Thank you.

[martinph]

As Chair of the Volunteers Committee, I would like to thank my Co Chairs Richard, Joanne and all the Volunteers who helped out under very difficult conditions. It is people like you who made the rally a sucess.
Thanks for a job well done.

[HankPfister]

Let me tag onto this thread and thank my wonderful volunteers at the First Aid Stations. I had a great team of experienced Paramedics, EMTs, Nurses, Physician Assistants, Doctors, and regular folks. Many worked multiple shifts, and some had the uncanny ability to show up and go to work at times when we were particularly busy. Thanks to my Co-Chair, Pat Carol. We treated over 140 ralliers during the event. Of those 50 were heat related, and several were true emergencies requiring 9-1-1 transport to the local Emergency Room. The rally Chairs and leaders were very supportive of First Aid, and I thank them for all their support.
A special thanks to George Widger of the local Columbia Medical Transport Company. We contacted George a few days prior to the event to discuss emergency access to the rally site for ambulances. He visited with us on site, and came up with a host of supplies, and equipment that really save our butts! George provided the MOA with the misting tent that was sooo popular, and he loaned us his Kawasaki Mule response vehicle, and many other supplies. When we called 9-1-1, his Paramedics were professional, and very good to work with.
The misting tent in action:


Columbia Med. Transp loading up one of our heat victims:


I wish I could list all my volunteers, but I do thank them, and hope to work with them all again!

[Visian]

Let's make keep this going.

Thank you GS Giant volunteers, because this event would not have happened without you:

Chris Dawe - co-chair for GS Giant *and* Local Liaison. dude was busy!

Tracy Novacich - Queen of the Giants, scorekeeper and thinker of stuff that i didn't

Fred Huganir - the maker of *phenomenal* Gypsy Tour Routes and damned fine photography, to boot

Rick Spangler - cooker of huge roast beasts, finder of hand-crafted beers and coordinator in Marienville.

Myrl Stone - Track builder extraordinaire

Dan & Debbie Dickey - the "do-it-all" team, they just did it

Kevin Shrader - one competitor who was also constantly volunteering

Jerry and Cindy Walton, Marylee Davis and Skert - the Swamp Scooter contingent, they were everywhere

Joe Hutt - generalist, and proud of it

Randy Owens - another generalist and good friend

Ariel Krawczyk - Gypsy Tour ride leader

Clayton Anderson & Guy - Gypsy Tour sweep and beer-go-getter

Dylan Lane - MSF Training and Track announcer, 3 hours in the sun, talking non-stop... awesome

Rich Russell - GS routes in Marienville

Matt Novacich - hubby to the queen, breaker of foot

Chris Prosick - leader of the Black Dakar ride, or as they called it, the Coal Cracker

Craig Ebling - helper to Chris, and just about everything else one could think of

Bill Conger - BMW Performance Center, track design consulting, scoring, ride leading, training

Jim Hyde and the RawHyde peeps - track judges and bike wranglers for three hours in the blazing sun

Bruce Cole - Canadian contingent, scoring for 4 hours in the sun

Katie Cleghorn - ditto, plus a number of other things to assist Tracy, like sign-ins, release waivers, and more

Dawn Hein - general all-around help, she was there a whole lot more time than she volunteered for

Photographers
Rick Karp
Sam Miller
Gary Weaver
Pat Corrigan
Paul Hackner

Grant Johnston - Horizons Unlimited guy, seminar giver

==============

i just know i've forgotten someone, so i will apologize in advance. a number of the Giants pitched in throughout the event, so maybe the Queen will inform me.

my biggest regret is that i over-volunteered on some closing ceremonies and video screen stuff and didn't get to spend anywhere near as much time with all these fine folks as i would have liked. that' won't happen again.

ian

[bmwrider88]

this event IMO was amazing. with over 7,000 people, it is borderline huge.
to coordinate such a volunteer effort as this is no small feat, and you guys all did a really great job of it. obviously, 38 years in, the MOA has it nailed down pretty tight.
in my humble estimation the rally went pretty darn well. handing out free water was not only a stroke of pure genius but also perhaps one of the most compassionate moves i have ever seen- everyone knows that anywhere else water would STILL have been $X.00 a bottle no, matter what.
i'll add my thanks as well, to all the rally chairs and all the volunteers- and throw a special thanks out to Randy & Jim in the beer tent and Lee & Phil over at the stage, the two places i worked during the rally. this was my first BMW MOA National and it was fantastic.

[xp8103]

7300+ rally goers and only 50 treated for heat related problems?

That in itself is amazing.

Thanks for all you all did!

[Holly]

Many, many thanks to the wonderful volunteers who helped with awards and tallies this year. You all worked so cheerfully and were so dedicated to getting it right. You all deserve an award for your tallies! Thank you.

Thanks also to office staff Tammy and Rhonda, Deb Lower, Rally Goddess Denise, Martin Hobbs, Joanne Nystorm, Marc Souliere, Wayne Doherty and Brian Curry for all the help. Roc, thanks for the beer!!!

Holly Ralph
Awards and Tallies Chair

[Holly]

There were one heck of a lot of toilets to keep clean and supplied with paper at this rally. I thinkg the Yankee Beemers did a marvelous job of keeping up with the demand. Thank you for a job well done.

[Visian]

Many, many thanks to the wonderful volunteers who helped with awards and tallies this year. You all worked so cheerfully and were so dedicated to getting it right. You all deserve an award for your tallies! Thank you.

names, holly... we need names.

thank YOU for not going nutso on me when putting together the Closing Ceremonies data.

[SUE]

... ... ...
Roc, thanks for the beer!!!
... ... ...

HEY! Roc bought you a BEER !?!?!?





Yep - me too. thanks Roc.

[sjbmw]

7300+ rally goers and only 50 treated for heat related problems?

That in itself is amazing.

Thanks for all you all did!

This is due the ice water volunteers, who kept those jugs full of ice water, in incredible heat. They never flinched from their duty, no matter the temperature, and we are grateful for their efforts.

[PGlaves]

I once heard someone who should have known say, "The Army can't set up and tear down a little city as quickly as the BMW MOA can". I think I agree with that statement.

The work of the volunteers who arrive early and stay late can't be applauded enough.