chicago jerry for ahrma trustee

[chicagojerry]

as posted on the ahrma website, anyone who has already sent in their ballot can rescind it. i'm running for trustee as a write-in which is a daunting task.  so any and all POG members that are ahrma members residing east of the mississippi, i would deeply appreciate your support by casting a write-in vote for me.   here is the necessary info to write in
 jerry grakauskas
 wakeman ohio  
thanks everyone, i may be able to pull this off with a strong showing from the POG family, the CC crowd and others including a lot of support that i have been receiving from the road-racers. thanks again, and PLEASE take the time to vote!  
chi jer

[firstturn]

Jerry,
  Good luck....you deserve to a Trustee.  Thanks for all the Great Work you have done over the years.

Ron Carbaugh

[chicagojerry]

hi guys,  Below is my original letter that i passed out at Barber. Though its a uphill climb for a write-in campaign, if I was to win, it would send a strong statement to the heirarchy of AHRMA. Thanks for your consideration and please tell all your friends to vote. Here is the necessary info to write me in on your ballot.
Jerry Grakauskas
Wakeman, Ohio
Please remember that according to the AHRMA website, you can send in a new ballot if you voted prior to Dave Lamberth's accepting the ED position. New ballots are available for download on the AHRMA website.
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Hello! My name is "Chicago Jerry" Grakauskas and I am asking for your vote for Eastern Region Trustee of AHRMA.

I have been helping to put on different motorcycle events for well over thirty years as well as competing since the days when a lot of the bikes that we ride in AHRMA were considered cutting edge and modern. I enjoy all aspects of motorcycling though I only compete in off-road racing. I am not afraid to step up with a lot of hard work and determination.
Over the last couple of years I have heard many AHRMA members say that we need some "new blood" on the board of trustees. someone with a fresh perspective on how we can do business as an organization to help us move forward. if you are one of these members who would like to see someone other than some of the same old board members and their way of thinking, I ask for your consideration.
As many of you know, I was instrumental in helping to bring to a cross-country race to Mid-Ohio at Vintage Motorcycle Days (and it was a HUGE success!). Up until this last July's event, the cross-country discipline was the only style of AHRMA competition not represented at VMD. It took over two years of being told "no", easing the concerns of many nay-sayers (including some of the trustees and other high ranking AHRMA and AMA officials), many phone calls, and trips to Mid-Ohio. But I was able to convince representatives from the AMA and Mid-Ohio to at least meet with me to see if the event was possible. After having them and AHRMA give me the green light, I started doing the preliminary lay-out in October of 2007. Throughout the months leading up to the event, there were multiple trips to clear brush, mark the course and clear logs and downed trees to make the course the best possible that we could have for this event. Fortunately, Jim Kuhns, another AHRMA member who lives close by helped tremendously in getting the things done that we needed to do, especially after I blew out my ACL in May. Within two weeks of my injury, I was able to get back out in the woods to continue preparing the course to ensure that it would be up to the standard that we needed. Getting to my point in this story, I don't take unjustified no's for an answer very well, and even with a blown knee, once I make a commitment to do something, its going to get done.
I am not afraid to speak my mind, as I did at the trustee meeting immediately after VMD and in many one-on-one conversations with a number of trustees in the months prior to. I spoke openly that I thought that AHRMA needs to avoid some of the controversies that the organization can do without. Case in point, in January of 2008 when Jeff Smith resigned as treasurer for both the AMA and AHRMA. I thought that it was the right thing to do, to eliminate any semblance of impropriety. Then the board of trustees reelected him to treasurer in April. Though I believe that Mr. Smith can do a commendable job and the board was within their rights to do so, I firmly believe that the membership doesn't deserve the further controversy that this brought on. I will continue to speak out on issues of importance that I think are for the betterment of the organization.
In this last year, we have seen a further erosion of good solid race programs such as the former AHRMA southeast off-road region. Even though we have a new AHRMA southeast region, as well as a new AHRMA midwest region, they are a mere skeleton of their former selves. I believe that those original regions breaking away from AHRMA was due in no small part to the inflexible nature of some board members that failed to address the legitimate concerns of the region and their directors. I intend to try to be a voice of reason, embracing the good aspects of the old established way of doing business, and trying to eliminate the inflexible, "that's just the way we've always done it" attitude. Basically, I want to be a solid bridge between the GOOD old aspects and be forward-thinking enough to embrace some good new ideas to help move AHRMA forward, while still respecting the past.

I will continue to embrace AHRMA because of the fun of competition that it brings and the opportunity of great friendships that I have already enjoyed. I want to preserve that into the future and will strive to do so, with both my actions and my voice. Please consider me with your vote. I will strive to be your voice as well.

Sincerely,
"Chicago" Jerry Grakauskas
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AHRMA #2333 55f

[Ernie Phillips]

Don't forget to VOTE.  Ballots must be received no later than January 15, 2009

If east of Mississipi, Jerry would be a good choice.

Here is the necessary info to write in on your ballot:
Jerry Grakauskas
Wakeman, Ohio

Also, please note that if printed out from AHRMA web site, you must provide postage per ARHMA directive.

-EP

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[chicagojerry]

thanks ernie. getting down to the wire to get the ballots in. i'm counting on some significant support from a lot of the pog group. thanks much guys.  i've been receiving even more emails and phone calls in recent days so i hope that it all pans out in my favor.
chicago jerry