Hosted by Mark & Angie Williams Well, PIF 2010 is in the history books! We had a great time at the Kentucky Lake area this year. It was good to see some old friends and also make some new ones. I want to thank all those who supported the PIF effort. I only wish I had time to visit with each and every one of you more, but it was a fast and busy weekend. And of course this thanks goes to those PIF supporters that, for whatever reason, could not join us this past weekend, but support the cause just the same. I have hung-out on the GWRRA message boards for about a dozen years now, which is where most of us got acquainted via the Internet, and I am repeatedly amazed at the giving and generosity of this group. I have explained to friends, family, and co-worker about our Pay It Forward group, how we got together, and what it is that we do. And time & time again I get the reaction of “Wow that’s terrific”, and then there will usually be some comment like; you mean you rode your motorcycle hundreds of miles to meet up with people you have never met and then have a party? And raise money for people you have never met? Most folks think that’s pretty cool. And it IS pretty cool. So cool that it’s downright GREAT. And I’m proud to be a part of this group, and I am honored to be able to call each and every one of you a Friend. You all are to be commended for what PIF has done over the years and hopefully what it will continue to do. I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank those generous folks that donated raffle items this year: Ultra Steve did a gorgeous job on the ring, and Curtis, you were lucky to get it because it took me about twenty minutes to get it pried off Angie’s hand after she got done examining it. Don Ferguson donated the Joe Theismann autographed football Ken Heming donated the Goldwing alternator. And don’t forget that Gary “Hick” Hickman raised lots of dollars for PIF 2010 at last year’s GPR when he persuaded attendees to pay good money to watch him get his hair cut. Thanks guys! The raffle winners at PIF 2010 were as follows: Curtis Pierce won the beautiful garnet & diamond ring. Mike Goodwine won the laptop computer and then showed us all that his heart is bigger than that Smart Car he drives. You da’ man Mike. Randy Buntin won the football. Randy is a fellow employee here at the plant and purchased several tickets. Bill Wampler won the Goldwing alternator. Bill is Angie’s Dad, and as luck would have it, does not own a Wing. But that’s Ok, he has relatives that do. Wink I hope it doesn’t look too suspicious that Angie & I sold two of the winning tickets. I think we sold about 365 tickets to family, friends, & co-workers. Thanks go to Dick Fraiser for being our man on location and getting a bunch of the early logistics set up, and to Bill Shepard for being my “PIF answer man” when I needed guidance and suggestions. And of course I must thank Angie. I could not have done this without her. She is a wonderful woman and the love of my life. As was said at the presentation, may PIF 2010 be recorded as being in honor of Russ Magers. He was a man of integrity and giving. I regret that I did not get to know him sooner.
