By Chris Smith
Executive Director/CFO
May 2017
I have spoken in the past about months that are special to me. May is one of them. I am fortunate to have married my beautiful wife, Jill, six years ago this month. She is a wonderful mother to my children and words cannot express how lucky I am to have her. I hear great stories about how many of our members have been with their loved ones for much longer than that. My hope is that I am blessed enough to enjoy the journey of life with her for many years to come.
May also brings the day in which we pay special honor to our mothers. So, Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there! Have a beautiful day!
Conventions past and future. The “Rally In The Valley” convention is part of FMCA history now, and if you decided to join us for all of the fun in Chandler, Arizona, in March, I want to personally thank you. We will continue to explore new venues as often as possible for our members to enjoy. We were able to enjoy so many fun activities in the old Western town of Rawhide. I have to admit, my personal favorite was being able to watch the arrest of national president Charlie Adcock and national senior vice president Jon Walker. In true Charlie fashion, he was able to turn that experience into having fun! It was for a good cause, as we were able to raise money for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. This organization is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the world’s first food bank. It serves families throughout Arizona. Thanks to all who donated to help bail out these two outlaw cowboys!
Please join us in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 12 through 15 to keep the fun rolling. The registration form for the “Crossroads To Fun” convention appears on page 57 and is available online at FMCA.com.
Campground and Resort Connection. As you get out to start traveling and enjoying the warmer weather, don’t miss the opportunity to use your FMCA membership to save money along the way. We have a large network of campgrounds and resorts that offer discounts to our members. As you plan your next trip, visit our website — www.fmca.com/motorhome/fmca-campgrounds.html — to find participating campgrounds. If you come across a place to stay that is not part of our network, please refer them to our commercial membership department to join. We love when our members help us recruit! And if they do join and reference your name, you’ll be rewarded with a $10 coupon that can be used to pay your membership dues, for event registrations, or for merchandise from the FMCA Store.
We’ve also added a new component to the online search. On this same page, you can search for FMCA commercial members that offer repair services. And the same thing goes: if you find a repair facility that offers great service yet isn’t an FMCA commercial member, please encourage them to join FMCA.
New FMCA North American Road Atlas and Travel Guide. The 9th edition of the FMCA road atlas is now available in the FMCA Store. This new edition contains the unique features RVers have loved about the atlas — the sturdy plastic spiral binding; campground locations, including big-rig-friendly options; and listings of Walmart and Sam’s Club stores, Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, Pilot Flying J Travel Plazas, and Love’s Travel Centers. It also has a new large-print format for easy reading, information about U.S. national parks, 63 detailed city maps, and tourism contact info. The cost is only $16 plus shipping and handling. It can be ordered online at Store.FMCA.com or by calling (513) 474-3622 or (800) 543-3622.
FMCA campground welcomes members. Speaking of places to stay, if you are coming through Cincinnati and need to rest, stop by the FMCA campground. It is located at 3590 Round Bottom Road, Cincinnati, OH 45244. Members are allowed two free nights per calendar month, and it costs only $20 per each additional night. It is made available to members only, on a first-come, first-served basis. We have 15 full-hookup spots and nine electric-only spots. A dump station and potable water are available on site.
Furthermore, although no individual reservations are accepted at the FMCA campground, it’s a good idea to call ahead to ask about availability, as the campground might be full if an FMCA chapter happens to be hosting a rally at that time or if Executive Board and committee meetings are taking place.
Information and directions to the campground are available at www.fmca.com/benefits/191-fmca-campground.html.
Next, classified advertising benefit. Did you know that all FMCA members are eligible to place free advertising in the Family Motor Coaching Classifieds section once each calendar year? The FMC Classifieds is the place if you are looking to buy or sell a motorhome. Not only that, but it’s a great place to look for real estate of interest to RVers, including homes that provide shelter for you and your RV, as well as resort lots, private lots, and more. It also can be a great place to find information about RV service and repair facilities.
It’s a well-read section. The rates are very reasonable, and members receive up to 20 free words in a single ad each year. That’s a value of $10. So, if the arrival of this busy travel season has given you the notion to sell your current RV and look for a new one, check out FMC Classifieds. Ads must be received in writing, and a form appears in each issue of the magazine and online at www.FMCmagazine.com/advertise/classifieds.html.
Guardian Glass phone number correction. Recently, last month I announced a new FMCA member benefit — a windshield replacement program made possible by Custom Glass Solutions by Guardian Glass. Unfortunately, an incorrect phone number was included in that mention. The correct number for FMCA members to call is (855) 362-2784. Now, the new program gives members access to the Guardian RV Glass Network of more than 3,000 approved glass repair and replacement providers across the United States. The network provides convenient, hassle-free motorhome windshield replacement services; industry-leading customer service; and comprehensive warranties on parts and labor. Guardian has agreed to offer a free year of FMCA membership to all members who take advantage of their service for a new windshield installation. The program is off to a great start, with a number of members already participating. More information is available at www.fmca.com/benefits/guardian-glass.html.