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National News - Mike Wright, Director: |
| Towbuster program enhanced: The new road service program now offers coverage for motorcycle trailers in tow. This coverage must be purchased, but the annual cost is only $5.00 per trailer!! |
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| Regional News - George Lapan, Director: |
| Hi Everybody!! Wing Ding XXI has come and gone! Yes, it was the wettest one on record, however spirits were not dampened, even with the tornado scare. This boy from New Hampshire got quite an education the day the sky darkened, the lightning started flying, the wind began to gust to eighty miles per hour, and the rain came down harder than a cow peeing on a flat rock. |
| I must say that being herded into a building, and spending forty-five minutes as close as possible to the inside walls (there was no basement available) gives one a chill that is not soon forgotten. All-in-all, the Event was declared a howling success!! A tad over 12,000 of our fellow Gold Wingers participated. |
| No, I did not get to take home the new Gold Wing that was given away, nor did my ticket numbers match up for the Bushtech trailer, or the Helmets, or any of the other prizes. However, this will not keep me from making the trip to Billings, Montana next year!! |
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| 5 Heart Bar Earners: Congratulations to Ray Daniels from Bellmawr, NJ, John Hirst of Warminster, PA, and Donald Masson of Manchester, NH for bringing five new members into the family!! |
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| THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!: To each, and everyone of you who gave of your time to help at Wing Ding with the Light Parade and the Grand Parade, I can`t say enough thank you. Both events ended up with plenty of help, and went well. Thanks again Northeast Region, I could not have done it without you!!! I also wish to thank the Region A Director, Jim Hodge, his ARD, Dan, and Region B ARDs, Wayne and Kay Hartshorn for looking over my shoulder during these two events. Jim, Dan, Wayne and Kay brought with them the experience from past participation, and were not afraid to share their knowledge. Thanks again, y`all, great TEAM WORK. |
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| 1999 - 2000 International COY: Northeast Region, you would have been so very proud of Ed and Peg Chandler had you been there during their presentation at the International COY selection. They were absolutely fantastic!! This Region was represented with much finesse by this wonderful couple. Thank you so much, Ed and Peg, for working so hard, and for giving of yourselves so unselfishly. We love you!! |
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| The title of International COY ended up being bestowed upon Steve and JoAnn Mead from Region N. We do congratulate them, and wish them the best during their tenure. |
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| Year 2000 Northeast Region COY: Congratulations to Pete and De Hooper from Maryland Chapter H!! This great couple has been selected to represent the Northeast Region as Couple-Of-The-Year in the year 2000. Kati and I look forward to getting to know them better, and to working with them this coming year. Please refer to the Region COY Coordinator, Donna Weltman`s article for more details. |
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| Thank you to the District of New Jersey: A BIG THANKS to Joe Franco, his staff, and the District of New Jersey for hosting, and funding, the N.E. Region COY selection at the 1999 Beach Party. You folks showed great TEAM work!! Everything you did is greatly appreciated. |
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| Advanced Notice of Resignation: As most of you know, the N.E. Region Leadership Trainer, Bill Bennett from New Jersey, has recently experienced some serious medical problems. He is on the mend, however he has decided that this year will be his last as our Regional Leadership Trainer. His wife, Kathy, will be retiring at year`s end. He and she wish to do some traveling, and spend some quality time together. A BIG THANK YOU goes out to Bill for a job well done, and one to Kathy for letting us borrow him. |
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| Because of the time and effort that Bill put into the Leadership Trainer position, the Northeast Region was presented with the 1999 Excellence In Training Award at a luncheon in Springfield, MO. Bill has already told us that it was not his efforts alone that landed this Region the award. However, someone has to spearhead the project, and keep the rest of us up to speed. An effort that comes at the expense of time and dedication. Bill did the time, put forth the effort, and got the results. |
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| Northeast Region Staff Meeting: Please mark your calendars for November 13, 1999. This will be the date of the annual Region B Staff Meeting. This meeting has to be limited to the Region Staff, District Directors, Assistant D.D.s, District Rider Educators, District Leadership Trainers, and District Public Affairs Coordinators. The limitation is one of available rented space, no other reason. It will take place at the Holiday Inn Arena, 2-8 Hawley St, Binghamton, NY. Rooms have been blocked for both Friday, November12, 1999 & Saturday, Nov. 13. The cost is $71.04 (this includes the tax) for up to four people in the room. Do not call a Holiday Inn 800 number and try to make a reservation. It is necessary to call the Holiday Inn Arena directly at |
| 607-722-1212, and mention that you are with the GWRRA Regional Staff Meeting. |
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| Another BIG THANKS goes out. This time to Eric Phelps, ACD NY "Y", for doing all the leg work to make the above arrangements. Eric was my eyes and ears in Binghamton. Thanks again, Eric. |
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| Thank you very much for all that you do in the name of GWRRA |
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| George & Kati Lapan |
| Northeast Region Directors |
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| Northeast Region COY: |
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| The following was taken from an article submitted by Ed & Peg Chandler, our Northeast Region Couple of the Year (COY). |
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| Hello there from Clementon, New Jersey. Ed and I are the Region B COY for 1999. We have been involved with the program since 1995 when we were on the committee for our Chapter to chose our Chapter couple for 1996. We learned a lot about the program through our involvement with this committee. In 1996, we were asked to represent our Chapter for 1997 as the COY. We were delighted to accept this honor. I say honor, because we both feel that it is an honor to be selected from all the members of the chapter to go all over the place to be representatives for the group. We accepted, knowing that we wanted to go all the way to the top with the program. We set ourselves goals and made plans on how to carry out those goals to the fullest. |
| As Chapter couple, we wanted to get to know the other couples in the District of New Jersey. We visited all 9 active chapters in the state just so we could meet all the couples. Some of the chapters did not have couples, but we visited them anyway to get to know the members. We met lots of new friends. In June of 1997 we were selected District COY for 1998. Now our task was to meet all the other District COYs for our Region B (this was before the merge). |
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| Si nce we like to travel and have always tried to go to as many rallies as we could, we were able to meet all the District COYs before the Region Judging was to take place. Again, we were always greeted with warmth and kindness. We have made new "special" friendships with these couples and continue to keep in touch with them. |
| In September of 1998 we were honored again to be chosen to represent Region B for 1999. We started our visits in January and have scheduled visits until the end of the year. We are making visits to all the Districts in our Region. While there, we try to meet as many people as we can. We try to spread the word about what a great time we are having through the COY program. We try to help with the rallies in anyway that we can, too. Ed loves to sell 50/50 tickets. I always kid that if there is a dollar in someone's pocket, Ed will find it. |
| Wouldn't it be great if we could meet all the Region COYs? We will at Wing Ding this coming June/July. We are going to be competing in the International Selections. We are very excited about this adventure. We know that is almost impossible to get to meet the other Region COYs before this, and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to meeting them in Springfield. |
| Ed and I have meet many, many new friends through the COY program. We have found that most of the couples that go on to the next level, are couples that feel about people and GWRRA as we do. We enjoy people and we enjoy GWRRA. |
| So we put the two together and have doubled our pleasure. Everywhere we go we are greeted with respect and thoughtfulness. We are included in just about everything (sometimes I think we may include ourselves) that goes on. We speak about the program whenever we can to whomever will listen, whether it is one on one, or in a group. The whole focus of going to rallies has changed for us. We used to go to rallies just to see what goodies we could buy for our motorcycles. This got to be a rather expensive hobby. When we "graduated" to the Couple of the Year, our focus changed along with the expenses. We go to rallies now to still visit the vendors, but we also get involved with the people more. |
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| As representatives, we feel that we need to put our best foot forward. Appearance is important and we have found ways to keep the expenses down. We used to get all our shirts monogrammed with our current title. We do not do this as much. We do wear matching outfits, but we have been shopping for the "sale" shirts and are delighted with these ventures. We wear our vests most of the time at rallies and other events since they are the "introductory" clothes. I (Peg) am pretty handy with the sewing machine, so this helps to keep our expenses down, too. I sew all our patches on myself and make our vests for Judging. Sometimes we do go overboard on clothes, but we feel it a positive move on our part. We do not over extend ourselves. All couples should try to enjoy the program within the limits of their own financial means. There are no rules to say that anyone needs to "overkill" with dress. We haven't met a COY yet that we did not instantly like.....and we couldn't tell you what any of them was wearing when we met them. |
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| We have found the same lack of interest in the program through our travels. I don't know the answer to that question. I personally think that some people are interested 100 % and other 10%. When the 100% couple comes along, they enjoy every step in the program. Others just don't have the same perspective. We keep plugging away to make the interest level rise, but sometimes it just doesn't. |
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| Ed and I are very involved with GWRRA and sometimes I think that may scare off new COYs. But we are being "us", we enjoy what we are doing and we try to tell others that they don't need to do the same things as we do. We don't try to be like others, we just want to be ourselves and have a good time. We just have an edge sometimes because we are involved. We know people and feel comfortable around them. We feel pretty much at home almost anywhere we go. |
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| We always have a connection with the COYs at any rally or event. We have quite a large support group in our Chapter, too. They are always there for us and many times accompany us to the rallies. They cheer us on (and sometimes "egg" us on) no matter what our quest. |
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| I guess by now you realize that we are truly happy with our Region COY position. I could go on and on, as you can see. We enjoy what we are doing, we believe in the program, we believe in each other, and we share a common interest that has helped us grow as a COUPLE no only in GWRRA, but in our personal lives. We plan together, we ride together, we make new friends together......and on goes the list. We do enjoy life, and right now the center of it for us in GWRRA and the COY program. We just wish we could help other couples "get the feeling." |
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| For now we will leave you in hopes that someday our paths will cross and we can share those hugs and smiles that we love to get. |
| Your Northeast Region COY.....Ed and Peg |
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| District News - Diane L. George, District Director: |
| Went to the NJ Rally and, as usual, enjoyed ourselves. I was fortunate enough to win the t-shirt contest and thank Joe and Jere for picking me. We were there to support Pete and De Hooper, MD/COY, as they went for Region COY. Well, they won Region B COY and we congratulate them wholeheartedly. Now we all have to go to Billings in 2000 to support them again in the National selection. Also, since Maryland's couple won, the 2000 Region B COY selection will be held at the Maryland/Delaware Districts Rally in Salisbury. It will be at the Ramada Inn, May 19-21. Deleware will be partnering with Maryland in 2000 so plan your vacations accordingly. |
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| Well, Honda Homecoming is history -- it rained all week in Ashville, but we still had a good time. The couple camping next to us won the new Goldwing!! We took them out to supper and celebrated. |
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| Then we went to Honda Homecoming in Marysville, OH. Going out, Bob had a rear wheel bearing go up -- 103,000 miles on his 93! We used the Towbuster package and were towed from West Friendship, MD to Frederick, MD. We called 12 Honda dealers within a 50 mile radius and ended up fixing it ourselves by buying the bearings at a bearing shop. It's amazing that not one dealer had a set of bearings. But, we got it done and proceeded to Ohio where we saw my family and enjoyed the Homecoming. It was hot!! |
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| Now we're getting ready for the Pennsylvania/Delaware Districts Rally on September 9-12 in Lancaster, PA. You can get a copy of the Rally schedule on my fliers' page. Delaware will be in charge of the Light Parade and Bob and Clarke Sewell will be giving the Road Captain course on Friday and Saturday. We will also need help with registration, 50/50s, Grand Prize, etc. DELAWARIANS, please come out and support your State in this first ever partnered rally. I think we've started something as we will partner PA this year and MD next year. If other states follow suit, we'll cut down on the number of rallies and all will have a greater opportunity for attending more rallies. |
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| Don't forget DE Chapter B's St. Jude Poker Run on September 26. It'll start at Bennie's Junction in Harrington and end up at Paul and Barbara O'Day's home. Please join us. |
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