Central Oregon Chapter of Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) March 2014 Electronic Newsletter Presidents Message Jerry Andres: This is my first message for 2014 and I am writing this sitting in our coach in Indio, California. Jinny and I have been on a months vacation visiting friends, playing golf and enjoying the warmer weather. We got together with Kathy and Warner Butler for a week at Lake Havasu along with their friends Anne and Gary Hester. While we have been gone, the Rim Rock Roamers in Central Oregon got together for a midwinter lunch. Pete and Debbie Ribble organized the get together and reported that there was an excellent turnout and with a couple new prospective members in attendance. Our first rally for 2014 is just two months away. We will be getting together at the Woodburn RV Park on May 13 thru May 16. Wagonmaster Debbie Ribble has put together a great rally schedule for 2014. We are hopeful that we will have more members attending our rallies this year. In August, the FMCA International Rally will be held in our back yard at the Redmond Fairgrounds. Our club has been asked to provide early security. Debbie Ribble has been coordinating the volunteers. While Debbie has got the necessary volunteers lined up, I'm sure she would have room for additional volunteers. If you have interest in volunteering, please contact Debbie. I hope that our first newsletter finds all in good health and ready to get together for a exciting rally this year. Jinny and I will look forward to seeing you at a rally this year. Jerry This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. Please step forward and help. Anybody can help Everybody in the Rim Rock Roamers!
National Director Peter Ribble: For the first time in many years, membership in FMCA has INCREASED! We are currently 77,144 strong, down considerably from a high of well over 100,000 before the economy took the dump. We all need to work hard to keep this upward trend going, if we are to have a viable organization. So, if you know of RV owners whom are looking for a fun time and a way to connect with fellow RV owners, point them to the Rim Rock Roamers! The Rim Rock Roamers is currently 36 coaches strong. We know we will most probably be losing some members, but are welcoming new members! The International Rally will be in Redmond in August, so travel will not be a problem. We encourage you to re-engage if you have not rallied much lately and re-discover the Family Motor Coach Association and Rim Rock Roamers. Your Family Motor Coaching magazine (March 2014) from FMCA contains a wealth of information for RV owners. Especially check out Executive Director s Jerry Yeatts column starting on Page # 12. In the article are descriptions of several of the newest benefits to being a FMCA member. The website at www.fmca.com also has information and forms for a variety of purposes. Newsletter Peter Ribble: It seems like I say it every year, so here it goes again. This is YOUR newsletter. The contents depend upon what YOU provide to share with our membership. If you do not provide anything, I can t include it. If the newsletter seems a bit thin...well, you get the idea. Please send me items of interest or topics you would like to see and we ll see what we can do. Does anyone have photos from the Canyonville Rally in 2013? (It is hard to maintain the photo album without some photos!) Thank you! Wagonmaster Debbie Ribble: We are looking for hosts for our 2014 rallies. The same people have carried the torch for many years and honestly we are getting tired. Hosting is not a huge deal, but it does include arranging for activities and menu choices for that rally. If we don t get folks willing to help, I think we ll see more potlucks and no-host rallies, which is OK if that is what the membership wants. Please refer to the rally schedule in this newsletter. Please pay special attention to the rally payment dates, as un-reserved sites will be released back to the parks. Please send your reservation monies ASAP to Jinny Andres, our Treasurer. Happy Birthday and Anniversary to those celebrating! GET WELL SOON to all sick or injured! Julie Deaton and Rosie at Mt. St. Helens
Mid-Winter Gathering in Redmond March 1, 2014 If you don t recognize some of these folks you have missed too many rallies! Hugh & Shirley Gobler - founding members Lois Kocina Charter Two Member Many new faces (guests and newer members) they would like to meet YOU!! SPECIAL NOTE: Debbie is looking for Hosts for all of our rallies. Please contact her immediately at (541) 389-4933 if interested or can help out!
Don E. Kocina - October 8, 1928 February 12, 2014 Don passed away at home this winter, surrounded by family and friends. He and wife Lois of 64 Years were mainstays of the Rim Rock Roamers Chapter. They were always active in the Chapter and ready to help fellow RV ers. Both served the Chapter in a variety of leadership positions for many years. They purchased a 1999 Pace Arrow RV with two slides and received a form for a Free FMCA Membership upon closing the deal. The Redmond FMCA Rally in 2001 was their first rally. They were joined by 5,330 other RV s. Don and Lois were Charter-Two members of the Rim Rock Roamers, having joined the Chapter in 2001. Don s working career spanned 35 years in which he managed airline stations in Omak, WA, Medford, OR and Redmond, OR. One of his favorite toys was a 1957 BMW Isetta, in which he shared special times and rides with his grandchildren. (If you don t know what an Isetta looks like, Google it! Very unique looking vehicle!) In their later years, Don and Lois were able to travel in their RV back home to Verdigre, Nebraska where they were born, raised and married. Don and Lois were involved in many community service organizations and especially their Church St. Thomas Catholic Church in Redmond. Our photo albums are full of photos of Don and Lois and their many activities and involvement in the Rim Rock Roamers. The Rim Rock Roamers owe much to Don and Lois for their tireless work on behalf of the Chapter. Don will be remembered for his sense of humor and optimism and his many stories of travel throughout his life. Rest in peace Job well done!!
2014 Rim Rock Roamers Rally Schedule (Updated March 3, 2014) Wagon Master - Debbie Ribble (541) 389-4933 Post on your refrigerator door! May 13 th -16 th Woodburn RV Park 115 N. Arney Rd Woodburn, OR 97071 Phone 888-988-0002 ($152.10 + $10.00 per person for food = $172.10 for two people) ****DEADLINE: March 29th monies due to Jinny**** June 17 th- 20th Mill Casino RV Park 3201 Fremont Ave. North Bend, OR 97459 Phone 800-953-4800 ($107.00 + $10.70 yurt + $10.00 per person for food = $ 137.70 for two people) ****DEADLINE: April 3 rd Monies due to Jinny**** July 16-19 th Timberlake RV Park 112 Byline Rd Home Valley, WA 98648 Phone 509-427-2276 (140.80 + $7.00 + $10.00 per person for food = $167.80) ****DEADLINE: June 2 nd Monies due to Jinny**** Aug. 13-16 FMCA Family Reunion fee paid to FMCA Deschutes Co. Fair Grounds 3800 Airport Way Redmond, OR 977 *****Register on-line or the FMCA magazine Sept. 16 th -18 th Hi-Way Haven RV Park 609 Fort McKay Rd Sutherlin, OR 97479 Phone 541-454-4557 ($99.99 + $10.00 per person for food = $119.00 for two people) ****DEADLINE: August 1 st Monies Due to Jinny**** **Mail monies to Jinny Andres at 5353 SW 43 rd St. Redmond, OR 97756 before specified date** Spaces are available on a first come first serve basis. If you decide to attend after the deadline you need to notify the park yourself and make those arrangements and ask to be parked by the Rim Rock Roamers and hopefully extra space will be available. In that case if we are being charged for the yurt or club house you will be ask to contribute a few dollars to help offset the cost of the clubhouse to Jinny when you arrive. In the case that we have less than 5 coaches attending the rally will be cancelled. Other arrangements may be made for those that want to get together somewhere else. If more or less attend than planned, costs would be adjusted accordingly. Taxes and discounts have been applied to the rates listed. The earlier you can let us know which rallies you want to attend, the better we can plan and advise the parks and insure adequate space.