Blizzard Doesn’t Blank 2005 Banquet

Despite the Mid-Atlantic’s largest snowstorm to date, a surprisingly large group of MARRC members gathered in McLean, Virginia, on Saturday, January 22nd 2005, for the Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet.

The Annual Meeting included updates from the Director of each operating group, and introduced the members of the 2005 Executive Committee. After a wonderful buffet dinner, the Awards Banquet began with recognition of those who served in an administrative capacity in 2004, whether on the Executive Committee, as the Director of an operating group, or as a Committee Chair. The second phase of the awards presentation recognized our volunteers, who received awards—including the coveted MARRC jacket—based on the number of days they worked for the club in 2004.

The third phase recognized our members who were voted as the best of 2004 by their fellow MARRC members. Many of these awards categories are geared toward our racer members, with some awards based on race classes, and others based on a particularly memorable event or series of events, such as the Hard Luck Award or the dreaded Crash and Burn Award. Two new rider awards, Senior Expert and Senior Amateur, were created in 2004 to recognize riders from these increasingly popular classes.

Only three awards remained following the presentation of the riders’ awards. The annual President’s Award is the only award that is not voted on by the membership, because it is usually given to someone who deserves recognition for their support of MARRC, but who works behind the scenes so that their efforts are not visible to the majority of our members. The evening’s final two awards are voted on by our members, but unlike the riders awards these recognize volunteers for their hard work and dedication. The Cornerworker of the Year is the person whom our members determine to be the hardest working, most talented cornerworker from the previous racing season. And the MARRC Cup is presented to the person whom our members feel has done the most in support of the club’s motto, Dedicated to the Advancement of Motorcycle Roadracing, over the previous year.

Like all of our events, the Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet is a team effort. Sonia Chapin did a fantastic job with the awards, and she and Dawn Greer and Frank Brittain worked hard to set up the banquet room and the awards. Katie and Jim Hartley took care of the registration desk, and the multitalented Terry Reese was our photographer. Keep an eye out throughout 2005 for notable MARRC members, and place your ballot when the voting opens in the Fall. And plan ahead now to attend the next Banquet in January 2006 to celebrate the accomplishments of what we are sure will be a fantastic racing season!

	Tom and Carol Moyer accept the 2004 MARRC Cup. The MARRC Cup is presented to the person whom our members feel has done the most in support of the club’s motto, Dedicated to the Advancement of Motorcycle Roadracing, over the previous year. Tom and Carol dedicate an enormous amount of time as the MARRC Chaplains, supporting racers and their families through difficult times.
	Chris Astle, right, proudly accepts the 2004 Cornerworker of the Year trophy from the previous year’s winner, Allen Cox. The Cornerworker of the Year is the person whom our members determine to be the hardest working, most talented cornerworker from the previous racing season.
	Sean O’Sullivan receives the 2004 Senior Amateur of the Year Award from fellow racer Simon Whalley. Sean braved the blizzard (and Kevin Weir’s driving) to come down from New England to attend the banquet.
	The ever-popular Team Charm proudly accepted their award for 2004 Endurance Team of the Year. Pictured are Rick Beggs, Stephen Harris, Rich Sturges, and Brian Summers.
	The 2005 MARRC Executive Committee took their seats at the Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet on January 22, 2005. Front row, l-r: Vice President Rick Beggs, President Wendy Leland, Sonia Chapin, Treasurer Dawn Greer. Back row, l-r: Terry Reese, Glen Ouye, Simon Whalley, and Chris Astle. Secretary Will Astle could not attend.
	Many of those who earned awards for the time the spent volunteering for MARRC in 2004 were able to attend the banquet to receive their awards. Front row, Wendy Leland, Dawn Greer, Rick Beggs. Second row, Tom Moyer, Carol Moyer, Allen Cox, Chris Astle, Sonia Chapin, Katie Hartley, Glen Ouye, Frank Brittain, Jane Weiss, Howard Weiss. Back row, Terry Reese, Clayton Fisk, Tina Williams, John Bousquet, Jim Hartley, Art Sears, Phil Sears, Brian Summers, Simon Whalley.
	President Wendy Leland presents Frank Brittain with a thank-you gift in recognition of his work as the 2004 Newsletter Committee Chair.
	President Wendy Leland presents Sonia Chapin with thank-you gifts in recognition of her work as the Director of the 2004 Training Operating Group, and as the Cornerworker School Committee Chair.
	Dawn Greer, right, accepts the 2004 MARRC President’s Award from Wendy Leland. Dawn’s can-do attitude and professional skills as a web and database designer have benefited the club in countless ways. For example, thanks to her, people can automatically register for the Roadracing School and Track Days, and the on-line reports she created allow club administrators to access the current membership data anytime they need it. In everything she does, she is thinking about the future, and about what she can do to help the club grow.
	Tom and Carol Moyer receive the 2004 MARRC Cup from the previous year’s recipient, Glen Ouye. The MARRC Cup is presented to the person whom our members feel has done the most in support of the club’s motto, Dedicated to the Advancement of Motorcycle Roadracing, over the previous year. Tom and Carol dedicate an enormous amount of time as the MARRC Chaplains, supporting racers and their families through difficult times.
	President Wendy Leland presents Brian Summers with a thank-you gift in recognition of his work as the 2004 Roadracing School Operating Group Director.
	President Wendy Leland presents Terry Reese with thank-you gifts in recognition of his work as the 2004 Recruiting and Retention Committee Chair and the Safety Services Materials Management Committee Chair.
	President Wendy Leland presents Art Sears with a thank-you gift in recognition of his work as the 2004 Safety Services Radio Communications Committee Chair.
	Sonia Chapin presents Rick Beggs with the 2004 Sportsmanship Award, which recognizes a rider who is sportsmanlike both on and off the track.