Auntie ABATE / “Cuz” Report

What are all of these meetings I keep hearing about? Last month it was Meeting of the Minds, now in October ABATE of WI’s Annual Meeting. Then there’s Officer’s Training in February, S.T.E.A.M. in the spring, and the Summer Hummer in June. Then there are chili cook-offs galore all winter long! I was told when I joined that we only held meetings once a month!

Overwhelmed in WI.

Dear Overwhelmed,

It can seem like that to a newbie. You youngsters (new to ABATE) can jump in with both feet, or take it slow and lay low, your choice. Let me explain. Maybe you’re not the type to do a meeting at all and that’s OK! ABATE appreciates your support even if you can’t join us on a regular basis. If you do come to your regional meeting, you’ll be updated on what’s happening legislatively both in Madison and in Washington, DC. You’ll hear about local activities that fellow members in your area attend like chili cook offs, bike shows, etc., learn what is happening in other parts of the state, and learn about fundraising. If you don’t know, our organization is voluntary, and our volunteers put on fundraisers like chili cook-offs or fun bike runs to earn money to keep us going. These events also provide the opportunity to meet other like-minded bikers like you. Once a year, because we are a corporation and it’s part of the rules and regulations of being a corporation, we hold an Annual Meeting. This takes place on the 2^nd Sunday of October and coincides with one of our monthly Board of Directors Meetings. As a rule, we scatter the Annual meeting at different locations throughout the state every year, giving members who aren’t able to travel the opportunity to attend in an area closer to them.

Meeting of the Minds is a national meeting held by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and there you will meet other ABATE and MRF members from all over the country. It’s interesting to see what is working in other parts of the country and compare it to what is happening here. Officer’s Training means just what it says. A time to get together and train the officers in ABATE of WI so we are all on the same page. A lot of these breakout meetings are technical, but we still have plenty of time to let our hair down and are usually a lot of fun. Next on the list is S.T.E.A.M. – A Seminar To Motivate And Educate. This is a Midwestern conference that is made up of 7 states including WI, Minnesota, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. STEAM is similar to Meeting of the Minds, but on a more local level. And of course, we end with the Summer Hummer. That is our major fundraiser of the year. It is a weekend of camping, music, food vendors, bike games, bar stool racing and relaxing fun. It is held on our own land in Greenwood, WI. All of these meetings let us gather tons of information and we begin to network so we know who to go to for answers or help that we need.

Are you totally confused now? I hope not. The more meetings you go to, the more people you will meet, and the easier they will get. After a while, it sometimes feels like going home.

Your ever loving “Cuz,”