PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE=
Just returned fr=
om the
Sussex Rally where we had a great time with so many of our Perfect
Circle friends. Lets hope that the balloons fly again next year! We have ha=
d an
excellent slate of rallies and Bonnie and I have been able to attend
each one. With so much illness we hear about, it makes you want to go while=
you
can.
2007 seems like =
a long
way out, but we would like to have your input. The 2007 spring rally will be
our 20th anniversary. We should plan something special, as we have over
$12,000.00 in the bank. The executive will be considering releasing some
As the leaves ch=
ange
and we drift towards winter, many of you will be finalizing plans for
the south. Some of you will be leaving in Oct and Nov. Drive safely =
as
the traffic seems to get heavier each year. Remember that you can keep up to
date with the newsletter by visiting our web site. Herb and Jean usually ha=
ve
the newsletter posted within hours of publication.
Bonnie and I have not made any plans yet but we hope to see many
Clint and Bonnie
EDITORS MESSAGE<= o:p>
My thoughts toda=
y are
not on the Perfect Circle Traveller, but rather on the wonderful friendship=
s we
establish with members, the happy times we have together, the memories we s=
hare
and the dreadful sadness and loss when we lose a member. I feel we, (especi=
ally
we W.O.W's) are wobbling along with two broken spokes.in a front wheel. In
time, with the wonderful memories we have, and knowing that Joyce and Carol
were both very ill before they left us and Thank You God they don't have to=
be
sick ever again, we shall heal and smile without the tears when we remember=
the
good times, Both these special ladies will make wonderful "Red Hat
Angles."
I would like the December Issue to be special, it should be short on
Business and long on cheery items. Please send your favorite Christmas reci=
pe,
poem, prayer or share a funny or unusual incident that you encounter=
ed
during a past Christmas. Also, I have asked two different couples to share =
with
us their most unusual Christmas
Louise Forbes Editor
. We do not stop
playing because we are old,
We=
grow
old because we stop playing
KEEP
ON PLAYING
PERFECT CIRCLE GENERAL MEETING - SEPTEMBER 11th 2005
![](3D"Page1&2_files/image002.jpg")
=
=
The general meeting of Perfect Circle Chapter wa=
s held
during the Balloon Fiesta in Sussex, N.R at 9:00 A.M. on Sunday, September
11,2005.
=
PRESIDENT - Clint Colpi=
tts, welcomed
members from Perfect Circle, Maine Wheels, Scotian Roamers, guests and new
members. He thanked Rallymasters Norm and Kathy Melvin for a great weekend.=
SECRETARY - The minutes=
of
the last General Meeting held in Fredericton, NB on June 19, 2005 were appr=
oved
as read.
TREASURER - Marg DeWitt=
went
over the financial statement & reported a bank balance of $12,685.87 as=
of
Augus1 31,2005.
NATIONAL DIRE=
CTOR - John welcomed members and guests and expressed=
our
grief to our US visitors and their countrymen in regard to the gulf region
disaster. John gave a brief report on the International Convention held in
Minot: NO and advised that Kathie Tufano represented Perfect Circle as our
Temporary Delegate.
He indicated the=
names
and positions of the National Officers ejected in Minot and reported the
various International and North East Area rallies to be held in 2006.
1st VICE PRESIDENT -
Tim O'Connor advised Paul and Ann Barton and Frank and Linda Boers will be =
the
Rallymasters fqr our Spring Rally in Saint John in 2006. He mentioned other
rallies are coming along wen and he thanked Claude and Elsie Bannister for
doing their rally in Riverglade for the past 15 years. They will no longer =
be
doing the rally however; have offered their property for Perfect Circle to
continue with the rallies with other members a Rallymasters.
The 1st Vice Pre=
sident
of Maine Wheels, Gwen Gatcomb, gave a schedule of their rallies for the com=
ing
year and these will be listed in our newsletter.
2ND VICE PRES=
IDENT - Don Hatheway stated how Tim O'Connor and Herb
Foglein did a great job setting up the
Perfect Circle
Website. There was a brief discussion on AOL members getting into the websi=
te
and some having problems opening registration forms.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
BULLETIN EDITOR - Louise
Forbes stated she was getting good responses from members and they were pro=
mpt
in sending information. She would like to do something different for the
Christmas newsletter and suggested two couples could each write a story of a
special Christmas they enjoyed. She would also like to have a poem, a joke,=
a
Grace or
something special for the Christmas newsletter. She advised that all
future cut off dates would be on the 15th of each newsletter month, which a=
re
March, May, July, September and December.
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY - <=
/span>Ann Barton reported we have 154 active and paid =
up
members as of September 11, 2005.
SUNSHINE SECR=
ETARY - Shirley=
Nauss
advised several various wishes have been sent out since June and she congratulated all the members with new or newer
coaches. A full report will be in the next newsletter. There was a one =
;minute
of silence for Perfect Circle member Carol Smith, who recently passed away.=
MERCHANDISE CHAIRMAN - <=
/span>Glynn Salter was unable to attend the meeting ho=
wever
left his report advising $18 in
merchandise sold since June, 2005.
INVENTORY COORDINATOR - No reports.
OLD BUSINESS - None.
NEW BUSINESS =
- Clint Colpitts advised that FMCA paid for 109
letters sent to FMCA members in NB and PEl welcoming them to join Perfect
Circle Chapter. Don Nauss and Darilyn Hill also sent packages to NB RV deal=
ers
with information to pass on to clients who had purchased a coach from them.=
The
package included a letter welcoming the new owners to "Join Our
Family", along with an FMCA and Perfect Circle application and a Passp=
ort
application with the FMCA member discount noted.
AUDIT REPORT =
- Floyd Freeman complimented Treasurer, Marg DeW=
itt,
Membership Secretary, Ann Barton and Rallymasters for well-documented recor=
ds
of financial transactions. His audit report ending May 31, 2005 stated all =
filt
have been maintained in accordance with FMCA accounting procedures. The sig=
ned
Audit Report is on file and will be published in the next newsletter.
PRESENTATIONS=
- Clint Colpitts presented Past President, Jack =
Smith
with a President's plaque. Jack thanked everyone for such support for Carol=
and
himself and stated he has belonged to many groups over the years, and has n=
ever
seen such warm hearts in any other group as he has in Perfect Circle.
Clint presented =
Claude
and Elsie Bannister with a Rally pin for 2004.
Meeting adjourned at 9:40 am
Submitted by:
Darilyn
Darilyn E. Hill<= o:p>
Secretary =
- Perfect=
Circle
Chapter
-NATION= AL DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Our summer events are fast drawing to a close, and what a good,
fun-filled series of rallies we have had, eh? We think back to some earlier
days in the Chapter when we sometimes had to struggle to find willing worke=
rs
to stage rallies. Now, thanks to the great work by our First Vice President=
and
Rallymasters, and with so many of yon willing to pitch in and both host ral=
lies
and help out, things seem now to keep rolling on like a well-oiled machine.=
If
you have been involved, give yourselves a pat on the back - if you have not=
yet
been involved, do consider giving it a try - there is some work always, but
also a lot of fun!
National News
No one from our chapter was able to attend either the Northeast Area
Rally held at West Springfield, or the mid August International Rally at Mi=
not,
North Dakota. However, our chapter was fortunate to have been able to arran=
ge
with Kathie Turfano ofthe FMCA Northeast Area to be a temporary delegate fo=
r us
at both. Kathie has just reported to us on the Minot Rally and the Governing
Board Meeting (GBM).
There were 4038 coaches in attendance - one of the smaller counts f=
or
these rallies. There were 4 I 9 chapters represented at the GBM - excellent
representation from the 475 plus chapters in FMCA. National Officers elected
include:
President - Don =
Moore
Sr. Vice-Preside=
nt -
Connie Pool! Secretary - Ginger Painter Treasurer - Jim Kern
There were some changes made to the FMCA Strategic Plan. When we
receive the details on this from Cincinnati, we will report in the next
newsletter on anything that may be relevant to chapters.
Next winter's International Convention will be held at Pomona,
California, March 20-26, 2006. Next summer's International Convention will =
be
held at Charlotte, N.C. August 14-17,2006.
Northeast Area and Southeast Areas News
The Northeast Area Rally next summer will be held at Augusta, N.J. =
July
12- 15,2006.
For those going south, the Southeast Area Rally will be held again =
at
Brooksville, Florida Feb. 1-5,2006. Leah and I hope to make this one - if y=
ou
come, be sure to wear your Perfect Circle shirt so we can show off our colo=
rs!
Other News
In my last report, I promised to provide some details on the FMCA M=
EDEX
Emergency Evacuation Program. I did not hear ITom any member who had occasi=
on
to use this, however I have compiled information on it ITom the FMCA Websit=
e,
and this is included separately in this newsletter. I _e you :fmd this usef=
ul.
For our next newsletter, I will look into the FMCA Emergency Road
Service. I am sure several members have had occasion to use this, myself
included - please give me a call so we can chat about your particular
experiences. Probably our experiences vary all over the map, and it will be
interesting to compare notes. Maybe we can also provide some useful feedbac=
k to
FMCA!
Happy and safe travels, John and Leah Devlin
Kathie Tufano represen= ted us at the Northeast Rally and took these minutes of the Governing Board Mee= ting and forwarded them to Darilyn. We are so grateful and Thank you Kathie for = a BIG job well done. Editor, Louise Forbes
Sunday August 14, 2005
Attended the Candidates Forum this afternoon. I f= ound all the candidates to be well informed. The questions submitted were very demanding and for the most part the candidates handled them very well. Tomo= rrow we meet for the elections. There are a number of issues to be presented as = well as the voting for officers. We are to be there at 7 :00 am. And this looks = like a long day corning.
Monday August 15=
,2005
The Governing Bo=
ard
met at 9:00am Central Time and started with the Proposed Standing Rules whi=
ch
were passed without a lot of discussion. This was much to the surprise of t=
he
veteran Governing Board members.
The Treasurer/Fi=
nance
Report were presented and accepted without comment, also to the astonishmen=
t of
those attending.
The Constitution=
and
Bylaws/Policy and Procedure Committee Report did not fare so well. There wa=
s a
lot of discussion and comment on a number of the amendments proposed which =
were
to amend the amendments from last year, with the first proposal being voted=
in
and then, after much discussion, after the second proposal passing, the
decision was to go back to the first and re-vote and it failed. This all ha=
d to
do with the starting and ending terms under the new by-laws passed last yea=
r.
Ifthis all sounds confusing believe me it was. You will receive all of the
final actions.
Convention Commi= ttee Report had two changes: Perry, Georgia March 2007 and Summer 2007 Gillette, Wyoming<= /p>
Education Commit=
tee
Report was accepted and placed on file as was the Governmental &
Legislative Affairs Committee Report.
Information Tech=
nology
and Communications Committee Report was placed on file with some discussion=
of
the expense of the software and maintenance over a period of time. Long-Ran=
ge
& Development Committee Report was accepted and placed on file and a co=
py
of the new Strategic Plan is now 21 pages rather than 73.
Member Recruitme=
nt
Committee Report was placed on file along with the Membership/Member Servic=
es
Committee Report in which article 4 was tabled by the Executive Board with =
more
info to corne. =
; .
The Presidents C=
ouncil
Report was accepted with one addition: increase the number of complaints to
five from four. With all resolved but one.
Risk Management
Committee Report was accepted and placed on file as was Youth Activities
Committee Report.
Family Motor Coaching Actions had articles #2, #7, #54 under discussion and they passed after explanations were given. Family Motor Coach Association Action #71 failed after much discussion. Family Mot= or Coaching Action #71 was passed after much discussion as to how the pricing = for electric was derived.
The Nominating Committee Reported their nominatio= ns for the Offices for the corning year, the slate was presented and the ballo= ts were cast individually for each candidate and the results presented before going on to the next office. There were 417 eligible votes until the actual voting and then there were an additional 2 eligible voters. Obviously, two people, who didn't feel that it was important enough to get "sititis&q= uot; as the rest of us did
&= nbsp; &nbs= p; The office of: National President &n= bsp; Don Crawford = ; 176
&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; DON MOORE &n= bsp; 240
&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Max Durbin &= nbsp; 201
&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; CONNIE POOL &nb= sp; 215
GINGER PAINTER 390
&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; JIM KERN &nb= sp; 278<= /p>
&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Robb Steinheider &n= bsp; 132
National Senior Vice President
National Secretary National Treasurer
The results were accepted and there was one other motion to limit the Rallies reimbursed
for the A VP's to two, adjacent to their ardas on= ly. This proposal was made in previous
years and was not accepted. Again the motion didn= 't make it.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 Central Time.
Let me add at this time, that I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent in the meeting and want to thank Perfect Circle for giving= me the opportunity to see the real inner workings ofthe FMCA. It was an enlightening experience and I think that everyone should take the opportuni= ty to do this, if the occasion arises for them closer to home. We need more of= our members to have some understanding of the complexities of an organization of this magnitude.
Respectfully submitted Kathleen J. Tufano
THANK YOU FROM JACK AND FAMILY
We were humbl=
ed by
the support from our motor home friends during Carol's illness and after.
The many phone
calls, e-mails, visits, cards and prayers helped to lift our spirits and wo=
nder
how many can be so compassionate...we have so many friends that are truly
sincere and caring.
Our children<=
/span> got to know many of our motor home friends a=
nd
could feel the warmth and support also.
Our family th=
anks
you so much for lifting our spirits at this time and remembering Carol
Jack & Kirk =
&
Nancv
Sunshine Report September 2005
Get Well
Ron Hill is
recuperating from surgery this fall.
Helen Walsh has been in hospital recently but is
better now
Norman Ferguson has been ill recently.
Bernie Santerre has also been 'under the weather.=
'
Sympathy
Don & Liz MacFarlane - lost his brother recently.
Doreen & Bob MacLaughlin - lost her mother.
Shirley & Don Nauss
Memorial
We are all deeply saddened by the passing of Carol Smith on Septembe= r 3, 2005. Carol, and her husband Jack were members of Perfect Circle Chapter for many years; and they always had a keen interest in all chapter activities.<= o:p>
Carol was a mem=
ber of
the Executive Committee several years ago and spent the latter years suppor=
ting
her husband Jack as our President =
of
Perfect Circle.
In addition to their leadership for the past 3 years; together, they
organized and initiated our participation in the Balloon Fiesta rally during
its early years; and this has been a continuing special event for us each y=
ear.
Carol was also a
member of Perfect Circle's WOW Red Hat Society; a founder and interested
advisor.
Carol's love of=
life,
sense of humor, concern for others, warm smile and vivaciousness will alway=
s be
remembered.
Carol had a good
memory and could quote travel information and details most of us would have=
to
write down. We have many wonderful memories of our times together - at rall=
ies,
trips together and of course, our shopping expeditions! Carol will be sadly
missed and our deepest condolences go out to Jack and their family.
Carolyn,
Darilyn & Shirley
Emergency Medical Evacuation Program
Effective
January 1, 2001, FMCA contracted with MEDEX
Assistance Corporation to provide active family and life members with cover=
age
under the MEDEX PLUS Program. This program helps traveling members to
effectively manage the complexities and expenses of out-of-area medical and=
travel
emergencies. Members receive this coverage with no sign-up required.
Travel
can be for business or pleasure at a distance of 100 or more miles from your
primary residence. Coverage is provided while traveling throughout the Unit=
ed
States, Canada and Mexico, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a ye=
ar.
MEDEX must approve and coordinate all services.
MEDEX provides members with toll-free access to
travel assistance services and also coordinates and pays the approved costs
associated with the following:
1. Emergency med=
ical
air and ground evacuation: Medically supervised evacuation to the nearest appropriate facility =
if
an FMCA member is involved in an accident or suffers a sudden, unforeseen
illness and adequate medical facifities are not available.
2. Repatriation of remains: The return of an FMCA member's mortal remains in the eve=
nt
of death.
3. Return home of
unattended grandchildren and dependent children: Transportation home for an FMCA member's children
and/or grandchildren left unattended as the result of a member's accident,
illness, or death.
4. RV and automo=
bile
return home: Retu=
rn of
an FMCA member's drivable vehicle to his or her residence (or return of a
rental vehicle) if the member is unable to operate the vehicle due to accid=
ent,
illness, or death.
5. Transportatio=
n to
join a hospitalized member (for member traveling alone - if mem=
ber is hospitalized for seven days or more): =
The transportation of a family
member or friend to visit an FMCA member who is hospitalized for seven days=
or
more.
6. Transp=
ortation
home after initial evacuation: The transportation of an FMCA member to the point of origin, or
permanent residence, following an emergency evacuation.
Each
of these services has no limit to the cost that will be paid by MEDEX with =
the
exception of the fifth one - family member visit transportation for the mem=
ber
traveling alone - which has a limit of $1,000.
Please remember that MEDEX must approve and coordinate all of these
services.
The above descri=
ption
of benefits summa=
rizes
the principal features of the MEDEX PLUS program and is not intended to be a
contract. The contractual provisions for the MEDEX PLUS program are stated =
in
the MEDEX PLUS service agreement, Group 7030, issued by MEDEX Assistance
Corporation to the Family Motor Coach Association, Inc., with an effective =
date
of January 1, 2001. The final answer to any questions will be
subject to the MEDEX
PLUS service agre=
ement.
The
primary intent of the MEDEX PLUS Program is to provide basic benefits to FM=
CA
members who are traveling and are not covered by some other program that th=
ey
may have purchased. Should you cancel or not renew an existinq medical
evacuation plan that YOU have purchased?
Initially,
the answer needs to be "no." FMCA is concerned that any plan you =
may
currently have probably is more inclusive and provides better overall cover=
age
than what FMCA has been able to purchase through this group policy. However,
that does not mean that you cannot use the MEDEX PLUS Program even if you h=
ave
other coverage.
Many
of us (with or without our knowledge) have emergency medical air and ground
evacuation included in our health care plan or Medicare coverage. In those
cases, once the emergency is over, MEDEX probably will look to those programs for reimbursement, since MEDEX is a
MEDEX
has been in business for more than 25 years, supplying different plans to
organizations interested in providing their families with peace of mind when
they travel away from home. MEDEX's specially trained coordinators answer c=
alls
24 hours a day from its centralized command center, and they are prepared t=
o provide
immediate help with any MEDEX service. Each ongoing case receives expert attention=
from
case coordinators, operations management, medical personnel, provider
specialists, and regional medical advisors strategically located throughout
North America - assuring quality attention and responsiveness.
In addition to the paid services listed above, the
MEDEX PLUS Program also provides assisted services both of a personal and
medical nature. When talking with the MEDEX coordinator, you should share a=
ll
of the concerns and needs that your medical emergency has placed upon you, =
and
in most cases, they will be able to assist you.
There
is one underlying question we all would like to know the answer to: "In
the case of a medical emergency, will they fly me home to familiar surround=
ings
and let me be treated by my personal physician?" The issue is basically
twofold: What is the "most appropriate medical care" and
"medical necessity"? In every situation, there probably will be t=
hree
medical professionals making the movement decision - the attending physicia=
n,
your personal physician, and the MEDEX regional medical advisor. Each person
will be evaluating your medical emergency and deciding what is most appropr=
iate
considering where you are, what is =
needed, and how best to meet t=
hat
need. Each situation is handled on a case-by-case basis. Many medical
conditions preclude air evacuation until the emergency is over. In those ca=
ses,
the movement can then be handled by commercial air back to your point of or=
igin
or home.
Unfortunately,
there is no simple answer. It is comforting to know that the physician who =
is
most knowledgeable of your condition, the physician most aware of your ongo=
ing
health, and a medical professional familiar with medical evacuation are goi=
ng
to work together in your best interest.
We also need to point out a few of the specifics of
the contract language.
1.
There is an exclusion in the contract for travel that is made for the purpo=
se
of securing medical care or medical advice. Travel when performed against t=
he
advice of a physician is
2.
If it's necessary to verify eligibility as to whether you're 100 miles from
your permanent residence, contract language indicates that MEDEX will use y=
our
drivers license and FMCA address of record.
3.
The MEDEX PLUS Program is a travel assistance program, and payment is over =
and
above or on top of any existing insurance program or private pay plan that =
is
in force. Your primary payer would pay these expenses, and MEDEX will be the secondary payer.
4. The MEDEX PLUS Program does not cover per diem
costs or pet return.
FMCA
members can call toll-free (800-527-0218) or collect (410-453-6330) for
emergency medical, travel, and personal assistance services. When calling.
please refer to MEDEX group number 7030. For more information about this
program. phone FMCA (800-543-3622) or send an e-mail to membership@fmca.com=
and
ask for a brochure.
In
order to secure this benefit, it is imperative that MEDEX be notified
immediately when medical travel assistance is required. Below we have print=
ed
two cards that you can cut out for you and your spouse. laminate. and place=
in
your wallet and purse so that you will have the information with you at all
times.
NOTE: I am unable to print the cards as I do not = have the software to read pdffiles, I will have this software installed next week and include the card in the December issue. EDITOR.
SECRETARY'S MESSAGE
This is the firs=
t time
I've put a secretary's message in the newsletter, but after eight years m
Perfect Circle secretary, and with only nine months left to go, I thought I
would put in at least one little message.
-I found an interesting feature on the FMCA website. There are now =
four
states that have approved a law to have "RV Friendly" markers on
highway signs, and as Florida is one of the states, I thought it would be of
interest to some of our members.
Bright yellow ci=
rcles
with crescent smiles under the letters RV -
will make it easier for RV traveler=
s to
locate establishments that cater to their needs such as size of parking spa=
ces,
entrances, exits and overhang clearances, etc.
You can find more
details regarding this and other items such as motor home parking etiquette,
overnight parking and FMCA's motor home parking etiquette letter by going to
\V1VW .fmca.com/motorhomerights.
- As
another matter of interest, I was a=
ble to
get in touch with Gary Adams who owns the Ramada Inn in Lewiston, Me in reg=
ard
to staying over night behind his establishment. He said he would most likel=
y be
still involved in some way for the next couple of years and by all means, f=
or
members to continue to stop on their way through now and even after. He sai=
d he
could see no reason why the stopover would not be available when the Inn was
sold and he was gone. This is great news as it is a great place to stay over
night in your motor home. For new members who may not be aware of this stop;
you can stay for one night with an electric hook up, use of the pool, sauna=
and
towels for just $8 US. There is also a very nice restaurant inside.
Happy and safe RV'ing!
Darilyn and Ron
This appeared in the T= imes & Transcript; The Daily Gleaner, Telegraph Journal; L'Toile and Canadaeast., corn Opinion and August 25, 2005
Women on Wheels,The=
Red
Hat Society
On July 30/05 we have been invited to attend a "Red Hatters Tea Party" in St Andrews ,organized by "Divas W= ith Attitude".The tea and tour is at Kingsbrae Gardens ,not to be confused with the one being done by Louise Forbes at her rally. Show your Red Hat ca= rd at the gate,and the special rate for Red Hatters will be $ l7.50(includes a= ll day at the Gardens, treasure hunt, delectable tea and a croquet game) For reservations call;I-866-566-8687,toll free. Now my suggestion would be for = each area to put a car pool together and head for St Andrews.Please let me know = so I can post it to all by email so we will all know who to look for. Sounds like fun!
On Friday,Sept. 9/05 during the Balloon Fiesta, in Sussex ,there will be a Women On Wheels Red Hat Luncheon at 11;3= 0 am at the All Seasons Restaurant. Please advise me if you plan to attend ,prio= r to Sept 6/05 as I will be making reservations for the number of gals that who = will be attending.Phone 506-455-4256 or email atglsalte@attglobal.net .We will a= lso require vehicles for transportation to the restaurant, can you also let me = know if you can take your car ?Remember, please let me know ,we don't want you to miss this.
On Sept 15/05 WOW Red Hat Luncheon is planned for Shadow Lawn in Rothesay at 12:00P.M. This will be an elegant setting for us= to enjoy lunch. Prices, according to their menu don't look too high. Please contact Marie Salter or Bonnie Colpitts prior to Sept 6/05 if you are plann= ing to attend.
Our Women on Wheels ,Red Hat Chapter is open to any/all ladies of our Perfect Circle Chapter .Our Dues are $10.00 for the y= ear and are due and renewed on the May 5. If you have a red hat or want to wear one, contact me, we would love to add your name to our Chapter of Red Hatte= rs. Queen Mother,Marie Salter
Having the world's best idea will do you no good unless you act on it. People who want milk should'= nt sit on a stool in the middle of a field in hopes that a cow will back up to them.
Motorhomes are self-sufficient
To The Editor:
I have read with intere= st the article that was in the Moncton Times & Transcript of Sa
Aug. 13 regarding campers parking in mall parking lots.
First, I must say that= I agree that campers should not move into a Wal-Mart lot and PU1 down their jacks, open the awning, get out their lawn chairs and stay a couple of days. Other than that, I totally disagree.
I signed no agreement = with your or any other campground when I bought my motorhome that I would be expected to stay at your place while traveling. I am not sure what they mean when they say that we should not be allowed to stay at Wal-Mart, and as a campground owner, what gives you the right to tell me and other campers whe= re we c_ and cannot park?
When we bought our motorhome we thought we could be independent because we would have water, holding tanks and electricity with a generator. You offer basically the same thing, but most campgrounds want between $20 to $40 per night, plus tax. For those that are traveling and want off the road for the night and out again in the morning, we really don't need what you have to offer. Since we live in a free society we should have that choice.
I am not sure that pas= sing a bylaw banning overnight camping will work. All that will do is to shove people on to another town so everyone loses in your town and the next town = will benefit. It doesn't take long for word to get around.
St. Stephen put up no parking signs in their tourist bureau parking lots because one of the local campgrounds complained of overnight parking. It wasn't long before several = of the larger merchants sided with the campers because of lost revenue and down came the signs.
It seems that Coun. Pe= ter Manderson, one of the local Miramichi area campground owners feels the super large is bullying the small. I suggest the super large are doing the homewo= rk and the smaller campground owners should come up with a marketing plan. Why= not try offering dry camping at $10 a night with no services, and once you have them in your fold try to upgrade them to electric, water, etc.? At least it= 's more than you are getting now.
We belong to the large= st motorhome group in the U.S. and Canada, between 300,000 and 400,000 thousand units. From that group we belong to a local chapter that has a membership of 200 plus units in the Maritimes.
This translates into a fair amount of tourism dollars and it would be nice that everyone could get their fair share.
D.
Nauss, Moncton (Via e-mail)
RALL YMASTER'S REPORT<= /p>
2= 006 Rallies
June 16-18 PC St Marti= ns Rally-Rallymasters Bill Boyce & Louise Forbes
June 23-25 <= /span>PC Annual Spring Rally, Saint John, N.B.-Rallymasters Paul & Ann Barton, Co-Rallymasters Frank & Linda Boers
Aug TBA &nb= sp; PC Bannister Rally, Riverglade. Rallymasters Tim O"Connor & Ellen -Co Rallymasters John Nutter & Brenda
Sep 8-10 &= nbsp; PC Annual Balloon Fiesta, Sussex, N.B.-Rallymasters Norman & Cathy Melvin.
MAINE WHEEL AND FMCA RALL Y'S
Feb 1-5 &=
nbsp; Brooksville FL- Southeast Area Rally
Mar 20-23 Pomona, CA-7Sth FMCA Internat'l Convention
May 19-21 Hinckley- FMCA Monument
Jun16-18 =
Skowhegan- Lakewood Theatre
July 4 (Start) Bath Days
July 12-16 &=
nbsp; FMCA
Northeast Area Rally
Aug 14-17 &n=
bsp; Charlotte,
NC (Lowes Motor Speedway)-76th FMCA Internat'l Convention
Aug 20-26 &n=
bsp; Freeman's-
Cascum, PEl
Sep 8-10 &nb=
sp; Greenville
Fly-in
Editors Note: I do not have the Rally schedule from Scotian Roamers for 'this issue but will follo= w-up for the Dec Newsletter.
Golfer Nick Faldo,=
after
winning a million-dollar tournament: "After I won, I asked my wife what
she wanted She said a divorce. I said I wasn't thinking of anything that
expensive
Wagon Master's Message.
For
some of us the season is winding down and will finish with the Christmas in
October rally at Camper City in Moncton. For others there will be a short b=
reak
before venturing down to warmer climates. All and all it has been a great
summer of visiting friends and making new ones.
Ellen
and I were fortunate to be able to get to all the rallies this year and each
and every on of them was an event to remember. Many thanks to all the rally
masters that made this possible.
We
have almost a full slate of events planned for next summer. Starting
with: St. Martins and the spring rally in Saint John in June, the
"Bannister" rally in August and the Balloon Rally in Sussex in
September.
Although the rallies were very successful I am
concerned with the Presidents' coach, at the Bannister rally there was a lo=
t of
thought put into the rear of the
![](3D"Page1&2_files/image004.jpg")
=
coach.
Then
at the balloon festival it seems the issue moved to the front of the coach.
Good luck with which ever end needs fixin'.
Hope
to see all at the Christmas in October rally in Moncton, I am sure that Alb=
ert,
Ardith, Don and Shirley will put on a fine show.
Tim and Ellen
More Chatter Chatter:
We
hear Bonnie Beers is taking a defensive driving course through her work as
Extra Mural Nurse. We wonder if they teach her to put the top of her
convertible UP before locking the doors to keep things safe.
WOOLASTOOK BLUEGRASS FESTIV AL RALLY
&= nbsp; JUNE 19-26, LONG'S CREEK, N.B.
&= nbsp; Organized by Bun & Alice Regan.
They sure know h=
ow to
pick a spot. The beautiful Saint John River Valley, the area around Long Cr=
eek,
the sunsets, the spaces to walk or just sit and enjoy. Five couples journey=
ed
along the Old Woodstock Rd on Sunday after the closing of the Spring Rally =
in
Fredericton, arriving on their own time at Woolastook Park, river side.
The Rally was really low keyed. Events just fell into place. Each d=
ay
was full of nice
surprises. Some journeyed back to Fredericton to shop or see what t=
hey
missed. Some to Woodstock, others Lake George. The Fugeres took an interest=
ing
trip to Maine. Roger tried teaching Alice and Carol golf. There is a golf
course on the grounds. Bun and Ken did a lot of minor repairs, etc. Poor Al=
ice,
she really was "Alice in Wonderland". First a golf ball came flyi=
ng
over the trees and landed at her feet, just missing her head. Then s=
he
managed to be down in a deep chair that took several twists and turns to get
out of and provided great laughs for people going by. Many happy hou=
rs
and pot luck suppers were held. The Regans provided pancakes, bacon and egg=
s for
breakfast one morning. The Fugeres' made campfires each evening and he
amused us with stories of his travels and of Cape Breton.
The Nugents had a sale of camping things at the Bluegrass Festival.=
The
Blue Grass people arrived as early as Tuesday, even the Santerres' forme=
r unit.
The Rockwood came. They now have a small Gulf Stream. Many more new friends
were made and invitations to the Jam sessions and future Bluegrass Festival=
s.
For some of us this was the first Festival. Imagine setting in the fields &=
amp;
hills of Saint John Valley with all that river rolling by, beautiful sunsets
and lovely music.
The Campground owners were friendly people. I hear Tim O'Connor lat=
er
took a drive to check the area which is now full service camping area. Lots=
of
attractions nearby; Kings Landing, The Dam, even Route N03 which leads to St
Andrews and the Southern Isle of N.B.
Submitted by
Bernadette Santerre
for Alice Regan
GOOD NEWS FOR OUR SNOWBIRDS.
Darilyn Hill was able to reach Gary Adams of the Ramada Inn In
Lewiston, ME
Here is Gary's response: (Quote) We're still at it...The process takes more time than one might think...even though we are selling...I most likely will still be involved in someway for the next coup= le of years...Although we will be spending more time in the sunny south...By a= ll means continue to stop on your way through now and even after...I see no re= ason why the stopover would not be available when I am gone... See you down the = road and pass this information on to our fellow travelers...
Gary.
Gary Adams
GaRamada@aol.com
Cell :Phone 207
838-0838
(End of Quote)
Darilyn. Thank you very much , on behalf of the members, Louise.
Riverglade Rallv - 15th
Anniversary Aug 19 <=
span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>- 21
Claude and Elsie Bannister organized another wonderful rally on their picturesque interval. I have never seen such a peaceful setting. The sound of the Pollet River running over the rocks and = the beautiful green trees make us realize just how beautiful N.B can be. There = were 18 coaches in attendance and what a great weekend.
Friday was sunny and warm and a very relaxing day. Many of us relaxed in our chairs, some headed to the big Sussex flea market= and of course we all got together for a great happy hour, followed later by a c= om boil and huge bon fire. Then it was off to bed with the sound of the river lulling us to sleep.
Saturday morning=
we
woke to the smell of ham, eggs, pancakes and you name it, all done outside =
on
the grill. We all rolled away from the tables and hoped to find some exerci=
se
to erase the damage. Some of the boys played a game where Frisbees were thr=
own
through large hoops and scored like a golf game. John Nutter was the grand
winner and received a locally manufactured (Elsie's words) wood-carving that
was beautiful. Some of our Red-Hat girls actually ended up in a parade in
Salisbury.
Saturday night w=
e had
a spectacular Pot Luck with Roast Pork on the top of the menu. James Lounsb=
ury
roasted the pig to perfection as always. He never left its side all day. Af=
ter
supper the fire was lit once again and we sat around to talk, laugh and calm
our very full tummies. James set up his Karaoke Machine and some of us
attempted to sing while the smart ones stayed by the fire. Then off =
to
bed with not visions of sugar - plums but =
the
thoughts of bacon, eggs, hash browns and you name it on the grill in the
morning.
Sunday morning w=
e all
consumed a wonderful breakfast and waddled off to our respective coaches to
head home. Elsie and Claude announced that this will be their final year as
Rallymasters but have graciously offered us the use of their interval to ho=
st
future Rallys. Thank you so much Claude and Elsie for the 15 years you have
hosted this rally. You make everyone feel so welcome and it is evident the
pride you have in your beautiful property. We will all be back next year to
enjoy it again.
Bonnie Colpitts.
This photo shows=
John
Nutter with His "Locally manufactured trophy" For being the Champ=
at
"Frisbee Golf'.
![](3D"Page1&2_files/image006.jpg")
=