By Jon Walker, F268778
November 2017
It’s difficult to be sitting here in September writing an article that will not be published until November, but such is the world of magazine deadlines. Sondra and I have been quite busy visiting chapters and meeting lots of new and interesting FMCA members.
We had a delightful trip to Durant, Oklahoma, where we presented the Lone Star chapter with their 50th anniversary certificate and check. On the way to Durant, we stopped in Searcy, Arkansas, to stay overnight with immediate past national president Charlie Adcock and his wife, Gloria. Charlie had hip replacement surgery not long before and was just starting to walk with the help of a walker. Gloria, Sondra, and I kept telling Charlie to slow down and take it easy . . . not what Charlie wanted to hear! I’m pleased to say he’s doing much better now and soon will be back to full speed.
Since November 11 is Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada, I thought I would relate a story about a member I met while attending the Lone Star chapter celebration. Joe Fazzio, F149767, is a true American war hero. We were talking about flying, and Joe casually told me that he flew P-51 fighter planes during the Korean War. Since I had flown in a P-51 some years ago, we had something in common.
As the conversation progressed, I found out that Joe not only flew a P-51 at the start of the Korean War, but he transitioned to jets as the war progressed. He flew the F-80 Shooting Star, the F-84 Thunderjet, and the F-86 Sabre. He flew 358 sorties while in Korea and was shot down two times. Both times he was shot down, he was rescued by a Navy helicopter. He told me that he has the highest respect for the men who flew the rescue helicopters, but he still does not like to ride in them!
During his time in combat, Joe shot down two MiG-15s while flying his P-51 and two Yaks while flying the F-86 Sabre. It was an honor to get to know Joe and hear his story.
On this Veterans Day 2017, please spend a few moments thinking about all the men and women who have and are putting their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. Better still, look for an opportunity to express your thanks to a veteran or active-duty military member.
After we returned home to Elkhart, Indiana, we found out that the family who bought the house we had lived in for 40-plus years wanted to move their closing date from the end of September to just two days after we arrived home. We worked really hard to get the last of our possessions out of the house. We now are living at our lake cottage, located just north of Elkhart in southern Michigan. We have boxes and boxes everywhere in our new living space. We will slowly get things sorted out as time allows between our FMCA journeys.
Hey, speaking of journeys, are you following along on my FMCA adventures as your president at Join Jon’s Journey? I’d really like for members to connect with me via this blog. Visit www.joinjonsjourney.com, or click on the Join Jon’s Journey tab at the top of the FMCA.com home page (you must be signed in to see it). You can even subscribe so that you’ll receive notifications when new blog posts appear.
Another chapter we visited on behalf of FMCA was Roadtrek International. The chapter held its annual business meeting/rally in September. I was pleased to be able to share an update on all things FMCA. After my presentation, I stayed for a new seminar about the world of human trafficking. I learned quite a bit about this topic. Ronda Deel, F332640, from Cincinnati, gave the presentation. I asked her whether she would present this seminar at one of our international conventions, and she expressed interest in doing so. Human trafficking is a much larger problem than one would think. It relates not only to sex trafficking but also to labor trafficking. If you have the opportunity, be sure to take in this seminar.
We also visited the GMC Motorhomes International chapter’s 35th anniversary celebration rally. It was interesting meeting and interacting with the members of this chapter. You talk about a group of people who are dedicated to their particular brand of motorhomes. Wow! These chapter members live and breathe GMC motorhomes! The president of the chapter, Stan Edwards, F367089, and his wife, Eileen, were our hosts. As it turns out, Stan is a collector of MG sports cars. Since I had an MGA in 1967, we had lots to talk about. The interests, experiences, hobbies, and talents of our members never cease to amaze me.
By the time you read this article, we will have been to the Eastern Area Rally in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and the South Central Area Rally in Texarkana, Arkansas. We also will have completed the fall FMCA Executive Board meetings. I will have more to say about this special meeting/event in next month’s column . . . stay tuned.
Sondra and I hope all of our friends in the United States have an enjoyable and relaxing Thanksgiving. I have stated before that Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. I still remember as a young boy in the fourth grade helping the teacher decorate our schoolroom with pictures of turkeys and pumpkins. Now, as an adult, I enjoy Thanksgiving because it gives one a short pause in that time between Halloween and Christmas. I love to spend the long weekend eating great food, enjoying our family, watching college football, and simply “hanging out.” It also gives me time to thank God for the many blessings we have.
Sondra and I hope that you, too, will pause this Thanksgiving and give thanks for the life we have as RVers and the love we have for our families.
Meanwhile, remember, it’s still all about having fun!