It’s All Our Jobs

by Dave ‘Twit’ Linberg

Before you know it, the holidays will be here. Thanksgiving, of course, is a special day to remember all you have to be thankful about. Good health, good fortune, good friends and brotherhood. No sooner than stepping away from the table and loosening our Thanksgiving belts, we are thrust into the joyous Christmas season or holiday season if you want to be politically correct these days. There is no better time than now to purchase those gifts for that special “Someone” and the shopping can start at ABATE headquarters in Black River Falls. We have many gift suggestions to choose from. This year especially, would be a great time to either “Gift” or “Renew” someone’s annual membership. Remember that it doesn’t matter when a membership expires. When you gift a renewal, that one added membership year is tacked on to the end of the existing membership. For example, if you renew in December and your dues aren’t really up for renewal until June, you will get a full additional year’s membership beginning in July after your current year dues expire. What a deal!  What’s even a better deal is if you give or renew someone’s membership before December 31, 2019, you can do it at this year’s membership rate before the increase on January 1, 2020. An ABATE savings whammy. Remember that we have several membership packages to choose from.

Another gift idea – fill your “Sweetie’s” Christmas (or Holiday) stocking with a motorcycle skills class from Safe Rider – or how about some ABATE “Swag” from our products girls, Dawn and Stephanie. I’m sure you’ll get options, there. Don’t forget your little ones with a copy of “My Grandma Rides a Motorcycle”. I personally know the author. Kelley at the state office can help you out in so many ways with any of these gift options or ABATE gift certificates. Give her a call at (715) 284-7415.

On another note, I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping our members engaged in ABATE. Once we’ve gained a member it’s ALL OUR JOBS to keep them involved, motivated, engaged and active. Call those members up and take them along to your chili cook-off. Explain our 2020 legislative agenda. Bring them to Madison so they can witness first-hand how our work is done. Invite them to go to S.T.E.A.M. in the spring to learn how other states get things done, or if they are a little shy or unsure of how to do things, ask them to bring the chips to the next meeting. We are always on the lookout for members that have that common, defective volunteer gene which holds us all together. And ask to see the list of expired members that I give to each regional rep and reach out to those bikers to explain that we need them… to help us… stay vigilant.

Some of my best, life-long friendships have been built from the camaraderie found at an ABATE meeting, an ABATE event, or many late-night conversations we’ve had trying to solve the problems we face as motorcyclists. This month for sure, I will give thanks for all of them.

Twit