January 2025 UPDATES- HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
| | “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. | |
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Session Update and Black Friday
Our weight fee bill (SB 5309), being carried by Sen. Cortes (D-18) with Sen. MacEwen (R-35) as second seat, is going to be in play for the 2026 short session. Since our weight fees remained unchanged, we will (hopefully) not have preloaded push back. I had a good meeting with Chair Liias (D-21) and Senate Transportation staff to discuss adjusted language that reflects the engrossed language in the funding package. We are looking to carve 2.5 million out of the revenue stream, so it may be a bit of a fight. I am looking at some options to delay implementation of the new weight class until July 2027 to gain some wiggle room. That lets the effective date coincide with the beginning of the fiscal biennium. The language is in the hands of staff to spruce up and be presented as a committee amendment. The Chair wishes to hear the bill again to bump up the visibility. He also recommended that we run a companion bill in the house to get advance visibility in the lower chamber, so I am shopping for a sponsor in the house.
| | STATE COORDINATOR'S REPORT | |
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Well hello.....it's a little wet but Welcome to Washington!
Hope each of you enjoyed safe and great holidays with your families both by blood and by choice. This time of year reminds us how important it is to look out for one another—and be careful on the road and off. Whether you are riding or driving, please stay alert and take care. Live for today, because tomorrow is not promised.
Looking forward to Black Friday, it will be here before you know it. It’s amazing. If there is one day to take off work, this is it. I hope everyone knows the reason it’s called Black Friday...because of us...yep YOU in leather. So we want everyone to show up—on two, three, or four wheels—and stand proud in our leathers, on the Capitol Steps and roam the halls on January 30th, 2026. This great day is about unity, visibility, and reminding our legislators who we are and why our voices matter. This is how we as the riding community can create lasting change. It is a great event, and one you won’t forget. Hey even if you're not that talkative, please come out and watch.
For those who may be new or unsure of what to expect at Black Friday, there will be a get-together the night before, at the Olympia VFW on January 29th where we do an overview of what to expect on the 30th.
Stand up. Show up. Support our rights.
Together our support of rights organizations, like ABATE of Washington, and our National Rights Organization- the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) and make a difference.
Nothing we do happens without the commitment and dedication of our members. Simply put—without you, there is no “us.” Supporting one another, our chapters, our brotherhood—especially throughout the year is how we exist. I thank you for all your support in everything everyone does for this amazing organization.
Here’s to a strong, united, and impactful New Year ahead. Let’s continue to look out for one another and move forward together.
Please know that I am an open book and available. If you have questions, concerns, or ideas, feel free to reach out. The holidays have been difficult for many, and support within our community matters more than ever.
Ride Free!
Bill Dye Pro-Tem State Coordinator
| | JR DEPUTY COORDINATORS REPORT | |
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Afternoon Everyone
This will be short and sweet since I was instructed that the Green River levee just breached. It breached on its eastern bank and we're on the western side but an alert went out to everyone in the Tukwila area. Going to be a tense afternoon.
Okay my input for this newsletter is please PLEASE try to make it to Black Friday! This is the one chance we really have to make a direct impact on our state congress. It's our chance to show that we do matter and we're serious about our rights as motorcyclists. It will be a long battle to achieve what we want but we are ABATE and we don't give up.
See you there!
Kevin Billings
Jr. Deputy
ABATE of Washington
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our members! Now is the time to review Chapter Secretaries if you have emailed me your December minutes. If you only had a party, please let me know that. I will be sending a report to all Coordinators of what minutes I am missing for Q4 of 2025. Please email your minutes to secretary.abatewa@gmail.com. If you had any officer changes please email those changes as well. I want to make sure every Chapter Coordinator has a vote at the January 31, 2026 Board meeting.
I have the 2026 calendar of events for Abate of Washington. If you don't see your Chapter's event please let me know. The calendar can be updated quickly.
Happy New Year everyone! Looking forward to a great 2026 with you all.
Diana Picone
State Secretary
Abate of Washington
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Monika Scotti, our State Treasurer has lined up some accommodations for those coming to our Black Friday - Motorcycle Legislation Day events, as well as the State BOD meeting, the following day.
LAO's are asked to contact Monika at MonikaScotti66@gmail.com, if you haven't already, to ensure you have a room in Olympia.
She has the skinny on the details for rooms.
If you are not an individual who is covered for a room reimbursement, consider asking your chapter to help. There's no code needed, just let the hotel know that you are with ABATE of Washington, for the preferred rate.
The host hotel is Super 8 by Wyndham- Lacey Olympia area, 112 College St SE, Lacey, WA
It is off I-5 Exit 109.
Black Friday would like to thank Monika for setting up the accommodations for the big weekend, as well as the coffee and refreshments for Black Friday and so much more!
| | WEST SIDE AMBASSADOR AT LARGE: | |
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Greeting fellow Freedom Warriors!
Not much new to report since last month, but a group of us did have a good trip down to Greys Harbor Chapter for a visit at their most recent chapter meeting.
They were in kind of a shaky spot with members getting a bit older, having to change their meeting location, you know, the all too familiar challenges a lot of chapters sometimes face.
They have some solid members that want to see that chapter continue and thrive.
We went out there to see what we could do and to our and the MC that is kind of overlooking them's surprise, there was a very good turnout to the meeting.
I almost got them to appoint an LAO but they DID appoint and vote in a new Chapter Secretary.
Big thanks to that youngster for stepping up! Those folks asked a lot of good questions, and we provided a lot of good information, and at the conclusion they thanked us for coming and sharing but mostly showing them that the rest of the organization cares.
They are also I am happy to report, in agreement with the Abate of Washington mission statement regarding focusing on biker rights and legislative issues, and promised us they would have a contingency at Black Friday. If you see them at the Capitol, please take a minute to thank them for sticking with it, and be ready to offer, if they need any help at the capitol that day, even if it's just taking them with you to your appointments for exposure of how it's done. Please do that.
If this strikes a chord with you in your chapter that maybe you want some experienced members to come to your Chapter Meeting for some knowledge sharing, just ask and a group will come see you where you are.
Knowledge is power and it does no good if those who have it can't or don't share it. Black Friday is truly where the rubber meets the road for ABATE, nothing else really is as important, and we need well informed folks to carry out the work there in Olympia of our mission statement, if we want to see the desired change.
I am always open to hearing about groups that you may know that need a visit to find out about ABATE and share with them in the hopes of bringing more freedom warriors into the fold. Just reach out to:
Ambassador2.AbateofWashington@gmail.com
BTW, I didn't win the quilt
Stay cool!
Chad Holtquist
West Side Ambassador At Large
| | MOTORCYCLE LEGISLATION DAY / BLACK FRIDAY | |
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January 2026 Black Friday Event
Can you believe another year has passed, and it’s TIME to do what we do at the Capitol?
We are excited for this year, and I hope you are too!
Black Friday- Motorcycle Legislation Day is open to ALL who ride and support motorcycle rights, so gather your brothers and sisters and come meet on the Capitol Steps!
Here is the Itinerary:
January 29th 6pm VFW Legislative Overview
January 30th
8am-3 or 4pmish Meetings with legislators all day
8am Legislative Grab and Go Breakfast/Meet & Greet
8:00am- 9:30am WA COC at NW Harley for Coffee/refreshments
9:45am KSU Ride-In from NW Harley Davidson to the Capitol
10:30am Meet on the steps for Pledge of Allegiance, Speakers, Bell Ceremony and photos
11:15-ish Riders go to Columbia Room for refreshments, coffee, etc, and to check in at info table for pins and appointments
When the day’s meetings are concluded, the Columbia Room will close for us, until next year!
Laura Cain is our information table Coordinator. Please give Laura all of your Legislative appointment times. She is creating the master list. Laura will have a team for you at the information table, to assist with sign ins, district info, maps, etc, and help you navigate the process. Laura’s email is: Clancain04@yahoo.com
Louise is busy making your talking points so that you can have help referring what to discuss!
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Tuning up for riding
Welcome to January, brought to you by our two sponsors, rain and freezing stuff. We have made it
through the holidays, hopefully fairly unscathed, and most likely sat around and chowed down on way
more festive offerings than we should have. As the days get longer, we begin to dream of getting the
bike out more often and getting farther afield in our adventures. We begin to plan on getting the bike
ready to roll, either bringing it out of hibernation, or just making sure that it is really in “ready to roll”
status.
That subject might be discussed in a later installment. This month’s installment is all about rider tune
up, which can be a more time consuming and odious project.
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Happy New Year to one and all! 2026 is here, and 2025 is in the rear view mirror! All I can say is---let’s get this party started!
ABATE of Washington has an energetic start to the New Year and you all are invited to be a part in making all the positive efforts count!
Starting in January we kick things off with a January 29th Legislative Overview of what to expect at Black Friday. Join us at the Olympia VFW at 6pm!
On January 30th-we will ROCK the Capitol Steps & Halls with the Washington Coalition of Clubs at our Motorcycle Legislation Day/Black Friday Event! You will hear speakers, passionate about rights and our mission of Freedom of the Road. A Bell Ceremony will also be held, showing respect for those Riders lost on Washington State Roads.
Rumor has it our Columbia Gorge Chapter intends to contribute in a LARGE way as well! Legislatively we have a weight fee bill, some bills to keep an eye on, and meetings with our legislators lining up. Come for the fun, for the experience and the unity---your presence reminds legislators of who we are and why we stand for Safety, Equity, and Education of motorcycles!
January 31st the weekend will round off with our Board of Director’s meeting. The nominations for our Executive Board will take place this day. Anyone can nominate someone, but they must be present to accept the nomination. Be sure to attend and see ABATE of Washington in action for you!
All events listed above are open to everyone—no matter what you ride, if you ride, or how many wheels it takes to get you there. Be sure to check the Black Friday Committee Update, calendar, and flyer in this issue for details.
Remember, if we don’t unite for our rights...NO ONE will do it for us! Also, keep an eye on Washington State transportation issues and impacts. Puget Sound Regional Council has drafted a Regional Transportation Plan is seeking feedback. I encourage thoughtful, respectful engagement: https://www.psrc.org/planning-2050/regional-projects/2026-rtp
Personally, I feel that Motorcycle Safety absolutely should be part of all transportation planning, period. Don’t you? Ride Free my brothers and sisters of the road!
Kim Adair
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WHY EVERY RIDER SHOULD STAND WITH THE MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION & ABATE
As a Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) Representative, one of the questions I am often asked is:
“Why should I support the MRF?” and/or “Why should I join ABATE?”
The answer is simple — and it matters now more than ever. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is the national motorcycle rights organization, whereas ABATE of Washington and other State Motorcycle Rights Organizations (SMROs) across the country advocate on a state level.
These organizations exist for one purpose: To protect our right to ride.
That means protecting:
- What we ride
- How we ride
- When we ride
- Where we ride
- And who we ride with
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Happy 2026!
Wishing everyone a fabulous start to the New Year!
Thank you to all of you who submit your articles, chapter reports, member information, calendar events, flyers and pictures for the Freedom Newsletter.
A written email confirmation should arrive after you send your submission.
If you have not received an email, reach out to me, so we can ensure your information was received, and can be included in the next month’s newsletter!
IMPORTANT! The February Newsletter deadline for submission of newsletter content is the 10th of January.
NOTE- a late sub-mission can not be guaranteed to make it into the newsletter.
Stay safe out there!
Kim Adair
ABATE of Washington-Freedom Newsletter Editor
newsletter.abateofwashington@gmail.com
This publication is the Official Newsletter of ABATE of Washington. Opinions expressed here in, by the Editor
and others, may not be those of ABATE of Washington. Articles may be reprinted with proper attribution.
ABATE of Washington Newsletter will accept articles pertaining to ABATE and motorcycling.
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Hi Everyone,
Curious how we stack up in membership amongst our fellow ABATE organizations through out the United States? Here's our latest membership report.
Got questions? Email: Membership.abateofwashington@gmail.com
| | A NOTICE FROM STATE COMMUNICATIONS | |
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ABATE of Washington
Contact information
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ABATE of Washington
State Events, Board of Directors Meetings(BOD) & Executive Committee Meetings (ECOM)
ABATE of Washington upcoming STATE EVENTS
January 29th @ 6pm ABATE of Washington Legislative Overview- VFW #318 2902 Martin Way W.
Olympia, WA
EVENTS
January 30th @ 9:45am -ABATE Black Friday RIDE-IN hosted by the Washington State Coalition of Clubs (COC). Starts at Northwest Harley-Davidson 8000 8000 Freedom Ln NE, Lacey, WA 98516
January 30th @ 10:45am- Black Friday, ABATE of Washington at the State Capitol, 416 Sid Snyder Ave SW. Olympia, WA . Ride in, see your legislators. Stand Up, Step Up and Be Heard!
March 22, 2026 9am-3pm ABATE of Washington SWAP MEET in Monroe, WA
https://www.abate-wa.org/swap-meet (see flyer)
BOD Meetings
Saturday, Jan 31st @ 10am - ABATE of Washington Board of Directors (BOD Meeting and Election Nominations, VFW #318 2902 Martin Wy. W, Olympia. WA 98506
Saturday, April 18, 2026 @ 11am hosted by North Kitsap Chapter- Location at The Cloverleaf 1240 Hollis St, Bremerton, WA 98310
Saturday July 18th, 2026 @ 11am hosted by Spanaway at The Buckley Eagles
Sunday October 18, 2026 @ 10am -Location TBD
ECOM Meetings
Sunday, March 8, 2026 @ 11am- Buckley Eagles
Sunday, June 7, 2026 @ 11am- Buckley Eagles
Sunday, Sept 6, 2026 @ 11am- Buckley Eagles
Sunday Nov 15, 2026 @ 11am- Location TBD
| | | MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION | |
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Sign Online Petition Opposing
Florida HB-429
| Florida’s House Bill 429 (HB-429) seeks to loosen the standards required to qualify for gang membership. This bill would require a two-factor system, where meeting two of the listed criteria would qualify individuals for the criminal gang database. These criteria do not require you to have participated in criminal conduct or criminal activity. The criteria included are as simple as commenting on identified social media posts or being observed twice in the presence of anyone previously identified as a gang member. | |  |
As the riding season winds down and Congress adjourns for the holidays, it’s natural for momentum on many fronts to slow. For the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF), this “slow season” in legislative activity can feel calm, but it is far from a time to relax. Next year promises to be a consequential legislative year. The freedom and safety of motorcyclists nationwide depend on staying alert and engaged. | | |
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California Judge And DMV
Rule Tesla Is Misleading
| Recent developments in California have once again thrust Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) branding into the national spotlight. A California administrative judge and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) have ruled that Tesla’s use of terms like “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” is misleading, finding that they overstate the capabilities of the technology and violate state consumer protection laws. Regulators have given Tesla a defined window to revise or clarify its marketing language or face a potential 30-day suspension of its ability to sell vehicles in the state. | | | | RAT CITY- Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | SKY VALLEY- Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | COLUMBIA GORGE- Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | TRI CITIES- Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | YAKIMA VALLEY- Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | |
FOOTHILLS- Foothills is having a very important meeting this month, following a December Round Table Discussion meeting. Please attend, as support for ABATE of Washington would be greatly appreciated.
Foothills need to know we care about all of our ABATE members, and this could be
an impactful meeting.
Meeting Time and Place: Buckley Eagles, 1st Sunday 10 AM (January 4)
| GRAYS HARBOR-Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | |
MASON COUNTY- Every year at the holidays the Mason County Chapter supports the Shelton Veterans Village with gift cards for all the residents. I attached a article the managing director of the Veterans Village wrote giving a little background on what the Shelton Veterans Village is and how they are helping homeless veterans in the community.
John R. Calabrese
ABATE of Washington
Mason County Chapter Coordinator
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SKCC-The New Year is right around the corner and ready or not it's coming :) Our annual Christmas party is now in the books and it was filled with good food, friends and lots of laughter. A big thank you to the other chapters members that came and celebrated with us.
I want to remind everyone that SKCC's annual Polar Bear Run is January 1st. KSU at 12PM because we figured you might want to sleep in a little. You can find our flyer on our FB page or email me and I'll get you the info. The funds are going to support the Auburn food bank, a very worthwhile cause.
Till next time
Kevin Billings
Coordinator
ABATE SKCC
| SPANAWAY-Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | LEWIS COUNTY-Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | |
GRANT COUNTY-
The Grant County Chapter met this week for our monthly meeting and annual white elephant Christmas party. There were two events members participated in that happened on December 13th allowing outreach in our area. The first was a Hands N’ Paws fundraiser that ABATE members provided some deserts for the auction. The second was a toy drive hosted by the Unchained Brotherhood MC where I was able to do some outreach.
Our chapter is in the process of planning for the annual Run to the Desert, more details to come. We are also working on planning an Easter egg hunt and equipment repair before fundraising season.
We look forward to participating in Black Friday on January 30th. I have reached out for legislative appointments on behalf of our chapter members.
Thank you,
Charles Pray
Coordinator, ABATE Grant County
| TACOMA-Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | ELK COUNTRY-Contact us for any of your needs. Let us know your upcoming events and meetings | | |
SPOKANE-Good afternoon,
I'm reaching out to share recent community achievements and upcoming events to keep you informed and engaged.
Our accident scene management classes on January 10th and 11th, 2026, hosted by Road Guardians, are a valuable opportunity to enhance our community's safety skills and show our commitment to preparedness.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Bqa4cukTX/
We had our annual Christmas party, which was a blast.
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The Spokane biker community raised over 5,000 pounds of food for the local food bank, led by the Rogue Zombies, demonstrating our collective strength and generosity.
Amanda G Siep
Abate Spokane Coordinator
AmandaSiep@gmail.com
425-239-1219
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KEY PENINSULA - Happy New Year from the Pen,
Trusting everyone had a wonderful Christmas, its hard to believe another year has gone past!
As I sit here pondering how fast the past six weeks have flown by following another successful joint venture between North Kitsap and Key Peninsula Chapters for the 2025 Toy Run and another year Honoring our Veterans and others laid to rest at Retsil Cemetary, dating back to the Civil War who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and paved the way for freedom for all of us, I count my blessings and am reminded despite all that we have endured in the last decade (ish), how fortunate we are to still have the Freedoms greater than any nation on this earth...God Bless the USA!!!!!!
It was great seeing the many of you who though we may not see often, only see a few times, or even once a year, sometimes that is enough and all we get, it is still great those opportunities are there, to reunite and cathcy up. Thank you all for your continued support.
Next up, Black Friday! As always, I am hoping we can fill the steps in front of the Capitol like they did 40 years ago! Let's do this!
PSA:
Key Pen will be hosting our ("after") holiday party & Pot Luck, on Saturday January 17th, 2026 @ one of our best supporters for the Toy and Brewery Runs...The Wig Wam in Gorst (Armpit of America). Please reach out and RSVP to myself or the deputy coordinator if you are interested in attending.
Happy New Year to all and may your 2026 be even better for you and yours. Keep the rubber side down and we will see you around!
Nick Gourley
Key Peninsula Chapter Coordinator
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NORTH KITSAP-
Hello ABATE,
North Kitsap and Key Peninsula chapters had another successful Toy Run for St Michael's medical centers.
North Kitsap and Key Peninsula had our toy collection barrels throughout North and Central Kitsap and a few in North Mason County's. Thank you to all the businesses and all that participated in the dropoff and retrieval. Want to thank The Garage, Hi-Tide Bar, Destination Harley Davidson of Silverdale, Western Red Brewing and Badass Bullet Jewelry for the auction items they supplied for our Wing Ding's and Sweet Justice who performed, everyone had a great time!
We also had successful collection days at East Bremerton Walmart and from all the participating businesses.
Members from North Kitsap and Key Peninsula ABATE along with CMA, CVI, VFW and independent riders from the area all joined together for the Toy Run drop off at St Michael's hospital in Silverdale.
Thank you all for your participation!
Extending a special thanks to Monika Scotti and Nick Gourley for chairing the committee and their dedication to this event.
Respectfully
Kenny Behal
NK Chapter Coordinator
ABATE of Washington
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EPCC- HAPPY NEW YEAR from East Pierce County Chapter!
First – I’d like to congratulate all the new and pro-tem State Officers and Committee Leaders!
Thanks from all of us for getting the organization back on track. A half-dozen of us joined SKCC
for the inspiring Veteran’s Day Parade in Auburn and I really enjoyed their Spaghetti Feed at the
Puyallup Eagles for Wreaths across America. I hope all my ABATE brothers and sisters had a
wonderful Christmas and that this New Year brings you every blessing, I look forward to seeing
everyone at the Capitol on Black Friday! Stay warm, dry, and safe.
--Laura Cain, Secretary/LAO
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Need to reach a specific Chapter?
Get their contact information here:
| | MEET THE MEMBERS - C. MICKEY CENTENO | |
| METIER MOTORCYCLE LAWYERS | |
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Riding With You, Fighting For You
At Metier Motorcycle Lawyers, riding isn’t just something we support—it’s something we live. Lead Attorney Patrick DiBenedetto and his team are proud to stand with ABATE members and the rider community across Washington, offering over 40 years of dedicated legal experience to protect motorcyclists' rights on and off the road. Whether you’ve been in a crash or just want to connect, we’re here—riders helping riders, every mile of the way.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a motorcycle crash, reach out to us anytime at 833-4MOTO-LAW (833-466-8652) or visit www.metierlaw.com to schedule a free consultation.
Stay safe. Stay strong. And keep riding.
| | | | | AMERICAN INCOME LIFE - FREE ACCIDENTAL LIFE & DISMEMBERMENT | |
| We’ve renewed the group Accidental Death and Dismemberment policy providing all active members of ABATE of Washington with $4,000 AD&D coverage, 24 hours a day, on and off the job. | There is no cost to you for this coverage. | | |
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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A Crash Course for Motorcyclist
January 10, 2026 Basic Class
January 11,2026 Advanced Class
| CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | | |
Black Friday
January 30, 2026
| CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | | |
Polar Bear Run
January 1, 2026
| CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | | CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | | |
Sauce off
February 21, 2026
| CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | | |
Famous Brewery Run
October 3rd, 2026
| CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER | | | | | |
