RE: [A/S] International Rally and Club Reorganization - Jim Franklin

["eemerick" <EEMERICK@xxxx>]

WOW Dick, what a response, not deep but a response.
Now for a little deeper look.
The Teen Queen contest as well as the other youth events planned at the
International help draw members with children to the event (who could be
or are future leaders of the club). These programs provide ORGANIZED
events that the kids can participate in allowing them some freedom to
get away from their grand parents or parents while still being
supervised (by some great people I might add) for some part of the day.
Lets face it if you don't give the kid a chance to be with other kids at
these events they go stir crazy or lock themselves in the trailer with a
computer or video game. I know that if these events were not available
for the kids I would no have stayed in the club or attended every
International since 1999 (Dayton). This also frees up some of my time to
participate in some of the more boring things like attending seminars
and meetings!

Lets look at the growth opportunity for the kid here as well. My kids
have spent summers with us at these events, never complained because
they know they have other kids to socialize with. ( no youth related
events, no happy kids, no parents with kids in attendance, no club
growth) My girls IM lists look like a Who's Who of WBCCI youth from all
over the country, from all walks of life, and all with many different
interests that they all learn from. I can't stress the importance of
this type of exposure to different people and how it has made my kids
more open minded, tolerant, willing and unafraid to try new things.
(right now I have a kid in Finland for her Junior year of high school
and believe her involvement in the WBCCI helped her prepare for this)

Next they have seen all parts of this country with this club and never
felt out of place because they know that when they get to where we are
going, there will be friends to greet them, old and new. The WBCCI youth
organizers have a great program focused on fellowship, respect and a
chance to see and learn new things. Our kids have been to museums,
amusement and water parks, even spent the night at the zoo! (How many of
you can say that!) These educational opportunities are very important to
the child and the parent.

This is a very safe environment for the youth, usually a controlled area
that has 1800 grandparents to keep an eye on them! It is important to
the development of the youth that they feel safe and with the
International they do. Also as in our case, my kids do not have grand
parents around and this exposure to older people have helped them learn
from and gain respect for this generation.

I could go on but what you have to understand is I purchased my
Airstream to first spend time with my kids the club was an added bonus.
We have two girls that have enjoyed and still do going with us on these
trips to the International Rally because of the experiences they have
had with the club and with the youth membership in it. The TQ event is
just one part of it, the bigger picture is having things the youth feel
comfortable with and that is engaging for them. If the WBCCI removes
these opportunities for the youth the club will loose a lot of us
YOUNGER members and without youth there will be no growth.

My kids have grown into respectable teens ( and hopefully respectable
adults and WBCCI members) partly because of this experience and partly
because we as a family spend time together in our Airstream. This club
has had a lot of influence in our family's life and the youth programs
have made this possible.

I'm done now. I have to go dig my trailer out of a WI winter storm so we
can prepare for our first outing of the year, camping in Door County
over Easter weekend, an Emerick Airstream Tradition (just like attending
the International) since 1999.

Ed Emerick
WBCCI/VAC 4425
Past WI Unit President
WI Unit Quartermaster
Region 7 BB Contributing Editor
Husband of the WI Unit Teen Queen Chairperson
Father of 2 Teen Queen participants
2nd VP VAC