Fun New Chapters!
National President
Claire & Rett Porter, F369084
rporter@fmca.com
FMCA has very exciting announcements about two new chapters.
First, I’d like to share my admiration for and congratulations to Mark and Mary Glover, who were first-time attendees at FMCA’s 106th International Convention and RV Expo in Perry, Georgia. They had signed up to be volunteers and were within 5 miles of arriving at the fairgrounds when their RV broke down. Undeterred by this turn of events, they called a tow truck and asked to be towed to the fairgrounds, instead of a repair shop. They said they needed to be available to do their volunteer job the next morning and believed they could get the repairs completed during the convention.
During the Perry convention, a new chapter called the Cumberland Travelers took shape, with plans to have get-togethers in and around Tennessee.
The story doesn’t end there, though. When Mark and Mary were attending the Chapter Fair and the Block Parties, they couldn’t find a chapter that fit their needs, so they took the bull by the horns and decided to create their own. They made announcements that they were starting a chapter that focuses on Tennessee and surrounding states. The chapter’s name is Cumberland Travelers. They signed up 18 families at their charter meeting, and with guidance from Penny Gortemiller, FMCA director of governance/ chapter services, they were able to establish their new chapter by the end of the convention. In less than two months, this chapter has grown to 28 families. Oh, by the way, the Glovers were able to get their motorhome fixed enough to leave the convention and head to the manufacturer for final repairs.
The West Valley Arizona Pickleball chapter formed during the recent FMCA convention in Georgia, and the goal is to start other chapters focused on fun gatherings where pickleball is played and taught.
Second, I’m very excited to announce that we organized FMCA’s first official pickleball chapter — West Valley Arizona Pickleball chapter — based in Arizona and part of the Rocky Mountain Area.
Now the work really begins to establish other pickleball chapters across North America. The goal is to have multiple pickleball chapters in each of FMCA’s 10 areas. Members of these chapters will play and also teach the sport to FMCA members during fun and friendly gatherings. Many RV parks have their own pickleball courts that can be made available for great times at these get-togethers. Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and is fun for all ages and skill levels.
Don’t let the professional pickleball players you see on TV scare you. This popular sport is designed to allow you to play with others at the same skill level and age range.
A pickleball court is one-fourth the size of a tennis court. The small plastic ball that is used has holes like a wiffle ball. The paddles have a hard surface like those used to play Ping-Pong. The ball must be served underhanded. The first serve must bounce in the receiving team’s court before it can be returned, and then the serving team must allow the return to bounce before hitting the ball. After the serve and return, then the ball can be hit from the air, but players must stay out of the “kitchen,” which is the 7-foot-deep segment on either side of the net. Players cannot step into this area unless the ball bounces there first. This rule is intended to keep players from getting too close to their opponents and intimidating them. Players who learn how to accurately hit the ball to different parts of the court are usually more successful than those who hit a hard, fast ball. This is a very addictive sport that’s exciting to play or just watch.
I’ve been playing pickleball for about 8 years and usually play about three times a week. I used to play golf, but 18 holes take about four to five hours to complete; plus, the clubs occupy a lot of room in the RV. I get more exercise and meet more people playing two hours of pickleball than I ever would during a round of golf. I encourage you to consider giving pickleball a try and starting or joining an FMCA chapter near you.
At the FMCA International Convention and RV Expo set to take place August 23 through 26 in Gillette, Wyoming, we are planning to have at least two courts set up for teaching and playing pickleball. Bill Knopp, president of the West Valley Arizona Pickleball chapter, will be there. Bill and his wife, Deborah, are excellent teachers. We will have paddles and balls for anyone who would like to play.
If you are interested in participating, first be sure to register for the 107th International Convention and RV Expo and then send an email to Bill at bknopp1@yahoo.com. We want to get an idea as to how many people are interested in playing in Gillette. In your email, let Bill know whether you have never played, are a beginner, or are a seasoned player. He will be sure to take time to help you get the most out of playing pickleball.
I look forward to seeing you in Gillette, and I hope to get a chance to play pickleball with as many of you as possible.
Travel safely, and we will see you soon.
Members, We Need Your Help!
FMCA is seeking input from members of all ages as we create a campground review database and begin a new feature focusing on the kids of FMCA.
Chief Executive Officer
Chris Smith
cmith@fmca.com
Campgrounds are a necessity for any RVer. Whether RV travelers are seeking a discount, help with booking a site, or campground reviews, campground-related information is in high demand.
FMCA currently has more than 120,000 individual members who collectively stay in thousands of campgrounds each year. What a wonderful resource FMCA members could be for gathering reviews to assist fellow members in deciding where to stay for the night.
To help build this campground review network, FMCA has developed a campground review collection page on our website. It can be found at www.fmca.com/campground-review. You are encouraged to provide information about campgrounds you have previously stayed at or will be staying at again in the future.
The form is simple and asks for some of the following:
• Campground name, address, phone number, and website address (URL).
• Cost per night and any FMCA discount provided.
• List of amenities.
• Rating between 1 and 10 within several categories based on your stay, such as location, campsite condition, staff, safety and security, and overall value.
Once this information is collected, a database will be built and made available to members. The database will allow many different search options to help pick out the best places to stay. I will update everyone once that database is ready and will go into detail on how to use it. Collecting data from our members is the first step to making this a reality! So, please help us out by adding reviews to the data collection page.
FMCA is also looking to get back to its roots. When the association was formed in 1963, the membership was made up of young families who enjoyed getting together with other families. Although FMCA now has quite a few members who are retired and past the stage of raising children, there still are many young families in the ranks. We want to spotlight the children in those FMCA families. To do this, we plan to develop a special feature called “RVing Kids,” and we are seeking contributions from children. This can be about a vacation you took, a convention you attended, how to enjoy RV travel as a kid, or any other relevant topics.
If your child is interested in submitting an article for consideration, please email it to editor@fmca.com. We ask that the article be 200 words or less. Please include several high-resolution digital photos that would be relevant to the story. If your story is selected, we will notify you via email. Please share a parent’s contact information as well so we can verify that the parent is aware and has given permission. Note that submissions may be edited for space and clarity.
Let’s see your best story!
THE MISSION OF FMCA is to bring together RV owners who share similar interests in congenial traveling, recreation, and social activities in order to preserve and perpetuate the traditional ideals and spirit of friendly and wholesome family fellowship as manifested by the founders of FMCA.