Cheers To A “Rally” Good Year
Ringing in the new year, full of promise for FMCA fun.
National President
Gary Milner, F409834
gmilner@fmca.com
Welcome to 2024! We have so much to be thankful for in the new year. Glenda and I hope your New Year’s resolutions will all be achieved and that they include participating in FMCA rallies and events. We are looking forward to starting the year with traveling. It’s always a great time when we see our friends and make new friends.
We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. We can’t wait to get back on the road to meet FMCA members at chapter gatherings, rallies, and conventions this year.
Did you know that FMCA has a special ongoing promotion that allows members to receive a free one-year membership ($50 value) in exchange for recruiting a new RV owner to join FMCA? If every member recruited just one member, we could grow our membership substantially. What a fantastic opportunity for our current members — earn a free year of membership while introducing RV owners to our wonderful association. For full program details, visit www.fmca.com/recruit-new-members-promotion. Remember that FMCA welcomes owners of all types of RVs.
As noted in a prior issue of the magazine, FMCA is in the process of rolling out a new membership category called Pathfinders. I have worked the FMCA booth at the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show in Arizona and spoken with people who are interested in owning an RV but have not yet found the one best suited for them. The FMCA Governing Board realized the importance of offering these individuals the chance to explore FMCA’s educational opportunities so that they can make an RV ownership decision that is right for them. An individual who joins FMCA as a Pathfinder will have a “P” in front of their membership number. They will have most of the benefits of FMCA but, as is true of associate members (former full members), Pathfinders will be restricted in that they cannot vote or hold office. Once a Pathfinder purchases an RV, they can convert to a full family membership. The national office is getting everything prepared for this new membership category, and we’ll let members know when it’s ready so you can share this information with interested future RVers you encounter.
Are you taking advantage of all the benefits that are part of your FMCA membership? We want to encourage members to refresh their memories on all that FMCA membership entails by reviewing the Member Benefits Guide that appears in this issue of the magazine starting on page 98. This is a great reference for all members, regardless of how long you’ve been part of the FMCA family. To ensure FMCA’s continued success, we need members to participate in, and spread the word about, our benefit programs.
FMCA is actively finalizing plans for our 108th International Convention & RV Expo, set to take place at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, Arizona, March 20-23, 2024. If you have not reserved your spot, please consider doing so soon so that we can plan accordingly. After our 2022 convention at the Pima County Fairgrounds, attendees stated that they enjoyed the proximity to everything, which allowed for more fellowship with other members.
It is always a pleasure to spend time with past FMCA president Charlie Adcock. He and his wife, Gloria, live about two hours from our home in Arkansas. During our last visit, Charlie shared a story he’d read in a magazine. I thought you might enjoy it as much as Glenda and I did.
It’s a Sunday morning and our preacher is giving his sermon. He’s animated, waving his arms and slapping the lectern. Suddenly, he stops. “I’m sorry,” he says, “I have to do this.” As he monkeys around with his watch, he advises, “Never slap the pulpit wearing a smartwatch. It thinks you’ve fallen and need help.” Written by John Tierney, Boynton Beach, FL; Reader’s Digest, October 2023 edition.
Remember, it’s all about having FUN!
Now For The Rest Of The Story By Glenda Milner
The visit with Charlie and Gloria was priceless. The story was very entertaining; however, the best part was what Charlie shared of his experiences. He said, “I understand this completely. I have a smartwatch [pointing to his wristwatch], and every time I am working in my shed, banging on something, it screams, “Are you OK? Do we need to contact help?” He said he has to bang on the face until it shuts up and beg the watch to not make that call for help. Charlie Adcock should definitely take his show on the road! We hope to see Gloria and Charlie at FMCA events this year, because they bought another RV!
We spent most of the fall in a stick house. Gary had complete knee surgery the second week of October. By the first week of November, I was offering to send him to any interested takers on a one-way ticket with no refunds or returns. Love you, Gary! Hehe!
Introducing FMCA MemberDeals!
This new member benefit provides special offers on fun attractions, shows, sporting events, and more.
Chief Executive Officer
Chris Smith
csmith@fmca.com
A big part of enjoying the RV lifestyle is traveling the country and seeking out fun and exciting adventures and entertainment. In today’s world, every penny counts, and we want to help you stretch those pennies as far as they can go!
FMCA recently launched an exclusive new benefit that is a free perk included with membership. FMCA has partnered with MemberDeals to provide this offer. MemberDeals is a program with exclusive offers related to the world’s greatest entertainment and travel brands. While working with the top suppliers and partners in the industry, MemberDeals develops attractive offers that you can share with family and friends.
Members can save up to 60 percent off in the following categories:
- Theme parks and attractions.
- Movie tickets.
- Sporting events.
- Ski resorts.
- Shopping deals.
- Rental cars.
FMCA MemberDeals include discounts on amusement park admission.
To peruse the deals available, you must be logged into your account at FMCA.com. Look for the MemberDeals menu item to unveil the opportunities. You also can call (877) 579-1201.
Once you pick your deal and make a purchase, you will receive a confirmation email that outlines how to retrieve your tickets or vouchers.
If you need help purchasing, or have questions about an existing order, you can reach a MemberDeals customer care representative at (877) 579-1201. Help is available daily from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Make sure to check back frequently, as new offers are added daily. FMCA hopes to help you have more fun, and to save money while doing so.
Enjoy the journey!