By Charlie Adcock, F311374
FMCA National President
September 2016
Hello, My Fellow FMCA Family. As I write this, Gloria and I are at the Amana Colonies RV Park and Event Center in Amana, Iowa, attending the Midwest Area Rally. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the United States that we have visited. We are really enjoying the rally. Jim Vitte, national vice president, Midwest Area, and his staff have done a wonderful job of planning and executing a great event.
On opening night, Jim had area historian David Rettig come to address rally attendees. He presented a program regarding the history of the Amana Colonies. Much to my surprise, the residents of the Amana Colonies were of German descent, not Amish as I had assumed before we visited. During the 1800s, a group of German people who were suffering religious persecution left their home country and moved to America. They first settled in the Buffalo, New York, area. As the community grew, and things started to become crowded there, they relocated to Iowa, choosing this area because it resembled the countryside they had left behind in Germany.
Rolling green hills make up the terrain in Amana, Iowa, and it is absolutely beautiful. The soil is very rich and fertile. It is perfect for growing corn, soybeans, and many other crops. We witnessed the bounty of these crops, and, as you can see, Gloria and I took a moment to pose with some really tall corn! To borrow a corny joke, on that day we truly were “out standing in the field.”
The Amana Colonies are made up of seven different villages. Each one was communal, with several different families living in the same dwelling. In the early days, each colony specialized in something different. Each one also farmed the land. The colonies had textile mills, a flour mill, a lumber mill, furniture manufacturing, crafts, wineries, bakeries, and general stores. There were several communal kitchens where everyone would gather to eat three meals a day, and twice a day they could have snacks. Snacks were delivered to those working in the fields.
The lives of the residents of the Amana Colonies were centered around the church. They originally were of the Lutheran faith. They attended church 11 times during the week to worship and pray. Today, two different services are held on Sunday — one in German and one in English.
If you find yourself traveling across Interstate 80, take a little time to stop and visit Amana Colonies. Enjoy some of their great cooking, and learn of their rich heritage. You also can do a bit of shopping. They are known for the quality of their handcrafted products and art.
FMCA Keeps Getting Better
I’m excited about the many initiatives we have in place currently to continue to make FMCA the very best it can be. I’m pleased with the growth we have been experiencing this year, and I want to thank all of you who have helped by spreading the word about FMCA to your motorhome friends and to new people you meet in your travels. Members are indeed the best recruitment tool FMCA has. The FMCA staff also continues to work very hard to retain members and to acquire new members.
One of the latest things we have done is to expand FMCA’s Member Services staff to create a member care group. The idea is to reach out and touch each one of FMCA’s new members. We are trying to talk with every member at least three times during their first year of membership in FMCA. The first call is made after the member has had sufficient time to receive the new member kit and coach plates and, we hope, to read and review the material. We will then check in with them two more times during their first year of membership. During these calls, the FMCA representative will explain benefits, talk about chapter membership, and answer any questions the members might have. We want members to know that they are part of the FMCA family.
Another way that we are extending a welcome to new members is via a series of emails that highlight benefits and offer helpful hints for making the most of their membership in FMCA.
By early 2017, all FMCA members should have received the newly redesigned member kit. This kit includes new FMCA membership cards. The new cards include contact information on the reverse for FMCA and also for the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program, administered by Seven Corners. So, keep your eye on your postal mail and look for this kit to arrive if it hasn’t already. In addition to being sent to new and renewing members, the kit is being mailed to life members and to FMCA members who signed up for multiple years and aren’t due for renewal just yet. I have talked with a number of members who have already received theirs.
Speaking of dues renewal, FMCA now offers members the opportunity to sign up for automatic dues renewal when they renew their membership using a credit card. The great thing about this is that members who put their membership on “cruise control” need not worry about having their membership lapse accidentally and losing access to great benefits such as the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program just when they may need it most. Each year when it comes time for renewal, the member’s credit card will be charged for the next year’s dues. No muss; no fuss.
Find Out How The West Is Fun!
FMCA hasn’t had a convention in Arizona since 1985, and we’re about to make up for lost time. We’ll be heading to Chandler, Arizona — near Phoenix — for FMCA’s 95th International Convention, March 7 through 10, 2017. We invite you to join us for a Wild West adventure. We will meet at Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, at Wild Horse Pass. Once FMCA arrives, there’ll be a new sheriff in town. We’ll be taking over the town and turning it into a celebration of the modern-day stagecoaches we call motorhomes. On the final evening of the convention, though, we’ll be handing back over the reins. Rawhide Western Town will be in full operation. And we’ll be able to join the public for food, fun, and shopping. I’m really looking forward to this event, and I hope you’ll join us!
The registration form for this convention appears on page 77. Starting with this event, we’re offering registrants the opportunity to sign up to attend by paying 50 percent of the total fee, with the remainder being charged to the credit card on file right before the early-bird registration deadline.
So, pardners, get signed up now. And remember, “It’s all about having fun!” FMC