I would like to say HELLO to everybody in Region 12. My name is Tom Winger I have been appointed Interim Director for R-12 as a number of officers from other Regions and the State Board have asked me to step in as KarriAnn has taken a leave of absence for the next couple of months.

    For those of you who do not know me, I’m a 17-year member of ABATE of Ohio, Inc. and I started by sitting in the back at meetings not saying or doing very much and over time that changed. I have held offices in Cuyahoga County and Region Zero and was State Events Director and am currently on the Ohio Bike Week committee.

    Here are some things we have on the drawing board for 2010 for Region 12:

• R-12 t- shirts and rockers will be available by June 1, 2010.
• June 4th-13th Ohio Bike Week: (ABATE is once again hosting the camp ground as well as the rodeo games, swap meet and bike show, ABATE products trailer will also be at OBW), If you are interested in helping at OBW please note if you work a 4-hour shift, you will get a free night of camping.
• June Jam (ABATE's State Party) in Hocking Hills, June 25, 26 and 27, 2010
• July is the Geauga County Poker Run; I would like to thank Nancy Fisk for leading the way on this once again and if you would like to help, please contact Nancy at 216-206-3473. At this time this is the only run set for 2010 for our Region. We would like to have some type of run or event in each county by 2011
• October 3rd is the hog roast at Carlton HD in Mantua. This year we will be co-hosting with Region Zero as we are planning an expansion of this event with more details to come this summer

    We are working at getting each county active and functioning. Until then, we will be having a Regional Meeting once a month, rotating them each month throughout the four counties. It would be great if we could each county’s board in place at these meetings as well. I live in the Cleveland area and have not spent much time in upper Lake county or Ashtabula county and I am a little blind in these areas and will need help in getting them active.

    If there is any one interested in a county or regional office please contact me at the number below. We would like to have runs and events in all the counties but need to have an active board in place for any county to have an event.

    I am looking forward to the chance to be apart of a blending of people and ideas. As a new Region comes to life and I know there are a lot of good people out there with good ideas, people that can make things happen. Bring all of this together and we could have one hell of a strong region.

    The ABATE of OHIO Foundation is having a 2010 Road King raffle, tickets are $20 each, with only 3000 printed, and the drawing is August 28, 2010.