Winter Florida Get together

Thanks to Dan and Carol Begy, we are returning to the Golden Coral in Winterhaven, FL.

Having started with a few Pen-NY Mixers and Fingerlakers, this event has grown to include other folks from the Northeast in the past 20 years. 

Location:

Golden Corral

5722 Cypress Gardens Blvd

Winter Haven, Florida 33884

Phone: 863 324 5600

Date: 1/25/2020, Saturday

Time: 12:30PM (Note: 1:00 pm the price may go up)

Tell them you are with the Dan Begy group. 

Please let Dan or I know if you plan to attend by January 20th. So, he has an idea of the count. Below are his phone numbers and email. Don't be afraid to "just show up".

Cell Phone: 585-316-0720

email: danbegy@aol.com

Now that the FMCA International in Syracuse is cancelled, thought you might want to see the following:

Go to FMCA.COM if you want to see more details.

2020 Harborfest Update

It's time to plan for Harborfest in 2020. Below is the information about the rally above is the TAB with the application.

Summer Internaional 2020 Update

The following message came from John Walker November 1st.  This puts the possibility of a Northeast Area Rally back in play for 2020.  
There is no hint where or when either will occur.
We will keep you posted.
Tom

=========================

SUMMER 2020 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION & RV EXPO Dear FMCA Member, FMCA’s Executive Board has voted to withdraw from contract negotiations to stage the association’s 102nd International Convention & RV Expo at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, July 29 through August 1, 2020. After many months of waiting to receive a contract for signature, the Executive Board determined that the time had come for FMCA to look for another location to stage this event. FMCA officials are currently busy vetting other sites for the association’s 2020 summer convention and hope to have an announcement about a selected location in the coming weeks. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause members. I hope to see you at a future FMCA event. Remember — registration is underway now for our 101st convention in Tucson, Arizona, March 26 through 29, 2020. Sincerely, Jon Walker, F268778 National President

October Highlights at Finger Lakes Race Track

October 12th, we got together for a lunch buffet at Finger Lakes brunch buffet. 16 Fingerlakers attended. As usual, company and food was great.

Folks are wishing we could camp there in the future.


Thanks to Dale Swarts, below are several pictures of the group.

 

October 12, 2019 Get together

LOCATION: Finger lakes Race Track

5857 State Route 96 

Farmington, NY
--Get a “PLAYERS CARD”. It gets a $2 lunch discount and chance to win some money.
--Proof of being a veteran is worth another $2.

DIRECTIONS: Just off the NY Thruway at 1-90 exit 44, we are less than 5 minutes from NY Thruway and within 20 minutes of Canandaigua Lake!

Date: October 12, 2019
Time: 12:30 PM

CONTACT SO WE HAVE A COUNT: Tom Roule 

Cell: 585-739-9074
Email: troule@aol.com

There's more information at the top of the blog. Just click on it.

September, 2019 Rally, Cambria Firemen's Field

Sunrise over Cambria

Our September rally returned to Cambria Fire company. Harold Wollaber was our host. The officers pitched in to produce 5 meals, and 2 ice cream socials, paid for by the chapter. Everything but Saturday breakfast cost the chapter less than $125. Special thanks for putting in the effort to make the rally a success. Add that members supplied great side dishes Saturday night and a Secret Santa finalizing a good time. Dale Swarts flew his drone over the rally taking pictures. Thank you all who came.

Gordie Harpers

More Pictures

Aerial Photos courtesy of Dale Swarts and his drone

September Officer;s meet

It's not too late to sign up for the officer's meet in September.

• Tom's cooking pulled pork. Wes and Janet are doing breakfast Saturday (if they get new tires). 
• More meals are supplied. 
• See the agenda above.
• Bring a $5 item to use for "secret Santa".
• Looking forward to seeing you.

More on the Dues increase

I hope you received the following email from FMCA President Jon Walker. Dues are going to $75 per year effective August 29th, immediately. If you have prepaid, the increase will be effective when you renew.

Just a few thoughts:

• It seems the governing board forgot the 2016 dues increase of $10/family to pay for FMCA Assist. Yet, in this July, we heard FMCA spent $2.1 Million of reserves to pay for the insurance since. All this to cover 180 recipients. Was it a plan poorly executed or a poor plan? 
• That means dues are up 87% since 2016! Pres. Walker mentions 73% but excludes the 2016 increase.
• FMCA Assist is now 47% of your dues for the one benefit. That's $35/year - using the 2016 baseline.
• What are the chances, we will see another increase as soon as this contract expires?

Whatever you choose to do in the future, our membership expires in 2021. Maybe, I will get new math by then.

If you check the President's post above, it appears Walker was not fully in favor of the increase. He is being a "good soldier" of the Governing Board.

I just wanted to give you one person's opinion. I welcome your opinion.

Tom 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Walker, FMCA National President
To: troule
Sent: Thu, Aug 29, 2019 3:08 pm
Subject: Important Notice Regarding Your FMCA Membership

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR FMCA DUES Dear Fellow FMCA Member, During the Governing Board meeting on August 14, 2019, in Minot, North Dakota, board members voted to raise FMCA annual membership dues to $75 per year ($85 for the first year). The reason for the increase is to save the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program, described as FMCA’s flagship benefit. This change takes effect August 29, 2019. Why was the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance program in jeopardy? And why the sudden need for this dues increase? The benefit provider passed along a 73 percent price increase to FMCA for fiscal year 2020. This new increase resulted in a substantial budget deficit for FMCA, which is a not-for-profit, member-owned organization. What does this mean for members? FMCA membership remains a great bargain. FMCA is the only RV club to offer an emergency medical and travel assistance program as part of the dues structure.  Similar programs on the open market can cost several hundred dollars for an individual plan alone. The FMCA plan, included with dues, covers primary and secondary members, plus their dependent children. FMCA members receive this great program as part of their annual dues, plus so many other fantastic benefits.  How do I learn more? To learn more about your Governing Board's decision to increase club dues, I encourage you to read my letter posted online or click below to access a PDF of the letter. A copy of this letter will also be included in a future issue of Family RVing magazine.  READ NOW I appreciate your commitment to FMCA. Because of members like you, we truly have the best RV club in the world. Thank you for your membership. Sincerely, Jon Walker, F268778