One FMCA chapter devised a fun rally competition suited to the venue.
By Peter Ribble, F299658
January 2015
Are your chapter rallies getting a bit stale? Are you doing the same things over and over? If so, how about a cardboard boat race? This may not work for everybody, but it sure was a success for our chapter.
Casey’s Riverside RV Park in Westfir, Oregon, was the site of a Rim Rock Roamers chapter rally, and the venue of our boat race. Nestled in an intimate setting on the Willamette River southeast of Eugene, Casey’s is a chapter favorite. Ten coaches attended the four-day rally. We enjoyed a museum visit, golf, hiking, fishing, root beer floats, and relaxation. We dined out one night, had a potluck, and enjoyed several meals provided by the hosts.
But at this rally, we broke new ground. The hosts created two teams of rally attendees, the Hatfields and the McCoys, and the feud became our rally theme. We played a spirited game of “Family Feud” on an exterior flat-screen TV, using inexpensive software that mimics the TV program. Other park guests became our audience and were sure we were crazy — and this was before the boat races! A trivia contest also was held, incorporating real facts from the long-running Hatfield-McCoy feud.
Our chapter has played many games, including “Minute to Win It,” the “Not-So-Newlywed Game,” and “Summer Olympics,” but had never held a boat race. The idea came from Jerry Andres, our chapter president, who picked it up from a corporate retreat several years ago.
Two teams were given cardboard, PVC pipe, duct tape, and decorating supplies from which to fashion a “pool worthy” boat. One hour was allowed for construction and judging. Participants then traded construction tools for swimsuits, paddles, and life preservers — one team really needed the latter! — and it was off to the pool to race the boats. The Hatfield-versus-McCoy competition was on. Up and back twice in the pool!
Oops, I forgot to mention: These were no little boats, for sure. They had to be capable of carrying two chapter members. Eighteen members participated in the contest, and the larger folks were pretty sure they would not be chosen to pilot the boats. Nonetheless, duct tape played a large part in keeping the cardboard from getting soaked, and the PVC pipe helped a bit with the buoyancy.
But, once launched, one of the two boats immediately turned into a submarine. (Extra points? No way!) The other boat did an admirable job of conveying the occupants up and back several times.
A fun time was had by all. Many stories (mostly true) were born, and the many photos from the day show a fun-loving FMCA chapter at play.