jeff753

Couple comments. I hear FMCA needs to get younger. Let's say that's true. We have actually gotten younger. 15 of us under 60 types met at a bar a couple nights at the Madison Rally and had pizza and talked in great detail of our lack of enthusiasm for the rally. Everyone thought it was not a good cost vs value and was it was generally boring and we were all going to quit coming to rallies because the people and entertainment were one or two generations ahead of us. It's the general nature of Motorhome drivers. These 15 under 60s became the Under60 Task Force Steering Committee and set a goal to try to make Rallys fun for our demographic too. At the next rally (Perry) we changed the name to FMCA ENERGIZED and implemented two tracks of fun. Energized activities for all ages by inviting all to things like Paint n Sip, DOGZ on Tour, ENERGIZED KIDZ Meet n Greet, Happy Hours etc. In addition we organized secret missions on pub cycles, bike trips, wine tours and brewery tours with the generally under 60 group and their guest. This Steering Committee continued to promote Rally Wide (regardless of age) ENERGIZED events at Springfield, Chandler and Indy. At Indy we added the rally long ENERGIZED KIDZ ZONE and MITO provided free wifi for this covered Pavillion. We had 62 KIDZ. Mac the Fire Guy dud a KIDZ Fire Safty class too. KIDZ camped out in tents and it was a very large success. KIDZ who had normally been drug to the rally by their parents were asking to go to the next one. It was reminiscent of what the 70s must have been like with FMCA. Recently we did two weeks of charitable builds in Lewisburg WV under the ENERGIZED Brand 44 people who had never met each other Most had never done something like that. 100% had a ball and are already planning our next great adventure. it's a snowball going downhill. All this was done with the full and continuing support of Chris Smith Executive Director and Doug Uhlenbach Events Manager. They see what needs to happen and go out of their way to help pull it off. Now the second issue and one Chris nor Doug can solve for us. What's your f number? When did you join? What's the last F number we just issued? What happened to the 10s of thousands of members since you joined? In addition, RVIA reports: "RV shipments for May top 40,000 for the third straight month, staying on record pace". Towables are up by 19.8% over 2016 but motorhomes were up 27.5% at 6,163. So how many of those 6,163 May 2017 motorhome shipment buyers have heard about FMCA yet?If we aren't asking eligible members to join then increasing the pool will not fix the perceived problem. What happened to those 10s of thousands of Losses since you joined and not reaching 6000 May shipment owners are issues for the Membership Committee to work These issues are not a result of us being a Motorhome club they are a result of a loss of interest or a lack of knowledge of FMCA and adding trailers will not help resolve these underlying causes. Another issue that needs to be addressed is representation of your membership. 70% of members do not belong to Chapters. Chapters are generally older established chapters and have a very high average age. It's not younger people "arn't joiners" as we've heard it's they are not interested in these older chapters. I think 10 new chapters have been created in the past 10 years. Most date to the 70s. Only National Directors (of chapters) conduct the business of the association at Conventions and most chapters are well above the mean age demographic. Are Chapters still a relevant approach for FMCA? That's an issue for the Long Range Planning Committee to work. Based on how many new chapters we've grown and only 30% of members actually belong to one it would seem it is not a good approach. How do 50,000 (the majority of the youngsters) unrepresnted members get to vote at conventions? The benefits are getting better (thanks to Chris Smith and his team) and the rallies are getting much better (thanks to the energy of Doug U and his team) but these other issues persist Us youngsters WILL become FMCA regardless of the trailer initiative. It's time for us to begin to take steps to get things on the convention floor. Can't do that under the current chapter structure. How about one number one vote and do away with national directors? Regions would send delegates that represent x votes each. Chapter membership not required. Not saying we shouldn't or cannot have Chapters. It now appears FMCA will leave the 70-120k motor home club behind and become a benefit based club of 200-300k Rvers focused on benefits not rallys Direct competition with Good SAMs. ESCAPEES and the vast other clubs will absorb the Rallys and educational aspects of RVing And to ensure I stayed on topic I voted no;) Stepping off the box now

Hey Ross We tried to run age data from the membership data base for U60 members and to explore activities fitting to our membership. The data doesn't currently exist at FMCA absent a survey that was undertaken a few years ago. If you have ANY data that include ages we could merge that into the current membership data. Are you saying you have or had such age data?

Many I know do not show up because they don't view the cramped spaces and cost a good value. Rallies are expensive to register for and get to. Now park that car under your awning and enjoy your stay!

That $12 was forecast based on the last fly quarter of 2016 loss membership loss rates. We did not have those losses in fact we gained membership last year thus REDUCING Assist per member cost. The protected $12 was a fares created to sell a position. Who uses one quarter of data to forecast??

That statement would be true if membership were to remain low which it has not. Jon just announced an increase of almost 5% over last Fiscal Year This would seem to resolve the presumed "financial problems" of the club Exhibit B from the sales package (photo below) assumed a whopping 32% increase in the cost of ASSIST This increase was projected based on one quarter of membership data 3 Months! Since we had an increase in membership and not the projected decrease...the projected cost need to be updated and republished for the current vote Additionally it would appear we bought Assist even though we had to dip into Investment Funds to buy it when it was $4.32 While on the subject of these exhibits presented. What is exhibit A intended to show with revenue per member at $62.26?

If that is true would someone please vote no and sign their envelope and annotate their F number. One to nothing is better than nothing to one.

So at first I thought this was a done deal. Then I noticed quite a few no votes and negative support on social media so I thought it might be closer. But you raise another angle. Chapters will drive the vote as they gather and mail in bulk. Most chapters will carry Charlie's message of if we don't do this we will go under. So I now believe it will pass overwhelmingly. There is a large (66%) population that do not belong to chapters but those that do will dominate the vote. What was the feeling at your chapter meeting? For or against?

Napa? Sounds like a good place for an ENERGIZED Gathering!

Manholt you may have forgotten about the associate member but your post alluding a changed magazine in December appears to be gossip. Harmful gossip. That is not in the interest of the forum or membership As to voter turnout -//. If you do not attend rallys it's likely you don't even know about the vote. So I wouldn't expect more than 3000 votes. Not representative but it is what it is. I don't think national directors are representative either since less than 1/3 belong to chapters. But again it is what it is. Thanks to Chris Smith for clarifying the gossip

Come on don't tease. What's in it?

My first motorhome was a class A. I don't want to push away coach vendors who bring dozens of motorhomes to rallys, push vendors away, waterdown seminars and have a gas generator next to me in a 25' wide spot. I'm not interested in another Escapees or good sams and don't know why we are proposing to toss our niche market 12% motorhomes represents over half our current membership of 73,000. HALF In one year! The purpose of fmca as stated: "The purpose of FMCA is to promote good fellowship and cooperation among all FMCA members, represent motor coach owners as a group and promote their best interests, foster the improvement of motor coaches and recreational facilities, promote effective communication for the common good of members, assist in the formation of chapters, and strive for a high standard of conduct resulting in a favorable public image of FMCA and its members. " I don't believe the chicken little stories about the sky falling and I don't believe in tossing out the Founders purpose as our first, and only, proposed solution. And for those reasons I'm voting no. Not turning my back on anyone. I'll see them at an Escapees/good Sam rally if I so desire.

Problem is going to fix itself. According to RVIA: "June motorhome shipments are up 10.5% to 3,940 units over last year; paced by strong gains in the Class B and C market. Year-to-date motorhome shipments have reached 36,726 units on 13.6% growth over the 32,337 units shipped during the same time last year." So we have 73,000 motorhomes and are growing again. They shipped 36,000 new ones in the first 6 months of this one year!! I'm a no...just to stay on topic

I will say fmca has recently appointed Chris Smith as Executive Director and very recently replaced the Events Manager with Doug Uhlenbach. Both of these positions now rest with younger very capable people and things are changing. At past conventions getting something different at events was very very difficult. Now...if it can be done it is. Doug's first rally was Indy and he acquired that one very late in the game. I will say I'm impressed with Mr U and his staff.

According to RVIA: "Motorhome shipments led by Type C motorhomes, totaled 6,163 units, up 27.5 percent compared to May 2016. Year to date Motorhome shipments ar at 27,610 units, up 15.6 percent compared to this point last year." A side note all towables, led by travel trailers, are at 39,960 year to date. My point is the market for motorhome only members appears to be there. How many members has fmca lost and gained during this time frame?

Reaching out to the existing motorhome owners who have never heard of FMCA is a solution that would actually increase membership without changing our Founders Focus on Motorhomes. Next time you're in a RV park--- find a motorhome driver without a FMCA oval and ask them if they've heard of FMCA. RVIA reports: "RV shipments for May top 40,000 for the third straight month, staying on record pace". Towables are up by 19.8% over 2016 but motorhomes were up 27.5% So how many of those 6,163 May 2017 motorhome buyers have heard about FMCA yet? If we aren't asking eligible members to join then increasing the pool will not fix the perceived problem. It will only dilute the Founders vision. Let's go all out on our own recruitment before we vote to enter direct competition with Good Sam/Escapees.

And Reaching out to the existing motorhome owners who have never heard of FMCA is a solution that would actually increase membership without changing our Founders Focus on Motorhomes. Next time you're in a RV park--- find a motorhome driver without a FMCA oval and ask them if they've heard of FMCA. RVIA reports: "RV shipments for May top 40,000 for the third straight month, staying on record pace". Towables are up by 19.8% over 2016 but motorhomes were up 27.5% So how many of those 6,163 May 2017 motorhome buyers have heard about FMCA yet? If we aren't asking eligible members to join then increasing the pool will not fix the perceived problem. It will only dilute the Founders vision. Let's go all out on our own recruitment before we vote to enter direct competition with Good Sam/Escapees.

Here's a couple threads from another member Had this exchange today with a motor home owner on the Fulltime Families FB group. Their question "What do the motor home owners do for tires? Do you go for the expensive tires like Michelin or Continental or go with cheap overseas tires?" I answered join FMCA, they have huge discounts on Michelin and Continental tires. They then asked "What is FMCA?" This is the problem that FMCA has, if they can't reach motor home owners how are they going to reach the towables? I don't feel like allowing towables is going to give FMCA the membership boost they think it is.

That's true! 00

That's a good idea to build inclusion for those members unable to attend. We had FMCA staff and some bloggers taking pictures and videos at Indy but I haven't seen much of what they captured yet. FMCA is getting better at social media and videos on line. The ENNERGIZED Group also post active stuff on their Facebook group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fmcau60taskforce/ In my prior occupation we would have live feeds from the convention floor so those not there could observe the business of the association.

I wasn't in the room but from what I've heard there was a discussion amongst national directors (one for each chapter allowed no idea how many were represented) about what a recreational vehicle is not if this should proceed. It seemed apparent that allowing towables was a done deal for the national directors as it has been sold as do or die. I found out only about 30% of FMCA's 72,000 active members are in chapters and thus even represented in our governing board. That means over 50,000 members choose not to be in a chapter. It looks like Into has only formed 3 new chapters since 2011. Many more have folded for INTO. So how do we reach the other 50,000 members? The Chapter/National Director structure of the governing board needs to be changed to be representative of the membership. Not just the old guard that are in chapters as that would not be inclusive to those who are not. Something for the Long Range Planning Commottee to tackle. I'm not in a chapter so to date I've had no vote. I will vote no. I think it's the wrong solution to increasing membership. It sacrifices our mission statement of our founders and I don't believe it's the only solution to increasing membership.

What issue/page?. I'm on the road.

So if I put F252125 on a ballot with your name on it would you mind if I voted for you;). Just sayin

How many members are aware of the proposed change? I was surprised to hear only 30% of the 72,000 members are represented by chapters/national directors. Makes sense though. Chapters are mainly older established groups. Maybe an announcement of the upcoming vote on fmca social media would help spread the word of the question being asked.

The board is meeting in Indy at 9:30 today. Let's poll on allowing towables I am a no

Check out FMCA ENERGIZED and our plans for Indy. Bring your bike and cocktail glass