How many people belong to a group or association and NEVER get involved?
A LOT!
I have been hearing from a ton of event coordinators that they are not hosting their club or group events anymore due to lack of volunteers.
They are tired of doing all of the work, with no help - only to have their membership show up and whine and complain that this or that could have or should have been done differently.
If you want the right to complain - you need to be involved.
A lot of people have no clue the work and effort it takes to get the job done.
From permits and dealing with government officials and police services to dealing with the local health board, jumping the hoops to have a special event is getting tougher and tougher.
Then there's all of the other details like bands, food, beverages, lodging, prizes and incentives never mind the paper work like registration forms, posters, waivers and how about promotions.
As an event coordinator I have experienced everything from great support and help to none and I am here to tell you folks that a successful event requires a lot of people to do a great job.
So the next time you feel like raining on some one's parade by complaining about some aspect of an event - keep your mouth shut unless of course you are willing to take over that area!
Being of service to your community is about far more than laying a few bucks on the table to support a cause. It is about making a difference in a positive way.
If you aren't a part of the solution - you are the problem...
Yes I am crabby today - I am looking out my window to see more snow. I am sick of the white stuff. I want to ride my bike ...
Stay safe people and if you live in the north, well try and stay warm.
Belt Drive Betty
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Motorcycle Awareness or should we call it Cager Awareness?
OK people, motorcycle awareness is not just for cagers...
I am already seeing accident reports in the news which means that Motorcyclists are not being aware of the dangers of the cagers.
Motorcycle Awareness is a two way street people. In order for you to be safe out there you have to ride like you are invisible - like no one can see you. You have to anticipate that every cager is an idiot - blind and hates bikes. To do otherwise opens you up for HUGE risks.
If you approach every intersection with that mind set you will have a better chance at arriving to your destination.
I want you, my brothers and sisters of the wind to be safe, I want you around to argue with, to laugh with and to share the open road with....please ride like they are out to get you - because - THEY ARE!
Stay safe and warm,
Belt Drive Betty
I am already seeing accident reports in the news which means that Motorcyclists are not being aware of the dangers of the cagers.
Motorcycle Awareness is a two way street people. In order for you to be safe out there you have to ride like you are invisible - like no one can see you. You have to anticipate that every cager is an idiot - blind and hates bikes. To do otherwise opens you up for HUGE risks.
If you approach every intersection with that mind set you will have a better chance at arriving to your destination.
I want you, my brothers and sisters of the wind to be safe, I want you around to argue with, to laugh with and to share the open road with....please ride like they are out to get you - because - THEY ARE!
Stay safe and warm,
Belt Drive Betty
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Riding Schedules...
So, have you been checking out the events calendars? Lots of great events in there and still more to edit, add and update. Because our calendars are live 365...they are like a living breathing creature, always changing!
So far my riding season is shaping up to be a busy one. I plan to be at Cyclemania in Saskatoon in April - probably a car ride as opposed to getting to ride my bike, but one can hope right!
Then I will be at Slack Alice's, planning on attending the Cpl. Michael Starker Poker Run and Motorcycle Awareness Ride in Calgary, Ride for Dad, Ride for Hunger, St Victor Boogie, then out to Ontario then over to the Island and I do mean for the Pig 'n' Fin.
So, all in all, looking pretty promising! The weather here in Grande Prairie SUCKS ICE CUBES!
Yesterday I cleaned about 4 inched of snow off the car, another half inch today...is spring ever going to arrive?
I invite you all to enter our newest contest.
Tell me in 100 - 500 words what it is about riding your motorcycle that moves your soul!
You could win a ticket on the 2009 Fatboy being drawn for at Slack Alice's!
The new blog on the Moose Jaw Times Herald Website is already attracting a good number of hits! Look for it in the Blogs Section.
I hope that where ever you live - if you can ride ....that you are riding like everyone around you is blind AND out to get you...
Stay safe and warm,
Belt Drive Betty
So far my riding season is shaping up to be a busy one. I plan to be at Cyclemania in Saskatoon in April - probably a car ride as opposed to getting to ride my bike, but one can hope right!
Then I will be at Slack Alice's, planning on attending the Cpl. Michael Starker Poker Run and Motorcycle Awareness Ride in Calgary, Ride for Dad, Ride for Hunger, St Victor Boogie, then out to Ontario then over to the Island and I do mean for the Pig 'n' Fin.
So, all in all, looking pretty promising! The weather here in Grande Prairie SUCKS ICE CUBES!
Yesterday I cleaned about 4 inched of snow off the car, another half inch today...is spring ever going to arrive?
I invite you all to enter our newest contest.
Tell me in 100 - 500 words what it is about riding your motorcycle that moves your soul!
You could win a ticket on the 2009 Fatboy being drawn for at Slack Alice's!
The new blog on the Moose Jaw Times Herald Website is already attracting a good number of hits! Look for it in the Blogs Section.
I hope that where ever you live - if you can ride ....that you are riding like everyone around you is blind AND out to get you...
Stay safe and warm,
Belt Drive Betty
Monday, March 16, 2009
A challenging job...
Our events calendars have another 70 or so events to go in! The biggest part of that challenge is the quality of information that is given to us!
Many groups are run by volunteers and they don't always understand that people from other provinces will attend their events if they know about them. So they think every rider should know which Timmy's or hotel they speak of or they neglect to put contact information, start times that sort of thing in.
We spend a lot of time cleaning up the information that is given to us, searching for postal codes so that the event calendar can pull a Google map for the location etc.
This whole next week is dedicated to getting those calendars fine tuned and making sure everything we have is as accurate as possible as we will begin printing 6 pages of events every week for the next few starting March 26th.
Your patience as we comb through the events to ensure the info is accurate is deeply appreciated!
Have a safe and warm day - if you live in the Peace Region - you are out of luck on warm.
If you are lucky enough to live where it is warm enough to ride - Ride like they are out to get you.
Belt Drive Betty
Many groups are run by volunteers and they don't always understand that people from other provinces will attend their events if they know about them. So they think every rider should know which Timmy's or hotel they speak of or they neglect to put contact information, start times that sort of thing in.
We spend a lot of time cleaning up the information that is given to us, searching for postal codes so that the event calendar can pull a Google map for the location etc.
This whole next week is dedicated to getting those calendars fine tuned and making sure everything we have is as accurate as possible as we will begin printing 6 pages of events every week for the next few starting March 26th.
Your patience as we comb through the events to ensure the info is accurate is deeply appreciated!
Have a safe and warm day - if you live in the Peace Region - you are out of luck on warm.
If you are lucky enough to live where it is warm enough to ride - Ride like they are out to get you.
Belt Drive Betty
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Challenging times for small businesses
We keep hearing how there is new stimulus for small businesses to grow and hire people.
YAH - right!
I went to our local Community Futures office. I have a solid business plan, a good number of contracts that were attached to the plan that have a value that is more that I am looking for in funding.
I was not turned down - the application was deferred, they now want 2008 financial reports, all the bike show stuff back to 2005 - the first year we hosted the shows, more contracts and a revised cash flow.
HERE'S the kicker - even IF I had the time to prepare everything they want - they still want 1 - 1 collateral AND 9% interest. So, I stay doing things the hard way - one sale at a time.
Everything is growing fast with this humble little rag and I would really like to raise some capital to help me manage the growth better. I need to consolidate some debt, buy some new computers and upgrade software... If anyone who reads this blog is at all savvy in the small business financing area I would appreciate some mentoring.
I am now consulting for Mighty Peace Tourism and the new Jasper Motorcycle Rally that is going the be held in September this year.
It's going to be a busy time around here as I am also going to be loosing Lori my data entry clerk at the end of June - well sort of, she's going to continue working for me but remotely - she will be taking over the event calendar administration duties and a few other duties on the web site.
She is in love and going to be moving, so I am looking for a part time person to assist with general book keeping and filing for here in Grande Prairie. I can see the fire between Lori and her man and although I am sad for me, I am so very happy for her. She deserves to be in a good relationship and her man sure seems like a good one.
Between Twitter, Face book, this blog, the Moose Jaw Times Blog and the column for the Northern Horizon and the Mirror newspapers and our own web site, newspaper, phone book, consulting and my charity work - well, let's just say my plate is full and I hope that one day very soon I can get out on my bike - if I don't I am going to explode I have PMS so bad.
Stay safe and warm and if you are lucky enough to be riding - PLEASE - Ride like they can't see you - BECAUSE THEY CAN'T!
Belt Drive Betty
YAH - right!
I went to our local Community Futures office. I have a solid business plan, a good number of contracts that were attached to the plan that have a value that is more that I am looking for in funding.
I was not turned down - the application was deferred, they now want 2008 financial reports, all the bike show stuff back to 2005 - the first year we hosted the shows, more contracts and a revised cash flow.
HERE'S the kicker - even IF I had the time to prepare everything they want - they still want 1 - 1 collateral AND 9% interest. So, I stay doing things the hard way - one sale at a time.
Everything is growing fast with this humble little rag and I would really like to raise some capital to help me manage the growth better. I need to consolidate some debt, buy some new computers and upgrade software... If anyone who reads this blog is at all savvy in the small business financing area I would appreciate some mentoring.
I am now consulting for Mighty Peace Tourism and the new Jasper Motorcycle Rally that is going the be held in September this year.
It's going to be a busy time around here as I am also going to be loosing Lori my data entry clerk at the end of June - well sort of, she's going to continue working for me but remotely - she will be taking over the event calendar administration duties and a few other duties on the web site.
She is in love and going to be moving, so I am looking for a part time person to assist with general book keeping and filing for here in Grande Prairie. I can see the fire between Lori and her man and although I am sad for me, I am so very happy for her. She deserves to be in a good relationship and her man sure seems like a good one.
Between Twitter, Face book, this blog, the Moose Jaw Times Blog and the column for the Northern Horizon and the Mirror newspapers and our own web site, newspaper, phone book, consulting and my charity work - well, let's just say my plate is full and I hope that one day very soon I can get out on my bike - if I don't I am going to explode I have PMS so bad.
Stay safe and warm and if you are lucky enough to be riding - PLEASE - Ride like they can't see you - BECAUSE THEY CAN'T!
Belt Drive Betty
Friday, March 13, 2009
Belt Drive Betty joins the Moose Jaw Times Herald in a much bigger way!
As many of you may know, Fraser Wareham - head pressman for the Moose Jaw Times Herald is the rider in charge of seeing that our paper gets printed. The Moose Jaw Times Herald began printing our paper three years ago! The relationship with the Moose Jaw Times Herald has now grown and it is now official! I am a blogger for them and we will be assisting the Saskatchewan Motorcycle Community in getting it's news out in an even bigger way than we have so far!
Beginning tomorrow I will have my own blog on the Moose Jaw Times Herald Website , simply called - Belt Drive Betty...
I would love the assistance of my Saskatchewan riding friends in choosing a really great name for the blog as it's job will be to aide the motorcycle community in Saskatchewan in spreading the word about what's going on!
It will also aide us in changing the perception of motorcyclists - the more places we have where we can communicate who we are and what we do the better off we are!
I am still waiting on my call to find out if my business plan qualified me for the funding to assist in growing this thing. The not knowing is torture...patience is not what you'd call my strong suit!
As soon as I know whether I got what I am looking for or need to jump more hurdles, I'll let you know!
Until next time,
Stay warm and safe and if you live where you can ride already - PLEASE - Ride like they are out to get you, because they are!
Belt Drive Betty
Beginning tomorrow I will have my own blog on the Moose Jaw Times Herald Website , simply called - Belt Drive Betty...
I would love the assistance of my Saskatchewan riding friends in choosing a really great name for the blog as it's job will be to aide the motorcycle community in Saskatchewan in spreading the word about what's going on!
It will also aide us in changing the perception of motorcyclists - the more places we have where we can communicate who we are and what we do the better off we are!
I am still waiting on my call to find out if my business plan qualified me for the funding to assist in growing this thing. The not knowing is torture...patience is not what you'd call my strong suit!
As soon as I know whether I got what I am looking for or need to jump more hurdles, I'll let you know!
Until next time,
Stay warm and safe and if you live where you can ride already - PLEASE - Ride like they are out to get you, because they are!
Belt Drive Betty
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Motorcycle Awareness
We are all getting a bit antsy for Mother Nature to cooperate with us here in the north and let us go ride our motorcycles already. Motorcycle Awareness month is coming soon and many communities have events planned to remind other motorists that we are back!The Peace Country Chapter of AIM-Can is hosting Motorcycle Awareness May 2 and 3rd and it's going to be a great event we have 11 riding clubs confirmed to be attending about 15 vendors already and are waiting to hear from about 12 more!
Saturday night there is a dinner, comedian, band and silent auction!
It's going to be a great social weekend as we riders celebrate the beginning of what we all hope is a wonderful riding season.
Our host hotels are:
Stonebridge: 12102 - 100 St
Grande Prairie, AB T8V 5P1
Grande Prairie, AB T8V 5P1
1-888-419-4657
(780) 539-5561
www.stonebridgehotel.ca
Tell them you are attending the Motorcycle Awareness weekend when you book to receive the special rate of $99 plus taxes (Special pricing in effect until April 15/09)
Holiday Inn Express: 10266 117 Ave,
Grande Prairie, Alberta T8V 7S5
(780) 814-9446
1-877-814-9336
Tell them you are attending the Motorcycle Awareness weekend when you book to receive the special rate of $149.00/Night Includes Breakfast (Special pricing in effect until April 15/09)
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