gold wing road riders association friends for fun, safety & knowledge - lakeland fireballs may...

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May 2020

Gold Wing Road Riders Association

Monthly Chapter

Gathering

is

cancelled for May

Chapter Directors

Ed & Dottie Bahrenburg

(607) 427-8777

[email protected]

2020 Couple of the Year

Kenny & Deb Weberman

There will be a

Team Meeting

On the 18th

@ 6:30 PM

Providence Fire Department

8936 US Hwy 98N

2017 Florida District

Chapter of the Year

National Director National Assistant Director Florida District Directors

Jere Goldman Bob Shrader Bill & Cheryl Smith

Friends for Fun, Safety & Knowledge

Rick & Madalena Buck

Assistant District Directors

District Contact for the Fireballs

Stay safe!

WWW.lakelandfireballs.org

How many of you are go-

ing stir crazy? Dottie and

I are even though we are

blessed with good health,

a porch to sit on and nu-

merous neighbors passing

by to converse—at proper

social distancing! We cer-

tainly miss our normal ac-

tivities of riding, eating

out and seeing our many

friends who do not live in

our neighborhood. As I

am writing this, it appears

that the restrictions will

be loosening sometime in

May.

Your Chapter Team has

decided to cancel the May

Gathering as we jointly

feel it is too soon to go to

a very crowded place

even if we are permitted

to do so. At our next

Team meeting we will dis-

cuss how we want to re-

sume activities. The gen-

eral consensus at this

time to have some picnic/

brown bag rides but we

need to see what places

will be open. We will let

you know via the Happen-

ings, our webpage and

the closed Chapter Face-

book pages. We have a

theme etc. for our Chap-

ter Rally next January and

I know the information

was sent out via the Hap-

penings and it is on our

webpage.

In other GWRRA news,

National has really opened

up the idea of doing train-

ing via ZOOM. Having par-

ticipated in numerous

ZOOM calls, it is easy and

FUN. Those of us in the

Rider Education Levels pro-

gram have been given an

increased deadline to com-

plete classes due to the vi-

rus. Details are available

on the National site. Closer

to home, there has not yet

been a date given to hold

the drawing for the bike. It

depends on when Florida

will allow us to mass gath-

er. I am sure it will be well

advertised once a date is

released.

As far as I know all our

members are healthy so

we must be doing some-

thing right. Several of our

snowbirds have made it

home safely and have had

to deal with SNOW while

sheltering in place.

Wash those hands and

keep at distance!

ED Bahrenburg

CD for the FireBalls


Chapter Director

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the Coro-navirus as it relates to mo-torcycling. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and I DID NOT stay at a Holiday Inn Express. (That’s a joke if you don’t get the refer-ence.) So, how do we deal with the Coronavirus threat as it pertains to us, “The Motorcyclists”? Let’s start with what should be our safety prem-ise anyway when we are permitted to ride. ATGATT-All The Gear All The Time. Let’s look at how wearing the appropriate safety gear can help prevent the spread of a virus. Start with the helmet: Leave your face shield down while talking to other people. Its kind of makes it hard to hug or kiss someone with your helmet still on. If you sneeze, although messy, at least you are keeping your germs to yourself. It’s also hard to accidentally touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your face shield is down. Your gloves: Leave your gloves on when you get off your bike at the gas sta-tion. Try getting your money or credit card out and back into your wallet with your gloves still on. Wipe off you credit card with disinfectant after each use. Punch any key pads with your glove covered finger and operate the

pump handle with your gloves still on. If you acci-dentally go to shake someone’s hand your glove will serve as a barrier. Keep your jacket on just in case you accidentally lean up against something you should not have. I hope I don’t have to mention ex-posed legs as well. Some additional safety precautions being told to us by governmental offi-cials are: Avoid Crowded Places. Do Not Use Public Transportation. Stay in Well Ventilated Places. Keep A Safe Distance Be-tween You and Others. And finally: Maintain A Positive Attitude. Well, I don’t know about you but I think I can accomplish all of those restrictions by “Riding My Motorcycle”. We have been riding our motorcycle, when it is permitted, during this pan-demic. We have noticed an increase in bicyclists, boaters, and other motor-cyclists. These are all good ways to get out of the house yet stay spread apart from others. Be careful around small family member’s children. The common reaction when greeting them would be to hug and kiss them. Remember small children are more likely to be carri-ers of the Coronavirus without catching it

themselves or showing any symptoms. Just a quick training note: Before the Coronavirus Re-strictions arrived, we were working on a much-needed Rider Training Site for GWRRA members in the Tampa area. The restrictions came and any possible Riding Sites we were considering were put on hold. It is unknown when the avail-ability of these sites will be-come open or when the coun-try gets back on track. As soon as we know anything about a Riding Site, we will let you know. Many of us are in need of Riding Courses. You are NOT being penalized if anything in your Levels Pro-gram requirements have ex-pired after January 1st, 2020. You have a grace period until December 31st, 2020 to take any necessary courses to be-come current. Take care of your health and stay safe when you are al-lowed to ride. Dominick & Diane

Dominick & Diane DeSiato Rider Education

Coronavirus and Motorcycling

Henry Ford used to say,

"Service isn't always

good, but if it isn't good,

it can't be service". To

fully appreciate how a

Chapter provides service

to the Member's we

should first define

"Service". According to

the dictionary, service is

the act of providing aid,

or a helpful activity - and

taking Mr. Ford's quote

into consideration; it has

to be done well. ' WOW',

that is exactly what we

do. I believe we do it ex-

ceptionally well!!! Mem-

bers are always willing to

help another Member -

whether it is a needed re-

pair to their Gold Wing (or

any brand) or help with a

project around their

home. In times of need,

GWRRA Members are al-

ways there - even for to-

tal strangers who called a

number from the GOLD

BOOK.

Chapter Educators pro-

vide potentially life- sav-

ing advice on safe riding

plus helpful information

on maintaining our mo-

torcycles. Whether it is

Rider Ed. training on im-

proving our riding skills or

Leadership Training bene-

fiting our personal or pro-

fessional life, GWRRA train-

ing is always of the highest

quality. For GWRRA Mem-

bers, help, or service, is

never farther away that

the nearest telephone. I

am sure everyone can

think of many other things

which will support this

"VISION" statement for

GWRRA........

THE MORE YOU KNOW. THE BETTER IT GETS!!!!!!!

NOW YOU KNOW

Membership Enhancement

Jim & Alice Bontrager

Memorial Day

In May 1868, General John

A. Logan, the commander-

in-chief of the Union veter-

ans’ group known as the

Grand Army of the Republic,

issued a decree that May 30

should become a nationwide

day of commemoration for

the more than 620,000 sol-

diers killed in the recently

ended Civil War. On Decora-

tion Day, as Logan dubbed

it, Americans should lay

flowers and decorate the

graves of the war dead

“whose bodies now lie in al-

most every city, village and

hamlet churchyard in the

land.” It is believed that he

took the idea from a group

of women in Columbus,

Georgia that were commit-

ted to performing a remem-

brance of fallen soldiers on

a yearly bases during the

Civil War.

The very first Decoration Day at the Arlington Nation-al cemetery had 5000 par-ticipants that helped to decorate the graves of 20,000 Union and Confeder-ate soldiers. The south-ern states had different days throughout the year that they continued to per-form this remembrance. After World War I when the meaning of Memorial Day changed from honoring civil war dead to honoring Amer-icans who died fighting in any war all states began performing their remember-

-brance day on May 30th of

each year.

It was after World War I in

1918 when Canadian Lieu-

tenant Colonel John McCrae

wrote a poem.

“In Flanders Fields”

In Flanders fields the pop-

pies blow. Between the

crosses, row on row, That

mark our place; and in the

sky. The larks, still bravely

singing, fly. ...

We are the Dead. Short

days ago. We lived, felt

dawn, saw sunset glow, ...

Take up our quarrel with

the foe: To you from failing

hands we throw. The torch;

be yours to hold it high.

This was his way of given

voice to all the soldiers that

died and laid buried under

the poppies on Flanders

Field. Later that year Moina

Michael in her efforts to ger

the red poppies to be the

flower worn on Memorial

Day wrote this poem;

“We Shall Keep the Faith”

Oh! you who sleep in Flan-

ders Fields,

Sleep sweet - to rise anew!

We caught the torch you

threw

Rita Willis

Newsletter Editor’s May Message

And holding high, we keep

the Faith

With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy

red

That grows on fields where

valor led;

It seems to signal to the

skies

That blood of heroes never

dies,

But lends a lustre to the

red

Of the flower that blooms

above the dead

In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and

Poppy Red

We wear in honor of our

dead.

Fear not that ye have died

for naught;

We'll teach the lesson that

ye wrought

In Flanders Fields. see page 7

For over a century it was

know as Decoration Day

until 1964, four years

later in 1968 the holiday

was moved from May

30th to the last Monday

of May. Veteran groups

were against this change

and still are today. Their

fear was that Americans

would forget the reason

for the holiday instead

just thinking of it as the

first long weekend to

kick off the beginning of

Summer. In a lot of

ways they were right.

Memorial Day was de-

clared a national holiday

in 1971 and the follow-

ing are formal and infor-

mal observance we as

Americans should follow;

Formal Observance of

Memorial Day:

Wear a red poppies

on Memorial day to hon-

or those who died serv-

ing the United States

during war.

At 3 p.m. local time,

Americans should pause

for a moment of silence

or listen to “Taps”.

Visit cemeteries and

place flags or flowers on

the graves of veterans.

Visit a memorial.

Continued from page 6

GWRRA Anniversary

Stormee Lupo 1999

Lee Swanson 2008

Lee Swanson May 6th

Stormee Lupo May 8th

Bill Barry May 12th

Alan Darr May 13th

Frank King May 14th

Gina Berry May 20th

Mary Bailey May 22nd

Susan Prentice May 23rd

Mike & Rita Willis May 5th

Attend a parade to

honor fallen heroes.

Informal Observance

of Memorial Day:

Family and friends

get together for a

Picnic.

Unofficial kick-off

of the summer sea-

son.

As the holiday draws

near this month

please keep this and

our lost love ones in

your hearts and

thoughts.

Rita

2020 Fireballs

Kenny is trying to portray

himself as a Little Devil but

everyone knows he is too

nice for that image!

Ed & Mike’s ideas of placing

their bikes in quarantine.

Knew this wasn’t going to

last!

A challenge was placed on Facebook

for the way out ideas our members

had for passing time during the

quarantine. Here are the results.

The challenge is still on so come on

people, I know you can do better.

Ed took up fishing during

his quarantine. What was

he fishing for? Not sure

but I think he caught a

Wine Fish

Mike, decided that he liked

Kenny’s hair style. I gave

him a perm!

Meet our newest members,

Waylon & Bev Gillis

The prices for advertising in our Monthly Newsletter are as

follows:

(Yearly Rates)

$25—business card

$50—1/4 page

$100—1/2 page

$150—full page

Page 12


Chapter Directors

2448 Snowy Plover

Lakeland FL

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