Seeking participants for new magazine feature

[Johnston]

Family Motor Coaching magazine will become Family RVing in May. Among the new features will be “Meet the Family” — monthly mini-profiles of people who joined FMCA within the last year or so. Those who participate will be asked a number of fill-in-the-blank questions, such as favorite camping destination, most unusual place visited, etc., as well as some quirky and offbeat questions, such as the strangest thing you’ve eaten or a famous person you’ve met. Interested in participating? Send an email to me at jjohnston@fmca.com.

 

[manholt]

Wonderful.  Good Sam, did the same thing a dozen years ago!  Wooopee for us!   Family RVing?  So, does that mean that the "New Charter" has been approved by the State of Ohio?  Does that also mean that the Executive Board has by passed Governance? 

We never had an official vote as to what a qualifying RV was...it was tabled until Gillette Convention!

[elkhartjim]

Dang it,Carl. Haven't you learned anything in the last few years? When leadership wants something to come to pass, it will happen by whatever means necessary. 

[erniee]

50 minutes ago, elkhartjim said:

Dang it,Carl. Haven't you learned anything in the last few years? When leadership wants something to come to pass, it will happen by whatever means necessary. 

true 'dat

[manholt]

Sucks!!!!

[richard5933]

John - I know that I'm still relatively new to the organization, but I just don't get how this is playing out. If this is a member-driven organization then how can something like a name change on the magazine be done with seemingly no input from members? Was any thought given to asking for feedback before making a change like this? It sounds like the board wants buy-in from members, but I'm not feeling it come through in the way this is being done.

It was my understanding that even after the vote allowing owners of all types of RVs to become members, FMCA would maintain its identity and not leave the motor coach owners behind. I don't think you could have picked a more generic name for the magazine, and unless the name of the organization is also changing to something like FRVA it sounds like something totally random and not connected with FMCA in any way. The old name had a direct connection with the name of the organization, the new one does not. It also doesn't strike me as having any specific benefit to those who own motor coaches.

When an organization (and its publication) becomes so generic as to lose its identity, then there is less and less reason for it to exist. I joined FMCA because of the focus on coaches. I enjoy reading the magazine because of the information about coaches. If the magazine was called Family RVing a year ago when I joined I would never have picked up a copy to look at, and it would never have occurred to me that it had anything to do with motor coaches.

I have no problem with incorporating owners of all types of RVs as things move forward. Just seems to me that FMCA shouldn't do it in a way as to leave behind those who joined when there was a focus and goal to serve motor coach owners.

[Johnston]

Richard,

I'm sorry you're disappointed by the magazine's new name. The name Family Motor Coaching conveys that the magazine focuses only on motorized vehicles. After FMCA membership voted to welcome owners of all self-contained RVs, starting a new magazine that focused only on towable RVs would have been cost prohibitive. Therefore, we are incorporating additional content into the magazine. Along with that, a name change was necessary. The magazine staff felt comfortable with the name Family RVing because it retains a key element of the old name -- Family -- while also reflecting the broadened scope of coverage. Much of the information we’ve been publishing for years is pertinent to all RVers, no matter their RV type. RVs share the same systems – heating, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, waste management, etc. And RVers share many of the same interests – the fun, freedom, and flexibility of taking one’s home along while traveling. So, we will continue to provide great coverage about motorhomes and the motorhome industry while expanding our content to include information about other types of RVs. Many of the things you love about the magazine are still there.

Thanks for sharing your concerns. And thanks for your membership.

[txiceman]

Well dang, some people really have a way of making all of use poor trailer trash feel welcome to the formerly exclusive motorhome only group.  Sure makes me have seconds thought about joining a group with such resentment.  

We used to have a class A and belonged to FMCA, but decided for fulltime living a 5th wheel was better suited to what we wanted.

Maybe the group needs to have another vote and kick the trailer trash to the curb and refund our dues.

Ken

[hermanmullins]

Ken,

Some folks do not like change of any kind.Please do not take that as gospel for the whole Association. There are some warn and welcoming folks here. So from myself, Welcome to FMCA.
Herman 

[ianbullock]

Ken, the vote to allow towables was far from unanimous on every point. 

The posts above aren't about making you feel unwelcome rather are about concerned existing members feeling left out and sad and disheartened to see FMCA lose its founding focus.

I fully agree with Richard's points and concerns 

[richard5933]

Ken - Like I said I have absolutely nothing against having towable owners join FMCA. I'm glad to have you and others join the group. I hope you didn't take my comments as a slight against you, as they were directed not at you and other towable owners but rather at the way the decisions are being made.

Herman - If you were talking about my comments, I have nothing against change itself. Nothing stays the same - I get that. My problem in this case is in how the change is being implemented and the fact that current members don't seem to be involved. I consider myself to be warm and welcoming, but that doesn't mean that I'll agree with everything that's being done.

John's response to my earlier comments really does sum up what my problem is...the magazine staff made the decision on the new name. Like I said in my initial comments, it seems as if the changes are being done with little input by members. At least from what I can see. Sorry to beat a dead horse, but it was my understanding that this was a membership-based organization. I didn't think that I was joining a business that made decisions from the top, but rather joining a membership-based organization that made decisions as an organization.

I don't expect every little decision to be run past the membership, but something as important as a change to the name of our publication seems like something that the board and magazine staff would at the least ask the membership for input on. I've belong to many other organization in my life, and I've served on the board of a few. It always seemed like the best way to get membership buy-in on changes was to involve the membership in the change.

 

[elkhartjim]

But the magazine staff thought.....bunk. I'm really curious, is there a person on the magazine staff that owns or has ever been in a motorhome other than to possibly take a picture. 

John, your response is exactly why so many members are upset - a few on staff thought it would be a good idea. In my opinion, if the "staff" were running Wimbledon they would be playing badminton in court two. 

[wayne77590]

It doesn't matter what you camp or RV in, you are having just as much fun!

[philc]

I’ve been a member for a few years now. I enjoy reading the forum daily there is a very large amount of knowledge and experience on here that helps greatly helps us coach owners with so much and I believe more times than not saves us a trip to the repair shop.  I look forward to the monthly magazine as well for the same reasons.  I don’t mind the change to allow towables. Truth be told when I’m camping and sitting around the camp fire I don’t mind who is  there as long as we have a good time. My suggestion for a new magazine is  why not 2 publications 1 coach owner based as it is now and 1 towable owner based. They could be identical inside except for the tech and coach review sections. Members could be given the choice which one they prefer to receive each month and if you want to receive both of them, pay a small fee for the second issue.

IMO just something to think about.

Phil

[elkhartjim]

Phil, John has previously stated that's not financially feasible.

Just to be clear, I have nothing against allowing any rv'er membership in FMCA, it's how they go about making those kinds of decisions.  From my understanding they are still trying to figure out the definition of a rv. 

[elkhartjim]

43 minutes ago, wayne77590 said:

It doesn't matter what you camp or RV in, you are having just as much fun!

Wayne, do you really think those folks sleeping on the ground in Big Bend when it was 38 degrees were having as much fun as I was in my king size bed with the heat pumps purring? Maybe fun is the wrong term. Maybe comfortable vs uncomfortable would be better terminology.

[manholt]

Ken.

Nobody is calling you or anyone else "Trailer Trash", you are the only one who has said that.  I'm very surprised and wonder what your reaction would have been, prior to you choosing a 5'er and hanging up your egg?! 

I only feel that the members as a whole, should have had a input on any name change.  As they did to some extent in regards, to allowing Trailers!  As we, Governance, will put a definition on what is a qualifying RV, at the Gillette Convention!

Change does not happen "Over Night".  It takes time and it should not be based on what the Staff or EB wants, but rather what we want...you included.  

All the above is IMHO. 

[wayne77590]

Jim, yes I do. I have camped in tents, pop-up, RV's, and under the stars and each one of them was fun at the time because that is what we could afford.  I wouldn't give up those memories. Even tenting it in the military was fun, and often.

Why would someone in 38˚ temperatures stay outside on the ground when they had a vehicle to get into,  They must enjoy it.

Ah! To be young again.

[manholt]

Tenting in the military was fun!   The Boyscouts was fun.   Now, given a choice, I like comfort. 

I will say, that if I was a, "Full Timer", I would have a 5'er...way more room, creature comfort's and bang for the bucks, than I have now! 

[elkhartjim]

I didn't mean to get the thread going a different direction. Sorry.

[manholt]

Quote

Different direction!

Jim S.  Not really different, just less hostile!  One thing I don't want, is for this thread to close!  So, you did a good thing!   Wayne could have left out the "Fun" military, bivouac, thing.  Some things are best, left forgotten!    

[ispjs]

This was our first year joining FMCA.  We have only paid membership to a small number of other RV groups over the years.   However, since we had switched to a motorhome from a fiver we figured we would give FMCA a try.  

Then the big transition and vote to open it up to everyone.  Now small changes have started to make it more of a "general" RV group and not centered around coaches.  That is all well and good but the problem is it pretty much defeats the purpose of our main reason for joining up in the first place.  We don't need membership in another general RV group that isn't coach specific or brand specific.

Does that mean I look down on folks in TT or fivers?  It is just the opposite, we began RVing in a used fiver and may very well end up in one again when it is time to downsize and go part time.  

To me it just seems silly to pay over $60 a year for membership in an organization named Family MOTOR COACH Association when it is just another general RV group.  That would be like staying in the American Legion and they open it up to the general public and stop focusing on veteran issues anymore.

[jleamont]

54 minutes ago, ISPJS said:

That is all well and good but the problem is it pretty much defeats the purpose of our main reason for joining up in the first place. 

That is the moral of the entire story here, well said! This post just brought the continued frustrations from within its members.

We also camp often with Trailer people, I don't look down upon them. They chose what they have as it suites their needs, our motorhome suites ours, around the fire no one cares. 

[manholt]

Jim S.,  Joe S., Joe.

IMHO.  I'm beginning to see a pattern, for why some folks feel that we are elitists!  We had FMCA, exclusively for Motorized Coaches.  There has yet to be a Organization that is exclusive to Travel Trailers!   

[jleamont]

24 minutes ago, manholt said:

We had FMCA, exclusively for Motorized Coaches.

Agreed! IMHO The founding family acknowledged the complexity and differences within a motorhome and its intended purpose. Lets face it, there is a lot more to a motorhome than a trailer and there is also differences in the lifestyle, not always but... at least in my 10 years of experience anyway. I wont get into a long dissertation on the differences so as not to hijack this thread.