As we write this the Thanksgiving holiday is closing in on us which means that the Christmas Season is almost here.  Where has 2009 gone?  It barely seems but yesterday that we were preparing for our Region “A” officer’s meeting and gearing up for the various District officer meetings.  The time has gone quickly but we have thoroughly enjoyed the year.  With all things considered, it’s been a pretty good 2009!

       We’d like to begin with thanking the members of the Region “A” staff for a great job in 2009.  Jim and Sue Jackson, Bob and Karla Greer, Ed Porter, Chuck and Anne Reed, Buddy Shirley, Dave and Sharon Aikens, Ray and Cindy Erickson along with Jake and Joanne Jacob have all performed magnificently and we (Nan and I) couldn’t have managed the Region without them.  Our sincerest appreciation for all that you guys have done and for making the 2009 Region “A” rally in Dothan a success!  You couldn’t ask for a better staff or group of friends!

       To our various Districts in Region “A”, we owe you a debt of gratitude also.  We turned over three of our District Directors in 2009.  Bill and Gina Berry replaced Ed and Jeannette Carr, Charles and Kathy Coleman replaced Carl and Donna Blackston and Carlos and Dee Lozano replaced Bill and Betty Livingston.  Our remaining District Directors, Roy and Anita Fosnight in Alabama along with Gregg and Pat Harbison in Mississippi continued in place during the year.  A big thanks to you folks and your staffs for all you’ve done for the members of GWRRA during 2009.  With the turnover of three District Directors in the same year it has posed a challenge for everyone involved, but the out-going and in-coming officers have done their best to make the transitions smooth.

       We had the pleasure of attending all five District rallies in the Region in 2009 and each of them was a success.  Each was well attended and had a good selection of vendors.  The respective District staffs worked hard to make the events enjoyable and fun.  Having a good time at a rally, chapter poker run or other GWRRA event is also a matter of having the right approach.  It’s a cliché but true that you get out of these events what you put into them.  Given the state of the national economy (10.2% unemployment at this moment), we’d say that things went about as good as could be expected and the folks who attended the various rallies enjoyed themselves and got their money’s worth.  We look forward to a great rally season in the Region for 2010.

       A major problem we’ve all faced in 2009 has been declining membership numbers in the Region.  This has also been a persistent problem throughout GWRRA.  Some Districts have experienced greater losses than others, but on average we are down about 5% overall for 2009 in Region “A”.  We have discussed and dissected this very tough problem numerous times and we won’t rehash it here, but suffice to say that it is an issue we are still struggling to get under control.  We have begun a new emphasis on contacting all the new members listed in the monthly ARLs and inviting them to a chapter event or meeting.  If we don’t get the new members involved with a chapter, most of them will join the ranks of the expired members within the next year.  Experience shows that most new members who never get integrated into chapter life allow their membership(s) expire after the first year.  Let’s reach out to those new folks and get them involved in our great Association so that they stay and become productive members.  If we can entice the new members to become active participants we will not only help address our membership problem but potentially bring some new workers into the chapters which will relieve some of the old timers of duties they may have been performing for a long time.  

       We are eagerly anticipating our 2010 Region “A” rally in Eufaula, AL at the Lakepoint Lodge September 16^th, 17th and 18^th.  The Lodge if filling rapidly and if you want to stay at the host hotel then you need to register and get your room reservation quickly.  Lakepoint Lodge has been the scene of many past GWRRA rallies (really good ones, too) and we are looking forward to a fantastic event next September.

       Lastly, members of the Region “A” staff will be attending each of the District Officer Meetings in January.  We won’t all be able to attend each one for logistical reasons, but the Region staff will be well represented at each.  We aren’t there to take over anyone’s meeting but to be there in a support role if needed.  We’re there to answer any questions and assist the respective District when asked.

       We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming GWRRA event soon and Merry Christmas to everyone.

Bob & Nan

       Hello Region “A”.  2009 is closing pretty fast on us and November had some really nice riding days and I hope you took advantage of those very nice cool sunny days.........I know I rode everyday that I could and it was one of the best Novembers weather wise for our area in the Southeast that I can recall.  During December there will be many Christmas parades to ride in and many Chapter Christmas parties to attend so please be care and enjoy the Season.  

       2009 was really fine and filled with GWRRA events in the Southeast Region “A” and I hope you took the time to attend a couple of the Region’s rallies cause we had some good ones and some good times.  There were many Chapter activities and District picnics that filled the summer months and Sue and I had some memory makers that will last a lifetime.  We look forward to 2010 and again many more good times in GWRRA.

       Sue and I hope each of you have the best Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ever and we look forward to seeing many of you on the road in 2010.

       Warmest Regards,

Jim & Sue 

Recruitment and Retention

(A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action)

       We hear a lot about Recruitment and Retention (R&R) in GWRRA but do we do anything about it? This article lists a few ideas. If the Chapter already has an R&R plan, thank you very much and I hope it is working well for you. If you do not have an R&R plan, please give some of the following a try. Not much too loose and a whole lot to gain.

        At the Chapter staff meeting or at a regular monthly gathering bring up the subject or ask the question, “What can we do in this Chapter to improve the recruiting and retention efforts?” You are sure to get a few great ideas that will work for your group. Here are just a few successful ideas that we have seen.

        How about putting some of those old Wing World magazines to work for you. Our home Chapter, Georgia Chapter A’s Chapter Director, Bob McCroskey, had an excellent idea for using them. Bob made a nice 2” x 4” label to cover the pre-printed address block and to protect identity of the member. These are made from Avery 5163 (Inkjet) or Avery 8163 (Laser) self adhesive labels, 10 per page. He put Chapter information on the label and gave all Chapter participants 10 labels. He asked them to put the labels on old Wing World Magazines and leave them in offices in the area. As a result of Bob’s idea, there are dozens in offices all over the Chapter area. Occasionally someone new visits the Chapter as a result of seeing a Wing World Magazine in some doctor’s office or someplace else. Use your imagination on where these could be distributed. Bob Greer recently had jury duty and took 2 -3 Wing World Magazines to the court house jury holding room. It looks something like this when placed on a Wing World Magazine.

       I cannot over emphasize the importance of goal setting or having an action plan for the Chapter. Be sure that it is something that you can measure. Be sure that it is something that you have control over. Be sure that you tell others what is in it for them. Be sure to positively communicate any changes. A goal or vision might be to increase Chapter participation by 3 families in the next 12 months. That is a great goal but what can / are you going to do to accomplish this goal. If you simply set the goal, sit back and wait, chances are nothing will change. If you make an action plan that the staff has suggested and the Chapter participants buy into, then you have a good start.

        The action plan might be: 1) Encourage all Chapter members will put a 2” x 4” label on their old Wing World Magazines and place them in offices around the community as they visit (be sure to ask the office for permission). 2) Encourage all Chapter members to keep at least one of these Wing World Magazines with the Chapter sticker in each family vehicle to share with other motorcyclists. 3) Put an advertisement in local newspaper in the “Community Briefs” section about the local gathering (this is normally free). 4) Have a mall show in April each year to show our Gold Wings and solicit new GWRRA memberships. We are sure the Chapter can come up with more.

        How about retention. This has been a big emphasis over the past year as GWRRA members are leaving faster than we can recruit new members. New members need to know about local gatherings and rides. When they visit they need to feel welcomed and a part of the group. Many Chapters do a great job of ensuring new Chapter participants are introduced and current Chapter participants take the time to great and welcome them. However, what is being done to make these new Chapter participants feel welcome the 2^nd or 3^rd visit or getting them involved? Think about someone that recently visited the Chapter gathering. Now…. What was their name? What kind of motorcycle do they ride? Where do they live? Do they have children? The point being, do you really know them and have they really been made to feel a part of the local Chapter? New members and new Chapter participants will renew their GWRRA memberships if they are involved and having fun in local Chapters.

        On or about the 10^th of each month a listing is sent to all Chapters within GWRRA. What is so neat about this monthly “Area Report” is that all the hard work has already been done. The list that each Chapter receives only has GWRRA members or prospective members that live near your particular Chapter. These monthly listings list all new members within the Chapter area that have joined GWRRA in the previous month. They list anyone within the Chapter area who has contacted GWRRA (prospective members) and shown some interest or has a question about GWRRA. It lists all members within the Chapter area whose memberships are expiring the next month. It lists all members in the Chapter area whose memberships have been expired two months previously. Although everyone on all these lists should be contacted by the Chapter Membership Enhancement Coordinator (MEC) every month, the list of expiring and expired members would get smaller and smaller if just all the new and prospective members were contacted and became involved with the local Chapter. That personal contact is so important. In this modern computer era it is just so easy to send an “e-mail”. It is so much better and personal (not to mention being able to answer questions) when a person to person telephone call is made. This could be a Chapter Retention Action Plan . . . . Make a personal call to everyone on every tab of every monthly Area Report. In any given month this is only 2 – 3 calls for a Chapter. If the Chapter doesn’t have a Chapter MEC, appoint one or have someone else on the Chapter staff take on this responsibility.

        In January and July every year, there is a FULL Area Report published and distributed to every Chapter in GWRRA that lists all GWRRA members that live within a Chapter area. Zip Codes determine which Chapter these members fall into (with the exception of Chapter overrides). This listing is a great tool for calling local members who no longer participate in local Chapter activities or have never participated in Chapter activities. So many times, Chapter Directors (CD) or Chapter Membership Enhancement Coordinators (MEC) do not take advantage of this wonderful retention tool. Too many times this FULL Area Report is totally ignored or when it is being reviewed members on the list which are not known or recognized by the CD or MEC are not called and invited to local gatherings and rides. These are the exact members that should be called from these FULL Area Reports. Many have never been contacted. Many of them don’t even know about local Chapter activities.

        We all talk about Recruitment and Retention but do we really DO SOMETHING about it? Hopefully some of the ideas listed above will help you with a Recruitment and Retention Plan. A well thought out and designed R&R Plan, when implemented, WILL result in Chapter growth. Good luck.

Bob & Karla 

       What a year this has been!  All the paperwork tells me that Sharon and I are retired, but I don’t think we’ve ever been as busy as we have been this year.  Training has been going gangbusters throughout Region “A”, thanks to all our District Trainers and their instructors.  I’m sure the upcoming New Year will prove to be just as busy and challenging.

       Speaking of challenging, our main focus next year will be in meeting the challenge set by the National Leadership Training Division.  By Wing Ding in Des Moines, we have been challenged to train all our chapter officers in the Chapter Leadership Skills Program, all District Staffs in the Intermediate Skills Program, and all Region Staffs in the Advanced Leadership Program.  Whew!  The greatest part of the challenge will be in getting our chapters proactively involved.  All I can say is be positive when presenting this to our chapters, and be flexible in scheduling the classes to accommodate everyone’s schedules and availability.  There will be the usual staff changes next month that we must consider and deal with as well.  All our new officers should be encouraged to participate in all the training that is available to make their job easier. 

       With that said, Sharon and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a GREAT New Year.

Dave & Sharon