They have held several Chapter staff positions and are currently the Assistant Chapter Directors for Chapter VA-I.  Bruce and Gayle are enthusiastic supporters of GWRRA and the Couple of the Year Program. 

Bruce and Gayle replace Tom and Kathy Peck who stepped down as International Couple of the Year Coordinators after Wing Ding 30.  Tom and Kathy were outstanding Coordinators and made numerous contributions toward improving and making the program successful.  They have been mentors for many years to couples at all levels. We sincerely thank them for all they have done as International Couple of the Year Coordinators. 
 
A Note from Tom and Kathy Peck:

“What an honor it has been for us to serve as Coordinators for the GWRRA Couple of the Year Program for Wing Dings 28, 29 and 30!  Those years were so much fun for us, and in the midst of all that fun, we actually were able to accomplish a few things:

1. The 20th anniversary for the program was celebrated from Wing Ding 29 in Billings, Montana, 2007, through Wing Ding 30 in Greenville, South Carolina, this year, by having eight great past Region and National/International Couples of the Year profiled in Wing World.  Many thanks go to Sharon Stanley, Wing World editor, for all her support of this project.  
2. For Wing Ding 29, a PowerPoint slide show with photos of all past and current Region Couples of the Year was prepared.  It was updated for Wing Ding this year and includes photos of all 212 very special couples who have been honored over the past twenty-one years.
3. A new Couple of the Year Program Manual was published, after much discussion and input from Region/District/Chapter Directors, Membership Enhancement Coordinators and Couples of the Year.  Significant changes included making the selection process uniform at each level and the replacement of the terms “COY” and “C.O.Y.” with “Couple of the Year”.

It has been a pleasure working with our Region Directors, Membership Enhancement Coordinators, and Couples of the Year, past and present, to ensure that our Program continues to meet its two purposes: 1) providing a way to honor deserving couples at the local level, and 2) to select enthusiastic couples to serve as ambassadors and spokespersons for GWRRA.  It has truly been a labor of love and we eagerly look forward to our next assignment (we are currently the Assistant Chapter Directors of TN-B and are hopeful to soon get a promotion to CD!)  We were Area Reps (now called Chapter Directors) for five years back in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  Having held lots of positions in our 25- year history with GWRRA, our favorites are Couple of the Year and Chapter Director.

We’re not going anywhere so we’ll be right here to support and encourage our new Couple of the Year Coordinators, Bruce and Gayle Babcock.  They are an active and enthusiastic couple with a passion for the program and will be a great asset to our Couple of the Year Program.”