President 's Message

It is time for another " State of the Chapter Address ". As stated in the first address, my primary goal was to do whatever was necessary to increase member and chapter activity and to increase membership, and the way this was going to occur was by all of us working together as a chapter. (As stated this is not my chapter it is our chapter). I would like to think that this has been accomplished. Over the last three years, we have grown as a chapter,we have become more active and we have become closer as friends. Our chapter has become an extended family. It should be noted that with growth and activity there will always be change because without change we become stagnant. Our growth is reflected by the following.

* We have made Destination Power Sports our only sponsor, a sponsor that is willing to work with us and do whatever is needed to support the chapter and promote a positive relationship between the motorcycle community and the general public. In my opinion, this has been one of the best actions that we did as a chapter. If it were not for DPS , we would not be the chapter we are today.

* We have had numerous recruitment drives and helped with a couple of poker runs. As a result of these activities, we have added several new members. All of whom are active and beneficial additions to our chapter.

* We helped with the Show Me Star Rally (took charge of the Poker Run)and helped raise a substantial amount for the paralyzed veterans at the Jefferson Barracks. We will do the same this year.

* We have adopted two families from the Hiding Place (for battered and abused women) and see to it that these families are taken care of for the Christmas season.

* Chapter 248 has joined forces with the FACS class ( Family and Consumer Science ) and Ms. Angela Amtower (FACS instructor) from Branson High School in order to raise money to help meet the needs of the families in the Hiding Place. The FACS class spent several days preparing various pies that they sold during the Thanksgiving holiday.

* As a chapter we attended the Star Days Rally in Chattannoga,TN. And it was during this event that Rhonda and I were married and we were honored to have as our Best Man,Man of Honor and witnesses Star248 our chosen family. We as a chapter, have also had several get togethers: wrench parties, dinners, cookouts, Wild Hog parties, shopping trips and gift wrapping parties. I believe that it is events like these that solidify us and make us more than just a group of people that ride together once in a while. In a sense, we have created a family and not too many people can say that.

As a chapter, we have accomplished much of what we set out to do; however, we cannot afford to rest on our past accomplishments and success: true growth and accomplishment are only achieved by a constant striving to better one's self. Once you stop setting goals and trying to achieve those goals, you cease to grow and it is this we cannot do. If our chapter is to survive, it must be in a continous state of change. The inevitable result of lack of change is complacency and stagnation and we cannot allow this to happen.

In closing, I would like to say that as a chapter, we have made the office of president unnecessary. We have reached the point that no one single person or member is the chapter: "we" are the chapter and without all of us discussing the issues and making the decisions the chapter suffers. As members of Chapter 248, we are accountable to each other and with this accountability comes the right, the responsibility, and the expectations of ourselves and of each other.