A Letter from Gaither

Page Article 1 ·         A Letter from Gaither 2 ·         A Letter from the President ·         From the Editor 3 ·         Happy Trails to You! ·         ASGRA Calendar of Events ·         ASGRA Birthdays ·         AS2006 Volunteers Needed! 4 ·         Membership News 5 ·         Pride 2006 Planning ·         Phone Raiser 6 ·         Capital Country Dance Club Info

June 2006

Volume XVI, Issue 6

“The holiest of all holidays are those

Kept by ourselves in silence and apart,

The secret anniversaries of the heart…”

·          Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Submissions for the July newsletter are due June 28

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

My friends,

When I allowed my name to be advanced for a third and final term as your President, I did so having a firm commitment to continue working with others for the betterment the Association and its Membership until September, 2007. While that commitment remains undiminished, unforeseen personal, family and professional obligations have arisen that make it necessary for me to relinquish the office of President. 

My decision is the result of hours of soul searching and careful thought.  The difficulty of my decision has been greatly lightened by the knowledge that the Association will continue to be guided by men and women who share a common goal of advancing and bettering ASGRA for its current and for its future Members.    Over the years, our Association has achieved a sound financial foundation and, through continued leadership by the Board and with personal commitment by the Membership, is superbly positioned to continue our tradition of producing the highest quality rodeo events to be found anywhere in IGRA.

In closing, it has been my privilege to serve this Association in one capacity or another on its Board of Directors since 1991.   During this time, I have received the gifts of friendship from my colleagues on the Board and from our Members. Through these wonderful friendships, I have learned much about myself, about my fellow man and about our community.   I am grateful to each and every person with whom I have worked over the years and I thank you for the opportunity and privilege of service that you bestowed on me in my various roles in the Association.  Wishing each and every one of you only the very best that life has to offer, I remain

Sincerely yours,

Gaither F. Pennington, II

A Letter From the President

Greetings ASGRA,

As you have read earlier in this newsletter, Gaither has resigned as president of ASGRA.  Per the by-laws, the vice president assumes that position until the end of the term.  I have accepted this position along with the challenges it brings, and will do my best to make sure ASGRA remains the vital organization it has been.

This association is not made up of one person, or just the Board of Directors.  It’s made up of all its members, and it will take all of us to make it thrive and prosper.

You have heard the adage that begins “It takes a village…” As I’m sure you’re aware, it is a little over three months until Atlantic Stampede and it will take that village to make it a success.

Beth Brockelman has been named as our Volunteer Coordinator for this year and the volunteer forms are available on the web page.  There are many opportunities for you to help out.  There are buckles to be sponsored, ads to be placed, vendors to be gotten, etc. 

I ask each of you to consider volunteering some of your time before, during and after Stampede.  With your help, this will be a very successful event…one to remember and tell your friends about.

Lastly, I want to thank Gaither for his leadership and service to this association.  He has served ASGRA in many ways from our humble beginnings, and will continue to be a source of information to both the association and me as we move forward into the future.

• Mike Sanders, ASGRA President

As many of you know, I have been editing ASGRA’s newsletter Thirteen Spurs for the past 7 years.  The advent of our electronic distribution format (thank you Patrick Hunter) and our increasingly robust website (thanks, webmaster Cowboy Frank) have provided us new avenues for passing along information of interest to our membership.  I have also recently taken on additional responsibilities at my job which are reducing the amount of time I have available on a monthly basis to consolidate and distribute the newsletter. 

At the May meeting I informed the Board that I would be stepping down as Newsletter Editor after the June 2006 issue was published.  So this will be my last edition as Editor of Thirteen Spurs.  Frank Harrell and Patrick Hunter will continue to distribute the monthly e-Newsletter and Frank will take on the role of Editor to consolidate the news items from our membership.

It has been my honor and privilege to be a part of the communications team at ASGRA these last several years.  I have truly appreciated the support all of you have offered me with your assistance by providing information or helping with distribution.  My deepest gratitude to the FSM Team who has over the years tirelessly met each month to get the hard copy version out the door.  I will miss our dinners and fellowship, but I know I will continue to see all of you out and about on the rodeo circuit or at ASGRA functions.  Be safe, have fun, hold on!!

·          Lonni La Bel, retiring ASGRA Newsletter Editor

Happy Trails To You!

ASGRA trail rides are the first Sunday of the month at 11:00am!

June 4^th:  Kick off Pride month with a rainbow ride along the early summer trails!

July 2^nd:  Start off your Independence Day festivities with a leisurely lope through the Maryland woodlands!

For further information, contact Patrick at 202-352-2356 or

ASGRA Calendar of Events

Birthday Congratulations to the following ASGRA members who celebrate in June:

David Beck, Troy Brazell, Stephen Corona, Michael D., Bill Dunigan, Ken Easton Jr, Christopher Farley, Carvie Gillikin, Steven Haber, Jon Hoehn, Nikki Jenkins, Daniel Lusk, George M., Michael McCormick, John Stortz, Stephanie Tom and Joachim V. 

If your birthday is in June and we did not include you, it is because we either did not have your birthday information on file or you have requested us not to publish your name. 

We wish you a happy birthday as well!

Calling All Volunteers

Have you volunteered for the rodeo in the past?  Would you like to give it a try?  Mark your calendars for Atlantic Stampede 2006 Rodeo on September 8-10.  Volunteers are needed in all positions. Please contact Volunteer Coordinator Beth Brockelman at you can also fill out the volunteer form online at www.asgra.org Thank you!

 

Membership News

Membership Meetings Scheduled for 2006

At the last Board of Directors meeting we set the dates for the General Membership Meetings for 2006.  All meetings are held at 4pm and this year we will try and combine the dates and locations with a social event attached. Please watch the ASGRA web site and Calendar of Events for further information.

Annual Bylaws Meeting

July 16, 2006 will be the Annual Bylaws Meeting. This meeting is essential to the organization as it is the only time of the year that we can propose and make changes to the Bylaws and Standing Rules. This year we will hold our Annual Bylaws Meeting in conjunction with a “pot luck” picnic at Karl Klingener & Carvie Gillikin’s house. The start time will be 4pm. Please RSVP by July 7^th  so we may have an accurate head count.

Annual Elections Meeting

September 10, 2006 will be the date for the Annual Elections Meeting. Please check the web site for further information, as we get closer to the date. (This meeting is held in conjunction with Stampede)

Annual Budget Meeting

December 3, 2006 will be the Annual Budget Meeting. The location has yet to be determined and will be announced as we get closer to the date.

Did You Know???

Did you know that ASGRA has stopped mailing newsletters? Due to budget constraints, the Board of Directors decided last year that we would stop spending so much money in printing and postage. Through the efforts of Patrick H. we have developed ASGRA HTML Emails in order to advise the members of events and happenings. The newsletter “Thirteen Spurs” is now distributed only via email. Please take a minute to update your contact information so that we may continue to keep you informed!

Master Calendar

We have revived the ASGRA Master Calendar on the web site. Please check the Calendar frequently in order to keep abreast of events that may be coming up. If you have any events that you wish to post on the calendar, please feel free to send them to Karl Klingener (Membership Chair) at .

Events may be anything in the community that may be of interest to our members. I will update the calendar to include the event and a link to the event website.

Calling All Volunteers!!!!!

ASGRA will be kicking into high gear with events and contests that promote both our Bud Light Distributor and Atlantic Stampede. Some of these events will be fundraisers and some will be just promotional events. As the events are scheduled, I will add them to the Master Calendar and call upon volunteers who would like to help organize and run the events.  Won’t you please consider helping ASGRA in one of these events!

Buckle Sponsors

Won’t you please consider sponsoring a Stampede Buckle! Sponsoring a buckle is a more permanent way to be a part of Atlantic Stampede. All sponsored buckles are engraved with the sponsor's name(s) or phrasing. You may go to the Buckle Sponsorship page to select the buckle you wish to sponsor and input your information.  Buckles sponsored before July 1, will be listed in the rodeo program and will be recognized on a banner placed at the rodeo site. Any buckles sponsored after this deadline may or may not appear in the rodeo program, but the sponsor will be announced periodically at the rodeo. Buckles run between $200.00 and $225.00.

Pride Planning 2006

Volunteers for Pride

ASGRA is looking for volunteers for upcoming Pride events.  ASGRA plans to participate in the following Pride events for 2006:

• Baltimore, MD Block Party – June 17^th
• Harrisburg, PA – July 29^th
• New York City – June 24-25

Help is needed in the following areas:

• Providing information about Atlantic Stampede 2006 on September 8-10
• Providing general information about Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association
• Sign up of new members
• Sing up of riders for our manual bucking bull, Brutus
• Providing one-on-one instructions for riders of our manual bucking bull, Brutus
• Operators for Brutus, both headers and heelers (front and back heave ho-ers)
• Persons to take pictures of riders on Brutus
• Parade marchers (NYC only)
• Persons to haul items to and from Prides
• Persons to help with set up and tear down of Brutus (Assemble floor mat, legs and base and bull cavity)

All volunteers would be scheduled for allotted times through the day providing you with some free time to take part in the other fun events and vendors at all pride locations.

Anyone who would like to volunteer or who would like more information may contact Patrick Hunter at 202-352-2356 or

“It’s a Phoneraiser!”

                                                         

ASGRA Royalty is running a fundraiser called PHONERAISER.  Please donate your old and unused cell phones.  You can drop them off at Freddie’s Beach Bar, Remington’s, and Titan.  All phones are given to needy families with medical emergencies.  Contact any ASGRA Royalty for more information.   Please stay tuned for future fundraisers coming up!!!!

Rodeo Training Opportunity

Rodeo Training Clinics

ASGRA members Louis Varnado and Andy Pittman have graciously offered their farm for several clinics.    July 23, 2006 1st calf roping on foot using Woody (ASGRA’s calf on wheels) 2pm - 4 pm (soda and bottled water provided)

August 13, 2006 2nd calf roping on foot using Woody, 2pm - 4pm (soda and bottled water provided)

Won’t you please consider these awesome clinics and practices?!  To Register, contact Andy & Louis at 301-579-6005.  The farm is located at 13279 Croom Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772.

Capital Country Dance Club Info

Tuesday evenings in June:  West Coast Swing Lessons with Lee Jenkins.
On Tuesday evenings in June guest instructor Lee Jenkins returns to de Lounge with a series of West Coast Swing lessons, both beginner and intermediate levels. 

7:30 - 8:00: Warm-up dancing and/or one-on-one help from the instructor.
8:00 - 9:00: West Coast Swing Lesson
9:00 - 10:30: Open Dancing. 

Note: After the June series we'll be taking a break over July and August. The Tuesday evening lesson program will resume September 5th.

Bus Trip in September to New York City and the Big Apple Ranch
On Saturday, September 16th the Big Apple Ranch is hosting a "Back to School Dance". Join us in a luxury chartered bus to New York City and the event. The trip is non-stop (approximately four hours each way). We'll depart from de Lounge near the Wheaton Metro Stop at 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon, ride up for the dance, then return after the dance ends at 1:30 in the morning. The bus will arrive back in Wheaton around 6:00 on Sunday morning. Round trip tickets plus admission for the dance are $70.00 for club members and $85.00 for non-members. Payments due by August 25th. Contact John Korman (johnkorman@concast.net) for details. There's lots more information on our web site.

Dance Team/Performance Group
The Club is exploring the possibility of forming a dance team to perform and/or compete at GLBT events. If you're interested please email us or contact Debbie Belles during our next monthly dance.
 
For additional details about these events, click on the web site at www.capitalcountry.org/news.