GoldWing Touring Assc.
Of Michigan
Destination Friendship
Member Owned & Operated Since 1987
Gwta.org
Gwtaofmichigan.com
Eric Larson, State Director
[email protected]
517-290-1951/517-646-0256
Linda Jamros, Assistant State Director
[email protected]
810-599-8162/810-227-7460
May, 2015
So nice to see the pictures posted on Facebook showing all the
snowbirds returning to Michigan. Hopefully, everyone made it back
safely and is ready for the riding season to commence.
Our first State event was held in Jackson on April 11th at Ye Old
Carriage Shop, the Ella Sharp Museum, and Cellblock 7. We can’t say
enough about all the details, organization, and effort put forth by Tony
and Anna Edwards. The venues were very interesting and the
luncheon was tasty and plentiful. No one left hungry. Anna & Tony
went a step further with that and elegantly covered the tables and
decorated the room all on their own. They better watch out or we’ll
ask them to do it again next year. I think I can safely say that
everyone who attended had a very good time.
We had good
participation; people attended the events that interested them. There
was something for everyone. To top off our day, Ron & Bette Klann
were named the Michigan Family of the Year. They looked stunning
with their sashes and we are sure they will represent us well. They
have big shoes to fill following outgoing National Family of the Year,
Anna & Tony Edwards.
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. This annual awareness effort is
a statewide awareness campaign aimed at creating a broader
recognition of motorcycles in the overall transportation mix. A key
objective of the project is to reduce the number of motorcycle
accidents including injuries and deaths on Michigan's streets and
highways. The prime target audience for the campaign incorporates
both vehicle drivers and motorcycle operators. The principle issue is
to increase driver recognition of motorcyclists in traffic. However the
campaign also encourages motorcyclists to take an active role in the
safety efforts by taking training courses offered through the Michigan
Department of State, being licensed/endorsed, wearing the proper
riding attire including a DOT rated motorcycle helmet and high
visibility riding gear, maintaining their motorcycle so it is in good
operating condition and operating their motorcycles drug and alcohol
free within the rules of the road. To kick off this year’s event,
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is hosting a press conference on
Friday May 1st. Motorcyclists are encouraged to gather at Motor City
Harley Davidson, 34900 Grand River Ave, Farmington Hills, MI at 9:30
a.m. for a short ride with her to Schoolcraft College, 18600 Haggerty
Rd, Livonia, MI for a 10:30 a.m. press conference in the Jeffress
Center. As riders, we should all be concerned with doing something
to promote safety. There are safe riding tips on the state
motorcycle awareness
website
(www.michigan-motorcycleawareness.org) and riders across the state are encouraged to write a
letter to the editor of their local paper (a sample is available on the
website) to encourage all drivers and motorcyclists to be part of this
important safety awareness campaign. A flyer is attached with details
on the press conference.
We would encourage you to send in monies and ticket stubs for the
drawing taking place at Gold Rush. Anyone needing more tickets
should see their chapter director. Chapter Directors can contact Bob
or Kim Davis to replenish their supply.
Remember, the funds
generated by this drawing keep our organization alive and running.
We all benefit with each ticket sold.
Chapter W out of Otsego will be closing up shop and combining forces
with Chapter E. Their membership had dwindled and participation was
sparse. Chapter E has made the Chapter W members welcome and we
encourage any and all members to give Chapter E a chance to be your
new chapter. Consequently, the Chapter W Fun Run on August 8th is
no longer on the calendar.
May 9th is a combination Blessing of the Bikes/Motorcycle
Awareness/Bike Showing in Battle Creek at 5560 Beckley Road in the
Taco Bell Parking Lot. This will be an event featuring six different
riding groups in the Battle Creek area. The GWTA representatives
will be Chapter C, Ken Leche at the helm. Representatives of each of
these groups encourage the general public to stop by and learn more
about the positive aspects of motorcycling as well as joining a Battle
Creek based motorcycle club. There is a flyer attached with much
more detail than we can post here.
May 30th is the Chapter H, Livingston Wings Fun Run. This will be the
first fun run of the 2015 riding season and we hope to have perfect
weather for a day of riding, friendship, fun & food. The day starts out
at 10:30am at C&C Sports in Brighton on Saturday, May 30th. They
will be offering 15% off on parts and 15% off on any service
scheduled that day. The flyer is attached with all the details.
June 13th is the Chapter M Fun Run and blessing of the bikes. This
will take place at Stoney Creek Community Church 12:00 noon, and is
located on the corner of 26 Mile and Jewell in Washington Twp. The
address is 11711 26 Mile Rd Washington Mi 48094. This will be a
combined fun run with a Bike and Riders Blessing. The church and our
chapter are combining this event to support BOTH the church and
GWTA. So everyone come out and be ready to show off our
wonderful organization and hopefully get new recruits to join. This is
a new experience in supporting 2 groups into one and hopefully it will
help promote the church and GWTA. We are asking for a donation
going toward a charity. (At this time Chapter M is awaiting
confirmation on their charity choice).
That leads us up to the State Rally June 18th-21st at the Osceola
County Fairgrounds in Evart. The registration form is attached and we
look forward to counting you all as attending. If you are interested in
ordering a rally shirt, the deadline for those registrations to be handed
in is June 1st. The deadline for all other pre-registrations is June 6th.
Below is the sew-out showing the winning patch and the color shirt
that is on offer.
There promises to be a few surprises and some of the tried and true
events of previous rallies. Chris Larson has organized a couple of
games that she has labeled ‘Battle of the Chapters’. These events will
have a Family Feud game hosted by Chris that will team up four
members of each chapter against other chapters. Chris promises
this event has been test driven with great results.
Also, in the style of the floats that we assembled for 2014 Gold Rush
at Boyne, Chris has organized a contest being called ‘Get your “Pics”
on Route 66’. The idea is to construct a sight you would see while
traveling on Route 66. The parts and assembled pieces must start out
fitting into a box no bigger than a 4’x4’x 4’. It sounds interesting, we
have some very creative people that came up with some great floats
for Gold Rush 2014 and we know we won’t be disappointed. The flyer
is attached with complete details.
The Rally welcome hot dog roast is once again going to be held on
Thursday evening of the rally. The State will supply hot dogs, paper
products, condiments, & bottled water. We would like to open this up
to all attending to bringing a dish to pass. If you could drop Linda
Jamros a quick note if you would be bringing a dish, that would
prevent duplicate & triplicates of offerings. We have some great
cooks among us and this is your chance to shine!
This takes us thru the month of June. If anyone has questions on
anything mentioned above, don’t hesitate to forward them to Eric or
Linda.
Michigan State Calendar 2015
May 9th
May 30th
June 1-6
Chapter C Bike Blessing/Show/Awareness
Chapter H Fun Run
Americade
June 13th
June 18-21
June 27th
July 13-16
August 1st
August 8th
August 15th
Sept 5th
Sept 10-13
Sept 12th
Sept 10-13
October 2-5
Chapter M Fun Run
Michigan State Rally (Evart, MI)
Chapters A & N Fun Run
Gold Rush (Albuquerque, NM)
Chapter E Fun Run
Chapter W Fun Run(Cancelled)
Chapters G & H2 Fun Run
Das Essenhaus (Middlebury, IN)
Pennsylvania State Rally (Waterville, PA)
Chapter C Fun Run
Indiana State Rally
Michigan Fall Color Tour (Gaylord
Tentatively)