Below are the new requirements for the Rider Education Program. Primarily the focus is on renewals. I will try to explain these at the next chapter meeting (at least best I can for the way I understand them).

Effective immediately, the requirement for annual renewal for Levels II-IV is discontinued. Going forward, the focus will be solely on assisting members in updating and maintaining their certifications and training. The ONLY update to be submitted will be training certification renewals and only submitted when the current certifications expire or the certification has been refreshed.

For example, Joe Member has an ERC completion card dated 9-15-05. He will not need to submit any paperwork until 9-15-08 to update this requirement. Likewise, updates for CPR and First Aid only need to be submitted when the current completion card expires.

Members wishing to purchase the annual participation pins (formerly known as renewal bars or pins) can do so at any time by purchasing these from their CE/DE or RE. The Masters "Renewal" pin will remain the supplied pin until such time as inventory is depleted and we can reorder new "Participation" pins.

In support of this process change, the Level I-III and Level IV applications will no longer contain renewal information. Updates for course completions and certifications will be submitted on the newly revised form N.10 "Update" Form (dated March 2006).

Since the elimination of the renewal fee and the annual renewal process for any level there is no cost to "catch up" any expired requirements, simply have the member submit their current completion and certification cards with a completed Form N.10 to become active in the program and current in their certifications.

Level IV Application Requirement Clarified

Previously we had been directed to ensure that 25,000 safe miles were on record in the database prior to applying for Level 4. This requirement has been clarified (as of 1/18/06) by Bob Lorenz due to your feedback. The safe miles entered on the Master Tour Rider Application will now be used as the safe miles update rather than having the member submit a separate Level I-III form for a safe miles update.

Also, effective immediately, any Level IV is assumed to have the minimum 25,000 Safe Miles and the records will be corrected where necessary to reflect that. For Level II & III, it will be assumed that the member has the requisite 5,000 Safe Miles and the records will be changed to reflect that. There will no longer be any requirement to update the records after a member has achieved Level II or Level IV. Receipt of the completed Form N.7 (levels application) or Form N.9 (Masters Application) will be considered a valid update to the Safe Miles.

Master Number Eligibility is the only criteria used to determine the qualification of a member for Senior Master, Grand Master, and Life Grand Master status. We trust the Member to determine if they maintained their status as active and current for the 5, 10, or 15 years respectively for each award level. This list entitled "Master Tour Rider Recognition Program 2006 Calendar Year Eligibility" is available on the GWRRA website on the Rider Ed page.

The Master Recognition Patches can be obtained by the member by completing the Level IV form indicating the patch that they are eligible for and including the $2 per patch fee. We now have both the Gold on Blue background and Gold on Black background versions in stock. If not specified, the Gold on Blue patch will be sent. We now include a personalized congratulatory letter out with the patch (es). These patches will not be made available for Region or District purchase.

The new Master Tour Rider Application includes pricing and a method to obtain a Black and Gold patch, and directs the user to send the completed form to their District Educator.

There is a new approval signature block at the bottom of the new N.9 form for the Region Educator as well. It has been a requirement to send Master Tour Rider Applications through District Educators, then Region Educators since September 2004, but in spite of our best efforts, that direction never made it into the Rider Ed Program Handbook. Until now the average Member using the form had no idea of this requirement unless they received guidance from a knowledgeable Educator. The result was a number of errors, some significant, that slipped through the cracks. There is also enhanced information for the Master Tour Rider Recognition program.

NEW FORMS:

This is the new Level I-III form for NEW participants: http://www.texasdist.org/Level_I-III_2_7_06.pdf

This is the new Level IV form for NEW participants: http://www.texasdist.org/Level_IV_2_7_06.pdf

This is the NEW update form mentioned in section A. This is the form you use to UPDATE users information such as safe miles, High Mileage, or renewing/updating of rider courses and First Aid/CPR courses. http://www.texasdist.org/Update_Renewal_Form_2_7_06.pdf

All of the above mentioned forms are available on-line at the GWRRA website, or at our usual location of the Texas District website, under Rider Education forms: http://www.texasdist.org/Education.htm

Until next time - Ride Safe and Stay Visible.

Collen Campbell
Chapter M-2 Rider Educator