[A/S] WBCCI future

["Terry Tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wayne, there are "many in the main club" who still have a focus on......(whatever interests them).
That's why there are intra-clubs and individual units all over the country. We are members of 3
local units and 3 intra-clubs because we like activities that focus on - boondocking - traveling in
Mexico - full timing - vintage restorations - traditional activities - plus, we occasionally ask
other units with specific events of particular interest us - if we can attend their rallies. They
have always welcomed us enthusiastically. The same has occurred when we attend rallies sponsored by
Regions in other parts of the country.

Several other points:

For us, part of the perspective is taking responsibility for putting on a rally now and then - with
events and activities that excite us, that turn us on, that meet our needs. That's one of the
benefits of being in charge. We get to do it "our way" with our enthusiasm. The same goes for all
the other jobs in a unit. All that anyone who wants a piece of the action has to do is step up to
the plate and volunteer to be in charge. As with any leadership role, it gets easier and easier to
do and simpler and simpler to work in the needs of others while still satisfying your own needs.
Then, everybody has a good time.  

The same goes for caravans. Sometimes we go on caravans as participants and sometimes we lead them.
When we lead them, we take them to places we want to go. That opportunity is open to anyone in the
club. We used to like short distance caravans while we were still working. During those years, we
longed for the chance to go on cross country caravans. Now that we're retired, we can do it and we
do. We aren't interested in weekend events anymore. That's part of a previous life. Those who want
short trips need to offer to work on that committee or ask an experienced member to mentor them
while they are learning the ropes. Everyone on this list has already experienced how easy mentoring
can be. Every unit has dozens of mentors who'd be glad to help with any aspect of a local unit. 

One year, we put on a weekend rally in a small village in Upstate New York in conjunction with the
annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. The next year, I had retired and wanted more than that, so Sandie
and I took the caravan leader training course that summer and volunteered to lead a caravan from the
village festival to the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. It was 2100 miles and took a month. It
was an adventure we wanted to have, organized our way, with our choice of overnight boondocking
spots, with sight seeing activities we enjoyed doing, with campfire programs that we wanted and with
the type of afternoon seminars we always wished we'd had. 

Another example: As members of the full timers intra-club, we wanted the newsletter to have a more
informative focus, to be more personable and the have a wider variety of articles. We volunteered to
do it and for seven years, were the Editors who compiled, published and distributed it to 300
families from a different town with each issue. It became the newsletter we wanted it to be. Maybe
that would have occurred if someone else had become Editor, but we knew it would happen if we became
the Editors.  

With the "main club" as infrastructure, these and dozens of other options are readily available to
any WBCCI member. We don't always agree with everything that occurs in the main club. If there is
going to be change, then those of us who want change need to get involved and promote whatever it is
that excites us. There's room for everyone in WBCCI and the club will grow in relation to whether or
not new members step up to the plate (somewhere) or just sit it out (everywhere) and grouse about
it. 

Each of us has an opinion. This one is mine. And don't kid yourself, these large, comfortable full
timer trailers are only a little larger and only slightly more comfortable than the non-full timer
trailers. For us, the differences are not statistically significant.

Terry
'77 31' Excella 500
'67 22' Safari