Having been a Chapter for 20 years, we have a vast wealth of knowledge among our participants. Our staff members total 32. What a great staff we have--each with a job or two, and no one has to be asked twice to get something done. Our annual picnic runs itself. So planning a 20th Anniversary party might be expected to be a snap, right?
It was.
About six months prior to the event, and with the help of one of our wisest participants, we invited Paul & Dottie Hildebrand to our party. Twenty years is quite a feat. Guess what they said? They’d plan to come. Cool! We were to have GWRRA Member Number 1, one of the founders. But we had to keep the secret of our special guest. I was afraid we would run out of seats and our regulars wouldn’t be able to attend. We had most of the 112 seats sold about five months ahead of time. All guests were told was a special guest was coming and don’t delay.
They didn’t.
Mitzi Krauss headed our Banquet committee. She put five Chapter participants together to organize the event. We had freebies for all attending that included a magnetic address book with our Chapter logo engraved on it, and a commemorative pin (destined to be a collector’s item). Don & Betsy Tillman designed a belt buckle that even had a brief history of the Chapter on the back of it.
But three days before the banquet, we got the news I feared the most. Paul & Dottie had to cancel. Dottie had a bad reaction to some medication and had a trip to the hospital. She’s fine now, thank goodness. But even though their plans changed, we honored them as founders and for all their hard work. If not for Paul and Shirley, most of us would never have met. Paul and National honored our Chapter with a plaque in recognition for 20 years. I then presented that plaque to Joe & Betty Smith (#366) as they were our first Chapter Directors (Area Reps). We had most of the past Directors in attendance.
At our annual banquet, we hold our special recognitions for the year. As out-going Directors, Deneen & I had honors for our staff members and our assistants Bob & Marcy Gabriele. They’re a great couple and former District COYs. Our high mileage award was also presented. Our District Directors, Frank & Roseanne Zupcic, and this year’s District COY, Orv & Bonnie McConnell, partied with us.
We had the transfer the of adoption (an annual event) of our Red Dog (a huge stuffed animal). Red Dog went from John & Charlene Hirst (our Chapter Couple and 2002 PA District Couple) to John & Michele DeHaven (also past Chapter COYs). Red Dog came with a few pups (we don’t know how that happened). John & Charlene are the fourth District COYs from Chapter A. Not bad.
Mitzi also performed her rendition of Marilyn Monroe’s Happy Anniversary to the Chapter. We danced. We ate. We danced some more. We ate some more. (We’re Gold Wingers, after all.) By night’s end, a very nice time was had by all, and our Chapter A weekend was only half over.
We had our regular monthly gathering the next morning in the same hotel where we had the banquet. Sixty Members were present at our breakfast gathering.
So what's the secret to 20 years as a Chapter? Keep ’em laughing. Just have fun.
A History of Chapter PA-A: 1981-2001
Joe and Betty Smith, GWRRA Members (#366 and #366-01) since September 1978, waited for a Chapter to start in the southeast Pennsylvania area.
In the summer of 1979, with plans completed for a cross-country trip to California, Joe called the Arizona number for GWRRA and requested information on where to meet Paul & Sam Hildebrand, the founders. Paul himself asked when and how near the Smiths would be to Phoenix. "October in Ruidoso, New Mexico, to attend the 10th annual Aspencade," said Joe emphatically. Paul, in his most beguiling manner said, "Come a month earlier, attend our Wing Ding and forget about Aspencade, because this will be the start of something big." The challenge had been made! Joe & Betty got to Phoenix three days early for the first Wing Ding, and met Paul & Sam, along with several others on the rally committee.
Through 1980 and early 1981 there were still no GWRRA Chapters in PA, although more people were going to Wing Ding each year. In mid-June 1981, Joe & Betty timidly called the Arizona number again. Paul said he would contact the Region Director. In no time at all, Dick Knapp, Region A Director (the entire East Coast was Region A then) called, and Joe requested "Chapter A" to be set aside.
Having confirmed Sunday, November 1, 1981, as the kickoff day, they agreed to meet at the Swiss Chalet on Route 73 near Skippack, PA. Approximately 60 interested people attended that meeting. Gary Patterson, owner of Montgomeryville Cycle Center, picked up the tab for refreshment costs.
In short order, a monthly meeting routine was established in southeast Pennsylvania. In 1988, the first Region Couple chosen was our own Tom & Bobbe Smith. Chapter A was the first Chapter in Pennsylvania to raffle off a new 1986 SEI model that year.
Chapter A won a Region award for the best newsletter format in 1988. Three former Chapter Couples of the Year, Scott & Diane Featherman, Bob & Marcy Gabriele, and John & Charlene Hirst have gone on to become District Couples of the Year.
Chapter A holds the distinction of having its own Chapter logo--in not only two different patch sizes but also a pin--designed by our first Area Representative, Fred Portelli. For our 20th anniversary, Charlene Hirst has updated that design.
There have been benefit rides, Multiple Sclerosis rides, dinner rides, foliage rides, rides to nowhere, mall bike shows, picnics and pig roasts, campouts, plus a Chapter bus ride to Marysville in February 1990. A very colorful array of past Directors has led the Chapter through many states, projects, and rallies (State, Regional, and National).
Although our meeting places have changed over the years, Chapter PA-A is still going strong, still gaining new participants, and still doing it first.
