WOMEN`S INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
WIMA International – President`s Report 2013
Enclosed to AGENDA
Dear Ladies,
Nuremberg, Germany, 29th of June 2013
on behalf of WIMA International I would like to report regarding Women`s International Motorcycle Association – WIMA`s activities and developments during past years and especially since our last National President`s Meeting during the International Rally 2012 in Reingers, Austria, last summer.
Women International Motorcycle Association – WIMA is an increasing Federation. Within last five to six years, we could welcome 5 new WIMA Divisions.
With today WIMA consists of 20 Divisions with almost 1.800 Members worldwide. Women International Motorcycle Association is currently enlarging to the most in Asia.
During last year we had been in touch with several female motorcycling groups and individual Ladybikers. Usually people find WIMA via Internet and making a first contact through our International Website linking also to all our Member Countries own National Websites. They also can find several WIMA Groups on Facebook or they find their home country`s Division directly via the National Website of a WIMA Division. During the year our Webmaster Sanna Seppänen, arranged several possibilities to get in touch or find information regarding to WIMA via our International Website.
Within the year we had several requests regarding to how to become WIMA Member or how to found a new WIMA Division. There had been contacts all around Europe, for example to Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Romania. Once we received a request for setting up a new WIMA Division in the Middle East. And we also have had contacts with women from Canada, Kenya, South Africa and lately with Thailand. The main reason or most frequently asked is how to get Membership of WIMA and how about, if there is no Division in their home country. The request from Romania and Thailand to set up a new WIMA Division is currently pending. I have sent appropriate information to them waiting their respond.
What else happened during the year?
Ladies` Bike Club – WIMA Finland ry could celebrate its 20th Anniversary. Back in the year 1993 Ladies` Bike Club (LBC) – WIMA Finland was founded from a small group of strong, enthusiastic and passionate motorcycling Ladies. The main celebration took place on weekend 14th to 16th of June. I sent adequate letter to carry congratulations on behalf of WIMA International.
Ladies of LBC also had been very active in organising one of the biggest national motorcycle meetings, the so called “Hymyilevän Motoristin Kevätpäivä 2013” (=Smiling Motorcyclist` Spring Day), which took place on 18th of May, in Jyväskylä, Finland.
Several other WIMA Divisions provided National events and also invited WIMA Members to attend. For instance The Bikerini – WIMA India invited to participate at the India Bike Week (the largest Motorbike Exhibition in India). Also to mention is the Philippines National Motorcycle Convention Ride presented by WIMA Malaysia, or the event “Toutes en Moto” by WIMA France. We also all know about the “Toy Run”, a charity event with the focus on children, taking place in many cities around the world.
To present those events is one of various needs and challenges to be published at the time on our Website.
The task of setting up a newsletter exchange through our International Website has begun. Page 1 of 3
WOMEN`S INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
I cannot thank enough for Ms. Keiko Osawa`s efforts on this issue. She developed and distributed a survey regarding to this. The result is currently pending.
In addition to this it is also great to see, that several WIMA Divisions are starting to share their National activities with other WIMA Divisions by offering a yearly Report.
During the year our working group regarding to revise our International Constitution has been also very active and efficient. I would like to thank Ms. Sanna Seppänen, Ms. Annelli Pille and Ms. Moira Stewart for their efforts regarding to this important issue. The revised International Constitution dated on April 2013 has been distributed to all WIMA Officials with the request for any commends. We will await the result and after being approved at this year`s President`s Meeting we can replace the former one.
This year we also could complete Personal Presentations of our WIMA Committee Members and Officers on our Website to give WIMA a face. Maybe we can enlarge this also to introduce WIMA National Presidents. I ́ll try ☺
Our International Website is in conjunction with National Websites of our WIMA Divisions, our signboard and public image, or I would go so far, the entrance for new Members.
It is a big challenge to keep our image up to date and to arrange and exchange news, introduce changes, share experience and inform about events during the year in an appropriate manner.
People also can find WIMA International and many of our WIMA Divisions organised in Groups via Facebook.
Public relation is getting more and more important as this is our main ability to attract new members and to enlarge our Association and provide our network to women with the passion to ride and support and serve women motorcyclist around the world.
As WIMA has already a tradition of more than sixty years we also can proudly present an arrangement of Historic Materials on our Website. It is great to find Rally Reports about WIMA Rallies in the past accompanied with historic photos. Also there are several articles published on magazines and newspapers to find, some short stories written by WIMA Members and the one or other National Newsletter from our WIMA Divisions. So people can get an impression about the wide range WIMA International is providing for their Members.
Our WIMA Officers are taking care, acting within the scope of their duties and step by step, to collecting, editing and presenting those Materials on our International Website.
Our International Webmaster Ms Sanna Seppänen created an automatic forwarder for e- mails to all WIMA Officials, a “Members only” section, a section which is meant for to publish historic materials, fotos and articles, a section for to publish Rally Reports and many more effective functions on our International Website.
It is also to mention that we never ever had so many volunteer countries willing in hosting a WIMA Rally, the European or the International one. We have volunteer countries interested to host a WIMA Rally already until the year 2018. I cannot remember at any time to see such a big interest on hosting Rallies for so many years in front.
This year we also could welcome a new member on our WIMA Government.
Ms. Zara Strange has been elected to take over as our WIMA International Merchandise Officer. International Merchandise is also an important tool and effective task to make WIMA International attractive. I take the opportunity to welcome and thank her, as she will take care to arrange everything for a functional International Merchandising, not an easy task.
At this point I would like to express my special thanks to Ms. Jan Duke, our former International Merchandise Officer for her efforts during those past years taking care regarding our International Merchandise. I would like to remind as an example her efforts in
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WOMEN`S INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
designing and taking care to get our 60th anniversary sticker and patches manufactured and distributed to our WIMA Members at the Rally Site. More than 2000 pieces – heavy loads! Also to mention we have a new Vice President of WIMA. Ms. Keiko Osawa took over and is supporting our Team in all WIMA issues. She has a widespread knowledge and lot of experience also and especially regarding to Asia.
Within the year we also had two changes on National Presideny.
Ms. Pirjo Kivimäki took over the Presidency of WIMA Finland and Ms. Sylvia Salenius had been elected to carry on Presidency of our WIMA Division in the US.
At this point I also would like to send once more special thanks to Ms. Leena Ryynänen, former President of WIMA Finland and Ms. Alice Sexton, former President of WIMA USA for their efforts during those past years taking care regarding all needs in their responsibility to guide their Division through ups and downs and also taking up subjects and sharing National and International WIMA matters.
To complete appreciation regarding changes on WIMA International government within this year I also would like to thank Ms. Angie Trevaskis very much for her continuous efforts during the years from 2007 until 2012 leading WIMA International. She was managing and coordinating all duties and responsibilities accrued being International President of WIMA. She has guided the Association through hights and lows and did everything for to keep WIMA International an attractive and lively Federation for women interested in motorcycling all around the globe.
Finally I would like to thank all acting WIMA Officials for their support and their perseverance in serving in all coming up challenges and needs.
I start with thanking our WIMA Committee Members, as there is Ms. Keiko Osawa, International Vice President of WIMA, Ms. Anne Schrijvers, the International Treasurer of WIMA. Also I would like to send my special thanks to our acting WIMA Officers, to Ms. Maura Raniecka, our Public Relations Officer of WIMA, Ms. Sanna Seppänen, our International Webmaster of WIMA and Ms. Pirjo Kivimäki, as she is taking care about our WIMA Archive, our acting Historian of WIMA.
Last but not least I thank all National Presidents of WIMA for their multitudinous efforts and endless achievements on leading each WIMA Divisions through national matters and serving our Association on International issues during the time.
And I thank our WIMA Members for joining our Association. Without YOU it would not exist!
I ́m happy and proud to announce, WIMA International is a growing network with increasing Membership numbers and increasing National Divisions worldwide.
Let`s help together Ladies, to keep this Association active and attractive and prepared for whatever the near and far future will bring and demand.
Let`s take the big challenge to keep the SPIRIT of WIMA.
Thank you very much for your support and trust in me and my work. I would like to express my pleasure and I feel deeply honoured to be the chosen-one to lead WIMA International being International President of WIMA.
Let`s stand together and take the challenge to prepare WIMA International for the future!
Finally I hope I neither forgot anybody thanking for her efforts nor to mention important developments within the year regarding to Women`s International Motorcycle Association.
If so, please accept my apologies.
I look forward to meeting YOU at the Rally Site in Switzerland! Claudia
CLAUDIA FEHRER International President of WIMA www.wimaworld.com
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