By Michelle Bozeman, F392595
September 2011
What happens when you bring together the occupants of 646 motorhomes (including 101 first-timers), 186 vendors, eight RV dealers, and 19 volunteer chapters and then add 6,500 meals, 1,000 doughnuts, crafts, seminars, great entertainment, plus friends and fun? One awesome rally! Throw in a big helping of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, and you get “Mardi Gras” at the 2011 Great Lakes Area Spring Spree Rally (G.L.A.S.S.), May 26 to 30, 2011, at the Berrien Springs Youth Fair in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Rally masters Greg and Laura Baker and co-rally master Robin U’Ren, along with 32 chairpersons/coordinators, and a host of volunteers, created a magical Mardi Gras experience that let the good times roll.
When asked what they enjoyed about their G.L.A.S.S. experience this year, attendees’ answers consistently included words such as “fun,” “friends,” “volunteerism,” and comments that the rally remains a great value.
In the days preceding the rally, sunshine greeted volunteers who arrived early to help create the Mardi Gras atmosphere, as well as the golf cart, parking, and welcome teams. The G.L.A.S.S. Diner was beautifully decorated in a Mardi Gras theme and featured Dixieland music to set the mood. The many good meals, a vendor party, and two ice cream socials held there were made possible with the help of 11 volunteer chapters and 250 volunteers.
Next door to the Diner, the Frustrated Maestros played wonderful music. If you timed it right, you would have found rally-goers dancing to the polka music provided by a specialty group of the Maestros. This building also housed the Chapter Fair and the Book and Media Swap.
Registration volunteers rang a bell each time a first-time attendee arrived at the rally, and they made sure that each attendee was provided with the necessary information to enjoy the event. Rally pins and the wonderful rally program filled the welcome packets.
Right around the corner was the vendor area, featuring both indoor and outdoor exhibitors. Rally-goers kept busy browsing, especially during the occasional rain showers. The coach exhibit area saw plenty of traffic as well.
Nearby at the grandstand, Mardi Gras came to life with the combined efforts of the stage crew and the entertainment team. Opening ceremonies held there on the first evening included music by the Frustrated Maestros, followed by volunteers carrying the American and Canadian flags, service flags from the various branches of the United States military, the P.O.W. flag, and FMCA chapter flags. On this chilly night, many people were wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags as they listened to T.J. Craven, a 15-year-old with a voice and personality that filled the grandstand.
Three Men and a Tenor paid a return visit to G.L.A.S.S. the second evening with a high-energy performance that kept the audience laughing, clapping, and singing along. On Saturday night, the RedHead Express rolled into the rally. The talented Walker family (Brett, Apryll, and their seven children) put on a fast-paced show that featured a number of well-known and original compositions.
On Sunday morning the grandstand was transformed into a place for “Morning Inspiration with Bobby Bowen and Family.” Last, but not least, Sunday evening’s entertainment took listeners right into the heart of the French Quarter with Ann Stewart and the Banjo Buddies Dixieland Show Band.
The John Deere Building was the site for two well-attended events: the First-Timers Orientation, hosted by FMCA Great Lakes Area national vice president Jon Walker, and the Coaches for Christ daily prayer, praise, and song time.
Just down the road, the seminar area became one of the most popular rally attractions. The wide variety of seminar topics and crafts kept this area hopping each day.
The annual golf tournament was attended by intrepid players who braved the chilly wind and misty conditions. Winners took home prizes donated by Pebblewood Country Club, where the tournament was held.
Again this year, a popular event for many rally-goers was a visit to the Lemon Creek Winery. Free transportation, wine tastings, and a winery tour were provided.
Sunday afternoon, the Ladies Tea was held in the seminar area. The door-prize drawings were interrupted by an announcement asking people to seek shelter because of potentially dangerous storms in the area. The building was quickly transformed into a safe place for rally-goers with pets. It was reported that the remaining refreshments from the tea were much appreciated.
This was the first-ever weather emergency to occur in the long history of the G.L.A.S.S. Rally. The security team headed by Jim Riemersma, the shuttle team led by Jan Abbott, fairgrounds management and employees, plus a number of other volunteers, quickly moved some 400 people through the rain and muddy fields to a designated shelter at the adjacent middle school. This undertaking was quite successful due to the support of the school’s staff along with the local fire and sheriff’s departments. Thankfully, the worst of the storm bypassed the fairgrounds, and within an hour rally attendees resumed their activities. Unfortunately, the weather curtailed the highly anticipated Mardi Gras Parade.
Memorial Day is a time to honor those who have lost their lives defending the United States. That morning, many veterans dressed in their military attire, veteran’s regalia, or patriotic colors participated in a parade led by the Berrien Springs High School Marching Band and the American Legion color guard. The parade wound its way through the fairgrounds to the location of the Memorial Day ceremony.
The ceremony included an invocation, the raising of the American flag, a 21-gun salute, and a Memorial Day message. A P.O.W./M.I.A. exhibit table was added to the ceremony this year, and the significance of the items on the table was explained.
As the rally drew to a close, a number of motorhomes were towed out of the soggy parking areas with the help of large tractors driven by fairgrounds employees. Regardless, most people were in good spirits on this warm, sunny Monday morning. One rally-goer drove past, waved out his window, and yelled, “We had a great time! Good work! See you next year!”
We hope to see him and many others at the 2012 G.L.A.S.S. Rally. Next year’s theme is “Down On The Farm,” so dust off your farm-themed decorations, root out your bib overalls, and join us from May 24 through 28, 2012, in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
To see more rally photos, “friend” the “Glass Rally” on Facebook.