GWRRA VIRGINIA DISTRICT

Chapter of the Year (CHOY) Program

By Rick and Elsie Baker, District CHOY Coordinators

Did you know that Virginia Chapter B, Virginia Beach, is the Virginia District Chapter of the Year for 2008?  They will receive a check for $150.00 and a special plaque.  Virginia recognizes its top ten chapters each year and awards monetary prizes to the top three.  Would you like a piece of that action?  Well, then, read on.

The GWRRA Chapter of the Year (CHOY) program annually recognizes chapters, who have delivered the best GWRRA has to offer its members.  HQ GWRRA picks the winning GWRRA Chapter of the Year from Region Chapter of the Year selections.  Likewise, Regions pick from their Districts’ Chapter of the Year selections.  GWRRA created and designed the Chapter of the Year program to stimulate chapters to strive for excellence within their respective District and Region.  Upon doing so, the Districts / Regions, and National recognize and honor those chapters, who have achieved excellent results throughout the year.  At the end of each year, each District and Region review the best of the best and give recognition and honor accordingly.   Then, prior to Wing Ding, National reviews the Regions’ Chapter of the Year selection and select one chapter to receive the honor of GWRRA Chapter of the Year.

GWRRA developed the following criteria to aid and assist the Districts and Regions in their selection of their Chapter of the Year.

a. All “charter paid” GWRRA chapters worldwide are eligible to participate in the GWRRA Chapter of the Year Award.

b. Each District selects a Chapter of the Year, which demonstrates the greatest combined achievement in designated point categories and which meets the basic Qualifications criteria.

c. Each Region selects one outstanding Chapter that GWRRA compares to other Region chapters.

d. At Wing Ding, GWRRA presents The Chapter of the Year Award to one regional chapter that demonstrates the greatest combined achievement in the designated criteria.

To implement this program:

a. Virginia District Directors encourage Chapter Directors to make a top down assessment of their chapter programs and accomplishments, on or about 1 Jun each year, and CDs direct its programs and involve its participants with an eye also toward competing for the District Chapter of the Year.

b. Virginia District Directors will call for District CHOY nominations, due 1 November, from Assistant District Directors and Chapter Directors about 15 September.

c. The current Virginia CHOY Chapter Directors tell their chapter’s story in a one-page article each month in the District Newsletter expounding on their chapter’s recent successful activities, with photos and captions, and hype their upcoming activities for the next month.   Article also serves to motivate other chapters in the District to provide their participants the leadership and the programs that can compete favorably for the Chapter of the Year program.

VA District CHOY Awards:

a. $150.00 to 1^st Place with a plaque, $100.00 to 2^nd Place, and $50.00 to 3^rd Place.

b. District CHOY Awarded at the Wingless Weekend banquet.

c. Current First, Second, and Third place chapters have priority table seating at the Wingless Weekend and Rally In The Valley™ (RITV) Banquets.

d. The top ten District Chapters recognized in the District’s Newsletter and Website.

Facts:

Size of the chapter doesn’t matter since CHOY is based on accomplishments. 

Obviously, leadership has a big role in the success of a chapter, but participation is key.

Chapter Directors develop their own nomination submission.  Assistant District Directors, if assigned, assist their CDs and verify the chapter submissions.  District Directors further verify submissions and decide on the District Chapter of the Year by 31 December and notify District CHOY Coordinators to implement the awards part of the program.

Tennessee Chapter Y is the Region N Chapter of the Year for 2008 and was announced by Region Directors Frank and Kathy Albert at the TN Chapter Y Fun Day, 21 March 2009.

West Virginia CH B was the Region N Chapter of the Year for 2007.

Timeline:

     |                 |                                    |                           |                             |                            |

1 Nov         1 Dec                     31 Dec            5 Jan                    NLT 15 Feb            1  Sep

CDs              DCHOYs                DDs                DCHOYs Coord         DDs Nom         DCHOYs Coord

Submit        Recommend      Decide              Wingless Wkend       to RD               RITV