Seventeen years ago a small group of avid motorcycle riders met to discuss forming a chapter in GWRRA. This was the beginning of Chapter B-3 in Obetz, Ohio. The meeting places have changed several times over the years and we have found ourselves back in Obetz thanks to some of our members who are residents there. The membership has grown to over forty with approximately thirty-five active members today.

The chapter is very appreciative of our Obetz home and we gladly donate our time to the community by participating in the seasonal activities they sponsor. The Easter egg hunt, the Halloween festivities, the Christmas parade, Zucchini Feast parade are several of the activities we assist with. We also donate to their local food pantry on a monthly basis with special donations at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Easter at Obetz after hiding eggs.

I’m sure most of you have seen our “yellow” shirts at all the rallies as we have donated out time at Buckeye Rally, Wing Ding and Region D Rally working the registration tables. This is a good way to meet and greet old friends and recruit new members. Our current member and Rider Ed, Harry Durbin has been selected as Ohio Educator of the Year for 2011, we are very proud of his accomplishment. Mary Bayes was also selected as Ohio Recruiter of the Year in 2010. Over the past year we have been selected as winners of the District Newsletter Awards for all four quarters and District Website Award for one. Our staff works hard on these and their efforts have paid off, thanks to Jeff Goldblatt and Jim.

Safety is one of the most important parts of B-3 and is stressed at every gathering. Seminars are planned following our chapter gatherings in the winter time, when we can’t get out and ride. They are Co-Rider, Team Riding, Trailering and many more. Our levels program is what we are most proud of with...
9 Members in Level 1,
3 in Level 2
10 in Level 3

Working Registration at Wing Ding

17 in Level 4 - (that includes 10 Masters, 5 Senior Masters and 2 Grand Masters). We also hold CPR & First Aid Training classes every winter.

Some of the other activities we have participated in for 2011 are New Year’s Day breakfast and ride (weather Permitting), Cabin Fever, attending auctions of several chapters, Race for the Cure, Ride for Kids, Central Section Ride, Buckeye Time Out, Toy Rides in Columbus and Mt. Vernon, Bike Show, Camp outs and Fun Days. Even with all of these activities we still find time to ride following our monthly gatherings, dinner rides, ice cream rides and at least one overnight ride during the summer months.

Chapter B-3 has always been known as a “riding chapter” and we plan to stay that way. We feel this is one reason our chapter has remained strong over the past 17 years and hope to encourage more chapters to do the same. The more active the chapter is the more likely the members will stay involved and new members will join.
We have worked hard over the years to represent G.W.R.R.A and really appreciate the honor of representing Ohio District as your Chapter of the Year for 2011.