January Brings Opportunities

by Dave Twit Linberg

Incredible how time flies, doesn’t it? Another January is rolling in and another opportunity for ABATE of Wisconsin to gain new members is rolling in too. This would be a great month to reach out to the people in your region or district and have them join you on a bus ride to Madison on January 23^rd to see just how well ABATE of Wisconsin does things. Or better yet, invite someone who is not a member but wants to find out more about us. The folks in Madison love us. We are respectful, get our message across and get the job done. A lot of hard work goes into Lobby Day and all of our members and like-minded friends should see what it’s like firsthand. This is a great time to bring in the newbies because there are plenty of other members around to do the talking and show them the ropes, so our newest members can relax and get the “feel” of how to approach our legislators when they are ready to do it. This trip is also a great time to tell our Legislators “Thank You” for passing the definition of a motorcycle legislation that we have been working on for the past few years. The day gives us another opportunity to interact on a social basis (on the bus) with our members and we should all know by now that those personal contacts is what keeps people interested in coming to meetings and in forming new friendships that have a common cause or interest, motorcycling. Lobby Day is also a good time to gain membership. While a lot of the people traveling to Madison are members, not all of them are. Be sure to ask, “Are you a member of ABATE of Wisconsin?” If they say no, be ready to hand them a flyer. I have plenty, if you need some.

2020 is also our election year for ABATE of WI. It is time to start thinking about and deciding if you are ready to step up in your region or within the organization and become an officer. It is time to start thinking about who would be a good candidate to represent you on the Board of Directors for the next two-year period. It is time to think about what direction you would like to see ABATE of WI going and choose those people that can get us there. During the next few months I will be putting a timeline in the newsletter for submissions of applications for the positions we will be voting on at our Annual Meeting in October 2020. Think about ABATE of Wisconsin and remember that not everyone needs to take a leadership role. It is just as important to continue your membership and attend meetings so we can remain aware of what is facing us in the future on the road and take action when we need to.

Looking forward to the day when the snow will melt, and the salt gets washed off the pavement. How about you?

Twit