All In The Family
Ways to connect with fellow FMCA members; an example of how the FMCA family comes through for others; and a look ahead at upcoming events.
Chris Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Chris Smith
csmith@fmca.com
Family is a very important word at FMCA. It is the first word in the official name of our wonderful organization: Family Motor Coach Association. FMCA started in 1963 when 26 families met in Hinckley, Maine, to socialize and share their common love of RVing. It seems everything at FMCA points back to family. It is no coincidence that family is the first word in FMCA.
There are many ways to connect with your FMCA family. Reading this wonderful magazine gives the opportunity to learn about other members and their experiences. Attending FMCA events is another way to connect. Whether it be at an FMCA international convention, an area rally, or a chapter rally, you are guaranteed to enjoy camaraderie and to forge friendships for life.
One of the newer ways to keep up with your FMCA family is via social media. FMCA has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. Like many other organizations, FMCA’s largest following is on Facebook. We maintain two pages on the platform. One is our main FMCA page, which just recently passed 40,000 followers. You can find it at www.facebook.com/fmcafans/. Just click “like” on this page and you will be up to date on everything FMCA. Posting on this page is handled by staff at FMCA headquarters.
We also have a group we created not long ago called RVs and Camping — On the Road with FMCA. The group can be found at www.facebook.com/groups/fmcarvclub/. This page is more social in nature, a place where RVers can post about their travel experiences. The group currently has almost 4,000 members. If you haven’t already joined this group, please take a look and send us a request. It’s a closed group, so you do need to request to be included, but we welcome all RVers to join and take part. This group recently was used by FMCA member Kerry Bounds to seek help in a time of need. Many members responded to his call for assistance. You can read more about his story on page 83 of this issue.
Aside from the FMCA family coming together to help Mr. Bounds, an FMCA partner also stepped up. Seven Corners, who administers FMCA’s flagship benefit, the FMCAsssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program, was able to give Mr. Bounds peace of mind so he could focus on recovery. They arranged for someone to drive his coach home and provided plane tickets for him, his pet, and a nurse to fly home once he was able to travel. The nurse who accompanied him also was arranged by Seven Corners. Ground transportation to the airport from the medical facility and from the airport to his home base also was covered. All this cost Mr. Bounds nothing beyond his FMCA dues.
The FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program is a wonderful benefit that is included with your FMCA dues. To learn more about the benefit, please visit www.fmca.com/fmca-assist. If you have friends who travel in their RVs for extended periods of time, please spread the word about FMCAssist and the value of being an FMCA member. Not just for the benefits, but for family as well.
Speaking of family, the FMCA family will be gathering this month, March 26 through 29, at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, Arizona, for a fun-filled time of shopping, learning, and socializing. The list of exhibitors planning to display RVs and related products and services at FMCA’s 101st International Convention and RV Expo starts on page 48 of this issue of the magazine. The list of seminars appeared in the February 2020 issue. Up-to-date information about exhibitors, seminars, and more appears online at FMCA.com under the Events tab. (PLEASE NOTE: Because of concerns over the escalating COVID-19 virus, FMCA’s 101st International Convention and RV Expo, scheduled for March 26-29, 2020, has been cancelled.)
We’ll also be enjoying some first-class entertainment during the convention. Country music star Josh Turner will take the stage on Saturday, March 28. And Three Dog Night will rock the house on Sunday, March 29. That’s only a small sampling of the fantastic entertainment lineup. For more information, visit www.fmca.com/fmca-entertainment-schedule.
Of course, you’ll want to do some sight-seeing while you’re in the area. We’ve shared stories the past few months of places to go and things to see and do in and around Tucson. This issue of the magazine includes a story about Arizona’s Verde Valley and its charms, starting on page 42.
All you folks snowbirding in Arizona will want to come join the fun in Tucson. If you haven’t yet registered, it’s not too late! We have room for more RVers to come stay at the Pima County Fairgrounds with us. Registrations will be accepted online at FMCA.com or by phone until March 18. After that, just register when you arrive on-site. You also can opt to purchase a Passport, which allows you to take part in all the activities but leave your RV parked elsewhere. A Public Gate ticket is an option for those who just want to view the RV Expo portion of the event.
The fun won’t stop in Tucson, of course. We’re already making plans for FMCA’s next big event – the 102nd International Convention and RV Expo. In August, we’ll be heading for the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, for what we’re calling our “Golden Getaway.” The dates of the event are August 26 through 29, and the registration form appears on pages 57-58 of this magazine and online at FMCA.com.
We’re breaking new ground, as FMCA will be making its first visit to Nebraska for an international convention. The Lancaster Event Center has five interconnected buildings and ample parking set on 160 acres. It will make a great location for an FMCA event.
We’ll be sharing stories about Lincoln and the Midwest in upcoming issues of the magazine. If you want to get a jump on planning your trip, check out www.lincoln.org, where you can explore all there is to see and do in this vibrant capital city. Look for the online 2020 visitors guide there. And be sure to check out www.visitnebraska.com to find fun things to see and do in the state. The latter site also offers a free visitors guide — by mail or online. If you’ll be bringing your kids or grandkids, requesting the free packet of Nebraska information by mail might be a good way to get them excited about the adventure.
Hope to see you in Tucson and in Lincoln. But wherever your travels take you this spring and summer, enjoy the journey!