of the aspects of motorcycle riding and maintenance.
6. Special Interest Groups Division
The primary purpose is to provide the opportunity and organizational support to GWRRA members who share and enjoy a common area of interest other than motorcycle riding.
*************IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER************
Eat Out-Catfish Cabin Monroe-January 25th-6:30
Wingless Weekend -February 22 & 23
Louisiana District Rally -March 27 – 29
DOOR PRIZES
Pat Devinney
Eddie Hendry
Jerry Pyburn
Sandy Hudson
Bo Pepper
Faye Alexander
Marilyn Hatch
Steve Alexander
Mike Hudson
Jim Berry
Maurine Pyburn
Synder Bishop
Dewanna Tarver
Dale Bishop
Danny Donald
Reba Berry
50/25/25
Ron Eubanks $45.50
Jane Rayborn $45.50
Green Ball Drawing
No winner $67.00
District Directors
A NOTE FROM YOUR DISTRICT DIRECTORS……………………….
Happy New Year to each of you. We hope Santa was good to everyone and that your stockings were filled with the special gifts on your list. Spending time with family and friends is what really makes the Holidays such a special time and we hope each of you were able to do that.
The New Year gives us a time to reflect on how much we appreciate each of you and how much you, our GWRRA family, mean to us. 2007 was a good year for the Louisiana District and we look forward to 2008 with much anticipation as we make plans for the first part of the year.
Wingless Weekend will be special this year as we move to such a nice facility. The District Staff always enjoys this time when we have the opportunity to express our gratitude to you the members for all you do to support the District throughout the year. We hope you will come and join us February 22 & 23 in Alexandria at the National Guard Armory for good food and great fellowship.
In February we also will offer a Horizon Training weekend. We hope many of you will take advantage of this opportunity to learn and have fun at the same time. Just ask anyone who has attended a session if it is worthwhile and you will get the same answer, a great big YES! Brent and Roxie will be giving you more information on the date, time and place.
Next of course is the Louisiana District Rally. A good number of registrations have already come in and if you have not sent yours and made your Hotel reservations, we encourage you do so. The Hotel Staff assures us that rooms are going fast and pre-registration is a big help to the District Staff in making plans for seminars, and the events we offer at the Rally. Along with the usual Rally events and vendors, the Cajun Band will return for opening ceremonies, Randy, Paula & Simon will be back for our GWRRA Idol competition, we will offer Bayou Bungee Jumping and a new Band will entertain us on Friday night at the Mardi Gras Ball. Mark your calendar and join us March 27 – 29 at the Holiday Inn Holidome for a good time!!!!
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?