Carolinas Unit of North Carolina

The June newsletter, The Tarheel Traveler, is now posted on the website. Please select the Tarheel Traveler from your menu on the screen, then select the month you would like to read. Compliments to Lynda Brown, Newsletter Editor, and Bob Clark, 1st VP and great contributor. Complaints to Jim Cocke.

Thanks!

Jim

South Florida Unit recently proposed an amendment to the WBCCI Constitution [membership requirements section] for further consideration by the International Club.

Article VI, Sec. 2, Part D, if approved, would read as follows:

“Regular members, who own a motorhome manufactured by Airstream and who were in good standing as of the date of this amendment, may purchase a Class A Motorhome manufactured by the Four Winds International Division of Thor Industries, Inc., and retain their membership in WBCCI.”

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If the membership numbers in WBCCI do not meet the finanicial obligations, what happens? Worst case, we could all join a Thor Travel Club with Dutchmen, Aero, Four Winds and others. I was researching an attractive Avion fifth-wheel we saw in the campground today. You remember their silver ones, I’ll bet. Later on Fleetwood bought Avion and started labelling them, “Avion by Fleetwood”. Avion Travelcade Club membership diminished over time. What happened next? The Avion Travelcade Club became . . . Fleetwood Travelcade Club, open to owners of any Fleetwood product “including Avion”. Search on [avionclub] for the sad description in the search result, or here’s the link to the Avion Travelcade Club: http://www.avionclub.org/

The goal is to increase WBCCI’s financial viability. The simplest way apparently is increase membership as it generates revenue to support staff, publications, and other operations costs. Any actions which reduce membership will reduce revenue and cutting expenses could further reduce appeal of the club to members and prospective members. Airstream Co stopped manufacturing Airstream motorhomes. Unless Airstream/Thor can create another Airstream motorhome, this will reduce membership. WBCCI members are proposing best guess ideas to save the club. The solution, short of resuming branding of Airstream motorhomes, seems to involve alienation of existing WBCCI motorhome members or to alienate some percentage of WBCCI trailer members.If the Club doesn’t support existing motorhome owners who are WBCCI members, then those members and perhaps all WBCCI motorhome members may become sufficiently offended to leave the club. If the Club agrees to allow another brand motorhome into membership in WBCCI, then a percentage of the Airstream trailer owners in WBCCI will become sufficiently offended to leave the club. Further, if the Club agrees to allow another brand into membership in WBCCI then how will the Club prevent the Paradise Park effect, where an exclusively Airstream membership was undermined through legal maneuvering? Is there no middle ground, which will less offend both groups and preserve the single-brand integrity of the Club?

No one can unequivocally state they have THE solution. We each have to try to think what is best for our Club and act accordingly. What can you do? Recruit new members now. Approach owners of any un-numbered Airstream with a friendly smile, talk with them and introduce them to the friendliest WBCCI members they could ever meet. Oh yes, and invite them to join your unit or any unit, just join and enjoy all the fun we have with our Club. More members is A solution.

Let your Unit President know TODAY, if you have not already, whether you support or reject this proposed amendment to the WBCCI Constitution.

Jim

We learned today of three losses to our Airstream club’s families.  Bennie Cross passed Saturday 2/24.  Steve Gantt’s daughter, Elizabeth, passed Monday 2/25.  Sandy Carriker’s mother passed Tuesday 2/26.  Please keep our members and their families in your prayers.