By Charlie Adcock, F311374
FMCA National President
July 2015
Hello, My Fellow FMCA Family:
I just realized that this is the 24th column I’ve written since being elected as FMCA national president. As you’ll recall, I’ve had my good times, my bad times, my lost times, and my found times. Through it all I’ve maintained my sense of humor and my love for RVing.
In April, Gloria and I hosted our annual “Rally in the Pasture.” This get-together takes place at our home in Searcy, Arkansas, each year and is open to anyone. To find out more about this gathering, or the FMCA chapter of the same name, go to www.rallyinthepasture.com.
After all of our FMCA friends left, we made a quick trip to Shreveport, Louisiana, for the INTO (International Area) Rally, where a good time was had by all. Naturally, I had to get sick and ended up with laryngitis. Can you imagine me being unable to talk? Thankfully, I am past that catastrophe now.
We then returned home for some family business. On Saturday, May 9, our daughter, Denise, received her MBA from Harding University in Searcy. On Sunday, May 10, our grandson Dalton graduated from Harding Academy on the same campus. We are so proud of them both. May 11 was our granddaughter Megan’s 15th birthday. We got to celebrate for the whole weekend!
We left right after Dalton’s graduation to head to Cincinnati for the Executive Board meeting. Afterward, we had planned to visit the Monaco America chapter in Marengo, Ohio, but were called away for a family emergency. FMCA national senior vice president Jon Walker did attend this rally and was warmly welcomed by the members of this group.
The family emergency also changed our plan to attend the joint rally of the Michigan Knights of the Highway and the Midwest Coachmen on May 14-17. Several other national officers did participate, however, and FMCA executive director Jerry Yeatts paid them a visit. Both chapters are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2015. Congratulations to these chapters, as well as to the California and Northeastern chapters, which also reached their 50-year mark this year. These were the first four FMCA chapters chartered.
By the time you read this in late June or early July, we hope to have been in Goshen, Indiana, to enjoy the Great Lakes Area Rally June 3-7, and to have moved on to the Northeast Area Rally scheduled for July 8-12 in Essex Junction, Vermont. Although I won’t be able to attend this year, I should mention that the Northwest Area Rally will take place June 25-28 in North Bend, Oregon. Area rallies are great fun, and I encourage you to join in whenever you get the opportunity. The schedules and locations for all the area rallies as well as many chapter rallies are listed in the Association Calendar beginning on page 84 of this issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine. The calendar also lists dates for FMCA’s upcoming Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase events.
Speaking of which, you still have time to register and join us for the 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase to be held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, July 29 to August 1, with departure on August 2. This is a great venue with lots to see and do, and, of course, it is good to head north in July! Hope to see many of you there.
And speaking of July, this is one of my favorite months — middle of summer, spending time outdoors enjoying our wonderful lifestyle, lots of family activities and vacations, and special holidays in Canada and in the United States. Our members in Canada will commemorate Canada Day on Wednesday, July 1, with parades, fireworks, cookouts, and concerts. This holiday marks the anniversary of the enactment of the Constitution Act of 1867, which brought together what had been three colonies to form a single country known as Canada.
In the United States, similar celebrations will take place on Saturday, July 4, to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, proclaiming independence from Great Britain.
One unique observation that involves both Canada and the United States is a celebration that takes place near the end of June in the cities of Detroit and Windsor, with several days of festival activities on both sides of the Detroit River. One highlight is a spectacular fireworks display above both cities, set for June 22 this year. It is known as one of the largest fireworks displays in North America and usually draws a crowd of more than 1 million.
And, of course, most of us celebrate with our own simpler fireworks, parades, cookouts, sports, and special time with family and friends.
If you have read many of my earlier articles, it should be obvious that I have a great love for our wonderful countries and the privileges we enjoy. I am certainly not bashful about showing my patriotism and encouraging others to do the same. Sometimes we tend to treat our special holidays as just one more paid day off from work without pausing to remember what we are really celebrating. Independence Day was certainly monumental to the signers of the Declaration. The Second Continental Congress actually voted to approve a resolution declaring the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. On July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail:
“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
I think we do a pretty good job of complying with John Adams’ suggested celebrations — and I love it! His prediction was off by two days; the date on the Declaration is actually July 4. This date has been celebrated ever since as the United States’ Independence Day. Interestingly, the date was not declared a paid federal holiday by Congress until 1938.
So, have a great time with family and friends, take advantage of our special days, and I plan to see you down the road soon (in Madison, for starters). And remember, “It’s all about having fun!”