WHO IS CHAPTER "I"?

Chapters are the core of the GWRRA Organization. Chapters may exist in any size town or city, wherever at least 10 GWRRA Riders can assemble and be chartered as a Chapter by the District(State)Director.

	Chapter I, the "Wings of Bull Run" of Manassas, was chartered in 1988 and was formed initially by Randy Provost, its first Director, and nine (9) other Riders.
	Chapter I is one of the most well-known and one of the most active Chapters in northern Virginia, with over Eighty (80) ACTIVE Riders and Co-Riders.

Chapter I is known for it's long distance, Iron Butt rides to visit &/or capture the Region or District Plaque from other Chapters, even in other States; it's enmasse participation in every District activity; it's annual first-class Charity Event; it's annual Veterans Run to different historical locations, it's annual Poker Runs and it's annual participation in the "Manassas Christmas Parade" followed by its annual Christmas Party, as well as it's participation in many other Chapters' events and all Charity Events. Chapter I rides in every Charity event from 'Ride for Kids' to 'Toys for Tots'. Chapter I sponsors a Charity Poker Run each year. In 2004, GWRRA recognized Chapter I in the "Wing World" magazine, as it took on the task of providing truck loads of School supplies for an Elementary school in West Virginia and also returned with a Christmas party with gifts for each of the 450 students in the school. Presently, Chapter I supports two charities in the Virginia area, providing monthly Food items for needy families and necessities for the homeless.

	Chapter I is also known for it's annual Long Distance 3-day Tours to exotic places, that even members from other Chapters in the Tri-State area, and non-GWRRA Riders, like to participate in. Tours have went to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Air force Museum; Niagra Falls; New York City; Boston, MA; Virginia Beach; and the 2008 Trip was recently completed to attend the last Honda Homecoming event in Ohio.
	VA-I also has many veteran Riders that form groups to travel hundreds of miles to every major GoldWing and/or Motorcycle Rally held within the United States' borders each year. Annually, there are groups formed going to Americade, Honda Hoot, Wing Ding, Honda Homecoming and many Riders treking to Florida or to the West Coast for a Ride up the Coastal Highway and even into Alaska, Canada and Nova Scotia. Some of our Riders have ridden their motorcycles through as many as 48 U.S. states.

Composed of Bike-riding, successful, Business/service-oriented civilians, and many active and retired military personnel, Chapter I is a very diverse, mature and fun-loving group of Riders, that know how to work together, ride together, have fun together and that also count many younger couples and many females riding their own bikes, as well as younger family members in its group.

Due to it's well-organized Telephone Tree and it's vast & active electronic email reach, Chapter I Participants can mass anywhere, anytime, for Impromptu rides and events and is the home of the famed "Bull Run Plaque Raiders"; largest and most active group of "Wandering Plaque" Chasers in the State of Virginia (both the Region N and the Virginia Plaque are floating acknowledgement of chapters with the most active riders.

BULL RUN RAIDERS Motto: "Anywhere, Anytime; We Roll"
Their Credo is: "If you have the Traveling Plaque - Beware! We will attack almost anywhere."
The "Raiders", initially composed of many "Iron Butt Association Certified Members, have traveled as far as 900 miles non-stop, during a weekday, to surprise GWRRA Chapters and capture the Region N Plaque from states as far away as western Tennessee. Forays into Kentucky and North Carolina are also common-place. In February 2007, Chapter I was awarded permanent custody of the 2006 Virginia Traveling Plaque in honor of its frequent captures that year.

Chapter Qualifications and Accomplishments:

Chapter "I" members have collectively ridden over 8,100,000 safe miles, consistently have over 90% of their members enrolled in GWRRA Rider Education, and have eighteen (18) GWRRA-Certified, Level-4 Qualified, "Master Tour Riders", considered the best-trained, most knowledgeable, best prepared and most concerned Motorcycle Riders on 2 wheels. Six additional members are Senior Master Tour Riders and four are "Grand Master Tour Riders" striving to become "LIFE GRAND MASTER TOUR RIDERS".

Chapter I also has, as its Chapter Educator, a qualified Virginia MSF Instructor, winner of the Region's "Educator of the Year" in 2008, who conducts MSF classes at Germanna Community College and provides monthly tips and riding advice at Meetings and on this Web Site.
In addition, Chapter I has over 15 qualified "Road Captain" members and 10 other members that have completed the Virginia MSF Instructor Course and assist in Rider training. Chapter I's qualified MSF Instructors, conduct an annual Experienced Rider Course for its own members and other invitees, each May/April.

Additionally, 12 of Chapter I's Participants have completed the non-stop, '1,000-miles in 24 hours' Riding qualification trip, to become certified members of the "Motorcycle Iron Butt Association"; consisting of some of the "World's Toughest Riders".

Chapter I has provided the District with "District Couples", "District Directors", District Assistant Directors and several "District Staff Members". In addition, three of Chapter I's "Chapter Couples" have went on to be "Region Couple of Year and one to become "International Couple of the Year". VA-I's 2007 Chapter Couple, Bryant & Evelyn Russell, was recently selected to be the 2008 District Couple and competed in the Region N Couple of the Year competition. Currently, six Chapter I members serve on the District Staff.


Additionally, 3 couples from Chapter I, have been selected to receive the coveted Vernon L Needham "Spirit of Virginia" Award (the top district award and only awarded ten times since inception). Dave & Melissa Timbs in 2001, Bruce & Gayle Babcock in 2003 and George Craddock & Isabel Gray in 2004.

Since GWRRA inauguration of limited tenure in 1999, two Chapter Directors; George Craddock & Isabel Gray and Pat & Kathy Hasiak, have been honored and appointed as "Senior Chapter Directors" by the District and Region Directors, for their dedication to their Chapter and for the progress, that Chapter I had made during their tenure. George & Isabel, also recipients of the Chapter's coveted "People's Choice" Award, and the "Chapter I Director's Choice Award" went on in 2001, to become part of the District Staff, as District Recruiting & Retention Coordinators, later as the District Member Enhancement Coordinators and are presently the Assistant District Director (north). In January 2005, Pat & Kathy Hasiak, also recipients of the "People's Choice Award", became the Assistant District Director for northern area and in 2006, became the Virginia District Directors.



Both the former Chapter Director, Jim Sharkey & Renee Starkweather and the present Chapter Director, Chuck & Dani Karl, are also "People's Choice" Award winners and continue to uphold Chapter I's reputation and further its accomplishments. Chapter I's Assistant Chapter Directors, Bruce & Gayle Babcock, are two-time recipients of the "People's Choice" Award.

Wandering Plaque:

A Region or District-established Plaque, captured by visiting a Meeting or an Event of another Chapter having the Plaque; & being the Chapter coming the longest distance or having the most Riders and coming the longest distance. The winning Visiting Chapter can then take the Plaque to their location and other Chapters must then come to their Location to capture it. This fosters friendships and comraderie and also adds to Treasury balances.

In 1997, Six (6) of Chapter I Riders were the FIRST Virginia Riders to go into another state & capture the Region N Wandering Plaque. These six members, whose names are engraved on a Chapter Plaque commemorating their 15-hour, middle-of-the-week, non-stop ride to a Tennessee evening Meeting & return; brought the Plaque to Virginia for the first time in its long history of wandering through the states comprising Region N. Chapter I's now famed "Bull Run Raiders" continue to capture both the District and the Region Wandering Plaque on a regular basis. Frequently the "Bull Run Raiders" undertake long overnight rides into Tennessee, North Carlolina and even into Kentucky, to surprise and capture the Region N Plaque holders. Quite frequently, Chapter I has captured both the District and the Region Plaque in the same month. Many of the other 22 chapters in the district, arriving at a location to capture the plaque, fear the sudden appearance of the hard-riding chapter I "Bull Run Raiders".

Chapter "I" Colors:
Red, Black and White

Red Shirt, Sweater or Golf-shirt
Black Jean Trousers & Black Vest
White Shirt with red or black scarf for Social Events

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