Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Indiana FTE - Welcome Your New Chapter Leader

First off I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Rob for a great race and his willingness to step up to the plate and want to lead this chapter like I did. It takes a special person to step into the limelight and Rob was certainly willing to do so! I am sure I will be calling on his assistance as we try and rejuvenate this chapter!

Second I would like to thank everyone that voted for me and has the confidence in me to lead this chapter. I TRULY APPRECIATE your confidence and hopefully I will not let you down! I would also like to thank those that didn't vote for me...just VOTING in this election and having a good turnout of members is what is important. I truly feel there was no wrong person to vote for in this election...simply casting your vote means you care what happens in OUR chapter...and that is what is important as we move forward!!!

Next I would like to thank SteveBricks for his leadership of this chapter while we were searching for a new chapter leader...his guidance kept our chapter together for that transition period...although I think us Hoosiers are a little more conservative in our thinking than a fellow from Kalifornia! (joking! :-X04) his leadership kept us going...so to him THANK YOU!!!

Remember this is OUR chapter...my job simply involves facilitating and communicating...it is up to all of us to make it the great chapter it can be...I can do nothing alone...I need YOUR help as we move forward.

Just as an FYI to everyone...I am currently on a somewhat extended vacation. As I type I am in Honolulu with my lovely wife. I am 3 years late on my promise to take her (without the kids) to celebrate our 20th anniversary...we just passed 23 years of marriage...so better late than never right! :-X22...anyway my internet time is greatly reduced until October 4th when we return to the mainland.

As chapter leader I have a few ideas of how to get things going within the chapter. One of my first ideas is dinner cruise in's and drives afterwards around the state. While I personally cannot be at all the far reaches of Indiana I would like to find a few regional area leaders that I can count on to facilitate the various areas. I'm thinking some small regional weeknight get togethers and then a few larger state wide events and combining those with campouts/etc. I always enjoyed when I was riding my Harley to go to dinner as a group and then a nice sunset time drive/ride as a group...those were fun and I hope some of you are intersted in these types of activities. I also realize not everyone camps or RV's so having an event at different State Parks around the state and using those as our 'meeting areas' will allow those that camp and those that don't to be at the same place for a pot luck brunch/dinner etc with some horse shoes, corn hole, hiking, etc...our State Parks are really nice for these types of events and we can rent the Pavillions incase it rains...We've camped at a lot of our parks and they all offer something different...but just getting the group together is what is important.

I am also looking to hear from YOU on ideas on how to energize our chapter and get our folks face to face to talk stuff we all like to talk...FORD'S!!!...I will start a new thread when I get a chance so we can get some ideas flowing as to how to get our group together more frequently. My wife and I have hosted the Excursion Diversion the past three years and now we will focus our energies on a Hoosier Hysteria or whatever we decide to call our gatherings! :-X03

Well I gues that is all for now...I just want to say Mahalo (thank you) to everyone again for taking time out of their busy schedules to vote in our election. Now it is time for us Hoosiers to begin to take our chapter to new places and start getting some face to face time so we can finally put a face to that screen name! :-X22

Aloha,
Joe