FL2-E “Miami Wings”

Click here to read the Goldwing History as told by Steve Saunders

Our History

The Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA) was born one spring afternoon in Phoenix, Arizona in 1977 as Paul & Shirley Hildabrand and few friends that owned and loved “GL1000” Gold Wings sat around a coffee table in their living room and wanted to start an “association” around this beautiful motorcycle. Little did they know at the time that it would soon become the “Largest Single Marquee” motorcycle association in the world.

As GWRRA grew in size and Chapters started forming across the United States and the number of Gold Wing owners grew, eventually South Florida felt the need for its own Chapter. So, just a little over two years after the birth of GWRRA, Chapter “E” was conceived in November, 1979 when several “Gold Wing” owners who lived in South Florida were gathered for a meeting at a “Denny’s Restaurant” in Miami, FL. The meeting was arranged and organized by a gentleman by the name of Murray West. Murray got enough folks interested in starting a South Florida Chapter that soon the paperwork got rolling and in just a few short weeks in early 1980 GWRRA, Chapter “E” was officially born. Murray West was the first “Area Rep” of Chapter “E”.

Chapter “E” began its new life with overwhelming success. Owners of Gold Wings started joining GWRRA and thus becoming “Chapter Participants” of Chapter E. In its first, couple of years the Chapter won countless awards across the state for Chapter participation and involvement in events all across Florida. In 1983 Chapter E won “Long Distance Chapter in Attendance” at “Wing Ding VI” in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Eventually, Murray West became the “Florida State Director” for GWRRA. When Murray moved up to the State Director position Gene & Phyllis Whitesides became the “Area Reps” of Chapter E, Miami.

As the years rolled along the Chapter flourished and grew. Gene and Phyllis remained as Area Reps until April 1987 when they resigned their position (under good circumstances) and at that time John & Debbie Moore stepped in as Area Reps and Denny & Joyce Brodbeck stepped in as “Assistant Area Reps”. Due to unforeseen circumstances, John and Debbie had to resign their position in August 1987. Denny & Joyce Brodbeck took over as “Area Reps” of Chapter “E” and Doug & Colleen Roth became “Assistant Area Reps”. Soon Denny & Joyce realized the need for a second assistant, so we became the first Chapter in Florida to have two Assistant Area Reps when Scott & Elaine Whittemore accepted the position of Assistant Area Reps.

One of the things that Denny & Joyce immediately recognized was the need for a “Chapter Logo”. So, one of the first things they did was hold a “Logo Contest”. They put out the call for people to design and submit logo ideas and bring them to the September ’87 meeting and we would show and discuss them. They would give everybody a month to think about the various logos that were submitted and then at the October meeting we would take a survey and select a “Chapter Logo”. There were several very nice logo ideas submitted and the one that was overwhelmingly chosen by the Chapter Participants was designed by Joyce Brodbeck.  When Denny & Joyce went to a “flag company” to make our first banner….it was at that time that Denny said, put on the banner the name “Miami Wings”.  This logo and the name are used to this day.

During the previous several years before Denny & Joyce became Area Reps, the Chapter put on an annual Poker Run that started in Miami and ended in Key West. In 1988 we made a little change to that event and “We Invented Biker Bingo” with the first “Biker Bingo” taking place in June, 1988 with a Grand Prize of a brand new “Honda Rebel” motorcycle. The attendance at that event was 535 people. In 1989 we topped that by giving away a brand new 1989 Gold Wing, GL1500 which was partially donated by Gables Honda in Miami. The attendance at that event was 734! For the next several years we gave away 5 GL1500’s and a Honda Shadow Ace at our annual “Bike Bingo” event. The last Biker Bingo was held in August 1996.

In March, 1989 Denny & Joyce became “Florida Assistant State Directors”, Scott & Elaine Whittemore became Area Reps and Doug & Colleen Roth remained as their Assistants.

As time marched on changes were made in many of our lives. Denny’s employer went out of business, thus Denny & Joyce had to make some adjustments to their lives. They started a business and as a result had to resign as Assistant State Directors. So, for a few years they were just “plain ole members” of GWRRA.

In the early 90’s the GWRRA membership and number of Chapters in the state became so large that some changes had to be made. So, for GWRRA purposes, the state was divided into two sections by an “imaginary line” that runs approximately from Daytona to Tampa. This is where the “FL1” and “FL2” came from. We, being in the lower half of the state, are in the “FL2” section……thus…..FL2-E which we are known as today.

Also, sometime in the early 90’s the designation of “Area Rep” was changed to “Chapter Director”. “State” was changed to “District” thus “State Director” was change to “District Director”.

Again….“Time Marches On”…. Scott & Elaine Whittemore (who are both certified MSF Instructors) eventually became “National Directors of Rider Education” and where directly linked to our National Office in Phoenix, Arizona. When they moved up to their “National Position”, Tom Wienike became Chapter Director for a short while. When Tom resigned, Rick & Lili Tower took over as Chapter Directors from approximately 1991 through mid1993. They were the Chapter Directors when Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida, yet still had the courage to put on “Biker Bingo V” to Key West just a few short days after the hurricane. Even though attendance was very low because of the hurricane, the event was still a great success and they still managed to give a brand new GL1500 to a lucky winner.

In June ’93 they resigned as Chapter Directors and Gene & Cindi Kemp took over the position. They remained in the position until December ’94.

In January 1995 Juan & Miriam Garcia became Chapter Directors and remained in office until May 1996 when Gene & Jenni Kemp (same guy..different wife) became Chapter Directors and Denny & Joyce Brodbeck and Doug & Colleen Roth stepped back in as their Assistant Chapter Directors. Gene & Jenni stepped down on October 31, 1997 and Doug & Colleen Roth became Chapter Directors. Doug & Colleen held the position of Chapter Director for exactly one year. Because of Doug’s demanding job, he decided he needed to step down as Chapter Director but still wanted to be very active in the Chapter and be part of the Chapter Staff. So, on November 1, 1998 Doug & Colleen Roth and Denny & Joyce Brodbeck “traded” positions. Denny & Joyce went back in to the position of Chapter Directors and Doug & Colleen went back in to the position of Assistant Chapter Directors where they have all been for the past 8 years.

 A short time later they asked Rod & Suzan Cullen to also assist as Assistant Chapter Directors. So, once again the Chapter had two ACD’s.

Chapter FL2-E “Miami Wings” was the Chapter that provided the first four GL1500’s that were given away at Wing Gathering through “Superbikes of Miami” which was our sponsor.

We have an annual “Holiday Dinner” that is “second to none” as far formal events go. It takes place every December and is a “Formal” affair that is enjoyed by all.

In 2003 & 2005 we won the Florida District Wanderer plaque. In 2003 and again in 2006 we won the Region Wanderer. We also have won the “Highest Ticket Sellers” award in 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2004 and 2nd Place in 2005 and 2006 for selling the most raffle tickets sold by a Chapter for the Gold Wings that have been given away at the Florida District Rallies.

We have also taken the “The Largest Chapter in Attendance” at the Florida District Rally in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006!

In April, 2006 Bryan and Kathy Witt stepped in as Assistant Chapter Directors. Their knowledge, precision and dedication to GWRRA and Chapter FL2-E would continue to keep Chapter FL2-E, “Miami Wings” in the spotlight.

“We are a family”! Many of us have been around for years and many of us are new to Gold Winging and GWRRA. But, we are all equal and all here for the same reason….  our love for the “Honda Gold Wing” and our “Gold Wing Family”!


In June of 2006 we held a progressive dinner which turned out to be a huge success. Game and door prizes were equal to any rally we had ever attended. Almost everyone walk away with a door prize as well as a full belly.
 

 At the Holiday dinner in December of 2006 Denny and Joyce Brodbeck announced that they were stepping down once again as Senior Chapter Directors with Bryan & Kathy Witt stepping up as Chapter Directors.

In 2007 Chapter FL2-E “Miami Wings” continued to rack up the awards at the annual District Wing Gathering in Kissimmee. However, later in the year, we seemed to always be just one rider short in our attempts at capturing the District or Region “Wanderer”, but we had fun and continued to make attempts.
 
In November 2007, after attending the “Ride for Kids” event in Sarasota and some coaxing by those who attended, it was decided that Miami would once again host a Rally and we would share the proceeds with the South Florida “Ride for Kids”. The planning started almost immediately for an October Rally. Early in 2008 we selected our location and date and the planning was on.  In June of 2008 Bryan and Kathy Witt regretfully stepped down as FL2-E Chapter Directors. With Kathy losing her job, they relocated to Merritt Island, Fl.
 

Gail Landsnaes stepped up to take over as Chapter Director with a lot of support from the members and the planned October rally went off successfully on schedule. Chapter FL2-E now continues to support the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s “Ride for Kids” with many chapter members attending their event every year.

In the fall of 2008, Vince & Myriam andreu stepped in to fill the long vacated position Assistant Chapter Directors and continue in that capacity today doing a great job of helping Gail with whatever needs to be done
 
The “Chapter Participants” of Chapter FL2-E “Miami Wings” are among the finest in GWRRA! They are loyal and dedicated to doing the best job they can for their Chapter and having the most fun they can have while participation in GWRRA.