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A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska is Celebrating May is Motorcycle Awareness Month Virtually Due to COVID-19

May is Motorcycle Awareness month and you can help us by spreading the word! A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska will be placing some ads and PSA’s talking about motorcycle awareness. Also, because A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska is a non-profit, we encourage you to make a donation and/or to join A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska. Due to the situation in Alaska with COVID-19, we are still under official “hunker-down” and social distancing mandates! Our annual Gathering at the Bike Blessing has been impacted.  Here’s a video of A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska’s Facebook Live Press Conference for the Gathering at the Bike Blessing!

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Celebrates May is Motorcycle Awareness Month Virtually Online During COVID-19

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month and you can help us by spreading the word! A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska will be placing some ads and PSA’s talking about motorcycle awareness. Also, because A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska is a non-profit, we encourage you to make a donation and/or to join A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska. Due to the situation in Alaska with COVID-19, we are still under official “hunker-down” and social distancing mandates! Our annual Gathering at the Bike Blessing has been impacted.  Here’s a video of A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska’s Facebook Live Press Conference for the Gathering at the Bike Blessing!

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Works to Create an Alternative to the 2020 Gathering at the Bike Blessing Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2020

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Works to Create an Alternative to the 2020 Gathering at the Bike Blessing Event

All Anchorage outdoor city facilities and permits canceled through 2020, including the downtown park strip location for the annual Gathering and Bike Blessing.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – With spring in the air and the fast approach of the first weekend in May, organizers of the state’s largest motorcycle gathering have been closely monitoring government mandates for public gatherings. Until the status of city permits and public events officially prevented the gathering, organizers hesitated halting plans. Now, with official word that all outdoor facility permits are canceled indefinitely, the group is actively working to produce an alternative for the motorcycle community.

“I’m sure everyone has been aware that things may not move forward in the way we want them to due to COVID-19. All of us on the planning committee have had to make adjustments in our personal and professional lives just like everyone else,” said Dave “Big Dave Grizzly” Monroe, A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska board member. “We’ve continued to hold our planning meetings and at every meeting we discussed this “what if”. Now that we know for sure it’s not possible to have the event on the park strip, we’re actively working on a plan B.”

While an alternative is yet to be determined, a Facebook live announcement is scheduled for April 18th at 2pm. This date and announcement were set prior to the official news from the city in anticipation of public questions about the status of the event. Motorcycle riders and The Gathering at the Bike Blessing vendors are encouraged to tune in to ask questions and get the latest information regarding the next steps.

During the last planning meeting on March 30th, which was conducted via video conference, organizers examined the fundamentals of the Annual Bike Blessing and Gathering. “The Gathering at the Bike Blessing means different things to different people, but we were able to identify some key elements. Those elements include, prayers and well wishes for a safe season and a message to the public that motorcycles are officially on the roads,” said Event Coordinator Sarah Coe. “We identified about five major themes as we look at what we can do for the riding community while staying in compliance with the hunker down order.”

As for immediate steps, the group is offering full refunds upon request for sponsors and vendors who have already paid a fee for the 2020 event. Since A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, any funds vendors or the public wishes to donate are still greatly appreciated. We will continue to advocate for your motorcycle rights, training, and education. For more information about vendor and sponsorship refunds, please email blessing@abateofalaska.com. The group expresses their gratitude for continued patience as they process the requests.

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month

A final message from the organizers: We will get through this as a community. We encourage riders to follow all federal, state, and local regulations regarding social distancing, hunkering down and protecting our community during the COVID -19 pandemic. The riding community is a very close and strong one. Remember to virtually check in on one another, look for ways to support your community during these difficult times, and when the time comes, keep the shiny side up and rubber side down.

About ABATE

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that depends on your donations and support to continue to operate. We are a 100% volunteer organization who depends upon you, our members, to get our work done and meet our goals.

For 25 years our mission has been to promote the rider education, safety, and training program. In addition, we work to increase public motorcycle awareness, and help protect motorcycle rights for the riding community.

Media Contacts
blessing@abateofalaska.com

 Ken Coston, President
A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska, Inc.
(907) 350-6861

Dave “Big Dave Grizzly” Monroe, Board Member (Chair)
A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska, Inc.
(907) 360-0517

 

 

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska 2019 General Election for the Board and Officers

 

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska
2019 General Election
for the
Board and Officers

Alaska Bikers Advocating Training and Education
P.O. Box 92213 Anchorage, AK  99509-2213

November 13, 2019

Dear A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Member:

At the bottom of this email are two links.  The first is is a link to download a Meet the Candidates document for you.  The second is a link to download your Ballot for the Election of the new Officers and Board Members for 2 year terms during calendar years 2020 to 2022.

Ballots must be returned by 7:30 PM Thursday, November 21, 2019.

Ballot Completion:
Instructions for mail-in or drop-off of ballots:
After printing and filling out your ballot, place it in an envelope that you provide. Insure that your name and membership number is printed on the outside of the envelope. You will need to have your ballot inside an envelope that you provide whether you choose to mail it in or drop it of at a collection box at one of the listed locations.  You may also bring the ballot in person to the November General Membership meeting to drop it in the ballot box after we confirm your membership there.

Ballot Returns:
You have three options to submit your ballot:

1.     Return the completed Ballot in a member provided addressed envelope to ABATE of Alaska, Inc. The member shall be sure to include their full name and membership number on the outside of a sealed envelope. It is the member’s responsibility to ensure sufficient time to process through the U.S. Postal system.  Ballots received after Election Day will be discarded.  Typically, mail takes several days to process through the system.

2.     Drop the Ballot at one of the designated collection points.  Members will be informed of designated drop points in the ABATE Blast or in the Ballot Cover Letter. If the Ballot is dropped at a collection point, the member shall be sure to include their full name and membership number on the outside of a sealed member provided envelope. These amazing motorcycle retailers, who are also A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Business Members, have agreed to host A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Ballot Boxes at their locations to making dropping off your ballots easier.

a.     Team CC in Eagle River

b.     Alaska Leather

c.     AK Cycle Center

d.     House of Harley

e.     The Motorcycle Shop

3.     Vote in person at the November General Membership Meeting.  If the member casts their vote in person, the Vice-President or Designee in coordination with the Membership Coordinator will validate the member’s membership and then place the ballot in the Ballot Box at the meeting.

Members may only submit a single Ballot.  In the event, a member submits more than one Ballot, only the first Ballot received and marked on the Member list shall be counted. Any subsequent Ballots submitted will be discarded.

If someone you know did not get a ballot in the mail they must call or see the membership coordinator with their correct address to receive their ballot or attend the November General Membership meeting. (Membership Coordinator: Ken Coston, 907-350-6861)

Election Day:
The ballot will be removed from any envelope if applicable and placed in the ballot box after your name has been verified as a current member of ABATE of Alaska which qualifies you for casting a vote.

Please note the meeting place and time for elections:

General Membership Meeting
Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 7:00PM
Location: Guido’s Pizza, 549 W International Airport Rd, Anchorage, AK 99518

BALLOT BOX WILL CLOSE AT 7:30 PM ON November 21, 2019

Meet the Candidates
This year, Alaska Leather has offered to host a “Meet the Candidates” during their “Motorcycle Movie Night”!

The movie is yet to be determined, but many ABATE Candidates will be available to answer questions.
Food is Potluck, so bring a dish to share. They will have the popcorn machine running.
When: This Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 5:30 PM – 9 PM
Where: Alaska Leather, 3611 Minnesota Dr, Anchorage, Alaska 99503

About The Warren Garrison Award:
Warren Garrison was an outstanding member of ABATE. Though he did not hold an office or board position he was always here with his insight, knowledge and helping hands. Upon his death in1993 ABATE decided to honor him by creating an award in his name. This is ABATE’s highest award and is given to the person or persons that the membership feels has exemplified and promoted ABATE and its volunteer mission to the highest standards for the past year. This award is open to anyone that is a current member of ABATE. Beginning in 2017, the recipient of this award is also presented with a Lifetime Membership in A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska. This is currently the only way to obtain that membership level.

To send us your ballot by US Mail,
please use this address:

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska, Inc.
P.O. Box 92213
Anchorage, AK 99509-2213

Thank you for being a member and supporting of A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska, Inc!

Please meet your candidates and download your ballot here:

MeetCandidates

Ballot 2019

 

The 2019 Gathering at the Bike Blessing

 

The 2019 Gathering at the Bike Blessing

This Saturday!
May 4, 2019
9:00 AM until 4:00 PM

Downtown Park Strip (The block between L St and I St at W 9th Ave and W 10th Ave)

For over 15 years, on the first Saturday in May, Alaska begins the motorcycle-riding season with the annual event “The Gathering at the Bike Blessing”. A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Inc., along with volunteers from the motorcycle community, organizes this event in order to raise motorcycle awareness and save lives.

Over 1000 motorcycles normally attend this event annually with over 1,200 motorcycles attending last year in downtown Anchorage.  In addition to the motorcycle riders, several thousand other members of their families and the public attended the event focused on reminding everyone that with the Spring break-up in Alaska, everyone will be seeing more motorcycles on the road. The Gathering is also a chance for riders to come together at the beginning of the season, swap stories and make plans for summer rides.

The event itself will occupy the block of the Park strip between L St and I St and W 9th Ave and W 10th Ave.  The main stage area will be the walkway in front of the Alaska Veteran’s Memorial.  The parking spaces and lanes immediately around the block will be set aside for motorcycle parking, VIP parking, and some vendors as required.  There will be 30 to 40 booths representing various motorcycle retailers, clubs, and other non-profit organizations.  There will also be food vendors and some family activity events and displays. Each year, we have representatives from the State of Alaska Governor’s office and from the Anchorage Municipality speak and most often, the Governor and the Mayor themselves both attend. The Alaska Vets MC will lead a parade of motorcycles for Rolling Thunder, which circles the event and then will present the colors to honor military veterans who make up more than 60% of the motorcycle community in Alaska.

A.B.A.T.E stands for Alaskan Bikers Advocating Training and Education. In January of 1983, A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Inc. was founded with the mission to educate and train the motorcyclists in Alaska. As a community, this group is concerned towards establishing motorcycle awareness among people and offers motorcycle-riding classes.  Since our motorcycle safety-training program began in 1991, A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Inc. has trained over 20,000 riders to get their endorsements, learn how to ride safer, and to be more responsible motorcycle operators on Alaska roads and highways. For more information about the event, please email blessing@abateofalaska.com or call 907-360-0517.

Come visit us on the web!
Web: https://www.abateofalaska.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abateofalaska
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbateofAlaska
Instagram: http://instagram.com/abateofalaska
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/abateofalaska

Join Us for the Official
2019 Gathering
at the Bike Blessing
After Party

A very big Thank You! to the Alaska Vets for hosting the City-Wide Bike Blessing & The Gathering 2019 After Party at their clubhouse. Why stop all the fun?? Come join us for more! Saturday May 4th 4pm till ???

Address the Federal Definition of a Motorcycle with NHTSA

Address the Federal Definition
of a Motorcycle with NHTSA
Reprinted with permission from the
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
April 9, 2019
CALL TO ACTION

ASK YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO JOIN THE LETTER TO NHTSA ADDRESSING THE FEDERAL DEFINITION OF A MOTORCYCLE

April 9, 2019

We are asking you to take the a few minutes to ask your elected officials to join their colleagues on a letter being sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to ask them to address the decades old definition of a motorcycle at the end of this week.  The letter must be sent in the next 48 hours to ensure your member of Congress will be included in the letter. 

One of the priorities for the MRF this year is addressing the definition of a motorcycle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is in charge of the federal definition. The current definition is 40 years old and so broad that autocycles are classified as motorcycles which creates ambiguity surrounding licensing, registration, insurance and safety courses.

NHTSA defines the term “motorcycle,” as “a motor vehicle with motive power having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with ground” (49 CFR 571.3).

ABATE of Iowa led the charge at the state level to update the definition of a motorcycle in Iowa. However, some states have not been able to address this issue in their statehouses. Now the MRF is seeking to change the definition at the federal level, which will ensure vehicles that are classified as motorcycles are indeed motorcycles. Leaders from ABATE of Wisconsin helped lead this push at the federal level. They came to Washington, DC earlier in the year and met with their Senators and Representatives as well as leaders of the Motorcycle Caucuses.

Those meetings resulted in a letter from Congressman Burgess of Texas and Senator Johnson of Wisconsin to NTSHA asking questions about the current definition of a motorcycle.

Congressman Burgess and Senator Johnson want their colleagues to sign onto the letter and join them in asking these crucial questions of NHSTA. We need you to contact your Congressman and Senators and ask them to join this letter. We want the definition of a motorcycle to be a motorcycle, and that starts with putting NHSTA on notice that the current definition is unacceptable.

We have all seen these autocycles on the road, and we know they aren’t motorcycles. Let’s make sure the bureaucrats in DC understand the difference!

 

 Take Action 

 

Sincerely,

Tiffany Cipoletti

Director of Operations

Motorcycle Riders Foundation

 

 

All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. Motorcycle Riders Foundation. All rights reserved. Ride With The Leaders ™ by joining the MRF at http://motorcycleridersfoundation.wildapricot.org/page-1654836 or call (202) 546-0983.

 

For Immediate Release – House of Representatives Introduced a Resolution Addressing Motorcyclist Profiling


Help End Motorcycle Profiling
Reprinted with permission from the
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
March 26, 2019
CALL TO ACTION!

ABATE of Alaska and the Motorcycle Riders Foundation in Washington, DC need your help!

For Immediate Release

March 26, 2019

House of Representatives Introduced a Resolution Addressing Motorcyclist Profiling
Today champions of the motorcyclist community in the House of Representatives introduced a resolution addressing motorcyclist profiling. The resolution (H. Res. 255) has three key points:

(1) promoting increased public awareness on the issue of motorcyclist profiling;
(2) encouraging collaboration and communication with the motorcycle community and law enforcement to engage in efforts to end motorcycle profiling; and
(3) urging State law enforcement officials to include statements condemning motorcyclist profiling in written policies and training materials.


The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) applauds Congressman Walberg (R-MI), Congressman Peterson (D-MN), Congressman Burgess (R-TX) and Congressman Pocan (D-WI) for introducing this bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives. These four Members of Congress introduced an identical bill in the last Congress which garnered 37 cosponsors but unfortunately failed to reach the House floor for a vote.

While the previous effort in the House failed, the United States Senate, in December 2018 passed an identical resolution regarding motorcyclist profiling. The MRF was proud to take a leading role in passing this Senate anti-profiling resolution. The United States Senate is now on record calling for the end of motorcyclist profiling.

The MRF is committed to working with the state motorcycle rights organizations (SMROs), coalitions, COC’s, the Motorcycle Profiling Project (MPP), the National Council of Clubs (NCOC), the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and independent riders to advance H. Res. 255.

President of the MRF, Kirk ‘Hardtail’ Willard, stated “We once again thank Congressmen Walberg, Peterson, Burgess and Pocan for their leadership on this important issue. Motorcyclists in every state are impacted by profiling and we appreciate these Congressmen bringing the issue before the House of Representatives.”

To ask your U.S. House of Representative to cosponsor H. Res. 255, please take action at the link below:

 Take Action H.Res 255

About Motorcycle Riders Foundation
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) provides leadership at the federal level for states’ motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well as motorcycle clubs and individual riders. The MRF is chiefly concerned with issues at the national and international levels that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. The MRF is committed to being a national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle and works in conjunction with its partners to help educate elected officials and policymakers in Washington and beyond.

All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. Motorcycle Riders Foundation. All rights reserved. Ride With The Leaders ™ by joining the MRF at http://motorcycleridersfoundation.wildapricot.org/page-1654836 or call (202) 546-0983.

 

ABATE of Alaska Elections and 8th Annual Meet & Greet

Please meet the elected A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska leadership for 2019!

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Board of Directors
Barb Smart
Dan “RC” Owens
Dan “Spider” Schneider
Dan “Havoc” Coffey
“Big Dave” Monroe
Ed Rutledge

A.B.A.T.E. of Alaska Executive Officers
President – Ken Coston
Vice-President – John “Da Hulk” Schuelke
Treasurer – Tim Kelly
Secretary – Lesle “Scottie” Moore

The remaining officer positions will be filled by the Board of Directors and President in January.



ABATE of Alaska’s
8th Annual Meet and Greet
Saturday, January 26, 2019
6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

This is our annual event to thank our members and meet the ABATE of Alaska board members and officers.
Awards, Drawings, & Great Prizes from some of our Business Sponsors and Business Members. Members only. If you are not a member or membership has expired, you can join at the door. $25/yr will buy or renew your membership and help pay to send our officers to represent us and stand up for legislation to protect our rights as well as helping promote safer riding and rider education in Alaska!

ABATE of Alaska 2018 General Election & End-of-Season Newsletter


ABATE of Alaska
2018 General Election &
End-of-Season Newsletter
November 15, 2018
General Membership Meeting
at Guido’s Pizza
If you have not yet mailed in your ballot,
you can cast your ballot in person!
Votes will be counted
and we hear from our
Spotlight Business Member
Bosco’s
Comics, Cards, & Games
John Weddleton
Owner and Anchorage Assembly Member
Join us as of our business member
 Bosco’s
presents what they bring to the motorcycle community.
We hope to see you at the
ABATE of Alaska November General Membership Meeting!
 Guido’s Pizza
 549 W International Airport Rd, Anchorage, Alaska 99518


We have published our end-of-season newsletter for November 2018!

We’ve had a busy year and you, the membership, have helped make it a very strong one!

You may download the newsletter and read it from here:
https://abateofalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Nov2018.NL_.pdf
(In order to reduce costs and continue to be good stewards of your ABATE funds, we are now sending the newsletters only electronically.  If this is an issue for you, please reply to this email or contact us at a meeting to get a hard copy. We will have hard copies available at the November General membership meeting!)


Thank you all for supporting ABATE of Alaska!

ABATE of Alaska Annual General Elections


ABATE of Alaska
Annual General Elections


November 4, 2018


Abate of Alaska is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is not endorsing any specific candidates including those listed below.

This email is intended to clarify an oversight that has resulted in how an individual’s name appears on the ABATE of Alaska ballot.

Please note that “Peppermint Patti” Bogan‘s name appears as Patti Bogan on the version of the ballot that was actually mailed to members.  This was an oversight at the time of printing.  In discussing this issue with Patti, she has agreed that this email notice is a sufficient recourse in lieu of mailing new ballots to our members.

If you have any questions or concerns, please respond to this email or contact any ABATE of Alaska board member and/or Patti directly.

We do apologize for any confusion caused by this situation.

Mailed Ballot:

Corrected Ballot:


Reminder: You must be a current member of ABATE in good standing to vote. As stated in the cover letter with the ballot:


 “After filling out your ballot place it in the return address envelope. Insure that your name and membership number is printed on the return envelope. You will need to have your ballot inside the return envelope whether you mail it in, drop it of at Alaska Leather, or bring it to the meeting to drop it in the ballot box.”

If you did not receive your ballot by mail, you may download a copy and print it out from here:
ABATE of Alaska 2018 Election Ballot