President's Report

Greetings to all my Brothers & Sisters of ABATE of Arizona. May is upon us as this issue comes out. Spring has finally come to the entire state of Arizona. Those of us in the desert areas have had good weather but the high country and mountain areas of our great state are now fully into riding weather. As always the calendar is full of events and we all look forward to getting out and seeing friends and associates around the state that we may not have seen since last fall.

May is also Motorcycle Awareness Month, throughout this great country of ours organizations and municipalities are issuing proclamations and holding events to increase awareness of motorcycles on our nation’s roads and highways. Please help spread the word and let folks know that it is everyone’s responsibility to be careful and to “Look Twice-Save a Life”. If you attend any of these events please take photos and report back to us what is being done around our state to bring attention to this cause. Submit an article along with the photos to The Masterlink so we can share it with our members.

May is also the month that we celebrate our Moms! Mothers Day is May 8th. I would like to express ABATE’s best wishes to all of the Mothers out there in our ranks. I hope all of our Mothers have a very special Mother’s Day and for those who are no longer with us, we will cherish those memories of our Mother’s Love.

The month of May is also very significant because it is also the month that we honor our Veterans! It is the month we observe Memorial Day! Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to our great Nation. There are many stories how this day had its beginnings but it all culminated when General Logan gave his official proclamation in 1868. This is the day that we remember all those gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live in freedom. Many of our members have relatives who never made it back. Without these brave men & women we would not be able to enjoy all the freedoms enjoy today. So honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us and DO NOT EVER FORGET!!

The month of May is also the month that the MRF hosts Bikers inside the Beltway. This is a day when motorcycle rights activists from around the country gather in Washington DC to meet with our Congressmen and Senators to discuss issues important to all of us who ride. Please everyone contact your Congressmen and Senators and let them know that even if you are not able to attend this event that these issues are important to you.

Remember as always that we are not just a motorcycle group. We are a political action organization that fights for the rights of ALL motorcycle riders no matter what they ride. WE ARE A FREEDOM ORGANIZATION!

I look forward to seeing ALL of you at Too Broke for Sturgis in June!! WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please sign up and volunteer a few hours to help make this year the best TBFS EVER!!!

As always, until next month!

Jim Butsback
State President
ABATE of Arizona