Premium Trail Ride Returns! Trailfest 2017 add's exclusive gathering for Premium SFWDA Members

Friday, May 5th at Trailfest 3 - 6 PM

  Our beloved Premium Trail Ride which was first conceived by a couple of our top sponsoring brands was so well received we just had to bring it back. Luckily the folks at WARN, BFGoodRich Tires, and Clemson 4 Wheel Center, were grateful enough to support the concept at Dixie Run, and now Trailfest too. Let's hope we can make this an annual tradition.

  In case you're not familiar this is a basically a win your way in trail ride exclusively for Premium SFWDA Members. Now, since we're approaching almost 300 Premium individuals we have to narrow that group down for the ride. That's where it gets fun and allows everyone to join in to WIN your chance to be on this ride.

 Why is it so special you may ask. For starters you will be among fellow advocates which strongly believe in the core mission of SFWDA but better yet you can ride with top industry representatives who also firmly believe in this same core mission.  Expect to see some cool rigs, and hang with some cool folks. After the ride our sponsors have some special prizes in store which you could win. Dinner will also be served and it's all taken care of for you. Oh, wait, did I forget to mention there is a set of BFG - KO2's up to 37", a WARN VR-8,000 Synthetic Winch, custom shirts, and more all being raffled away. 

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Premium Ride Group 2016 - Dixie Run

 Ok, so you may be asking yourself, how do I join? 

Step 1. Be an active Premium SFWDA Member. (Join or Upgrade Here) 

Step 2. Mark yourself as "Going" to the SFWDA Trailfest event and then Share the event on your personal Facebook page.            (https://www.facebook.com/events/1758767251063906) 

Step 3. Post on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram) a photo of your rig which must include in the same post each of the following Hashtags; #BFGoodrich #areyoudriverenough #Warn #Clemson4Wheel #SPIDERWEBSHADE #Traifest2017 #SFWDA

Step 4. Share your post on as many pages, and groups that your a part of to get the most likes

Step 5. Meet all the requirements above and you will qualify for a raffle selection of 15 lucky winners. 

OHV community submits joint letter to our Department of the Interior, Secretary Zinke

  With cooperation from ORBA and the SEMA group among other OHV organizations we have been working on a draft letter to be submitted out our newly appointed Secretary for the Department of the Interior, Honorable Ryan Zinke.  

 The goal here being that with so many newly appointed representatives within our government we may have greater success in expressing our concerns within our OHV communities. 

  The letter in whole is attached below (click to view).  In essence the letters intent is to bring to light the huge economic impact stimulated from the out doors recreation community, and more importantly the motorized recreation component we're very familiar with. "As our nation’s largest landlord of federal lands, you have a unique opportunity to make these lands available to the American public in ways never done before in our country’s history." It was noted in our draft that in A 2012 study on outdoor recreation found that it contributed more than $646 billion to the national economy.  Forty percent of that amount, more than $258 billion is directly attributable to motorized recreation. 

View Document Draft in it's entirety here. 

1st Quarter SFWDA Leadership Meeting Minutes to review

SFWDA 2017 LEADERSHIP
AND BOD WORK SESSION

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2017

 Attendees:  

• Ray Stanley, President
• Al Sweney, Vice President
• Aimee Darnell, Recording Secretary
• Doyle Punches, Treasurer
• Lucas Weidner, Director of Membership
• Flint Holbrook, Director of Conservation and Land Management
• Andy Warren, Director of Conservation and Land Management
• Jon Plaza, Director of Public Relations
• Pete Mier, Director of Public Relations
• Walter Shafer, Web Administrator and Public Relations
• Aaron Roddy, Ohio River Four Wheel Drive Club
• Joseph Lambert, Stones River Jeep Club
• Roger Theurer, STLC Association
• Denver Isaacs, Scenic City 4WD Club
• Jim Berliner, Trick N’ Traction
• Jeff Dodgen, Foothills Jeep Club
• Rio Risner, Stones River Jeep Club
• Jay Bird, Georgia Bounty Runners
• Dirk Deyoung, NAXJA
• Neal Raval, Central North Carolina 4x4 (CNC 4x4)
• Joe Kling, Ohio River Four Wheel Drive Club
• Brian Staley, East TN 4WED Club
• Tony Wilson, Rock Corp 4x4
• Bob Yarbrough, Rock Solid Jeep Club
• Scott Pope, Mule Town Jeepers
• Joe Cortner
• Jake White 

MEETING  MINUTES

SFWDA 2017 Approved Budget at Annual meeting in December

• Ray covered items listed within the budget

SFWDA 2017 Bylaw Review (Last update was in 2006.)

Updates needed to cover:

• Reflect current operational and technology strategies
• Formalize leadership council and processes
• Engage emerging communications platforms
• Al covered what covered in the March 2017 meeting to review a draft and develop a strategy
• Draft should be ready for submission to Leadership Council June 2017 with presentation for Membership for approval at the 2017 Annual Meeting.

Trailfest 14- May 4-7, 2017 Adventure Off Road Park, South Pittsburg, TN

• Walter provided updates with vendors and registration.
• Volunteer spots are approximately 85% filled.
• Additional trails options have been added this year.

2017 Calendar

                Ray covered the events on the approved 2017 Calendar.

•  Jay promoted the GBR 14th Annual Mud 4 Blood event on April 22, 2017
•  Roger promoted the STLCA GSMTR event on May 15-21, 2017
•  Walter confirmed same format for the Unlimited Off Road Expo in Louisville KY in June
•  Spring 2017 Highlights
•  St Jude’s 4 Wheeling for a Cure Event:  $40,028.42 
•  Crawling for Reid: approximately $120,000
•  Mud 4 Blood: Event scheduled for April 22

 SFWDA 2017 Grant Updates

• SFWDA continuing support with:  TreadLightly, UFWDA, BlueRibbon Coalition Sharetrails, & ORBA
•  Al shared success with The 2nd Trick N’ Traction Tread Lightly Educational Event held Feb 25
•  2017 Educational Video Series:   first video has been outlined
•  Big Creek Access Improvements
  •  Feb 14-15Total project costs $5175Grant award $2000
  •  CTB Matching funds and support by NC OHV community
  •  Project Complete           
  •  Big Creek Educational Shelter:  Delayed until late June 2017

SFWDA Land Use Updates

• Ray provided quick summary for Uwharrie National Forest-complete new set of officers
• Aaron and Joe provided status on Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway.
• Jay discussed Beasley Knob OHV:  grant project was completed on time and under budget
• Roger updated on Coalmont TN RTP project: close to getting land
• Region 8 RRAC meeting scheduled for May 9-10, 2017
• SEMA & ORBA:  drafted a letter to Secretary of Interior, SFWDA agreed to sign the letter

SFWDA Event Coordination Committee

•                 Build a format for future events in 2018 and beyond

SFWDA Membership Update

                Active club members 1793                           Individual members 337

                Premium members 277                                 Business member 65

2407 total collective members            

Meeting adjourned 9:25pm

Aimee Darnell
SFWDA Recording Secretary

Duane Taylor Named Executive Director of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council 9 (NOHVCC)

Press Release              
For Immediate Release

National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC)

Duane Taylor Named Executive Director of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council

            GREAT FALLS, MT, April 14, 2017 -- The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) today announced the appointment of Duane Taylor as its executive director, effective June 1. Taylor replaces Russ Ehnes, who is retiring from that position after nearly two decades. 

  Since 2005, Taylor has worked in the powersports industry as director of federal affairs for the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA), Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA), and Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). His responsibilities in that position were broad in scope. They included managing federal lobbying activities for the associations; developing and communicating industry policy positions to the U.S. Congress, federal agencies and partners; researching and commenting on legislation and regulatory actions that impact the powersports industry; and, creating and facilitating relationships with public and private sector partners that serve to advance industry goals.

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Duane Taylor of the NOHVCC 

““I am excited about this new opportunity,” said Taylor. “I have worked extensively with NOHVCC over the past 12 years while representing the powersports industry, and I have a great deal of passion for its mission. I am prepared to build on its successes, and continue its key initiatives, while working to expand its reach, scope and effectiveness.””

— http://www.nohvcc.org/Resources/news/2017/04/14/duane-taylor-named-executive-director

Prior to that position, Taylor was director of natural resource policy with the Texas Office of State/Federal Regulations, in Washington, DC. He is a life-long motorcyclist and is certified as an ATV Safety Institute (ASI) RiderCourse Instructor, and ROHVA DriverCoach. Taylor will be based in metropolitan Washington, DC.

“While Duane’s departure will leave a hard-to-fill void, we are enthusiastic about the opportunity that this new position provides to Duane and importantly that it provides to NOHVCC to expand its footprint in Washington, DC with land management agencies and other DC-based partners,” said Kathy Van Kleeck, senior vice president, government relations for MIC, ROHVA and SVIA. “The associations have shown their commitment to NOHVCC by providing major grant funding for many years and we look forward to continuing and expanding that commitment in the coming years to support NOHVCC’s critical mission to promote OHV recreation.”

Taylor takes over the position held by Russ Ehnes for nearly 20 years. Earlier this year, Ehnes announced his intent to leave his position as executive director, effective June 1. Ehnes will be shifting gears to other opportunities in off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation, including managing the Bull Run Guest Ranch, near Great Falls, Montana. 

NOHVCC is a not-for-profit educational organization that promotes the safe and responsible use of OHVs, including ATVs, ROVs, dirt bikes and 4WD trucks. Using a network of State Partners, it develops and provides a wide spectrum of programs, materials and information, or “tools,” to OHV clubs, associations, agencies and individuals across the U.S. and Canada. It also works in partnership with the International Off-Highway Vehicle Administrators Association (INOHVAA), an organization of officials at all levels of government who manage OHV recreation in their areas, which holds its annual conference jointly with NOHVCC.

NOHVCC and its State Partners work hard to meet its mission to “Create a Positive Future for OHV Recreation.” For more information, visit www.nohvcc.org. To contact NOHVCC about its many “tools” and educational materials available to OHV clubs, agencies and schools, send an email to trailhead@nohvcc.org or call 800-348-6487.

For more information, contact:

National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC)
427 Central Ave West, Great Falls, MT, 59404
Website: www.nohvcc.org
Email: trailhead@nohvcc.org
Phone: 800-348-6487
Fax: 406-454-9142

ORCA Coolers joins SFWDA as new business partner in 2017. Join us at Trailfest for a chance to win one yourself!

Our co-branded ORCA products coming soon for SFWDA Members. 

It's Official, I'm proud to announce that ORCA and SFWDA have joined forces to help bring a great product to the OHV community and most importantly our valued members. ORCA is a quality local USA made (Tennessee) manufacturer of coolers and accessories. We fully believe in their products and are very proud of this new partnership. In the future we will be offering these custom branded coolers for sale online.

Be sure to check out the amazing collection of coolers on display and donated for our Trailfest raffle.

You just might get to take home one of these for yourself! #ORCA #SFWDA #Trailfest2017