We are a chapter among 33 others in our state and we are the only SMRO (State Motorcycle Rights Organization.) Our objectives as a MRO are; to promote motorcyclists in a safe and positive image, we will also cooperate with all other organizations and individuals who share similar interests, we use fund raising as a means to raise funds to produce a monthly newsletter to keep people aware of our goals and accomplishments.

ABATE of Florida, Inc. employs a full time lobbyist to help with our legislative agenda such as unfair laws that target bikers, HIPPA insurance laws, as well as our MSAP (Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Program) that our lobbyist has retained state funding for in past years.

Our chapter has spawned off many other chapters over the years and we now call Southwest Florida home to no less than five chapters of ABATE in our tri-county area.
We at the SW chapter have a few annual events on the permanent calendar such as our annual Christmas Run to the Gulf Coast Center, which we have been doing for 28 years. We also do our annual chili cook-off every year at the end of January or the beginning of February. This event is accompanied by the blessing of the bikes done by our very own chapter Chaplin Tom Provenzano. Then in May, we do our May Safety Run and our Bears for Bears program in which we collect up stuffed animals to donate to our Sheriff's Department for distribution to children in trauma around our county.

Another event we are involved with is our annual Five Star Event. This is where all five of the local chapters in the tri-county area come together as one to bring you the premier event of the summer year after year.

There are many other things we do as a chapter like our weekly bike night every Wednesday evening at Victory Lane Café on Hancock Bridge Parkway in North Fort Myers. This is also where we do bike games twice per month and a bike show every few months, not to mention our chapter meetings are held there on the fourth Sunday of each month at 10:00am. All are welcome, you need not be a member to come to a meeting.

So in closing, hopefully I've been able to tweak your interest a little bit. If so you can get in touch with me either by phone 239 849 9065 or e-mail swchief2000@yahoo.com or by getting in touch with the editor of this publication.

Thanks for the opportunity and ride safe,

Frankie