Good Morning Vancouver Islanders!

 

I hope this email finds you and your family in good health! 

 

With the future Covid 19 restrictions for British Columbia still unknown, it is very difficult to set up rallies. I will be checking frequently with the BC CDC regarding the limitations in numbers.  However, we have the following set up at this time:

 

May 28 – 31, 2021   Cowichan Expo Center  This rally would be a no host rally; handled like the Labour Day rally last year at the Cowichan Bay Pier....we will have the barn and camping spots. All meals done by attendees; we can eat and socialize in the barn and outside. We will not be able to put on this rally unless we have a minimum of 25 coaches because of the cost of the facility. At this time the Provincial restriction on outdoor gatherings is still limited to 10 people.

 

June or July rally was to be at Southern Vancouver Island Ranger Facility.  They have cancelled all events for the 2021 summer season; even their own events.   ANY SUGGESTIONS???????

 

September 3 – 6, 2021 Labour Day at Cowichan Bay Pier  This rally is still scheduled.

 

If any of you have suggestions for rallies or “get togethers”, please let me know.

 

Below, please read the news from Northwest Area Vice President Don Schleuse regarding a temporary reduction in your FMCA dues.

 

Stay safe!

 

Andy

 

President

Vancouver Islanders- FMCA

Vancouver Islanders and FMCA Rallies 2020

Hi Vancouver Islanders!    April 4, 2020

With the ever-changing events taking place so quickly regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the most important thing is to keep you and your family safe from this virus. Please be sure to follow all necessary guidelines and precautions to keep well and healthy. Due to the uncertainty relating to this pandemic, your understanding is greatly appreciated regarding the status of our 2020 scheduled rallies – some rallies may happen, some may not. We will do our best to relay information to you in a timely manner in order to help you with your planning and preparation. So… please stay tuned….the next scheduled rally is May 21 –24, 2020.  I have contacted the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds and at the present time, they are closed.  I will be in contact with them later in April to reassess the situation and will immediately get the word out to all Vancouver Islanders.

Until the BC Government removes the mandate regarding socializing in groups, we will abide by their rules.

I, also, need to announce the cancellation of 2020 Northwest Area Rally, scheduled for June 24-27, 2020, in Roseburg, Oregon.  All other Area Rallies have also been cancelled for the rest of 2020.  As you know, the Tucson FMCA National Convention was cancelled.  The Board of Directors have also cancelled the FMCA Summer Convention that was scheduled for August 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has put all of us at risk, and the safety and well-being of our members was first and foremost when the FMCA and the NWA Board were asked to give their opinions about the continuation of the rallies.

Thank you for your support in these decisions.

Stay safe!

Andy Balogh President – Vancouver Islanders

Vancouver Islanders IMPORTANT information

January 2020

Happy New Year!

We have just returned from the Western Area Rally in Indio, the Big Tent RV Show in Quartzsite and the Beaver Ambassador Chapter Rally in the desert of Quartzsite.  We have a tentative rally schedule for 2020.  Contracts are not signed as of today but will be in the next couple of weeks.

May  21 – 24, 2020  Cowichan Exhibition , Duncan

June 03 – 06, 2020  Seal Bay RV Resort, Comox Valley  We are invited to join the Newmar Chapter for this rally.

July 20 – 23, 2020   Southern Vancouver Islanders Ranger Station, Langford

September 03 – 07, 2020 Cowichan Bay Jetty

Please remember the FMCA Northwest Area rally is in Roseburg, OR from June 24 – 28, 2020.  This is a new venue and should be lots of fun.

The National Conventions are :  101st Convention – Tucson, Arizona from March 26 –30, 2020 and the 102nd Convention – Lincoln, Nebraska from August 26 – 30, 2020.

I will be sending more information and asking for hosts for the rallies in the very near future.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

While we were attending the Indio rally, FMCA President Jon Walker made an announcement at his Meet the President Seminar that I would like to pass on to you.  Effective February 1, 2020, this next Saturday, the FMCA Roadside Rescue prices will increase.   The current price of $74.00 per year for a maximum of 3 years can be obtained by calling FMCA at 1-800-543-3622 before 2pm on Friday, January 31, 2020.  The one stipulation is that your membership must be in effect for the same time period as the Roadside Rescue is in effect.

On February 1st, 2020, the rate per year for a motorhome will be $159 per year and for other RVs, the price is $129 per year.

Safe travels!

Andy

September Rally report.

The Long weekend rally is in the history books!  As they say, “a good time was had by all”!

Most attendees arrived on Thursday and what a great heavy appetizer meal we had.  More arrivals on Friday and then off to the Rock Cod Cafe for dinner.

Saturday and Sunday were filled with more food and games.  Jenga being the most popular, followed by the bean bag baseball and ladder golf.  The fix your own meat dinner on Saturday was wonderful. Sunday’s dinner was Costco Dogs and fresh picked (Sunday morning) corn on the cob.  Both nights, ice cream with various toppings were dessert.

 

Now for the breakfasts....WOW!  Friday, it was pancakes and sausage with yogurt and juice.  Pancakes had various toppings and of course, whipped cream.  Saturday, the breakfast was the chapter’s famous surprise, oatmeal with toppings and ice cream, hosted by the Woodrow’s and Campbell’s.  Sunday’s breakfast was hosted by Joe & Stella and Matt & Jody.  A meal of french toast and bacon with all the trimmings.  I am sure that there was no weight lost at this rally.

 

We did not have an official meeting but did take time to discuss rally sites and hosting.

Clarence Zimmerman and Gary Giles have been approached by the mainland Newmar group to have a joint rally.  This was discussed and I will be contacting their President once we have our rally dates and sites confirmed.

Several members have agreed to host rallies for 2020.  Thank you if you have agreed to host; if anyone else would like to host, please email me at the address below or give me a call.

 

The following sites have been suggested and the Executive Board will be contacting each one.

Cowichan Expo Center May 28 or 29 – 31, 2020

Buttle Lake, Kin Beach, Kitty Coleman, Luxton Fairgrounds, Ranger Station in Langford, Lighthouse RV Park near Fanny Bay, Qualicum Bay First Nations Campground, Providence Farms, and

Cowichan Bay Jetty    September 3 – 7, 2020   This has been requested.

 

If you have any additional suggestions, please let me know. We did not draw for the Ken Williams award but will do so at the May rally and award the $60.00 rally fee at that time. Please check out the Vancouver Islanders Blogspot at    vifmca.blogspot.com

Thanks for all your help and input at the rally!

 

Andy Balogh

President, Vancouver Islanders

akcbalogh@gmail.com

778-265-2493

MINOT National Convention Governing Board Report August 14, 2019

I attended the annual meeting of the FMCA Governing Board at the FMCA 100th convention in Minot, ND.  Each FMCA chapter has the right to be represented by a single voting delegate.  I represented the Vancouver Islanders as your National Director. 253 of 358 FMCA chapters were represented.  The meeting lasted from 9:00 AM until 6:30 PM. At the meeting, the following actions were taken by the Governing Board that may be of interest:
1. New FMCA chapters now only require 15 members, rather than 20; new FMCA associate chapters (non-voting) now only require 7 members, rather than 10.
2. Chapters may now combine the offices of secretary and treasurer and it will be considered holding one office.  This is only significant because people can only hold two offices in FMCA chapters at the same time, either two in the same office or one in each of two chapters.
3. Next year’s winter convention will be held in Tucson, AZ from March 26-29, 2020.
4. Next year’s summer convention will be held in Syracuse, NY from July 29-August 2, 2020.
5. The 2021 winter convention will be in Perry, GA and the summer convention will be in Gillette, Wyoming.
6. FMCA will implement a new administrative computer system that will cost $285,000.  The Governing Board authorized funding this with a loan.  FMCA reserves are down to $7.3 million which is short of the $9 million that is prudent to retain to cover one year of operating expenses.  At this time, FMCA is debt free.
7. The 2020 annual operating budget of approximately $9 million was passed, which includes a $25/year membership fee increase for new members and renewals effective September 1, 2019.  This was considered necessary to fund FMCAssist (emergency medical evacuation), which will cost in excess of $1 million for fiscal year 2020.  Other options were to take the necessary money out of reserves or discontinue FMCAssist.
   
Election of National Officers concluded the meeting.  The FMCA National Officers for 2019-2021 are: John Walker - President (incumbent, ran unopposed)
       Rett Porter - National Senior Vice President (incumbent, defeated Jack Mayberry; Percy Bell withdrew right before the election)
       Kathie Balogh - National Secretary (defeated Ken Carpenter and Connie Jones)
       John Reynolds - Treasurer (incumbent, ran unopposed) 
 
Attendance was budgeted at 2,000 RVs.  I believe there are approximately 1,600 RVs attending. 

Respectfully,   Andy Balogh NATIONAL DIRECTOR Vancouver Islanders