Ohio now has three couples who started as Chapter Couples and in a few short months advance to GWRRA International Couple of the Year. Enjoy their experiences.
1993 / 1994 International Couple - Greg & Joyce Burton Chapter J
A Message From Greg & Joyce
The GWRRA Couple of the Year (COY) program is a wonderful way to meet new friends, as well as open doors if you are interested in becoming more active in the organization.
It’s hard to believe that, here in the year 2004, it has been twelve years since our COY experience began. As Chapter J newsletter editors, we were honored in late 1992 to be selected as the Chapter J couple, and didn’t realize at the time what was ahead of us. In February of 1993 we met some other wonderful couples from across the state as we “competed” for Ohio District COY at the Cabin Fever Rally. Next stop in April was Spring Fling, the Tennessee District Rally, where the Region D COY competition was held (that was when the Region was composed of five states – Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee). You can imagine how we felt when we were announced as the Region D COY, especially being the first Ohio couple to bring that honor back to Ohio. Two months later, we were off to Wing Ding in Louisville, Kentucky, where we met couples from all across the United States as well as Canada (the following year, “National COY” was changed to “International COY” to recognize our Canadian friends). Standing outside in the sunshine at Wing Ding Opening Ceremonies and hearing our names called once again was an amazing feeling and honor.
Over the following year, we attended the Region F Rally in Albuquerque (where a local dealer graciously loaned us a Gold Wing for the weekend since we had flown to the event), the Region B Rally in New Jersey, a Cleveland Clinic Children’s Toy Run, and the Rider Rally in Richmond, Kentucky. We also attended all the District Rallies in Region D, as well as the West Virginia District Rally, visited many of the Ohio Chapters across the state, and participated in other Ohio Chapter-sponsored events. We also had the privilege of getting to know the Ohio and Region D staffs, other Regional Directors, as well as the National Staff from Phoenix (to this day, we still exchange emails with one of our favorite couples, Shirley and Benny).
At that time Mike Wright was the Region D Director, and asked us to join his staff as the Region D Public Relations Directors. Towards the end of our COY tour, Mike accepted the position of Executive Director of GWRRA, and asked us to join the National Staff as Directors of the new Member Enhancement Division (MED) which included Public Relations, the COY Program, Fun Activities, and Recruiting and Retention. Starting with a “blank sheet of paper,” we established MED positions for each of those areas, created and published the first-ever Fun Activities Guide, wrote a Public Relations Guide, and were involved in many other activities. Although there was a lot of work involved, the upside was that we continued to make new friends.
Being the first Region and International COY from Ohio, we also had the pleasure of “mentoring” Carl and Judy Williams from Chapter T2, who we were so proud of the following year when they followed in our footsteps as the Ohio, Region D, and International COY!
While we are no longer active members of GWRRA, we will always cherish our fond memories of being Chapter, District, Region and International COY. We recommend the Couple of the Year program to anyone who wants to expand their involvement and fun times with GWRRA.
Greg and Joyce Burton
1993-1994 International Couple of the Year
1994 / 1995 International Couple - Carl & Judy Williams Chapter T2
A Message from Carl & Judy
What other organization bestows the honor of Couple of the Year to a couple who is active and more importantly are themselves? Gold Wing Road Riders is the answer. Couples always ask what do you have to do to be a Chapter Couple of the Year. The universal answer is “Be yourselves”. The COY designation is designed to honor couples who take an active part in their Chapter life and represent the motto of GWRRA, “Friends for Fun, Safely and Knowledge”.
As the first International COY for 1994-1995, we were thrilled to be selected at Wing Ding XVI at Albuquerque, New Mexico to represent GWRRA. The events leading up to that overwhelming day on July 4, 1994 were filled with attending many Chapter meetings all over the District of Ohio and a number of Regional events. We enjoyed meeting and making so many new friends. Some of the events included Sea World for March of Dimes, Special Wish Chapter cruise-in, Columbus Children’s Hospital Toy Run, GWRRA Blood Donation Day, Poker Run for Leukemia, Mall Shows, Bike Shows and many special rides. While International COY, we traveled to 6 different state and region rallies and continued to make many new friends. Looking back, what we remember the most is the special way people treated us and what an honor it was to represent our organization.
While all the traveling was going on, we managed to achieve Level 4, the Master Tour Level in the Safety program, Chapter Newsletter Editor, Chapter Ride Coordinator, Assistant Chapter Director and Chapter Director and National Fun Directors. As National Fun Directors, we greatly expanded the Fun Activity Guide, which is available on the GWRRA web site. Currently, we are Chapter T2’s Chapter Educators and Awards Presenters, have accumulated over 125,000 Gold Wing miles and have motorcycled in 48 states, 3 Canadian providences and Nova Scotia.
A number of people would come up to us and say, “We could never be a Chapter COY let alone be the International Couple! We can not speak in public.” Our response is that Carl was so quiet before we were selected Chapter COY that nobody knew his name. How that changed after being selected OH T2 COY! Judy tells everyone if you can speak to your friends about something you know and enjoy like GWRRA, what is the difference in speaking in front of 10 Chapter members or 250 District members or 10,000 Wing Ding members.
Based on our wonderful experience as Chapter, District, Region and International COY, I would whole heartedly encourage GWRRA couples to accept their Chapters nomination as Couple of the Year. And, if you want to extend the fun, strongly consider participating in the COY selection process. It is the opportunity of a life time for which you will always remember.
Carl and Judy Williams
1994-1995 International Couple of the Year
cawilliams@woh.rr.com
2006 / 2007 International Couple - Jim & Brenda Pennington Chapter L
A Message from Jim & Brenda
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Our Idea of Having Fun – Runnin’ Down the GWRRA Road
For many years, even before we joined GWRRA in January 1985, we had been known as the “Road Runners.” Now, we continue to enjoy runnin’ down the GWRRA road as the GWRRA International Couple of the Year for 2006-2007. This bit of “road” we have been running has taken us across the United States (including Alaska) and Canada. So far, this International Road has been an absolutely awesome ride – our idea of having fun!
Runnin’ down new roads and visiting with the GWRRA family is what we have been doing. A week after Wing Ding 28 we left on a trip to Alaska that had been in the planning for over a year. Traveling with us were three other couples who are long time friends and GWRRA members. Tom & Kathy Peck and Tom & Carolyn Jarrell from Tennessee and Butch Royse and Judy Wyckoff our Ohio Chapter “L” friends.
On our way westward we attended Region E Minnesota District Rally and Region I Washington District Rally. As we headed into the Great Northwest Region J and into Alaska we were able to get together with the Alaska District Directors and many of the members from Alaska Chapter P in Soldotna for dinner, and met with Alaska Assistant District Directors and quite a few members from Anchorage Chapter A and Matanuska Valley Chapter M for dinner. They had an ice cream ride planned for us (true Wingers!) but it was rained out.
We headed back into Canada and found that someone had discovered our itinerary and on our descent back towards the Lower 48 we were surprised in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. When we arrived at our hotel there to greet us was the Yukon District Director and Yukon Chapter A Director. They informed us that their chapter planned a BarBQ in our honor. We had plans to go over to Skagway AK and ride the White Pass and Yukon Railroad that day. The train ride was exciting and when we got back to the motorcycles after the ride, lo and behold – there were 7 Yukon Chapter A members there to escort us back the 110 miles to the BarBQ. We had the privilege to ride with our new found Canadian GWRRA friends from the Great Northwest back to the party.
We had a quick ride across Canada so we would be in time for an overnight stay at home including laundry and bike wash before going to the Region D Rally in Lebanon IN the next day.
We were “runnin’ down the road” for 49 days (and 12,153 miles) and loved every minute of it – Jim on R & R (retired & riding) and Brenda, his tank-to-tank gal, completed their Alaska Odyssey and realized a dream had come true!
They say there’s no place like home and our home GWRRA Chapter L yes! in Cincinnati OH makes that statement very true. They had a “very much of a surprise” welcome home reception for us with about 125 members in attendance and included our children and grandchildren in the surprise. This is where our “ride” began as Chapter Couple of the Year for Chapter L Ohio and we never dreamed of the awesome International Couple of the Year road that was before us. Thank you Chapter L, District of Ohio and Region D for your support.
Then we got on the road again and traveled to North Carolina District Rally, Region N in Fletcher NC; Virginia District Rally, Region N in Salem VA; Mississippi District Rally, Region A in Biloxi MS; the Northeast Fun Shop, Region B, in Vernon CT; as well as over 20 chapter meetings or activities in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Everywhere we go everyone is very friendly and all seem to really be having a great time – and we do too – this is our idea of having fun! We are excited and looking forward to a FUN-tastic 2007 rally season as well as all the other GWRRA activities and events we can attend.
February - Cupid’s Capers Weekend in Murfreesboro TN – followed by Cabin Fever Weekend in Columbus OH then the Winter Rendezvous Weekend in Indianapolis IN and the next weekend the Wingless Weekend in Lansing MI. March - Florida District Rally, Region A, Kissimmee FL; then over to Region H Rally, Marshall TX then back to Alabama District Rally, Region A, Mobile AL. April - Tennessee District Rally, Region N, Pigeon Forge TN. May - South Carolina District Rally, Region N, Spartanburg NC and Indiana District Rally, Region D, Portland IN. June - Region N Rally, Maggie Valley NC followed by the Ohio District Rally, Region D, Marietta OH. July – the climax of our exciting journey for the year will take place at Wing Ding 29 in Billings! Visiting with YOU the members, the GWRRA family, is what this road runnin’ is all about and our idea of having fun!
We feel that as International Couple, we are “Fun Ambassadors for GWRRA” – that’s what the Couple of the Year program promotes -- FUN. If people do not have “fun” then how can we expect them to stay around for our “safety and knowledge?” Since we are both retired this is something we wanted to do and are honored to be representing the ideals of GWRRA as we travel. Watch for us as we’ll be wearing our western hats and happy faces! As we stated in our presentation at Wing Ding …
”We’re still here, still doing it, and still loving it!
"The “Road Runners” … Jim & Brenda Pennington - 28867 & 28867-01
2006 2007 International Couple |