STATE COORDINATOR'S REPORT | |
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Well, the year is almost complete. A number of people are working very hard on events for 2025. Black Friday is coming up on January 17. Please make every attempt to get involved that day. The more people we have show up, the better it looks to the legislators and our voice is louder. The Board of Directors (BOD) meeting is the following day in Tacoma at the VFW, so if you are coming from the east side, consider staying and attending the BOD meeting. At the January BOD there will be nominations for a few State Officer positions. JR Deputy State Coordinator, State Secretary, and Eastside Ambassador will all be up for election in the spring of 2025. The nominations will be at the January BOD. If interested in one of these positions, please review the Bylaws for state-elected officers.
Raffle tickets are out, and they make a great stocking stuffer for Christmas. For $ 10.00, you can give your friends and loved ones the chance to get a new motorcycle. Or, if they are of age, an excellent gun. There are 5000 tickets for each raffle. That’s it we will not be printing more. This is pretty good odds.
The swap meet is coming up rapidly. If you want to be a vendor, please reach out to Ms. Chris. There are flyers available already. We are trying to get great vendors to the back building to get more people to walk and look at both buildings. So if you are a vendor or know a vendor that would be a good draw, please consider being in the back building. Also the Tacoma chapter will be running a poker run inside the SWAP meet to get people to move around to all of the areas. If you would like to be a stop reach out to Dan from Tacoma.
Last thing from me. The ABATE proposition to correct the Bylaws was completed. Unfortunately, there was not a great turnout out but it was approved. This is an example of a bigger problem. With 1458 possible members voting, only 185 people voted. Yes, this is a small issue, but we should have 1458 of our people voting. That’s what we are all about. When we have a chance to vote and get involved, that’s what ABATE is all about. If we can’t get our members involved within the organization, it will be hard to get them involved at the State level to change laws.
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Started at: October 29, 2024 at 9:00 am
Finished at: November 5, 2024 at 6:00 pm
Time zone: Pacific Time (US & Canada)
185 of 1458 ballots were cast.
Option: Approval of bylaw change
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Approve: 173 votes, 96.11%
Deny: 7 votes 3.89%
Approve wins.
Votes tallied: 180
Abstentions: 5
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Here is to a better 2025, Thank you each for being part of ABATE of WA
Andy McAfee
State Coordinator
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BLACK FRIDAY - MOTORCYCLE LEGISLATION DAY
Another year is nearly in the books, and a new one is on the way! That means that while some bikes are taking a chill, riders come together to keep our freedoms alive! No matter what side of the lane you ride, it’s clear- we NEED to stand together to Maintain our lifestyle.
Black Friday, our Motorcycle Legislation day on January 17, 2025, will be here before you know it, so make your plans NOW.
January 16- Thursday: We are hosting a Taco Social and Legislative Overview, the night before Black Friday, at VFW #318, 2902 Martin Way E., Olympia, WA 98506. Taco bar is only $10
January 17 - Friday: we will start with a legislative grab and go style breakfast at 8am.
The ride in will be led by Washington COC honor us by leading the ride into the Capitol, from the Fortune Casino (fka-Hawks Prarie) starting at 9:30, KSU at 10am.
Our Group photo is @ 10:45, speakers on the steps at 11, followed by hot coffee, & donuts in the Columbia Room.
See you on the steps!
~Kim Adair~
Black Friday Committee Chair
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Guess what time it is? Raffle time!!
We will be holding two separate raffles this year. One for motorcycles and one for guns… yep... we get to raffle guns again!
Motorcycle prizes are:
- 2024 Roadglide
- 2020 Triumph Bonneville 1200 Bobber
- Coleman 186cc gas-powered mini bike
Gun prizes are:
- Henry Golden Boy 357 rifle
- Girsan1911 45acp
- Colt Python 357 6”
Tickets can be bought from any ABATE Chapter that has checked-out tickets.
Please read the rules!
Chris McAfee
2025 Raffle Chair
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It's Back! The Motorcycle Swap Meet!
The Motorcycle Swap Meet, hosted by ABATE of Washington, is scheduled for Sunday, March 23th, 2025 at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. We are optimistic that shoppers will be eager to turn out. Many of our vendors have indicated they will participate, and we hope you can too. We’ve reserved the Event Center and Pavilion, providing over 46,000 s.f. of indoor shopping space. Click here for all the details.
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STATE PRODUCTS COORDINATOR - NEEDED!! | |
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We are in need of a new State Products Coordinator. If interested, don't hesitate to get in touch with Bubba Bowen at srdeputy.abateofwashington@gmail.com. A special thank you to Cheryl Holtquist for all her hard work. | |
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Pre-Black Friday Legislative Preparations
With elections over, it's time to connect with new and returning legislators. As new faces enter the legislature—like the soon-to-be-appointed Senator and Representative in District 26—reach out to educate them on motorcyclists' issues and establish yourself as their go-to expert.
- Find Your Legislators: Use the Secretary of State’s website or the District Finder tool to locate your representatives.
- Engage Now: Schedule relaxed, in-district meetings before the legislative session begins to build professional relationships, even with those whose views may differ. Discover common ground and their passions with questions like, “What inspired you to become a legislator?”
- Discuss Key Issues: Topics should include lane sharing, right-shoulder riding, eliminating the $10 motorcycle weight fee, and supporting anti-profiling legislation.
Efforts like these lay the groundwork for productive Black Friday advocacy.
“Texas” Larry Walker
ABATE of WA
Legislative Affairs
360-271-9285
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Your Voice in Motorcycle Safety
The Washington State Motorcycle Safety Education Advisory Board oversees the motorcycle safety program funded by riders. Public input is vital, and their meetings are open to all.
An upcoming discussion on December 5th (6 PM, Zoom) includes a proposal to add a non-voting member from a motorcycle rights organization. While this may seem positive, concerns exist about including other non-voting members, like agencies already active in Olympia, potentially diluting riders’ direct input.
Join the meeting to stay informed and show that riders are engaged. Learn more at the Motorcycle Safety Education Advisory Board page.
R/Larry
“Texas” Larry Walker
ABATE of WA
Legislative Affairs
360-271-9285
| “Texas” Larry Walker is a nationally certified Rider Coach for novice, intermediate, and advanced training. He is the Senior Instructor for Navy Region Northwest, a long time motorcyclist rights advocate, with over 45 years of riding experience. | | |
MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION | |
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Veterans Day
“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.”
- Abraham Lincoln
Click here to read more
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Past MRF Champion Recipient
Senator John Thune
Elected Senate Majority Leader
Senate Republicans elected Senator John Thune of South Dakota the new Senate Majority Leader. Senator Thune is the former Motorcycle Riders Foundation 2018 Legislative Champion of the Year. He has been a longtime advocate for many of our priorities and has a strong relationship with the bikers in South Dakota. Click here to read more.
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Former Congressman Sean Duffy Nominated as Transportation Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Duffy, who represented Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District for five terms before resigning in 2019, will oversee key agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) looks forward to collaborating with Secretary Duffy, citing his congressional experience with groups like the MRF and ABATE of Wisconsin as a foundation for addressing bikers' legislative concerns. Click here to read more.
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Road to Zero Grants Available
The Road to Zero Coalition is accepting grant applications for its traffic safety program, with $750,000 in federal funds available. The deadline to apply is January 17, 2025, and funds will be distributed over one year starting Spring 2025.
Non-profits are eligible, and the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) urges all state motorcyclist rights organizations (SMROs) to apply. MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard emphasized, “These are taxpayer dollars. Let’s ensure motorcyclist safety gets its share.”
Learn more and prepare by attending webinars on December 3rd and 6th. Start your application by visiting the Road to Zero website. Click here to read more.
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American Income Life - FREE Accidental Life & Dismemberment | |
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Dear Members,
You will be receiving a letter from American Income Life Insurance Company (AIL). As a member of ABATE of WA you qualify to receive a $4,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance benefit at no cost to you or ABATE of WA. We have partnered with AIL for several years to offer these benefits.
Each letter will have a reply card enclosed and by completing the information you will receive your certificate of coverage. An AIL representative will contact you to confirm your beneficiary and issue you a certificate of coverage. If you do not name a beneficiary, the $4,000.00 would be paid to your estate and may be taxable.
ABATE of WA does not provide your name or any contact information to AIL. The only way they have access to your information is when you send the reply card back or CLICK HERE to request your benefits. There are several supplemental programs available through AIL for you to choose from, which will be discussed when an AIL
representative calls.
If you have any questions, please contact Fran Christie, AIL Public Relations, directly at 778-231-0226 or contact AIL at 1-800-495-1213.
Over numerous years AIL has helped ABATE of WA families by paying over 90 Accidental Death claims.
ABATE of WA has no financial interest in AIL in any way.
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THE DESTINY RIDERS
TOY RUN
December 14, 2024
| CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | |
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TACOMA CHAPTER
JOHN P. SCAPES MEMORIAL RIDE
December 14th, 2024
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JOHN P. SCAPES 2024 TOY DRIVE
Nov 12 - Dec 13, 2024
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START THE YEAR RIGHT RIDE
January 1, 2025
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
January 18, 2025
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BLACK FRIDAY
January 18th, 2025
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BLACK FRIDAY TACO SOCIAL
January 16,2025
| CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | |
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MOTORCYCLE SWAP 2025
March 23, 2025
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CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | |
STEEPLE CHASE T-SHIRT ORDER FORM | CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | |
Steeple Chase Banquet 2025
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER
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RIDER REIMBURSEMENT
Complete a State-Approved Rider Safety Course to receive $50 reimbursement & more!
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER
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EPCC
Greetings from EPCC!
First off, thank you to all who served. Had a wonderful time with SKCC at the Veterans Parade. I counted at least 3 other chapters, and even independent members supporting SKCC.
As we get into the colder weather, with darkness coming ever earlier, make sure to remain vigilant. Some put their bikes away for the winter, and some ride year-round. In the spirit of this month's holiday, I would like to say I am thankful for all of you, my brothers and sisters, and ABATE as a whole.
Joe Cain
Coordinator
East Pierce County Chapter
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FOOTHILLS
Greetings from Foothills!!
Holiday season is upon us. Please be sure to get out & support where you can! Saturday, December 14th we have Wreaths Across America, if you are able to support your local National Cemetery, please do so. This year Foothills partnered up with Spanaway to support the Orting Old Soldiers Cemetery. Foothills has the Terry Home Christmas ride following the Wreath laying, watch Facebook for more info & details.
Have a great holiday season & we will see you out & about!!
Billi Bowen
Coordinator
253-221-7806
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PACIFIC COUNTY
The elections are over, and our Senator and both Reps were reelected. We will be congratulating them, and scheduling meetings for Black Friday. Over the years, Pacific Co. Chap. has built a good relationship with Jeff, Jim, and Joel, and look forward to working together next year.
Other Chapters might have newly elected Reps or Senator. Now is the time to congratulate and get to know them a bit, before showing up in their office asking for support.
Wishing everybody a Merry Christmas,
John Tschannen
Coordinator
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STAR LAKE
We conducted our Chapter meeting on November 3rd, 2024, at 5:30pm at Farrelli’s in Maple Valley.
The chapter participated in the very successful Black Diamond Donation Drive on November 3 rd at Fred
Myers in Maple Valley 10am-4pm. The chapter filled the trailer with asking items and cash donation of
$336.00. The chapter would like to thank all the volunteers and other ABATE chapters that stopped by
to support and donate.
- Star Lake Chapter 2024 participation at recent and future events:
- Participated at other ABATE chapter rides and events
- Participation at the donation event for Black Diamond Community Center (November 3rd, 2024)
- Chapter fall ride October 26th
- Review and ratification of the chapter By-Laws (officers and chapter members)
- Planning Chapter Benefit Ride June 7th, 2025
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SKCC
Wow, time flies! October was busy, and November is off to a great start.
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Oct. 17th: Monthly dinner at Athens Pizza, Auburn, with a great turnout, including friends from Star Lake and some Independents. It felt like family.
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BOD/STEAM: An informative weekend featuring a presentation from Seven and his wife from MRF. Their advocacy for motorcyclists in DC is invaluable—consider joining!
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Nov. 3rd: Supported Star Lake’s food drive for the Black Diamond Community Center at Fred Meyer, Maple Valley—great success!
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Nov. 9th: Proudly rode in the Auburn Veterans Day Parade with Independents, Star Lake, EPCC, and Foothills. Thanks to everyone who made it happen!
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Nov. 16th: White Center Eagles for Rat City’s Irish Chicken Dinner, benefiting the White Center Food Bank.
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Dec. 14th: We'll participate in the Wreath Laying at Tahoma National Cemetery, a humbling way to honor our veterans.
Until next time, stay safe, look twice, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Kevin Billings
Coordinator
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SPANAWAY
Greetings from Spanawy Chapter, so far the fall weather hasn't disappointed. We have had wind, rain and some darn nice days.
Thanks to all who joined us at our joint Halloween party on October 26th. Lot’s of fun and some fantastic costumes.
Looking forward, we have Wreaths Across America fast approaching. As of this writing, with help from our members and the support of Brothehood United Motorcycle Association, we have once again met our commitment of 100 wreaths. However, there is still a need, as there are 1970 more wreaths needed to cover the entire cemetery.
On December 15th Spanaway Chapter will host it’s annual Christmas Pot luck & bake sale. As you know our folks tend to makes some fantastic and devilish treats. Grab some for yourself!
Ryan Eaton
Spanaway
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TACOMA
Hello from the Tacoma Chapter! It’s been a while since our last report, but I’ll aim to update you monthly going forward.
As the year wraps up, we’re looking forward to 2025. Here’s what’s happening:
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Toy Drive & Bike Parade (12/14/24): Support the VFW Christmas Party for kids with toy donations. Drop toys in our boxes, contact a member, or bring them to the Bike Parade starting at Alfred’s in Tacoma. KSU at 1:15 PM (route on Facebook). The party includes Santa, toy giveaways, and lunch.
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Start the New Year Right Ride (1/1/25): Meet at the Beach Tavern and ride to Olalla Bay, WA, to check out the "Polar Bear Plunge." Bring your suit—maybe you’ll be the first to take the plunge!
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3rd Annual Meat Raffle (Starting January): Proceeds benefit our Family in Need fund.
We’re continuing organized rides and supporting other chapter events. We’ve even combined runs, sometimes with more Tacoma members attending than the hosting chapter—always a good time!
New initiative: If someone joins ABATE (any chapter) at one of our events, they get in free. It’s a win-win—at our last event, we signed up two new members who contributed to raffles and auctions.
A big thank you to everyone who volunteers, donates, and supports Tacoma Chapter events. We couldn’t do it without you. Wishing you a wonderful December with family and friends!
Dan Barker
Tacoma Chapter Coordinator
Dannybhdrider@gmail.com
425-785-1597
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Need to reach a specific Chapter?
Get their contact information here:
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Who We Are
We’ve been helping people for almost 30 years. We’re smart, efficient, and sophisticated. We measure success by the results achieved for our clients. Most of our cases involve a motorcycle, bicycle, and auto collisions. We work on a contingent fee basis. We only get paid if there’s a recovery. Not only do we do all the work, we also advance all the costs necessary to prepare the case for trial. Clients don’t have to pay any money upfront.
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The Value of Human Life: May 1st, 2024 | |
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How much is a human life worth?
It’s a question that’s asked in every wrongful death case.
It’s also a question that’s asked when proposed regulations are evaluated. The government weighs the cost of implementing the proposed regulation and the value of the lives it will save.
For a long time, the government focused on how much people earned and equated their income to the value of their lives.
View the original newsletter here! We want to work on issues that are important to you. What kind of help can we provide to your club?
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Pinewood Derby
When you get past the surface, no one is an average or run-of-the-mill person.
That begs the question: Does it make sense to go beyond the surface? In a case with $8,000 of chiropractic treatment it probably doesn’t move the needle. And it’s probably not necessary when someone has lost limbs or been rendered quadriplegic... Click here to read more.
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The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword
Not many First Amendment cases get filed. The vast majority—maybe 99 percent—get dismissed.
But ours didn’t. Last week we tried an important First Amendment case in the federal courthouse in Richland.
Click here to read more.
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Thirty Years in the Saddle
And just like that it’s been 30 years since I started practicing law.
My first job was at a law firm. But I didn’t like being told what to do. So three years (and three firms) later I started Myers & Company. My first business card read: Comprehensive Legal Services.
I didn’t want to miss an opportunity. Ever since then I’ve been narrowing my practice. At this point I just represent people who have been hurt—physically or financially—by someone else.
Click here to read more.
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Small Things Make a Big Difference
Most stories have a theme:
Fate v. Free Will
Good v. Evil
Man v. Nature
So do personal injury cases. Themes help tie together evidence and remind juries why what they’re hearing is important.
One of the big struggles is figuring out what theme really fits the facts of the case. A theme that isn’t quite right... Click here to read more.
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Filling in the Blanks
Most people have a pretty clear memory of how they got hurt. Frequently their memories are punctuated with very specific details. “That son of a bitch looked me right in the eye before turning left.” “The front door mat was a bright pastel color.” “The impact made a sound just like an M-80 going off.” But when you go through something traumatic, like a motorcycle wreck, the brain isn’t focused on making memories—it’s focused on survival. The same mechanisms that keep the brain sharp enough to escape immediate danger may also make it harder to accurately recall the event.
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He Passed Me Going 90 MPH
In just about every motorcycle case we have there are allegations that our client was speeding. There are a couple of important things to know about the issue of motorcycle speed. The first relates to the reliability of witness observations. The second deals with the way courts deal with favored drivers exceeding the speed limit.
Witnesses are almost always wrong about motorcycle speed. It may be based on the relatively small size of motorcycles compared to other vehicles. Or it may be based on witness bias.
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What the Jury Doesn't Hear
The evidence rules have a big impact on what the jury gets to hear (and what it doesn’t get to hear). Evidence can seem a lot like an iceberg: 10 percent visible, 90 percent below the surface.
A lot of the evidence rules are counter-intuitive. Here’s what the jury doesn’t get to hear in a personal injury case.
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