Our District Camping Coordinators
Keith & Carol Lindgren
We joined GWRRA in 1985 when we bought our first GL1200. After purchasing the Gold Wing, I immediately called the Virginia Chapter B Director who I knew from work and told him that I was now the owner of a Gold Wing. He invited me on a chapter ride the very next day, and handed me a GWRRA application when I showed up. And, as the saying goes, “The Rest is History.” We’ve been GWRRA members ever since.
Initially we participated as members of VA B. Then in 1989 there was a new chapter formed, VA L in Suffolk, and since I was an MSF Certified Instructor, I was asked to take on the position of “Safety Coordinator”. I started out as Chapter Safety Coordinator and transitioned into Chapter Educator when GWRRA formalized the position. Then in the spring of 1990, we stepped up to the position of Area Representative (now known as Chapter Directors). Six years later in April of 1996, we stepped down as Chapter Directors because “we needed a break.” That break lasted less than a month when I was asked by the Virginia District Educator to step up as his Assistant. I told him I would as long as he assured me that he would not step down at least until the end of 1997. He told me he would, so I became Assistant District Educator. I stepped up to District Educator in the fall of 1996 when the guy who promised he would stay on, didn’t.
Then in the fall of 1997 Carol & I were asked to take on the responsibilities of Assistant District Director – East. We held that position for 5 years working with Chapters in the Southeastern corner of Virginia. In 2003 we were asked to take over the District of Virginia when the then District Directors, Mike and Angie Mitchell, were asked to take on the leadership of Region N. We were District Directors for our 3-year tenure limit and stepped down right after Rally in the Valley 2006.
Later that year, we were asked to do handle the “job specific” duties of Rally Camping Coordinator. Now that’s something I can handle. We love camping and we love GWRRA – Virginia, so why not combine the two loves. We’ve been the Rally Camping Coordinators for the past 4 years and look forward to handling the duties in 2011 and beyond.