By Patty Cassidy, F318314
October 2013
After the Ohio Nomads chapter received its FMCA charter on February 17, 1978, chapter members held their first official rally at the Strawberry Festival in Troy, Ohio, in June 1978. Records indicate that 33 members and guests attended.
Fast-forward through a fabulous 35 years that included many festivals, campgrounds, friendships, and miles traveled by members of the Ohio Nomads. To celebrate our 35th anniversary, the chapter gathered for a rally June 20-23 at the Pier-Lon Campground in Medina, Ohio. The four-day celebration included a disco party on Friday evening to commemorate the late 1970s, with prizes for the best costumes.
We also had a treasure hunt road rally with participation from local merchants, and created a memento picture frame using the road rally finds. On Saturday, 64 members and two guests assembled for a buffet dinner at a local restaurant, where we enjoyed a trip down memory lane with a slide-show presentation. Later, we recognized our past presidents and thanked all members for making the chapter successful.
The Ohio Nomads chapter currently has 86 member families. Our rallies have been held at many venues across the state of Ohio. We also have ventured to Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and North Carolina. We attend festivals and arts and crafts shows, go on tours, play games, gather around campfires, and enjoy socializing. Our snowbird members even gather during the winter months.
The chapter has participated and volunteered at FMCA international events and area rallies, and we have toured FMCA’s national headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. While in the Queen City, we visited Shriners Hospitals for Children — Cincinnati, a Verified Burn Center, and our charity of choice. Each year, we raise money by collecting aluminum tabs, holding auctions and raffles, and our chapter sheriff collects “fines” from those who are caught not wearing their name badges during rallies. Instead of having a gift exchange at our Christmas dinner, we donate the money we’ve collected throughout the year to the hospital.
Members keep in touch and communicate in various ways. Our “Scope Ohio” newsletter helps keep all members informed about the chapter’s activities. Members and nonmembers can find rally dates, photos from previous rallies, and other chapter news at our Web site, www.ohionomads.com.
While many things have changed through the years, one thing about the chapter has remained constant: it’s all about people being together. We nurture fun and fellowship and value our lifetime friendships. We always welcome new members, so join us for a rally. You won’t want to leave.