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International Conference Representative
John Gordon
Friends;
I have the scholarship applications in hand. Please pass along to your chapters that any Blue Knight, child, step-child, or grand-child can apply. Five scholarships will be given away at the International Convention, so time is of the essence.
Click to download - Scholarship Application Form / Scholarship Guidelines Form
John
February 2010, International Board Meeting
Dear GLRC Friends,
The February 2010 International Board meeting took place on February 23, 2010. I must admit that I was about 10 minutes late in making my call-in, as I was at my grand-daughters school music recital. The new up-to-date Blue Knights International Website is up and running. There have been a few complaints about being able to log into the members-only section. Remember that your membership ID number is the User Name and your last name (IN CAPS) is the password. The board discussed at length with Mark Howard different ideas on how to improve the web-site. The Internet Committee is open to your input. If you have any suggestions, please contact Webmaster John Long at longjc@verizon.net
Agenda Item 2010-004 dealt with the issuance of a Blue Knights Scholarship. This item was passed unanimously by the board. This year five (5) Blue Knights immediate family members (son/step-son, daughter/step-daughter, or grandchild) will be able to apply for a $1,000 scholarship to assist them in the furtherance of their education. Applications will be available from any International board member and will be available on the web-site in the members-only section. Applications must be postmarked no later than June 1, 2010.
International Office Manager Bessie Small reminded the board that your 2009 membership cards are still valid until April 30. The main reason for this reminder is the office is one employee short. Historically, when chapters don’t receive their new cards in a short period of time, they call the office to inquire why things are taking so long. Getting this year’s cards out could take a little longer than normal, so please be patient.
Under Old Business we returned to the nominations of International Honoraries for 2010. More information in support of nominee Christine Fulton had been provided and with this new information, we voted to welcome Ms. Fulton as an International Honorary.
Agenda Item 2010-002 was withdrawn. Agenda Item 2010-003 was tabled in order to provide more information on the proposed booklet. Several Reps. have had this idea in the works, and as a result, they are going to put all of their information together to make this book a very useful tool for our members.
Under the Good of the Organization, President Dave Mulford, Vice-President Pat Fox, and Treasurer Russ Harper announced that they will be seeking re-election of their current positions. Rio-Grande International Representative D. J. Alverez announced that he will seek the position of Vice-President. No other announcements were made.
Since my election as your International Representative, I have tried to get current information out to you. It is virtually impossible to get it to the 2,900 members of this conference on my own. I want to thank Paul Croteau, the conference webmaster, for keeping my information posted and up-to-date. I also want to thank Secretary Dennis Hafeman for having the patience in publishing the newsletter until after I send him my information. Finally, I would like to thank all of the State Representatives. They stay in contact with their chapters, and always make sure their members have the information they need. You all are truly the unsung heroes of this conference.
Our next meeting will be on April 27, 2010, at 8:00 PM, EDT. Deadlines for submitting agenda items will be April 13, 2010 at 9:00 AM, EDT. This means that the Agenda will be published no later than April 20, 2010. It will be posted on the web-site and sent to the state reps. for distribution.
Riding With Pride,
John P. T. Gordon
International Representative
Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club Inc.
Great Lakes Regional Conference
Save A Life, Don't Text and Drive
Every Mile I Ride is for My Son
23 February 2010 - Agenda Items
To Change Section A of the Sales Rules;
Agenda Item 2010-001
To Amend Bylaw Silver Dues Tier wording to include a break
in continuous service;
Agenda Item 2010-002
To Publish a "New Presidents Handbook" as a guideline;
Agenda Item 2010-003
To Provide a Scholarship to children of our members;
Agenda Item 2010-004
Please review the above agenda items and contact me with your opinion.
February 2010 - International Rep Report
Dear Friends,
The New Year has arrived, and like a new snow fall, changes will be happening. New officers will be elected in chapters and in the conferences. With that, it will bring new responsibilities for the newly elected officers. Newly formed chapters will be trying to get their feet wet (so to speak) and learn what the Blue Knights are all about. We need to all work together to help the new officers and new chapters follow a long standing tradition of Blue Knights brotherhood and fraternalism. Like it or not, this is a 20,000+ family. As with all families, there are sometimes issues that need to be resolved. How we go about resolving these issues is the $64,000 question.
When there are problems, we should work together as friends and not as some type of dictator, which could ultimately cause a divorce in our family. Remember, before any problem existed, we were friends who rode together; we were friends who shared the dinner table with each other; we were friends who fought together on the streets; we were friends that shared a drink with each other; we were friends who healed each other’s wounds (both physically and emotionally); we were friends who watched each other’s children grow up, from childhood onto marriage, and now we are friends watching new grandchildren as they continue to grow. I can remember when attending Blue Knights events, I would tell my son to have fun and not to get into trouble. I also told him that if any Blue Knight told him to do something or stop doing something, that it was the same as if I had told him. Why, because Blue Knights are family, and I trusted my Blue Knights family to watch over my son, and that they did (although there was a time or two when he and another Blue Knights’ son snuck some beer at an event, remember Steven?)
I encourage each new officer to go to the Blue Knights International web page and enter the “Members Only” section. Inside, you will find a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws. Print it and learn it. Most problems can be resolved by abiding by the by-Laws. All too often we are seeing chapters and members who try to side-step these by-Laws, because “it doesn’t say that we can’t.” It is not always the printed word that is important, but the spirit of the by-Laws. As police officers, most of us from one time or another have tried to side-step department rules. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t. The end result usually required a new written policy, which would usually tick someone off. As in our departments, the Blue Knights can’t always make everybody happy. When one person, or chapter, tries to side-step the rules, then other members or chapters may become unhappy.
The January 2010 International Board Meeting was held on
January 5, 2010. The highlights of that meeting follow:
Illinois State Rep. Gayle Murnane was appointed to be the chairperson of the
International Honorary Committee by President Dave Mulford. This committee
did a bang-up job providing the board with the information on each candidate
which makes our decisions easier. The International Honoraries for 2010 are:
Eric Estrada, and the King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium.
The final 2009 membership statistics are in and the Blue Knights ended the year with 20,490 members, in 635 chapters, and 24 countries. The Great Lakes Conference ended in third place in the membership race with 2,756 members in 91 chapters. We followed the Tri-State Conference which has 2,995 members in 65 chapters, and the Mason-Dixon Conference which has 2,900 members in 73 chapters.
The Continuous Service Awards program is still up and running. This program recognizes members who have maintained their membership continuously within the Blue Knights for 20, 25, 30 or 35 years. If you qualify and would like to receive this free pin and certificate, please contact Vice-President Pat Fox at intlvp@BlueKnights.org Please do not contact the International office with this information, but Pat directly. There have been questions about purchasing additional pins, and they are now available for $10.00 each.
From our International President Dave Mulford, “I want to remind all Blue Knights, new and old, that if they have questions and concerns to contact their chapter or conference officers, before you just pick up the phone and call the office. Our office staff is there to assist you but they are also very busy. We have many knowledgeable Blue Knights throughout the organization. Many times your new questions or concerns have been already been looked into or answered. Whether a Chapter, Conference or International officer these individuals may be able to answer the many questions or concerns that you have. And if they do not have the answers to your questions they will know where to go or which way to look for an answer. These are the individuals that have stepped up to the various positions that they hold or have held and may be able to assist you.”
The next meeting will be on February 23, 2010. Deadline for agenda items will be February 9, 2010.
Riding With Pride,
John P. T. Gordon
International Representative
Great Lakes Regional Conference
Every Mile I Ride Is For My Son
Save A Life, Don’t Text and Drive
January 2010 - International Rep Report
Dear Friends,
From the Great Lakes Regional Conference, I bid the Blue Knights membership a Happy New Year. We hope that 2010 brings you happiness, prosperity, and good health. We hope that your Blue Knights travels will be safe and worry free. For the members who have not joined the retired ranks, we pray for your shifts on our world’s streets and highways to be injury free. Please remember those Ten Fatal Errors that an officer can make (your attitude, tombstone courage, not enough rest, taking a bad position, danger signs, failure to watch hands, relaxing too soon, improper use or no handcuffs, no search or poor search, and dirty or inoperative weapon) and don’t become one of the news stories that have become all too familiar. Keep in mind that we have a riding season coming up, and there will be many Blue Knights weekends to attend. Don’t forget that these Blue Knights events have some adult beverages, and I need help in its consumption.
Far too many of our friends have passed on to Heaven I, least of which was Gil Mitchell. Gil was probably responsible for recruiting more members to the Blue Knights than anybody and without ever receiving the proper recognition. He did this through his efforts and hard work on the Blue Knights web-site. In honor of Gil’s dedication to the Blue Knights, I will formally propose at our next meeting that the “Blue Knights Web-site of the Year Award” be renamed to the “Gil Mitchell Award”.
Our next Spring Great Lakes Regional Conference meeting will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin on April 30, 2010 to May 2, 2010. It will be at the Midway Best Western Hotel in downtown Green Bay. Our Summer Great Lakes Regional Conference meeting will be held at the French Quarter Holiday Inn in Perrysburg, Ohio, on August 27-29, 2010. This will be our election meeting for conference officers. It will also be time to visit the famous Tony Paco’s Restaurant in Toledo. Make your plans now. More information is available on our web-site.
Are there any questions for me?
Riding With Pride,
John P. T. Gordon
International Representative
Great Lakes Regional Conference
Every Mile I Ride Is For My Son
Save A Life, Don’t Text and Drive
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