FMCA CHAPTER Volume 10, Issue 5

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1 No T R A C K E R S P R I N T S 2017 The newsletter is available on the website: FMCA CHAPTER Volume 10, Issue 5 UPCOMING RALLIES May 2017 Flicker Hollow, Sonora, CA Hosts: Apollo Amigos RV Club June 2017 Pacific Dunes RV Park Oceano, CA Hosts: Richard H. & Nanette WE ARE DARK IN JULY AND AUGUST WE D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS FOR A RALLY; CALL Tom & Dee Williams OFFICERS President Debbie Golk Vice President Buck Youngblood Secretary Nancy Carnes Treasurer Carol Pontolillo Nat l Director Nanette Caldwell Alt. Nat l. Director Tom Williams Rally Masters Tom & Dee Williams Web Master Frank Amore Sunshine Pat Youngblood Newsletter Editor - Debbie Golk Membership - Vacant Volunteer Coordinator Buck Youngblood Club Historians Dee Williams & Nanette Caldwell Hi Trackers, Thanks to everyone that attended our rally at Boulder Creek in Lone Pine. The Wells and Youngbloods did a great job! We had really good food and if you left hungry it was your own fault no shortages here. They even did such a great job with smart shopping and such that we all got a refund!!! We had a business meeting Saturday after breakfast and discussed having representation at the national convention in Indianapolis Indiana. Nanette will attend as our National Director and place our vote for an important motion being made by FMCA to allow towables. Everyone at the meeting voted and it was unanimous to allow them. This will be great for boosting the membership. This month we will be headed up to Sonora for the Apollo Amigos Flicker Hollow rally. It is really a fun time and it is such a beautiful area you ll wish you had an extra week or two to see everything up there. Last year the weather was great! In June our rally will be held at Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort in Oceano. This rally will be hosted by Richard Hendershott and Nanette Caldwell. It s always nice to get to the coast during the summer months when the weather is pretty warm everywhere else. As usual we will be dark in July and August but look forward to seeing everyone at our 10 th anniversary rally in September at River Run RV Resort in Bakersfield. It can be rather warm in Bakersfield this time of year so bring your summer wear. They also have a nice swimming pool for those of you who enjoy swimming to cool off.

2 President s Message (con t.) PAGE 2 I would like to mention that Joanne Wells and Pat Youngblood are both recovering well from their surgeries. I think they both overdid a little during the weekend but hopefully they were able to rest up once they got home. I m hoping that several of you will be able to make it to Sonora and to Pismo. We look forward to seeing you. Take care and travel safe, Debbie Golk, F Chapter President Vice President s Message Fun, Food and Good Friends - Boulder Creek rally was filled with games, birthday & anniversary celebrations and a very special guest. Making tracks by giving back made the Chapter look good with a large clothing donation for the Inyo- Mono Association for the Handicapped of Bishop. The Bean bag baseball game went well until a wild pitch by Louise (special guest) thumped Fred to get his attention. Again a fine job of auctioning off the White Elephant by Fred and help from Debbie ciphering and Nancy moving three tables full of neat stuff that made a sum of cash for the Chapter. A very big thank you to those helping out Joanne and Pat with preparing and clean up for the meals (Sharon, Debbie, Dee & Nancy) way to go. Frank & Pat Amore did a lot of exploring and searching out some great photo ops see below. Being the road was closed to Mt Whitney some took in a couple Museum's - plus. Fire side chat's were fun catching up. Excitement is building for the Pismo rally to be hosted by Nanette with Richard taking on the cooking. (I observed Richard at the BBQ preparing a steak and it was a piece of art when finished) that is a good thing! With a projected large turnout for Pismo I'm sure Nannette and Richard will appreciate all the help we can muster. Even though Tom and Bill must get back to the old grind on Monday, I'm confident they had a good time. A big welcome back to Tracking: Leo, Mel, Sharon, Richard & Gloria. A big thank you to Fred and Joanne for the very nice rebate check given to all units attending the Rally. Buck Yongblood, F Chapter Vice President Beautiful aren t they? Thanks Frank!

3 GOLDER STATE TRACKERS RALLY REPORT BOULDER CREEK RV PARK APRIL 2017 The Weather for this rally was WONDERFUL. Early arrivals on Tuesday were Gloria and Richard Hendershot. PAGE 3 Wednesday, rally co-hosts Fred & Joanne Wells and Buck & Pat Youngblood, as well as Bob & Debbie Golk arrived. Thursday saw the arrival of Leo Sweeney and his wonderful guest Louise Dennis, Frank & Pat Amore, Nanette Caldwell, Bill & Nancy Kitt-Carnes, Mel & Sharon Berry and Marty & Diane Robertson. Thursday Happy Hour was followed by a Bring Your Own Meat to BBQ. Side dishes were provided by all. Friday saw the arrival of one of our working members Tom & Dee Williams. Friday was a day to enjoy, visit and catch up. Many explored the area and the many things to see, or just enjoyed the day around camp. Our planned trip to Whitney Portal did not pan out as the road was closed due to the long winter at that altitude. Happy Hour was followed by a great meal (Sloppy Joes) prepared by the hosts and all the wonderful helpers. Saturday coffee was available in the club house as well as Bloody Mary s and Mimosas, which was followed by breakfast (Breakfast Burritos, fruit) at the Clubhouse. A business meeting was held following breakfast. Minutes are included elsewhere in this newsletter. Did I mention the weather was wonderful, perfect for a game of Bean Bag baseball!!! The score was close and what a grand time was had by all. Be very careful when standing behind home plate as you can be hit with a stray bean bag. I still think Leo had something to do with it - just kidding Leo. Happy Hour in the Club House was followed by a great meal with a taco bar and all the fixings. Ice cream cake was served as dessert as we celebrated the birthdays (Joanne Wells, Mel Berry, Joe Billingsley, Doug Key, and Charlotte Ermolenko) and anniversaries (Doug and Judy Key and Tom and Dee Williams). A White Elephant Auction was held after dinner. The bidding was hot and heavy, with the ladies looking for bargains and the husbands trying to figure out what to do with the newly acquired stuff. Some us of thinking we had managed to bring things to leave and would have more room in the coach on the return home. Not always true. Sixty one dollars was raised as a result of the auction. All present voted to give all proceeds to the Trackers General Fund. This was done. Sunday morning was coffee at the club house followed by a breakfast of biscuits & gravy w/bacon, sausage & juice; a great traveling camper s breakfast for the trip home. A big thank you for all the help in the kitchen to Sharon Berry, Debbie Golk, Dee Williams and Nancy Kitt-Carnes, their help was invaluable. Last but not least in keeping with our motto Leaving Tracks by Giving Back was a great success. Our donations were picked up by Inyo-Mono Handicap of Bishop with a heartfelt Thank You!!!! See a copy of the thank you letter sent to us in this newsletter. And again the weather was wonderful. Happy Travels, Fred & Joanne Wells Buck & Pat Youngblood Bob provided and umpired a fast moving Bean Bag game. Maybe during the game he misplaced the rebate check or his little buddy on the couch absconded with it!

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5 PAGE 5 Golden State Trackers Meeting Boulder Creek RV Park, Lone Pine, CA April 22, 2017 CALL TO ORDER: Meeting was called to order by President, Debbie Golk at 9:10 am. Members present include: Pat and Frank Amore Sharon and Mel Berry Nanette Caldwell Debbie and Bob Golk Nancy Carnes and Bill Kitt Gloria and Richard Hendershott Diane and Marty Robertson Leo Sweeney Joanne and Fred Wells Dee and Tom Williams Pat and Buck Youngblood Pledge of Allegiance: led by Debbie Golk Guests: Leo Sweeney introduced his friend Louise Dennis Secretary Report: Minutes of GST Business Meeting from September 17, 2016 were read by Nancy. A couple of corrections were made. Marty Robertson made a motion that the minutes be approved as corrected. Bill Kitt seconded the motion Treasury Report: Carol Pontolillo was not in attendance but gave information to Debbie, who reported that the chapter has $ in checking and $ in savings. It is unclear at this point whether the $200 deposit from Pala is part of our checking acct. or not. Rally Master Report: Tom Williams discussed the upcoming May Rally at Flicker Hollow in Sonora hosted by the Apollo Amigos. Other rallies this year include- June-Pacific Dunes-Richard Hendershott and Nanette Caldwell July & August-Dark September-River Run Bakersfield-Golks October-Yanks RV/Greenfield-Golks & Pontolillo Nov-Orange Grove-Youngblood Dec. Christmas rally/apollo Amigos Tom asked what Trackers wanted to do if not enough members sign up for a particular rally? Should we have the rallies anyway? Debbie asked if we were willing to pay extra for a clubhouse and nightly costs? Fred reminded us that in the past we called it a buddy rally and we didn't need to worry about a clubhouse. Nanette said it depends on the time of the year whether a clubhouse was important. Buck asked how do we determine if it's a buddy rally or not? It was decided that by the rally deadline date, if not enough rigs signed up, a decision would be made by the host whether it should be a buddy rally. Marty asked whether FMCA insurance would cover members at a buddy rally? Debbie and Bob both agreed that yes we would be covered since it's still a chapter rally and we're covered as FMCA members. Tom Williams then asked for 2018 rally venue suggestions. Bill suggested Hemet for Ocktoberfest. Debbie will provide Tom with that info.

6 Frank suggested Borrego Springs. Bob mentioned that winter rate goes up after Nov. since it becomes crowded with snow birds. Debbie suggested Pala Casino, again, as well as Flying Flags. PAGE 6 Diane took issue with Flying Flags since she had a negative experience with setting up that rally earlier this year. She and Marty left the meeting. Debbie asked Fred and Buck for an update on our current rally. Buck reminded everyone to turn in their donations which will be picked up on Monday by the Inyo-Mono Handicapped of Bishop. Tom asked about rallies with other chapters. Discussion followed. Most people are in favor of this. Before discussing the Flicker Hollow Rally in Sonora next month, Bob Golk spoke about conflicting information that people may get when dealing with RV parks. He suggested information be passed on to the rally master who can followup and clarify any issues. Bob went on to explain that Flicker Hollow has lots of grass, big open spaces, a huge clubhouse and lots to see in the area. The rally will be held May th (Thursday-Tuesday). Distance-wise it is about 6 hours from Tehachapi. Tom and Dee Williams agreed that it is a very nice venue. Tom told us that after the Sonora rally another Apollo Amigo member, living in Mariposa, has invited guests to spend a few nights at his place where he has a collection of Studebaker automobiles. Nanette talked about the June rally at Pacific Dunes in Oceano. A signup sheet is available for those wanting to attend. A large car show will be going on at the same time. The rally fee is $170 per 2-person rig. The deadline for signing up is May 10 th. More information will be in the May newsletter. For steak lovers, dinner at Jocko's Thursday night is on the schedule. OLD BUSINESS Nancy said that the 2-year term for officers is already in the Bylaws, as stated below.. ARTICLE IV OFFICERS 2. TERMS OF OFFICE: The elected officers of this chapter shall serve a one (or two) year term of office, or until their successors are elected. Nancy talked about our recruitment brochure. Christy Budai, Chapter Services Coordinator, sent a letter stating that the info was mailed to 68 non-chapter members and ed to 591 non-chapter members. Only one couple inquired regarding our chapter and they live in Ramona, CA. Our rallies are apparently too far for them to travel since they both work. NEW BUSINESS Debbie asked how everyone felt about Buck's VP message Kicking Around Ideas in the March newsletter which includes playing games, white elephant auctions, contests, etc. Everyone was fine with the activities we are currently doing. We discussed rallies with low attendance and inviting FMCA members from other chapters to build our membership. Most members are in agreement with that. Suggestions for other rally venues- Nanette-regional park at Yucaipa (no clubhouse is available) or Oak Glen that has a clubhouse. KOA Santa Paula was mentioned, as well as the county park next door with limited hook-ups but a nice bird sanctuary.

7 PAGE 7 Bill-Monterey County Fairgrounds. The group discussed starting rallies on Thursday rather than Friday. Tom Williams made a motion for the Thursday-Sunday schedule. Nanette seconded the motion. Bob Golk said there is a strong movement to admit trailers or towables to FMCA in order to help the organization survive since membership has declined to about 77,000 members. He asked whether, as a group, we are for it or against it. Each chapter will have a final say as to whether to allow towables, the percent of towables allowed in a chapter, and even the length of towables. A discussion ensued and then Debbie made a motion for a vote on allowing towables. Motion passed. Frank Amore asked about FMCAssist. Is it getting too expensive for FMCA to keep this for FMCA members? Will allowing towables give FMCA more bargaining power with a broader membership base? The answer is yes, it should. National Director, Nanette Caldwell, will give our yes vote for allowing towables at the July governing board meeting in Indianapolis. A motion was made to provide financial support to Nanette for going to this rally. Fred seconded the motion. OPEN DISCUSSION Debbie thanked Frank Amore for taking on the web master position and spoke about how important that position is to the success of our chapter. No other issues were discussed. Buck made a motion to adjourn Joanne seconded the motion. Meeting adjourned: 10:35 am NOTE: The Robertson's turned in their badges and have quit the chapter. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Carnes Golden State Trackers Secretary Bill Louise Mel Joanne HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

8 PAGE 8 Apollo Amigos Flicker Hollow Cow Capers Rally 24th Anniversary May 25 ~ 30, 2017 Mother Lode Fairgrounds, 220 Southgate Drive, Sonora, CA (209) Hosts: Bruce & Jan Watson RALLY FEE $ (parking is included) There will be an additional assessment at the end of the rally for food not covered in the rally fee. Contact the Fairgrounds at the above listed number and come in early if you wish to explore the various sites in and around Sonora Copy & Print this registration form! Send this form and your check to: Jan Watson ~ Lime Kiln Road ~ Sonora CA th Flicker Hollow Cow Mother Lode Fairgrounds ~ Sonora CA~ May 25 30, 2017 Rally Fee: $ per coach (2 people) or $ for single. Name Cell Hers address I/we will the Fairgrounds on May I/we would love to help prepare a meal! Hot Breakfast or Dinner I/we don t cook, but I/we will help with meal preparation Or - I/we will help with cleanup afterwards Amount enclosed: $ Yes, I/we would like to attend the theater! # of tickets? Please DO NOT send money for the theater. You will pay me at the rally! Thanks! Registration Deadline May 14, 2017 The Rally will be cancelled if we do not have 8 confirmations by the rally deadline.

9 PAGE 9 What to do for the week? Sonora is centrally located to many of the Mother Lode towns that make up the Gold Country. You can take day trips to visit the neighboring towns, wineries and museums. Enjoy breakfast, Happy Hour & dinner at the rally, fun and games each day, or take a day on your own to shop, tour, or just sit and sog and enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow Amigos! Mountain Springs Golf Course is just a couple of miles away, as well as neighboring courses in Angels Camp and Copperopolis. Antique shops galore and much, much more! Lots of great places to go for lunch too! Black Oak Casino is in nearby Tuolumne City. On Saturday, May 27th we plan to attend an optional matinee theater presentation at 2:00 PM Tickets are usually about $32.00 for a group rate. Do not send theater money with your $ rally fee, Jan will collect for the theater at the rally. SIERRA REPERTORY THEATRE THE FANTASTICS ABOUT THE SHOW: The Fantastics is the longest-running musical in the world and with good reason: at the heart of its breathtaking poetry and subtle theatrical sophistication is a purity and simplicity that transcends cultural barriers. The narrator, El Gallo, asks the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic where a boy and a girl fall in love, grow apart and finally find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo s words that, without a hurt, the heart is hollow. MOTHER LODE Fairgrounds Large club house with a huge kitchen, full hook-ups and close to town.

10 PAGE 10 Escape the summer heat over at the coast! Join Golden State Trackers at Pacific Dunes RV Resort June 15-18, 2017 Please let Nanette know ASAP if you plan on going to Jocko s for dinner on Thursday, June 15th as this is a very busy week in Pismo. Also she needs to have site reservations in by May 10th to save our spaces. Include your fee of $170 which is for three nights camping and four meals. Please also bring a dozen of your favorite cookies to add to the other Saturday yummies. Thank you, Nanette. (951) Call if you have any questions. A weekend get-away awaits you over in Oceano, just south of Pismo Beach. Join us at Pacific Dunes RV Resort ( There are many things to see and do over there: horse-back riding, hiking the dunes, the Pismo pier, eating seafood and clam chowder, and shopping in Arroyo Grande. On Thursday how about we all caravan to the famous Jocko s in Nipomo for the best steak dinner you will ever have (honest). We will need a head count so we can make reservations. Indicate if you want to go on the registration form. Friday you are on your own as we wait for the later arrivals. (More news about what we can do on Friday will be in the May Newsletter). Friday evening meet in the club house at 4:00 for Happy Hour. A surprise dinner will be served by our hosts, Richard Hendershot and Nanette Caldwell. Saturday morning we will be serving breakfast in the club house. Afterwards Pismo Beach is hosting its famous CAR SHOW which I am sure most will enjoy. Cars will line up the streets of this tiny beach town where spectators can enjoy the cars, the sponsors, and the vendors. There is much more fun to be had at the surrounding attractions like shopping in downtown Pismo Beach, wineries located just miles up the coast and much more. Happy Hour will begin at 4:00 p.m. Followed by a delicious Father's Day dinner and a very special desert, conjured up by our good friend Richard. Sunday morning we will caravan over to a local favorite restaurant for breakfast. They have great staff and good food. Following breakfast it will be time to say good-byes and hit the road unless you wish to stay another night.

11 PAGE 11 Cost for the rally is $170 per rig which includes (3 nights camping + 4 meals). Cost for single persons is $l54. Spaces are pull-through with full hook-ups and 30/50 Amp electric. We have 20 spaces reserved. Please send your reservation information and rally fees to Nanette Caldwell, nd Street, space 40, Yucaipa, Ca by May 10 th to save your spot. If you wish to come early or stay after the rally, you need to check the days on the registration form and add the $46 per night fees accordingly. We will coordinate your days with the park so you need not call the park directly. Hope to see you there!! June Golden State Trackers Campout Reservation form ($170 fee required) Name # in party Phone # Nights at rally: Thurs Fri Sat Total (@ $46 per night) Meals: $8.00 per (2 meals Fri and 2 meals Sat $32 total) Total Dinner at Jocko s? Yes No Make check payable to Nanette Caldwell. Call or with any questions or me at nanettecaldwell@gmail.com cut and mail reservation Directions to Pacific Dunes RV Park: From where ever you are head west (recommend Hwys 126 or 166) and get on Hwy 101 North. Just past Nipomo take Exit 182 (Los Berros Rd/Thompson Rd). At the stop turn left (Los Berros Rd). Drive 5 miles to the end of the road and turn left on Valley Rd. Go ¼ mile and turn right on Cienega (Hwy 1). Go 1.4 miles and turn left on 22 nd St. (just past the Pismo Sands RV park on your left). Follow the road into the park. Note these directions are different than what is stated on the park web site. They have you going up to Grand Ave, through traffic signals and the business district. My way is better and a little shorter too. We have been there many times and this is the way we go. If you are arriving before Thursday be sure and tell them you are with the Golden State Trackers when you check in at the office. We are staying in the lower level next to the club house.

12 PAGE 12 THE BACK PAGE MAY CELEBRATIONS BIRTHDAYS Pat Amore - 5/3 Linda Weaver - 5/8 Judy Marshall - 5/26 NONE ANNIVERSARIES Sunshine Column One of our charter members, Judy Key is having some medical issues and needs our thoughts and prayers. Take care Judy!