Get Set For Summer Fun!
Plans are under way at the Walker residence for great times this summer, and at FMCA headquarters for a rip-roaring RV roundup in Wyoming in July.
FMCA National President
Jon Walker, F268778
jwalker@fmca.com
Jon and Sondra Walker
July is a very busy month for the Walker family. We traditionally gather at our lake house to celebrate our lives together and the anniversary of our country, and we catch up in person on the past year’s events and activities.
July also brings me to the time when I try to come up out of deep water on one water ski. My goal as a teenager was to do this until I reached the age of 65. At the time I made this challenge, I didn’t even know whether I would be alive at 65. After all, 65 seemed really ancient to a young kid growing up in rural southern Illinois. Well, I can report that not only did I achieve this from age 8 through age 65, last year I did it at 70. Stay tuned to see whether I make it this year! Sondra says, “Highly unlikely.” Guess we’ll see!
It is somewhat surreal that as I write this column, tomorrow is Memorial Day — the day that summer officially begins here at our lake. By Memorial Day, the pier has to be installed and the boat lifts set up; the boats brought out of storage and put in their proper places; the kayaks removed from the boathouse and placed on their racks; the porch cleaned up and ready for the summer; and on and on. So, this Memorial Day will be full of work but also fun. Sondra and I really do enjoy all of these preparations for summer.
July also is an important time in the lives of our extended family — FMCA members. We will meet in Gillette, Wyoming, soon to conduct the important business of our association. July also marks the end of my first year as your national president. I simply cannot believe year one of my term is complete, and I have a maximum of only three more possible years to serve. You cannot know how much I appreciate you giving me this opportunity to lead our association as we move forward. It literally has consumed most of my time this past year — and I truly love it!
Your association has accomplished much this past year. Among the new member benefits many of you already are taking advantage of are the special rates on Verizon and Sprint mobile internet plans. Both of these offerings allow you to have unlimited data coverage to help keep you connected during your travels. Both are only $49.99 per month, which is a really good value.
The new benefit that I am very, very proud of is our roadside assistance program, which is now called Roadside Rescue. This roadside service plan, which every RVer should have, is absolutely the best available in the marketplace. It also is the least expensive plan that we know of today. You can purchase it for only $69 per year. We have made it possible for you to sign up for the plan at this price for up to three years, as long as your FMCA membership is paid up for at least the same number of years. Every month since Roadside Rescue launched, hundreds and hundreds of our members have signed up. What a true benefit of being an FMCA member.
We also have completely redesigned our FMCA mobile app. It replaced our old mobile campground finder, and you’ll want to remove the old one if you downloaded it. The new app is available for the Apple and the Android platforms and can be downloaded from those respective stores for free. I think you will enjoy this addition to our communication tools. So, check it out if you haven’t already downloaded it.
Also this year, we launched our completely new FMCA Campground Reservation system. For the first time, you can research online to find out whether a spot is available at the FMCA Campground in Cincinnati during the time frame you wish to visit. Reservations are accepted for up to six months in advance. If you are planning a trip that takes you near Cincinnati and you need a free, full-hookup campsite for a night or two, please reserve your spot at your association’s wonderful campground on Round Bottom Road in Newtown. Members also can stay up to five additional nights per calendar month at a cost of $20 per night. For a quick link to the reservation program, visit www.FMCA.com/stay-fmca.
Oh, and while you are staying at the campground, don’t miss the fact that FMCA has a special entrance to the 1.5-mile, paved walking path around the city of Newtown’s Lake Barber. This path is available for your enjoyment, so check it out.
As alluded to earlier, the FMCA Governing Board will be meeting on July 18 in Gillette to take care of the business of your association. I won’t tell you all that will be happening during the Gillette convention, but I will give you a little hint of what we hope will happen there.
Your Education Committee and staff have been working for a long time to create the FMCA University, and we are planning to hold a seminar to introduce members to what we see as the first step toward developing the world’s best and largest reservoir of RV knowledge in one place. That one place will be in the FMCA online library available to our FMCA membership. This repository will include hundreds of articles related to everything you can imagine pertaining to RVing. I am so excited about this undertaking that I simply cannot keep it a secret any longer.
We have brought “RV Doctor” Gary Bunzer on board to help launch this huge project. The FMCA University will become one of the best, if not the best, benefits available to our members. So, stay tuned!
Speaking of Gillette, Wyoming, I hope you’ve already made plans to join us at CAM-PLEX Multi-Event Facilities July 18 through 21. If you haven’t signed up, it’s not too late to attend. Just register at the gate. You definitely are “Wanted In Wyoming,” and we wouldn’t want you to miss the fun! Your Executive Board members certainly will be getting in the spirit; look for them wearing their Western hats.
Wyoming is home to the first U.S. national park (Yellowstone), the first national monument (Devils Tower), and the first national forest (Shoshone). Grand Teton National Park is another great spot to visit in Wyoming, in addition to 25 national historic landmarks and other amazing natural wonders and various attractions. What a great opportunity to see some national treasures on the way to or from visiting with your FMCA family in Gillette.
Sondra and I hope you have a truly wonderful Fourth of July — or, for our Canadian friends, a wonderful Canada Day — and that you are able to spend quality time with your family. We also encourage you to make plans to come and join your FMCA family at the Gillette convention or at one of the upcoming area rallies. Check out the FMCA Events section of the magazine or online at FMCA.com for details. Of course, if you aren’t able to make it to one of these larger gatherings, you can always look for a chapter holding a rally near you. Chapter membership adds immeasurably to your FMCA experience.
Remember, it still is all about having fun!
Wyoming And Beyond
Make plans to join us in Gillette this month, and mark your calendars for our two big events scheduled for 2019.
Executive Director
Chris Smith
csmith@fmca.com
Chris Smith
When this magazine reaches your inbox or mailbox, we will be busy finalizing plans for FMCA’s upcoming summer convention. FMCA members will gather at the CAM-PLEX Multi-Event Facilities in Gillette, Wyoming, July 18 through 21. The theme for this convention is “Wanted In Wyoming,” and we want you to come experience all of the RV displays, indoor vendors, seminars, top-notch entertainment, and so much more.
If you are new to RVing, or a veteran who simply wants a refresher, a trip to Wyoming also will bring an opportunity to take part in RV Basics. Spend two-and-a-half days in a classroom setting learning from several of the foremost authorities in the RV industry. RV Basics occurs July 15, 16, and 17, just before the Gillette convention and at the same location. We still have spaces available for both events, so please don’t hesitate to join us in Gillette. You can register at the gate for the convention. If you are interested in attending RV Basics, please call the FMCA national office (800-543-3622) for details. There’s a reason we’re calling this convention “Wanted in Wyoming.” See you there!
FMCA also recently announced the locations and dates of our 2019 conventions. FMCA’s 99th International Convention and RV Expo will occur at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry, Georgia. The dates are March 13 through 16, 2019. As you may know, the winter 2018 event was held in Perry as well. This will be the first time since FMCAs’ early days that we have hosted a convention at the same place two years in a row. FMCA members love Perry, so there is no doubt that it will once again be a rousing success. Registration for the Perry convention will begin on September 12, 2018.
Our summer convention will be held at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot. FMCA has hosted a convention in Minot several times, but the last one took place in August 2005. So, we’re long overdue for a return visit to the “Magic City.” The dates for the 2019 event are August 14 through 17. This will mark a special milestone for FMCA — the 100th convention. We’ll commemorate this with special activities, so don’t miss out! Registration for this event will begin on February 13, 2019.
If you can’t make it to one of our international conventions, don’t worry. There are other ways to connect with your fellow RVers. Becoming involved in an FMCA chapter is a great way to meet like-minded individuals. FMCA currently has around 370 chapters, and they are organized on the basis of specific RV brands, geographic locations, hobbies, interests, and everything in between. Participating in an FMCA chapter provides opportunities to meet up and have fun with fellow RVers on a more frequent basis than the FMCA conventions or area rallies allow.
Chapters also have input regarding policies and the direction the association takes. Each certified chapter has a voting representative on FMCA’s Governing Board. The Governing Board meets once a year at our summer convention to make key decisions, including approving the annual budget and electing national officers every other year.
You can find a chapter or chapters (yes, you can join as many as you like) in the following ways:
- Use the FMCA.com Chapter Search to request information from chapters that interest you at https://www.fmca.com/fmca-chapter-search#search_here.
- Check the FMCA Events section in the magazine or the Association Calendar online at FMCA.com for dates, times, and locations of upcoming chapter rallies, and then visit a chapter you’re interested in. This can be found at https://www.fmca.com/association-calendar.
- Of course, you also may contact the Chapter Services Department at the national office by emailing chapters@fmca.com or calling (800) 543-3622.
If you travel outside of your home country and need some peace of mind, please consider International Travel Insurance. International Travel Insurance helps cover you if you become sick or injured while out of the country. It is perfect for members whose domestic insurance doesn’t provide such coverage when they are traveling outside their home country. For instance, in the case of U.S. citizens, Medicare does not cover you outside the United States, except in very limited situations. We have partnered with Seven Corners to provide special rates to FMCA members.
If the name Seven Corners looks familiar, it should. They also are the administrators of the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program that is included with your FMCA member dues.
When you sign up for International Travel Insurance, you pay a daily rate, so you can have the coverage for as long or as little time as needed. For more information, visit https://www.fmca.com/fmca-membership-benefits#benefitlist-btn. You also can call Seven Corners directly at (877) 202-4176 or (317) 582-2619.
I want to mention one more benefit that may have flown under the radar a bit. If you have a pet, you know how expensive it can be to obtain care for them, whether it’s well care or a sick visit. Have you ever wished you had insurance for them? Well, FMCA members can receive a 5 percent discount off the cost of pet insurance for either a dog or a cat, brought to you by our partners at FMCA RV Insurance. The pet insurance carrier is Nationwide Insurance, and three options for pet health plans are available:
*The whole pet with wellness plan includes the following services (use any vet): accidents; common illnesses; serious chronic illnesses; hereditary conditions; procedures/services; basic wellness services/additional wellness services; prescribed therapeutic treatments. Reimburses 90 percent of vet bill; $250 annual deductible.
*The major medical plan includes set benefits for the following services (use any vet): accidents; common illnesses; serious/chronic illnesses; hereditary conditions; and procedures/services. $250 annual deductible.
*The pet wellness plan includes the following services (use any vet): basic wellness services, including exams, vaccinations, and flea/heartworm preventatives. No annual deductible.
Select a plan based on your specific pet needs. FMCA members have three simple ways to sign up for the pet insurance:
1.Go directly to www.petinsurance.com/fmcarvinsurance.
2. Visit PetsNationwide.com and enter FMCA in the “Search for your company” box.
3. Call (877) 738-7874 and mention FMCA RV Insurance to receive preferred pricing.
After your pet visits a vet, you send in the claim form and the insurance company will reimburse your expenses. The plan uses a benefits schedule — which comes with your policy and can be viewed online — to determine reimbursements for various treatments and procedures.
If you’re a pet lover like me, you’ll want to check out this benefit.
Until I see you in Gillette or beyond, enjoy the journey.