Virginia GWRRA Virginia GWRRA CD Corner
The following information is provided to the GWRRA Virginia District Chapter Directors from Pat & Kathy Hasiak, on an immediate basis, so that they can share it with their Chapter Participants in a timely manner. Check back often for the latest updates. Each entry will be date stamped, will appear in chronological order (with the latest at the top of the page), and will remain on the page for approximately one month.
Some of the materials referenced below may require Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it free here!!! Get Adobe Acrobat Reader

(02/16/2007) - RIDER EDUCATORS - Help at Rally in the Valley (The Wild Wild West) - Hello All or maybe I should say Howdy,

The summer has been flying by and Rally in the Valley will be here soon and wouldn’t you know it, there are a few areas that I would like to ask your help with.

1. The Rider Education Table will be open Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. We would like to ask each of you to find your way clear to volunteer some time to help us man the Rider Ed Table. If you can give us an hour that would be great and if you can do more than an hour that would be fantastic but any time you can spare will be very much appreciated. Please email Karen Kestner at kgkestner@erols.com with the time you can help as she is preparing the schedule for me. Once again, we would be much obliged for any help that you can give us.

2. As in the past we would also like for each Chapter Educator to bring a door prize for the Rider Education table and just drop it by the Rider Ed table when you arrive.

3. We are also selling the Fast Cash tickets again this year. We are only selling 500 and have added 2 more cash prizes this year: 1st place is $1000.00, 2nd place is $200 and 3rd place is $100. This is our biggest fund raiser of the year and would like your help in selling these tickets to the folks in your chapters. You know I will be in big trouble with Pat and Kathy if we don’t at least sell enough tickets to cover the prizes. Please contact me or any of the district rider ed staff and we will set you right up with some tickets.

4. We also are selling Region N GPS tickets to help them with their fund raiser.

Well, I guess I have had my hand out for long enough and now for the most important part of this email – we would really like to see you all and hope you will mosey on down and come to the Rally in the Valley and have a grand old time with us!

Thanks in advance.
Ride Safe - Ride Aware,

Jim Sharkey & Renee Starkweather – Virginia District Educators
Ken & Georgy Siadak – Assistant Virginia District Educators – East
Greg & Karen Kestner – Assistant Virginia District Educators – North
Nancy Wilkins – Assistant Virginia District Educator - West

(02/16/2007) - DISTRICT COY SELECTION - Hello! Or should I say "Howdy Y'all!",

Rally in the Valley is just about two months away, and I can hardly wait! Who doesn't look forward to a week spent with a thousand or so of your closest friends in such a beautiful setting?

With RITV comes the selection for the next wonderful couple to represent Virginia as the District Couple of the Year 2008. Wouldn't it be wonderful for that to be your Chapter COuple? There's only one way that can happen and that's with your encouragement and support to have them participate. Below is a copy of the message that I sent out to the chapter couples earlier today. Also attached is a copy of the document that explains the selection process.

Please give us a hand by strongly encouraging your chatper couple to participate.

Call if you have any questions, and thanks for your help!

Keri

Hello Everyone!

It's hard to believe, but Rally in the Valley is just about two months away. And with RITV fast approaching, it's time to gear up and get ready for the selection of the new District Couple to represent Virginia in 2008.

Attached is a document which outlines the details of the selection process. One thing that I want to make absolutely clear is that this is a fun, fun, fun thing to be involved with! I will make you a 100% guarantee, that if you talk to anyone who has participated in the DCOY selection in prior years, they will say it is one of the most memorable events of their reign. And of course, there is the traditional practical joke that the chapter couples play on the outgoing District Couple during the process ;-) . I can tell you that more than 7 years after Michael and I participated, I can still remember the rush I felt when we stepped out on stage and our chapter went nuts cheering. It's something you never forget.

For any of you that are on the fence about participating....I want you to consider what it will mean to your chapter to see you up on that stage. It is one way of paying the chapter back for selecting you to represent the chapter and for their support. It truly gives a chapter and the chapter directors a great sense of pride when their COYs participate in the selection process for District Couple of the Year.

If you would like to talk about the selection process, or would like to have some insight from someone who's been through the process, please feel free to call Mike and I at 540-368-3187, or Craig & Rose, and we'll be glad to help.

Thanks, Keri Nelson

(02/16/2007) - RALLY IDENTIFICATION - Chapter Directors and WebMasters, please be sure that you use the Trademark symbol ® whenever you reference Rally in the Valley®. It seems that another motorcycle organization has co-oped our name and refuses to cease using it. Their event takes place in Staunton, VA, and some people have expressed confusion at the two events occuring in such close proximity. It would cost an unreasonable amount in legal fees to fight this in court, even though we have exclusive rights to the name Rally in the Valley®. So please be sure to use the trademark symbol, and maybe even the words "Original" or "Real" in front of the name to let people know we were there first.

(02/09/2007) - CHAPTER DIRECTORS - To place an order for GWRRA Goodies for your Chapter from our District Treasurer Hank Brandenburg please download the following updated goodies order form.

(01/16/2007) - CD REMINDER - If you have an upcoming event, and would like your flyer included on the Virginia District Calendar of Events, please send me either a really good hard copy to scan or, preferably, an electronic copy (preferably in PDF or Word format). Or, if you have the flyer available on your Chapter WebSite, please notify me of the URL link directly to the flyer on your website, and I will include that in the Calendar description of your event. Please send the electronic copies and any responses to my home eMail at chooper@firstsaga.com

Please review the 2007 Calendar which is available on the District WebSite, to make sure that all of your significant events are listed, and that the description, date, location, and time (if available) are correct. We want to make sure that everyone gets all of the correct information. Also, if any of the information changes for the event in the future, please let me know so that I can make the change to the website. If we all work at it, we can make the District Website a very useful tool that everyone can use, and it can help build attendance at your events.

Also, please let me know of anything else that might be of interest to the rest of the District, and I will review it for inclusion in the District News section of the Main Page.

Keep up the good work about notifying me of meeting or event changes or cancellations, and notifications of participant events (i.e. deaths, births, marriages, significant events, etc.) These types of things keep people coming to the website and are interesting for the rest of our participants to read.

Don't forget to let me know about plaque captures, etc., too. That way we can help build attendance at your meetings.

All of you are doing a fantastic job, and I really appreciate all of your help. The District website has really become a place where people can come to find out the latest that is happening around the District. I can't keep it fresh without the information you guys provide me. This is OUR website - I just try to make the info attractive and current.

Thanks to you all.

Chris Hooper - GWRRA VA District WebMaster