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THE HISTORY OF GWRRA CHAPTER GA-K By David and Denice McConnell The following dates and events were derived from official documents, newspapers clippings, and road trip pictures contained in the History of GWRRA Chapter GA-K binder held by David and Denice McConnell. 11 February 1989 - Bill Whitley, Georgia State Director, and Larry Duncan, South Carolina Assistant State Director writes a letter to all Wingers of Brunswick Georgia, setting a meeting to discuss the creation of a GWRRA Chapter in Southeastern Georgia. Larry sets the meeting for 11 February 1989 at the Best Western Motel on I-95 and 341 in Brunswick Georgia. There were already over 20 GWRRA members within Brunswick who supported creation of a GWRRA Chapter. 4 June 1989 - National GWRRA issues a Certificate of Chaptership for the area of Brunswick Georgia for Chapter K. Local Charter Members were Jan and Larry Casey, Assistant State Directors, Laura and Paul Brimer, Elese and John Carter, Lillie and Herman Day, Mary and Sonny McDonald, Wilbur Pickren (then owner of Brunswick Honda), Angelia Watson, Dave Wright, and Myra and William Nash. Larry and Jan Casey became the first Chapter Directors of Chapter GA-K. This chapter would be known as the Golden Isles Road Riders of Brunswick Georgia. December 1990 - Joe Weth Joins GWRRA and becomes active in Chapter GA-K. 17 February 1990 - Chapter Directors; Larry and Jan Casey hold their first large Chapter event. Chapter GA-K presents the first Motorcycle Show and Shine inside the Glynn Place Mall. This show boosted membership, prompted motorcycle safety, and promoted the upcoming Region A Rally to be held Labor Day weekend in Brunswick Georgia. 31 August – 1 September 1990 - Chapter GA-K of Brunswick hosts the 1990 Region "A" Rally at the Ramada Inn. Friday’s events included rides through the Golden Isles and a cook out from 4-8 p.m. Saturday’s events included Wingo Bingo with two different courses, one 125.9 and one 45.8 miles long, and a Joker Poker Run. Saturday evening was concluded with ceremonies and the Famous Larry and Jan Casey "Low Country Boil". Larry who worked at FLETC, and his wife Jan would later become famous for this boil sometimes referred to as Beaufort Stew or March Grass Stew. Exact attendance is unknown, but the Brunswick News estimated between 500-700 tour riders and some 350 plus motorcycles visited Brunswick for this event. 28 March 1991 - A Brunswick News article states that Mr. Lou Cate of the Ballard Athletic Association is please to have GWRRA GA-k running their Concessions Stand since 1989. This project was spearheaded by Lester "Sonny" McDonald and John Carter. GWRRA GA-K ran this concession stand for several years after this article appeared in the newspapers. 1992 – GWRRA Chapter GA-K participates in the Kissin’ Bridges Tour. Chapter tours 16 covered bridges in Georgia. 1993 – Larry and Jan Casey become State GWRRA Officers. Terry and Lee Borge of Baxley Georgia become Directors of Chapter GA-K. Terri and Lee would later split from Chapter GA-K to form Chapter C-2 in Baxley Georgia. 1994 – Myra and William Nash become Chapter Directors, and conduct several hay rides, cook and camp outs at their property in Nahunta Georgia. In remembering one of the many Chapters’ trips to this location, a large buck deer with a huge antler rack passed within inches behind David and Denice McConnell’s and directly in front of Joe Weth’s motorcycle while we were traveling 55 mph. Since that near miss, deer whistles were installed on our bike. 1994 – Dennis (Big Mac) and Kay McCollough join GWRRA Chapter GA-K. The Sweet Potato Rally was a Chapter favorite, held each October in Ocilla Georgia. 4 March 1995 – Charles H. Leist, GWRRA Region A Director issues a letter of congratulations to David and Denice McConnell as appointment as the Chapter Operations Officers (previously called Chapter Directors). Mayra and Bill Nash step down as Chapter Directors. Both Myra and Bill worked at Georgia Pacific making dry wall. With dry wall suppliers across the United States running low due to hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods across the United States, work required their full attention. 15 April 1995 – GWRRA Executive Director Edward Price and David McConnell sign the Chapter Charter, moving Chapter GA-K from Brunswick to Kingsland Georgia were the majority of the GWRRA Membership existed for Southeastern Georgia. GWRRA Chapter GA-K would then be known as the "Royal Riders" of Kingsland Georgia. 26 July 1995 – Gerald M. Avera (now deceased) of 876 Holly Drive, St Marys Georgia; grants permission in writing for Chapter GA-K to use his Sand Gnat "Flying Teeth" design as used in our Chapter GA-K logo we display today. September 1995 – GWRRA Chapter GA-K hosted a booth at the Cat Fish Festival in Kingsland Georgia. We raffled a TV and part of the proceeds went in support of the Camden County Alternative School Collaborative Program on 1 November 1995, presented to Alternative School Principal Tim Morris in front of Choo-Choos Builders Supply in Kingsland. Newspaper coverage was provided. 1996 – Chapter GA-K hosted a food drive for Camden County, which was held in the (old) Wal-Mart parking lot in St Marys, which now houses Express Scripts Inc. The event was so successful, we had trailers and tons of food donated to the Camden County Food Bank. Wal-Mart actually ran out of canned food items on their shelves and the county was very grateful. During the following 3 years, GWRRA Chapter GA-K became very active in the Travelers Plaque and Hot Potato programs which prompted Chapter Members to travel the State of Georgia in quest of these awards. We hosted several Chapter Meetings at the Lions Club in Kingsland where there was standing room only from visiting chapters trying to obtain these plaques. 2000 – David and Denice McConnell step down as Chapter Directors. 2000 – Chapter Directors: Dennis and Kay McCollough 2001 – Brunswick GWRRA membership grows and those living in Brunswick split from Chapter GA-K and form GWRRA Chapter GA-C. 2003 – Dennis and Kay McCollough step down as Chapter Directors. 2003 - 2007 – Chapter Directors: Joe and Colleen Yother Jan 2007 - Joe and Colleen Yother step down as Chapter Directors. 2007 - Present – Chapter Directors: Danny and Allyson Hickey Apr 21, 2007 – Chapter "K" coordinates the 1st Annual Cruisin’ for St. Jude’s and raised more than $6000 for St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital. |
