dons2346

What do people do with the email blasts that come out every once in awhile? Maybe a blast tolling the virtues of getting members. Heck, I just found out that if I use Amazon thru FMCA,FMCA gets a couple of pennies. Found it out on the forum sidebar.

Bill, Step away from the computer slowly. Then pick up a copy of the magazine. The only one I have handy is the Feb 2017 edition and on page 116, there is a half page devoted to "Recruiting Has Its Rewards". There it tells you about the 10 buck coupon. A trip to the "throne room" found the December 2016 edition with a full page ad on page 55 and in the March 2017 magazine there is another full page ad on page 17

You are mixing up the FMCA store and the FMCA info booth. Yes there will be a FMCA store where you can get your atlas, a couple of nice FMCA T-shirts, maybe a jacket, possibly a new hat, badge holder, sweat shirt, and don't forget something for the wife. Oh yes, you can also renew your FMCA membership!

Huffy, there probably won't be any new info at Cowlitz because of the timing. I know there will not be a FMCA specific booth there

The VZ plan is in the works however the president leaked it out at some rally before it had been run through the legal department. Don't know all the specifics but you can now sign up for the plan, just call membership services. You have to give them your credit card for billing. FMCA will get a few bucks if you do sign up. Supposedly you will get a new device every time one is available, at least once a year at no charge. So, everyone sit back and put your tin foil hats on, and take some deep breaths

Oh boy! Just what I need, another shop hop so the wife can load up the coach with more fabric. Glad they aren't doing it on the day of the governing board meeting. Well, kinda

It would be great to be able to make a concrete statement as to where and when the international conventions will be held but you really can't. When the governing board is given a possible location it is always given with a caveat of "successful negotiations". Contracting out for a complete facility isn't as simple as asking how much and then saying OK here is the check. Some of you know don't have a clue as to how much the coffee bill is at a convention. Prices can go as high as $50 per gallon!. Now you say, we will make our own. Not so fast here as there are restrictions especially if the facility has a food concessionaire on site . It is the little things that can make or break it when it comes to selecting a site years in advance. Once upon a time a site was selected and at the last moment, the site went under construction so it was a scramble to find another suitable site.

I don't understand your comment. Do you think that the employees of FMCA own FMCA? If not, then who do you think "owns" FMCA?

The EB is meeting now in Cincinnati. Part of the work these past two days is the budget which will be presented to the GB to vote on. I know there will be cuts and I hope it isn't in the area of benefits for the staff. Some time ago, they did eliminate their medical benefits which was a real blow to them. The staff that services us, the member, has been cut to the bone. In looking at past budgets, I see zero cuts in the magazine staff. The magazine isn't producing the revenue as in the past so a question I have is why hasn't that staff been cut? Possibly a question to be brought up during the GB meeting, eh? Towables! If they are to be treated just like a motorcoach, then why are they required to purchase power? This was the case in Chandler and it is the same for Indy. Instead of parking "them" over there and "us" over here, why aren't they parked interspersed among us,eh? As far as the new "stuff", this pertains to the National Directors that are registered to vote in Indy. Those of you that registered on line, did you notice there was no block to check identifying you as a ND? Make sure you call Cincinnati and make sure you are registered as a ND. Those of you that are not ND's find out who your area president is and call them with your questions and don't be easy. Any AVP worth their salt will have good solid answers for you. As of now, there are three proposals that we will be voting on. I do not understand how they can lump a vote on the Articles, the constitution, and the bylaws under one proposal. This is something that should be challenged . I also understand that there will be more proposals brought forward. As to the question about what it would cost to keep the Assist program, it would probably be in the range of $12 per member based on what we have been told about the increase. On edit, I hope that if the budget does propose cutting benefits for the staff, someone will have the 'nads to stand up and propose those benefits be restored. Those of us ND's on the forum need to have a get together before the GB meeting.

You guys haven't heard the best yet, just wait.

Go to the Northwest Area website here Northwest Area to see what is happening. I am the assistant rally master for the event and you can find my name and number on the registration form. PM me or give me a call.

Bill is correct. One sample isn't enough to give you any meaningful data. What you are looking for is a trend and look for any spikes in any data. This will take a number of samples to establish. Back in my flying days, we ran 25 hour samples on the Mooneys. One particular aircraft was showing a rise in a particular metal but was in range but to be watched. The next sample said the plane should be grounded and do not fly it. To late because it was in a corn field. Good thing was, I wasn't flying it.

How many of you on the forum are national directors? How many of you are planning on a trip to Indy?

That's a bummer Carl

Use black zip ties and you won't have a problem with them

The vote to change the bylaws and constitution will be a written ballot in Indy. It will have to pass by 65% and then be posted in the magazine for the membership to vote. I feel they are doing things backwards but it is legal. A little underhanded but legal As far as the sauna, to not scare the crabs we tell them that they are going into a nice sauna instead of saying "into a pot of boiling water you go"

Is 30 minutes from boat to sauna to plate fresh enough?

Carl,

Herman, I'd like to seeing as how I was bred and born in Denison. Durant was our place to go get beer during our high school years,, a BBQ joint called Sam & Ruths! Sept is crab season here in the Pacific Northwest so we will be in our summer place. It is also planning month for our 2018 Northwest Area Rally. Anyway congratulations for your 50th. Don

Wait a minute, hang on here. Is the Lone Star chapter based in Texas? And you guys are going all the way to Durant for the 50th? Say it ain't so.

Every area rally has the FMCA store where you can buy lots of stuff. One thing you can purchase is the road atlas

Herman is correct in his description of how things should work but........................ I have been a ND since 2007 and have been on the National Nominating Committee. The nominating committee are the ones that check in the national directors/delegates when they are signing in to sit on the floor. There are people that came to register who haven't even opened the envelope they received which contains the info required to make an intelligent decision on how to vote! There were delegates who came to register that didn't even know what area they were in! You cannot tell me that they knew anything about the happenings on the floor and most of them, when it came time to vote, looked around and voted with the majority just to look good. By now, your chapter officers should have received a letter supposedly signed by your area president urging you to sign on with approving allowing towables because without them. FMCA will fold. I received mine and I can tell you that based on knowing how my AVP writes, and the content of the letter, it was not written by my AVP. It will be interesting to compare letters received by other chapter officers to see if they are worded the same

I really hate letters from anyone that brings up the "Chicken Little" (the sky is falling) mentality. Adcock's letter said that $270,000 was spent on advertising.My question is where did they advertise? Having just spent a couple of days in a Cummins center, I had ample time to look at magazines from Motorhome, Escapees,Trailer Life, and a couple of other rv related mags. Not one of them had any advertising for FMCA. It is as if the money was not spent wisely and no thought given on where and how to spend it. I don't think that any of the towable clubs/factory organizations were ever contacted to see if they would be interested in joining FMCA. I also agree about the $250,000 gift to RVillage. In these same magazines, I did not fine one reference to RVillage. That money should have been spent on our own website, not another social media Fakebook wannabe. Not that I am against having towables but I really hate having this shoved down our throats like it is. For those going to the Indy convention, just wait. In the December magazine, we were told that towables would be like a "sister" organization and would be separate. Now, it is a melding of the rv's and are to be treated just like anyone else. If you look at the registration for the past Chandler convention and the Indy convention, you will see that if you arrive in a towable, you will be required to purchase electric!. For those of you that belong to a chapter, I urge you to contact your area president. Their contact info can be found in the FMCA magazine. For those not affiliated with a chapter, contact the FMCA president

I used a piece if 1"x1/8" aluminum strap along with a couple of U-bolts to mount my plaque off to the side of the ladder.

" I don't know where manholt gets his info from, but the people who man(woman) the FMCA store at area and national rallies are members who volunteer. " Not all that work in the store at rallies/conventions are volunteers. Some are employees of FMCA who work in the IT department. But the overall "store" itself has been farmed out to a separate company. If you don't believe that, feel free to call FMCA and ask!