Patches and Pins, What's Up With Them??
As a visitor and possible new member to Chapter A, you will most likely ask at some time,
"What is up with these vest and patches?" And, as you get more involved you will
begin to purchase these patches and you will then ask "Ok, where do they all go?"
Here is a brief description of each and the location for placing them on your vest.

In all truthfulness there is only 1 patch that is required on the "Official" vest
of a GWRRA member. That would be the 10" GWRRA back patch, which

ever version you want. There are three versions of this patch. But, the most

common now is the one pictured or the Black and Gold version of the same.

This is the one patch that has to be on your vest and, yes it must be on the back of the vest

in order to qualify for the vest drawing that we have at every Chapter gathering. This same

patch also comes in a 4" version which can actually be put where ever you would like to      
put it. But, the insinuated guideline for this patch is the front left crest of your vest.

The next patch would be your Chapter affiliation. Of course ours is "Piedmont

Goldwings". Again this can be located where ever you would like to place it.
But, again the insinuated guideline for this patch is the right front crest of your vest.
Now the reason I say "insinuated" is there really is no official guideline to follow on
these. But for the sake of continuity among Chapters and their members this is the
location mostly used for the placement of these two patches. Now for the rest there
really is no guideline, insinuated or actual.

 

These patches are the Level 1 Rider Education

patches. As you can see there is one for Rider

and Co-Rider. They also come in the Black and

Gold version. Once a member "Commits to

Riding Safe" and goes through the proper

procedures to acquire these patches you will receive them from your Chapter Educator and

you can place them anywhere you would like on your vest.

 This patch is the Level 2 Rider Education patch. It too comes in Rider and

Co-Rider and in the Black and Gold version. Once a member "Commits to Riding
Knowledgeable" and again goes through the proper procedures to acquire these
patches they can be placed anywhere you would like on your vest.

 

This patch is the Level 3 Rider Education patch. And, like the other two

Levels it also comes in Rider and Co-Rider and the Black and Gold version.

Once a member "Commits to Riding by Example" and, yes goes through the proper procedures

to acquire these patches and, like the other two there is no set place to put it on your vest.

This is the Region affiliation patch. Within the GWRRA it is broken down into

Regions. We in NC are in what is called "Region N" which includes the following

states, NC, TN, VA, WV, and KY. Once you have purchased this patch, you got

it, put it where you want it.

This patch will be the District affiliation patch; this in this case is NC. Each state

has their own patch so when you visit other states and are able to visit Chapters
within that state you can easily be recognized as being from NC.

 

This patch is the one you get to color as you go. This is the county
map of NC. And, as you visit through out the state you color in the

counties you have visited. I have found the best thing to use to do

this is simply colored pencils. They will not bleed through the fabric and they will hold their

color fairly well. Yeah, put it where ever.

 

Here is another color as you go. This is a map of the US and like the
county map, as you visit all the states you color them in. And, like

the county map, put it where you want it.

 

This pin is the Chapter visitation bar. Each Chapter within each state has
these bars and, as you visit the Chapter you purchase these and add them

to the hanger bar for that state.