January 2012 FBMA MOOSE RIDERS NEWS. In this Issue. Big Number Announced at State Convention. Riders Enjoy Motorcycle Day At Moosehaven

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1 Volume 5, No. 1 In this Issue FBMA MOOSE RIDERS NEWS Loyal Order of Moose Northeast Florida Big Number Announced at State Convention Riders Enjoy Motorcycle Day At Moosehaven Youth Ranch Open House Welcomes Riders January 2012 Residents and Moose Riders enjoy leisurely campus ride at Moosehaven Motorcycle Day. Pipes is published quarterly in January, April, July and October. Our goal is to keep Florida Moose Riders informed of important issues, to publicize district fundraising opportunities and let you know about special events at other Lodges or districts. Please submit your coming events, articles, information or suggestions to me at fbmapipes@yahoo.com or mooseriderpipes@aol.com Joan Fedora, Editor

2 ATTENTION FLORIDA MOOSE RIDERS: THIS IS OUR PLEDGE! 2

3 Riders Enjoy the Moosehaven Campus The Sun Shines on Motorcycle Day Campus Ride Riders from MOTOR 39, Riverview and Palatka join others for group shot with Tommy Moose at Moosehaven for Motorcycle Day. What a turnout. Riders from Lake Wales, Riverview, Macclenny, Mandarin, 2020, were there. Monterey, CA, Reseda, CA, Clayton/Smyrna DE, Sparta MI, Districts 2 and 4 riders and too many more to mention were present in the form of t-shirts and a couple of cookbooks from MI. The gear was donated to use as raffle items for the residents at the lunch following the parade. Riders started showing up mid-morning and enjoyed a gorgeous NE Florida October Day, mingling with the residents and enjoying the beverages and merchandise offered by Moosehaven. Many residents Best Dressed Verna Wilson sports were clad in Motorcycle themed shirts 2008 BullMoose Run T-shirt (some prizes from a previous Motorcycle Day), and several decked out their threewheelers or scooters in festive ways. As more and more bikes arrived, the group organized for the ritual campus ride. Moose Riders offered rides to willing residents and the parade around the campus was soon underway. Even Tommy Moose was there to take part in the parade. Following the ride, everyone congregated in the social quarters to enjoy a picnic lunch 3 Patriotic theme wins best decorated bike award for Fergie & Avis. of burgers/dogs/chips etc. To entertain those in line for the food, Marina Matthews started the raffle, awarding many, many prizes, including the shirts and cookbooks mentioned above. It was quite a gathering and by time the raffle was over, most people had finished their lunch. Thanks to those Moose Riders who helped by getting lunches for some of the residents who were unable to wait in line. The residents were definitely grateful for the helping hands. For those who had traveled from Riverview and Lake Wales to experience the day, we hope you can make it back next year. Editor

4 Florida Moose Riders report $108,551 raised in 1 Year Johnny Hester, left, and Russ Roberts display Rally Sponsor Banner at Men s session. Regina Perrin, left, and Kay Carlile display Moose Rider T-shirt Quilt during WOTM session. M oose Riders were out in full force in Tampa this past October. Between dual presentations on Saturday announcing phenomenal fundraising for the past year, the Tiny Metcalf Memorial Poker Run at the Wyndham Hotel, and the Fellowship degrees awarded to some of our riders, there were more than enough reasons to celebrate. New Fellows Dave Carlile (Riverview) and Johnny Hester (Mandarin) started their Saturday morning early, and Riders already on hand Saturday also attended the joint session Memorial Service at the Doubletree to honor late riders Mark Tiny Metcalf (past Chairman) and Ted Pops Robinson (Chairman of District 15) along with others lost in the past year. Riders then began congregating at the Photos courtesy of Debra Smith, Editor of the Courier. Wyndham to start the in-house poker run in memory of Tiny and to honor Nate Shultz, 4 Youth Ranch alumnus and Marine lost inaction last year. The roar of motorcycles signaled the arrival of riders from Riverview, Cape Coral, Haines City, Punta Gorda, and North Hillsboro. It didn t take long to get the interest level going. By the time the afternoon session had begun, $475 had been raised with a $100 payout to the winner. An additional round was played raising another $275 for a total of $750. The Moose Rider presentations in the Men s and Women s sessions ran simultaneously, with standing ovations when our final figure of $108,551 raised was announced. The 8 x 8 quilt made from Moose Rider t- shirts was displayed in the women s session. We hope to raise a lot of money with that raffle. The Fall Rally sponsor banner was displayed in the men s session. Needless to say, Riders were impressive with their numbers and their great work. In the Women s session, FBMA Moose Riders State Secretary Joan Fedora announced that she will be stepping down from that position after more than 4-1/2 years. She plans to still hold a chair on the state board, but hopes to work more with International to unify the many moose rider groups across the country and to continue her work with the LIFE campaign for In the Men s session, Chairman Mundorf announced that Charlie Titheridge was also stepping down from his position as Vice Chairman for N. Florida. Charlie was the first Vice Chairman in the State of Florida when the board formed over 4-1/2 years ago. Riders are looking forward to another successful year, raising money for their three charities, and supporting the LIFE campaign and Florida s pledge to bring the Mooseheart Color Guard to the Tampa 2012 Convention. On Sunday morning, Pipes Editor Joan Fedora was introduced at the awards session. She was the proud recipient of an award for 2 nd place for Best Story in all categories and another for Honorable Mention for General Excellence in the Provincial/State Association category. We re very proud of our participation in the various sessions of the Convention and we applaud our hardworking Moose Riders who managed to raise 63% more money than they did the previous year. Editor

5 ** Convention Photos ** Convention Photos ** Moose Riders from around the state met at the State Convention in Tampa in October for an inhouse Poker Run in memory of Mark Tiny Metcalf, past FBMA Moose Riders State Chairman, and to attend the Men s and Women s sessions featuring presentations by Moose Riders State Officers. 5

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7 FSYR Open House Run Raindrops Kept Falling on the Moose Riders Heads Moose Riders gather in Ms. Parker s Journalism Classroom with equipment donated last May. Nothing like a Nor easter to ruin your weekend. But thanks to 12 hearty Moose Riders from Mandarin and Riverview, Moose Rider presence was evident at the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch Open House on Saturday October 8 th in Live Oak. For some, the ride started very early in pouring rain and blustery winds, but the promise of clearer skies to the west brought them to Macclenny to meet up with the rest of the riders. Dave and Kay Carlile and Roy and Barb Miller from Riverview had made the trip up to Macclenny the day before, suffering themselves through a lot of wind and rain on their nearly 200 mile trip. As the riders prepared to depart at 9:30, the skies opened up and the rains came. After a short wait and with a brief break in the rain, the riders headed out. The trip west to the Boys Ranch resulted in improved weather and by the time everyone got to Live Oak the weather was clear, if not sunny. Frank Kenny had reserved covered seats at the end of the arena and riders enjoyed the parade and the ranchers riding demonstration. They also enjoyed the barbecue compliments of Frank, wandered through the vendor area, and marveled at the craftsmanship of the boys on the lathes. Following lunch, Frank organized a short tour of the campus, including a visit to one of the homes where we enjoyed a personal tour led by 7 one of the young ranchers and had a chance to ask questions and find out what life on the ranch is like. The next stop was the Donald Ralph Cooke School where we met up with Peggy, the school Secretary. The first stop on our tour of the school was Ms. Parker s journalism classroom where we got to see the computer equipment the Florida Moose Riders donated last May. The young journalists even left copies of the newest issue of MEN, the Youth Ranch newsletter that they had just created on the new equipment. It was very obvious that our donation had provided them with tools to improve their publication and gave them the opportunity to include color as well. Peggy conveyed a very emotional thank you from the boys (who, by the way, were participating in the Open House events and couldn t be there) and said that when she heard the rumble of the motorcycles outside the school she was very excited to meet us and thank us for what we did for the Ranch. We toured the rest of the school and Peggy graciously answered many of our questions regarding the ranch, the boys educations and the best ways for Moose Riders to help out. Before leaving, the group paused at the familiar statue in front of the administration building for a photo op. From there the group made its way to the Keg Room, just outside of Lake City to present a check from MOTOR 39 to Mike Arthur, Lake City Moose and organizer of the annual St. Jude Hospital fundraising Poker Run, which was in progress when we arrived. Rich Vernon of MOTOR 39 presented Mike with a check in the amount of $115 as our donation. After the presentation the group convened at the Lake City Lodge before returning to Macclenny and Jacksonville. Thanks to those riders who came out despite the weather. A ride to the Ranch is always rewarding and it was great to see friends from Riverview and enjoy this special day with them.--editor

8 February 17 Cops and Clays for Kids Trap Shooting Tournament to benefit the Florida Sheriff s Youth Ranches at the Markham Park Target Range in Sunrise, FL. 8:00am to 1:00pm and lunch will be provided to event participants. For more information contact John Szaroleta at (386) March 3 Youth Ranch Safety Harbor Open House from 11am 2pm. Barbecue lunch and tours of the campus will be provided. For reservations please call (772) March 17- Caruth Camp Picnic in the Pines from 11:00am to 1:30pm. Lunch and tours of the campus will be provided. For reservations call (352) Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Upcoming Events April 14 Youth Ranch Bradenton/Sarasota Open House Open house is from 11am to 1:30pm including a complimentary lunch. For reservations please call (941) April 28 Youth Villa Open House Join us for a complimentary lunch and tours of the campus from 11am - 1:30pm. For reservations please call (863)

9 With the recent start up of the Suwannee River Lodge Moose Riders and the inherent problem of being spread out, MO- TOR 39 has disbanded and reformed into Districts 13 and 14 as of January We re pleased that the regional structure worked and led to increased interest in Lodges within the MOTOR 39 family. We wish District 14 great success and increased growth. we are working to increase membership in District 13, too. In November we visited Yulee and Middleburg Lodges, with the hopes of signing up more members and we did. We signed up 4 members that day. Mandarin 42 Moose Riders are pledging to support both the laptop campaign (LIFE) and the Mooseheart Color Guard sponsorship program. Mandarin 42,Moose Riders organized a float and participated in the Veterans Day Parade held by the City of Jacksonville on November 11. Not only did we have riders but also got Lodge Moose Members to join with the riders on the Float. On November 12th, several Mandarin Moose Riders attended a function put on by the Florida Sheriffs Youth Camp in Barberville, Fl. The event is called "Turkey in the Ground" and is held the 2nd Sunday of November. It is put on for sponsors as a thank you from the entire Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch Staff. A great time and lunch was had by all that attended. We also got to see the bathhouse redo paid for by the FBMA featuring new tiled floors, new sinks and counter tops, and showers with metal locking doors for privacy. 10 District 13 Moose Riders participated in the Vietnam/Legacy Vets 26th annual Toys for Kids ride benefiting the JP Hall Foundation. JP Hall Foundation collects toys and gives scholarships to the Kids of Clay County who without them may not have a Christmas or may not get to go to college. 9 District 13 Officers (L to R): Sid Bodie-Sgt. At Arms, Drew Crow-Vice Chairman, Audrey Crow-Secretary, Tim Middleton-Chairman, Jeni Hall-Treasurer & Rich Vernon-Road Captain On Saturday, December 17th, District 13 held a meeting in Middleburg to elect a board of officers. From there Mandarin riders went north to the Lodge for their officers election and to serve dinner later that afternoon. Several Moose Riders also celebrated birthdays that evening in true Moose Riders style promises to be an exciting year for our district. J. Fedora and Rich Vernon District 13 Riders join Toys for Kids Ride in Clay County

10 Jacksonville Riders Part of Veterans Day Parade 10

11 Pensacola Moose Riders In October we experienced the shocking loss of our Moose Riders chairman, friend, and mentor, Ted Pops Robinson. We were slow to recover, but now we have a new board and planning for upcoming events is well underway. The 2012 Fall Rally is a major topic, with dates to be determined soon. Even so, some good things have been accomplished. Recently, one of our chapter members, was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. The riders quickly set up a ride/ charity event that raised over one thousand dollars for her and her two year old child. The weather seems to be against us, warm during the work week, cold and raining on the weekends. But neither cold nor rain could stop us from having moderate success with the Ronald McDonald Charity House and the Tiny Metcalf rides. We recently committed to help with rides for the Autism Foundation and Victory Junction Gang, with more good things on the horizon. Pops and State Chairman Gary Mundorf at the Cocoa Beach Getaway. We are now ready to assist our brothers and sisters in the other six lodges in District 15, who are pursuing their own Moose Rider Group. Just call us and we will be there. Our attitudes are up and our kickstands will be as soon as mother nature allows. John Hodgdon, Chairman IN MEMORIAM TED POPS ROBINSON CHAIRMAN DISTRICT 15 MOOSE RIDERS Ted was instrumental in renewing interest in the Moose Riders at Lodge 557 in Pensacola, driving up membership and spearheading the campaign to host a Moose Riders Rally in Ted was serious about his role as chairman and made the long trips to Board Meetings in Merritt Island and also to the Moose Riders Getaway at Cocoa Beach last March. He was a true gentleman and a positive force for the Moose Riders, a Navy veteran and serious motorcyclist. His spirit will continue to inspire Moose Riders all over. Pops will be dearly missed by everyone. 11

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13 In early November 2011, the Riverview Moose Riders held a Chili/Soup/Stew Cook Off. It was a huge success!! Over 16 chili entries and 7 soup/stew entries. The auction was fantastic, there were more items to auction than the table could hold. Everyone enjoyed great food and even better fellowship while we raised funds to help with the cost of the travel expenses for the Mooseheart Color Guard as well as sponsorship funds for the LIFE program, which benefit next year s graduating seniors at Mooseheart. This function kicked off our holiday season! The Riverview Moose Riders participate in many toys runs and benefits with others in our community. However, the Riverview Moose Riders hold a very special place for the administrators, volunteers and especially the children/special needs young adults of the Cookson Hills Toy Run. Riverview Moose Riders Held a Toy Drive December 3, 2011, at the Lodge Tiki Bar. Anyone who brought a gift received a free Chili Cheese Dog with sides. The Riders were able to collect a truckload of toys as well as cash donations to purchase $ in gift cards. On Sunday December 4th the Riders delivered all donations to the Cookson Hills Toy Run The day started with the Riders meeting up at Riverview Lodge and meeting up with fellow riders at the Legion before taking off for the staging area. We enjoyed a 20 mile country ride, ending up at Evans Park in Brandon. The children were waiting, seated on blankets with signs that showed their name, age and gender. The nice part of this charity event is that the child/special needs young adult receives their gifts right there, from you. Then you get to watch them open the present and your reward is the smiles and happy faces. The true Christmas Spirit. What better way to warm your heart than to see a needy child open a gift and the smile it brings! Next year s events and functions are already in the works. Riverview Riders will be hosting a Dinner and Magic show February 4, 2012, featuring Mr. Bones, a local awesome performer. The function will be a Pirate theme so come out in your best pirate costume and enjoy a wonderful evening. Barbara and Roy Miller hosted their 3rd annual Christmas Caroling Hayride on Dec. 19. Santa drove the tractor from the Lodge to a nearby subdivision. Following the ride the children enjoyed hot cocoa and cookies at the Lodge, while adult beverages warmed up the young at heart. The Riverview Moose Riders hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. Rebecca Simmons, Riverview Moose Riders Secretary & Barb Miller, Riverview Moose Riders PR officer Officers for 2012 President - Carl LeMay Vice president -Roy Miller Jr. Secretary Rebecca Simmons Treasurer Dave Carlile Sargent at arms Mike McAllister Chaplin Marcia Logenbarger Road Captain AJ McAlla P.R. Barb Miller 13

14 District 19 Cookson Hills Toy Run Cookson Hills Toy Run Overview Benefiting East Hillsborough County children, newborn to 18 years and Special Need Individuals of any age. The Cookson Hills Toy Run brings people together for the very wonderful purpose of providing children and Special Individuals in our community with Christmas presents. For the past 17 years we have tried to make Christmas special for these children. Now going into our 18th year, once again the Riverview Moose Riders have accomplished putting a smile on the faces of these Very Special Children. 14

15 On November 26th, the Highlands County Moose Riders sold lunches and dinners at Critterfest in downtown Avon Park. We raised $ which will be donated to the Humane Society. We will be having our second annual Epilepsy Awareness weekend on March 30th and 31st. Live entertainment outside at the tiki bar and free camping. Lots of food fun and games. If you enjoyed the rally at the Highlands Lodge you will enjoy the Epilepsy Awareness weekend. Last year we raised $9,000 and purchased an epilepsy alert dog for a local teen. The remainder was donated to the Gerald White Foundation for epilepsy. The dog that we donated last year will be present at our event this year. Our goal this year is $10,000. Visit the Epilepsy Foundation website at for more information on the neurological disorder that affects nearly 3 million people in the US. Thanks Gary Dunford 2012 Blessing of the Bikes Update Date: Saturday, May 19, 2012 Check on Facebook at Moose-Riders/ for more info and updates. You can "friend" Chris Ecker and share the page info. Fox River H-D ( ) is our dealership sponsor this year and we're on their calendar--and they'll be holding their "Miss Windy City" spokesmodel contest while we're at the dealership. We hope to launch the following websites prior to the Blessing in May: mooseriders.org and mooseride4kids.org. We ll keep you posted. Chris Ecker More information will be available in the April issue of Pipes. 15

16 Hello again from District 20. We have just finished electing our 2012 officers for both the District and Lodge levels. District 20 Chairman, Gary Cassen - Past Chairman, Regina Perrin - Vice Chairman, Ron Boughton Treasurer, Vicki Wunner Secretary, Jay Brannon Sergeant at Arms, Roger Rom Road Captain, Tim Wunner Auburndale Chairman, Gerald Lambert - Vice Chairman, Jennifer Mcleod - Treasurer/Secretary, Ila Lambert - Sergeant at Arms, Hank Schaus - Road Captain, Sam Mcleod Haines City Chairman, Ron Boughton - Past Chairman, Cindi Sanders - Vice Chairman, Jo Jo Starks - Treasurer, Lisa Boughton - Secretary, Becky McCumber - Sergeant at Arms, William Hackedy - Road Captain, Mark Mcphee South Lakeland Chairman, George Aubin - Vice Chairman, Michael Gardner - Treasurer, Daniel Sherwood - Secretary, Wesley Mathers - Sergeant at Arms, John Foster - Road Captain, Shawn Eigenberger We have a new Lodge in our District, South Lakeland. Last year s District 20 Treasurer George Aubin was instrumental in working with the Lodge to establish a new riders activity group. Within the first couple months they had over 30 new riders. Congratulations South Lakeland and welcome. As most of you are aware, we had a banner year of fundraising last year and look forward to another great year. Our first District 20 event in 2012 will be January 14 th for our annual Lodge to Lodge run. Each Lodge gets to host the District Riders for part of the day. We will have District events each quarter and will absolutely meet our commitments. This year s charities are Mooseheart, Moosehaven, Florida Youth Ranch and something different, our Lodges. The economy has left many Lodges struggling so we voted to help them as best we can by using whatever funds remain after our International and State commitments are met to support our LOOM and WOTM. Ride hard, be safe. Gary Iceman Cassen Update from South Lakeland Moose Riders: I cannot express enough the gratitude of our South Lakeland Moose Lodge and Moose Riders Groups for the Lodges within our district for their participation in our first fund- raiser. What began as a Toys for Tots event expanded to include a fundraiser for fellow brother and sister Ronny and Susan Nelson. Susan Nelson was involved in a motorcycle accident not long ago and is presently undergoing some major surgery on her leg. She will likely be unable to walk for about two years. She and her family need all of our support and prayers during this time. The proceeds from the dinner hosted by our Lodge on December 16th and the ride hosted by our South Lakeland Moose Riders on the 18th will help greatly with the healing process, particularly during this time of year. The dinner raised over $ for the Nelson Family and all who participated should be commended on a job well done. The Moose Riders ride, with the assistance of each of the Lodges within our district, raised $ for the Nelson Family. This was quite an accomplishment given the fact that we had only 8 bikes and a total of 16 Moose Riders from our Lodge (Dan Pratt & Mike Harding took over the breakfast chores in support of our riders during the event). Danny Nelson (a fellow Moose and Susan s husband) accompanied us on the ride and is now a Moose Rider. Thank you to Teresa Durbin, Ron Tucker and Shane Deal, who along with me donated back our winnings for the day for the cause. Thanks also to Regina Perrin. Winter Haven and South Lakeland Lodges for their generous donations. We should all be very proud of these accomplishments. Keep your thoughts and prayers with them this Holiday Season. With Respect to Toys for Tots, our Lodge and our District 20 Sister Lodges (Haines Toys for Tots Drive City, Auburndale, Lake Wales and Winter Haven) presented our children in need with a pickup truck (thanks Duane Deal) full of toys for the holidays. A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each of our Lodges and Moose Members & Riders. This is what the Moose Fraternity is all about.-george J. Aubin, Chairman, South Lakeland Moose Riders 16

17 District 25 has been busy the last couple of months raising money for our charities, working on the Lodge and fun rides. We serve breakfast at the Lodge the last Sunday of every month and with the proceeds from that we have the $750 we need for the computers and the Color Guard. We had a mystery poker ride for Vineyard Church s Food Bank located in Cape Coral on November 20 th. We had 32 riders on the 107 mile ride that went from the Cape to Punta Gorda, North Ft. Myers and back to the Cape. We would like to thank the Santa Barbara Clubhouse Cape Coral, Tillies Tap--Punta Gorda, Tice Moose Tice, Jerseys Sportsbar N. Ft. Myers, and Backstreets Sports Bar in Cape for all their support on this ride. With the proceeds from the ride, we purchased and delivered $1100 worth of food to Vineyard s Food Bank. On 12/11 we had a toy ride to benefit A.C.T. the battered and abused women and children shelter of SW Florida. It was raining the morning of the ride but soon the sun was shining. I would like to thank Tommy s Wing Shack Cape Coral, Half Shell Ft. Myers, Good Times Sports Bar Lehigh Acres, Gatorz N. Ft. Myers, and the Caloosahatchee Moose Cape Coral. The Caloosa Moose was the last stop and they had a pig roast that was $6 plus and new toy. We would like to thank the men and the women of the Caloosa Lodge for all the toys that were donated to this function. Moose Riders have been volunteering at the Caloosa Lodge trying to get things completed such as re-doing the kitchen, getting the new outside area done, getting the floors done in the bar area. If you ever get to the Cape, stop in and see us. Once again District 25 Moose Riders would like to thank Caloosahatchee 2395 for all the support they have given us in the last year. Russ Roberts 17

18 On a Roll Arizona Poker Run Yields $1500 for Support Center National News The riding season in Arizona is in full bloom. There are runs just about every weekend. The Bullhead City Moose Rider's held their annual "We Care" poker run on October 9th and it just keeps getting better. During the first 45 minutes of registration for the poker run, we had sold over 100 hands. The lodge offered breakfast for the participants and sold over 70. The poker run ended at one of our local saloons, which happens to be owned by a Moose member. Compliments were a-plenty as all had a great time. Usually, the crowd will disperse after the 50/50 raffle, but on this day the band we had held everyone captive until late in the afternoon. All said, we raised $1500 for the local charity "We Care Cancer Support Center". We have started our Moose Rider breakfasts in October to raise money for L.I.F.E. We haven't turned in our pledge yet, but we will be donating more this year than last. We have a signature breakfast that offers "cheesy hash browns" that fills the Lodge on the Sunday mornings that we do the breakfast. The Lodge members know this is for Mooseheart and many come out to support us. We will be doing this until April which usually is the end of "snowbird" season here in Bullhead. Next month, we will start planning for our annual "Sweetheart Run" which we hold around Valentine's Day. The monies we raise then will again go to a local charity. Then it will be on to May for the Moose "Run for Kids". So much fun, so little time. Visit us on Facebook (Bullhead City Moose Riders) for more pictures and upcoming events. Ride safe everyone, Joe Monfredo President, BHC Moose Riders 18

19 Miles of Rides during Ohio Autumn months Ohio Moose Riders Keep on Rolling into the Fall Thanks to "Mother Nature" for providing decent riding weather on October 15th. Circleville had 15 members travel to Buckeye Lake Moose Lodge to attend the OSMA State Moose Riders Quarterly Meeting. "Kudos" to Buckeye Lake Moose Riders for being our gracious hosts. Upcoming events include fund raiser events such as the December 3rd craft show, the monthly dinners and our annual "Adopt a Family" for Christmas. More National News The first two weeks of November brought lots of sunshine with lower than average temperatures and was considered Ohio's Indian Summer. However, regardless of the weather the Circleville, Ohio (2440) Moose Riders' wheels "keep on rolling". Our September and October riding events went off without a hitch, affording additional funds toward the various charities we support through out the year, in addition to the improvements currently under way in our Lodge. In efforts to promote new member interests within our community, during the third week of October, the Circleville Moose Riders participated in the four day event, The Circleville Pumpkin Show, nationally known as The Greatest Free Show on Earth. The Circleville Moose Riders built a float that appeared in four out of seven parades and displayed banners that listed the numerous charities we contributed to in the past year that totaled $12, What an excellent opportunity to educate the thousands of folks who attended the festival on what the Moose Fraternity is all about, not to mention the great time shared by all of those members who rode on the float. 19 Circleville Moose Riders will bring in 2012 with a good luck run on January 1st and will travel to Marysville, Ohio, to attend the district s Holiday Bash on January 21st. February 2nd thru the 5th is the OSMA Convention in Independence, Ohio, and on February 18th the Circleville Lodge will hold the annual Beach Party. The annual St. Patrick's Day celebration is scheduled on March 17th and the annual prom will be held on April 21st. While our riding events scheduled for November and December were few, our Moose Rider members as well as numerous other Lodge member and non-member volunteers were diligently involved with the construction of a newly enclosed patio area behind the Lodge. Additional electric hook-ups have also been installed for the convenience of our camping enthusiasts at only $10.00/ night. Since Circleville is centrally located, all the exciting winter festivities, (snow skiing, hiking, ice skating, sledding), are only a short drive away. So, to all of you southern sunshine folks who are longing for that white stuff commonly known as snow, we extend a hearty welcome to you as well as our neighboring state members to come and camp with us and join in on the fun. Happy Holidays and a safe and prosperous New Year to all from the Circleville Moose Riders (2440)!!! Sally Henkle Circleville Moose Riders PR

20 The Spirit of the Season Reseda Riders Support Kids and Military Personnel More National News Reseda, CA, Moose Riders donated to Youth Awareness to send two kids to Camarillo, CA, to participate to a Baseball Tournament. We also donated to two foster children to help outfit them in their sports uniform. On November 6th we joined Operation Gratitude, packing up care packages for the military members overseas. We participated in the Lancaster, CA, Moose Lodge Toy Run on November 27th. We had two special guests with us on the Lancaster Moose Lodge Toy Run: Mr. Joe Streiff, who is the Deputy Regional Manager for South-Central Texas, is a member of the Austin, TX Lodge 1735 Chapter 1417 and a Moose Rider with the Grand Prairie Lodge 1818; and also Mr. Henry Weaver, who is 20 the President of Cal-Nevada Moose Association. We joined the Granada Hills Christmas parade on December 2 nd --we even had our own little snow angel. We supported our Lodge with Dinners and Breakfasts. We participated in the parade and kids Christmas for our Lodge on December 18th. We will also be having more dinners and breakfasts in order to support our Lodge. Lisa Peck, Reseda, CA

21 NY Riders host 2 successful summer runs Palmyra Bikes in Hibernation Mode for the Winter We hosted two major runs this summer. The 3 rd Annual Poker Run in Memory of Fallen Brothers and Sisters and the 2 nd Annual Ride for the Red. Attendance was down slightly but we lucked out on the weather and both runs boasted over 100 bikes. Attendees enjoyed good music and food after the rides and participated in bike games, auctions and raffles. Donations went to the Make A Wish Foundation of Western New York, NYSMA Scholarship Fund, the Red Cross, our own Lodge Children s Christmas Fund and to a local Motorcycle Santa who delivers to the needy in a five county area. And now, after a final Thanksgiving Ride (which never happens in Upstate NY), the bikes have been put away for the long winter. We ve elected new officers and are helping another neighboring Moose Club get their Rider group off the ground. Check out our website for our indoor fundraisers and picture gallery at Submitted by Darla Mahnke More National News This fall brought our annual group camping trip, where the campground hosted a fundraiser and donated to the local Red Cross in our name. We helped with a fundraiser for one of our members whose family tragically experienced a fatal fire and have helped with several Lodge events. 21

22 Fourth Annual Poker Run 2011 Iowa Moose Riders Pull off Another Big Event! The word is now out! When the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Moose Riders Club holds a party, it is indeed a great event. This year over 180 bikes and many others on four wheels, attended the 4th annual Poker Run. It was estimated over 300 people took part in a 100 mile ride, raffles, auction. There was live music, food, raffle prizes awarded, including large cash give-outs, big screen TV, and other merchandise. For the fourth year in a row, were blessed again with absolutely perfect weather. The Poker Run has become an annual event that is now held on the second weekend in July. The run was originally created in 2008 to aid the flood victims of the Cedar Rapids tragedy that displaced over 10,000 people from their homes. Since then it has become a favorite event for riders all over the state of Iowa, and one of the biggest events in the area. Moose Rider Fund Dedication During Supreme Governor Wesley Crowder Visit. This year the Moose Riders presented checks to Mooseheart and CR Homeless Children's fund. $8000 in total cash. More National News The proceeds from this year s poker run, were split two ways and were donated to Mooseheart and HACAP Homeless Children s Fund. The Cedar Rapids Moose Riders are growing in numbers very quickly. The Poker Run is one of two major yearly fund raisers conducted by the Riders. The second event was a dance in November, with live music, auctions, and raffles. Doug Stanley, Cedar Rapids 22

23 California Moose Rider Group Continues to Grow Monterey Group Creates More Interest at Lodge Interact Club poses with proceeds check from breakfast event at the Lodge. More National News Monterey Bay of California Lodge #876 Moose Riders Activity Group. Thought I would give a progress report of our Moose Rider Activity Group. All the founding officers committed to an 18-month term when we formed the activity group so we did not have elections this year. We finished the year at 45 members of which 24 are new members to Moose (LOOM or WOTM). The age range of our Herd is from 21 years of age to over 90 years of age. We have collected $700 so far towards our pledge of $1000 for L.I.F.E. Our events so far include our Inaugural Poker Run, a 7- week poker run held in the Social Quarters on Tuesday Nights where the participant had to be present to pull their card. Richard Schonert won with a Full House of 7 s over 10 s beating out the front runner after week 5 Benny King who had and finished with a Full House of 3 s over 4 s. Benny s 7 th card was a 2, which kept him from getting his 4 of a Kind to win. We held a Breakfast with a local high school Interact Club that generated $441 towards LIFE and $441 for the Interact Club. And we just had a Moose Rider Party/ Meet-n-Greet held at the Lodge. We introduced a new game called Poker Run Pong and held two tournaments at the party. The 1 st tournament winner was Mike Holley with 3 Aces. The 2 nd tournament winner was Sue Morris with an Ace Straight. We also did a 50/50 drawing. One half of the party proceeds went to L.I.F.E. To date we have also donated over $130 to the Endowment Fund. Our Chapter of the Women of the Moose had 7 children remaining that needed gifts for the IHELP Christmas for Kids. They asked if the Moose Riders would be interested in providing the Christmas gifts for these children. Without hesitation we sponsored these 7 children so that they will have a Christmas this year. My initial goal was to have 50 members in our Moose Riders Activity Group and we are almost there. We are also breathing new life into the activities at the Lodge and donating to our Home Lodge. The 7-week poker run 23 brought people in every week to pull their cards. We are having monthly Burn your Own BBQ/Pot Lucks, which is getting more participation each one with both Moose Riders and non-moose Riders. We have 3 breakfasts scheduled for the 1 st quarter of 2012 to benefit the Lodge, LIFE Pledge and local high school groups such as Natural High a group to keep kids off alcohol and drugs as well as Sober Grad night committees to help fund the Sober Grad nights at a couple of the local high schools. We should complete our Pledge on the next breakfast and depending on our success may be able to sponsor one more for 2012 if needed. I had the privilege to promote the Moose and Moose Riders at Everett Alvarez High School Interact Club on Friday December 2 nd and again at the Salinas Steinbeck Rotary Club on December 7 th with the check presentation for the Benefit Breakfast from November 19 th. The Moose Rider Activity Group is a vehicle to get the Moose message outside the 4 walls of the Lodge and to generate interest in Moose, which it is doing. With the Holidays and the off-road riding season in full swing, we have not been doing much street riding. It will probably be a few months before we all get riding again although, we have some Moose Riders that are returning to rider status and getting bikes here over the next couple weeks and are chomping at the bit to get some riding in. We will be going out for a few rides along the coast and into the mountains shortly. Speaking of Holidays, many members of our Moose Riders Activity Group helped the Monterey County Food Bank and Monterey County Safeway Stores collect 2.5 tons of food and $3900 in financial donations on November 19 th, 2011, as part of the Holiday Food Drive. The Food Bank can deliver $8 worth of food for every $1 in donations, so this was a very successful event for the Food Bank. We look forward to growing our Herd this next year and continuing to promote the Moose and Moose Riders along the Central Coast of California. Happy New Year to everyone and keep the rubber side down. Fraternally Yours, Derrick Morris, President, Monterey CA Lodge #876 Moose Riders Activity Group

24 North Carolina News Smoky Mountains Offer Perfect Setting for NC Rally CBG Riders win award for largest group at rally. Sylva Moose Riders organized route for poker run. Central District awarded largest district at rally. More National News Website News: The North Carolina Moose Riders have a brand new website at ncmoose riders.com. Please visit us and sign our guestbook. Fall Rally News: We held our first Fall Rally September 22-25, 2011, "Cruising the Smokies" to benefit Autism Speaks. The rally held in beautiful Maggie Valley, NC, offered Moose Riders from several states some of the best riding in the country. Taking in lessons learned from our spring rally held back in April at the Outer Banks, and Florida s Getaway at Cocoa Beach, FL, we added some new items for our fall event. 1st we added a Hospitality Room, which was a big hit with our group. Thanks Regina Perrin for all of your advice and help. Second, we threw in a live band. The band "Strange Ways" took the stage and rocked the house Friday night. All the band members are from the Boone Moose Lodge and donated their time to come and play for this event. This three day event featured, a meet n greet on Thursday, an open day of riding the back roads on Friday and wrapped up Saturday with a poker run to benefit Autism Speaks plus an awards presentation. The poker run through the Great Smoky Mountains was about 110 miles long and had different stops along the way. I want to personally thank the Sylva Moose Riders and the Sylva Moose Lodge for doing such an outstanding job in planning the route and providing the great BBQ for all the riders who attended. The CBG Moose Riders were awarded the largest group award. The Central District took home largest district attended award and the Virginia Moose Riders took home the farthest traveled award. This was a great rally thanks to all who participated and made the event a success. We raised for Autism Speaks. Central District News: Twin Rivers Moose Riders are our newest group from the Eden Moose Lodge located in central North Carolina. Please welcome the Twin Rivers Moose Riders to our great Moose Rider fraternity Spring Rally News: The North Carolina Moose Riders are holding their 2nd Annual Spring Rally "Riding the Crystal Coast" April 26-29, 2012, at the Outer Banks to benefit our seniors at Moosehaven. This rally has a new twist: we are not only giving to our seniors but we are also giving back to our riders with a chance to win some big $$$. We look forward to seeing everyone here L.I.F.E. Challenge: The North Carolina Moose Riders are gearing up again to participate in this great cause. I have extended the challenge to all of our NC Moose Rider to raise (each group) to help our graduating seniors at Mooseheart get a head start on their journey of life. The North Carolina Moose Riders would like to wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our Moose Rider Brothers and Sisters across our great fraternity. Fraternally Lee Simmons, Chairman/President, North Carolina Moose Riders, NCMA 24

25 Rolling Repairs, Inc. Macclenny, Florida Your source for quality repairs at a reasonable price **Proud Sponsor of FBMA Moose Riders since 2008** 25

26 Make A Commitment to L.I.F.E. It s that time again. Time to start thinking about raising money for laptops for the 2012 graduating class at Mooseheart. Our campaign last year was incredibly successful and we are looking to do as well again this year. We presented 25 laptops and combination printers to some very appreciative and excited young people last May. Those of us who were able to be there were really the lucky ones. We listened to each student as they introduced themselves and explained what they planned to do as the next step in their lives, be it college, the service or whatever. We got to meet each one of them, personally, shake their hands and take photos of them on some of our bikes. You can be one of those people next year, or at least experience the gratification of being part of this strictly Moose Riders fundraising event. Once again we are asking Moose Riders across the country to pledge to raise funds for at least one computer/printer to present to the Mooseheart seniors next May. If you weren t a part of this last year, you should think about it this year. Last year each student (and donating group) received a small booklet with a page recognizing each donating group so the students would have names or faces to associate with their laptops. We plan to do that again this year. Our deadline for collecting the money is March 15 th, 2012, which gives you some time to raise whatever you can. Please contact me at soon if you are interested in making a pledge to the L.I.F.E. campaign. Then start thinking about what you want your page in the L.I.F.E booklet to look like. Give these kids a leg up for the future and the tools to succeed! Let s join together again this year as Moose Riders and give these students a really useful and great graduation present. Think of it as L.I.F.E. Support. Joan Fedora 26

27 Michigan Riders Park Bikes for the Winter Good People Helping Good Causes the Moose Rider Way Well, we're pretty sure the riding season for Michigan is over for '11. We had an extended season here in West Michigan with no real measurable snow as of two weeks before Christmas, but it looks like we'll have to go south or west to ride for awhile now. We had a good summer and fall. Lots of good rides, both sponsored and participated in by the MOB. More National News In early September, the MOB hosted a joint party with Moose Riders from Dorr, Fremont and Wyoming lodges and a raffle benefiting the Michigan house at Mooseheart. On October 22, we held a benefit for Camp Manitoulin and the annual Kids Burn Camp, a week-long treat for young burn survivors. This event is a complement to the annual escort and ride with the kids to the camp in June of each year. Our next event is the annual Black & Blue Ball, planned for February, 18, This benefits the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding in nearby Rockford, MI. We are planning a big raffle to be drawn at the Ball. This years big prize is a 1/2 beef (cut & wrapped) and 1/4 beef for second and third prizes. This one is sure to be a hit. Please see our flyer to the left.. We've been working on getting a schedule set for other 2012 events, breakfasts, dinner rides, bike nights and such. Our annual charity ride to benefit Hospice of Michigan Pediatric Services is scheduled for July 7, We have a new website under construction. Check it out at site/mob50sparta/ Ride Safe! "Riding Together Making Kids Our Destination" 27 Dick PreFontaine Moose On Bikes, The MOB GR/Sparta Moose Lodge #50

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29 **Spring Getaway**Spring Getaway** You may not think so, but come March you will be ready for a Getaway, for some fun in the Florida sun, some Moose Rider camaraderie, some excellent raffle items, and some serious fundraising. And the best part is... You don t have to do anything but enjoy the weather by the pool with your favorite beverage and your Moose Rider friends. It s going to work the same way this coming year as it did last year, BUT you can (for a few dollars more) get yourself a room We ve got activities planned, including another fun poker run and we ll have some great Chinese auction items and another huge basket to raffle off plus our gorgeous Moose Rider Quilt. So start planning now and we re looking for a t-shirt design again. Get your pencils and markers out and come up with something fun. If you have items for the Chinese Auction and/or for the raffles, we ll take them. While beer and mixers will be provided, bottle donations for the bar would also be appreciated. We are asking in the tower that is located right on the beach. If you like walks on the beach and a little less of the nighttime revelry, then this is the spot for you. We ve locked in another block of rooms for the weekend of March 23-25, with the same deal. Non-tower rooms $295 for the whole weekend for 2 people. That s $295 for 2 people, NOT per person. If you want to add people to your room, it will be $75 per person for the weekend and you can split the total cost. This is a good deal when you consider that the hospitality suite will once again be providing you with beverages and light snacks all weekend. for sponsors for the t- shirts, with donation levels at $50, $75, $100 and $125 and over for platinum. A banner will be made up with all the Sponsors to be displayed at the Getaway and at the subsequent State and International conventions. Please contact Gina Perrin if you have any ideas or just have questions. She s already been hard at work pulling this together. 29

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31 Today s Moosehaven residents don t need chairs to Rock It s not your Grandparents Moosehaven Anymore. T here are many reasons that one becomes a Moose: family members sign you up, friends do the same, or maybe you see what they give to the community. The one that got me was Where else can you socialize on a Sunday around here? That was 6 years ago and, when I became a member, I really had no idea what the LOOM was about. One day a fellow member/brother asked me if I had ever been to Moosehaven. No, I replied. Let s go, he said. 45 minutes later we were checking in at the main gate. He knew where he was going: the Michigan building. As we drove through the campus, I saw what I had been seeing for years, but not knowing what I had been seeing. You know, you can see the stars, but you cannot see the light kind of thing. When we got to the Michigan building that day, I saw a few older people engaged in a variety of activities and some just sitting around talking. Overall, I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and congeniality. We walked through the tables pausing to chat briefly with some of the residents that he knew. As I ordered a couple of beverages I noticed the bartender had a nametag with the words Moosehaven Resident and remember thinking it must be like the military. We spent some time talking with some of the residents and I left with a very warm, toasty feeling that was not the result of my beverages but from the camaraderie I had just experienced. On the way back I got a little history lesson. When it began in 1918, certain senior moose members were allowed to live at Mooseheart as a kind of experiment. With weather as a factor and issues inherently different from those of children, property on the banks of the St. John s River in Orange Park, FL, was purchased. The concept was to organize the residents so that they might help each other and help themselves, and provide from their own energy the major part of the cost of their keep. It wasn t long before 144 residents were running a dairy and farm, in line with the concept of providing for their own keep. Like most Americans back then, it was all about hard work, not the luxury of retirement. But soon, with the progress of medicine, more of our seniors were living longer lives, but not able to work as hard as they once could, nor were they experiencing the pleasure of retirement or feeling safe and secure. But that changed. Moosehaven has expanded to residence halls with comfortable rooms, all the conveniences, good food and medical care as needed. Aside from the very obvious construction of Brandon Place, which affords a more independent but secure environment for those lucky enough to be able to purchase one of the units, Moosehaven has evolved into something quite different from what it started out as. Today the more than 300 residents no longer labor on a farm as in earlier years, but instead pursue new enjoyable experiences every day! Many have Sunshine jobs on 31 of the active life they enjoy. Today residents wear Levis because they are stylish, not work clothes. They build things as a hobby, not out of need. They sew and knit for the pure joy of it and to sell on campus. I have visited Moosehaven for a variety of events, social visits or, sadly, memorial services in the past 8 years. Thanks to the Moose Fraternity, the WOTM, the Moose Legion and now Moose Riders, our senior Moose enjoy much more than the comfort of Moosehaven. Local Lodges schedule regular dinners and dances, welcoming the residents for a night out. Moosehaven is host to many events that have become legendary including the Halloween Trick or Treat party that continues to attract thousands of local children. Chili cookouts, car shows, Florida Days, and our favorite, Motorcycle Day, dot the already full campus calendar. Residents participate in Ritual activities, drive all over for sports tournaments, State Conventions, Pilgrim celebrations, Moose Legion Celebrations, Higher Degree meetings... it s never -ending. If you are in the area, stop by. Strike up a conversation with some of the residents. They will tell you how things have changed, how different life is now. When I leave Moosehaven now, it s with a feeling of pride and satisfaction that in these days of economic failure, we as a fraternity can maintain such a place, that we have removed a burden from their shoulders. It s up to us to make sure that while it may be our Grandparents Moosehaven, it is not theirs to support but rather theirs to enjoy. One last point. Sitting recently in the Michigan building, a resident got up and disappeared. When he came back and sat down he touched his name tag and said that he had forgotten it. I asked if he would get in trouble if he wasn t wearing it. No, he said. I m just proud to wear it. We know that Moosehaven is the City of Contentment, but it is also Opportunity Lodge. How fitting for both. Moosehaven provides choices for its residents. The choice to relax and enjoy a safe, secure and contented retirement and the opportunity to continue a full and active life. Now, that s how I define change. Charlie Titheridge

32 A non-profit organization, Wolfson Children's Hospital relies on charitable donations to provide world-class care for all children in the region. With the aid of an initial $500,000 donation from the Wolfson Family Foundation, the hospital opened in 1955 as a place for all children to be admitted and treated without regard to creed, religion, race or financial 32

33 Moose Riders Calendar Winter 2012 January 2012 S M T W T F S Now Available $5 3 embroidered patch February 2012 S M T W T F S Proceeds directly to FSYR To order, contact Yvonne Hester at: yvonneh2004@bellsouth.net Shipping costs vary based on order size March 2012 S M T W T F S LIFE Pledges due Color guard pledges due Florida Moose Rider Events January 21 Moose Riders Board Meeting Punta Gorda March 15 Laptop Pledge Funds Due March Moose Riders Getaway Cocoa Beach March 30 Color Guard Pledges Due Check out current and past issues of Pipes at Put on your recruiting cap. If you sign up new members, be sure to tell them about Moose Riders. We can always use more members!!!

34 State Patches Available Now Florida State Moose Rider Members Only Official Pipes Patch The 3-1/2 by 1-1/2 beautifully embroidered logo patches look great on vests, jackets, shirts, tote bags, etc. Support FBMA Moose Riders and keep Pipes going. Supply is limited, so get them while they last. $ shipping mooseriderpipes@aol.com (No credit cards, checks only.) Pipes T-Shirts $12 includes shipping 100% Cotton Gildan shirts Medium, Large, X Large (limited) $12 Large $6 Small Shipping costs extra and will vary with order size. To order, contact Yvonne Hester at: yvonneh2004@bellsouth.net Now Available: Florida State Patch Decals Perfect for Your Car or Truck Windows. Yvonne for more info. mooseriderpipes@aol.com to order Pipes is now read by Moose Riders and others in more than 18 States. Advertise Now! For Information contact: mooseriderpipes@aol.com 34