Valley of the Sun November 2014 Newsletter Volume 2014 ~ Issue 9 Special points of interest: Membership is a responsibility for all members Chapter 309 could lose up to 10 members this year Volunteer to make contacts with dealers, consignment lots and HR owners you see along your travels Inside this issue: The Natchez Trace 2 New officers for 309 The town too beautiful to burn Monthly breakfast programs 2 3 3 Campout schedule 4 Minutes of October 309 Business Information about December outing 5 6 Membership is critical "If you build it, they will come." While this bromide may apply to baseball fields built in the cornfields of Iowa, or for a shopping center but it does not apply to membership in a recreational vehicle club. During several past International and state rallies, attendees kept repeating that "if only HR would build more units, our clubs would grow." The reality is that the company could not build units fast enough or dealers sell those units fast enough to slow the declining membership in HRRVC. Chapter 309 stands to lose up to ten members this coming year due to retirement from camping, changes in personal lives and leaving the AZ area. What can we do? Each month we get a list of those who have December Outing in Verde Valley This December Chapters 309 and 71 will join together for our Holiday Campout. Distant Drums RV Resort will be the location. This is a perfect location to journey into Sedona, or perhaps up to Jerome for a haunted hamburger. purchased new units. A packet of information is sent along the latest Newsletter. After a time, a phone call is made and/or an Email is sent. It has not been enough to draw in members. There is also the pool of used HR motorhomes and towable units that are available on a number of consignment or sale lots. (Con't on p. 3 Membership) We will have time for games, crafts and discussion groups. On Thursday evening there will be the Christmas Dinner. See the form on page 6. Respond with the information needed for your reservation. See you at Distant Drums.
Valley of the Sun November 2014 Page 2 The All-American Road A road all to one's self. The Natchez Trace Parkway leads you 444 miles through three states and 10,000 years of history. As one of the "Kaintucks" from the Ohio River Valley, you have just sold all of the cash crops, livestock and other items you had floated down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Natchez or perhaps all the way to New Orleans. That sale also included your flatboat. After purchasing some food, and new clothing you begin to walk back home. The pathway you walk becomes known as the "Natchez Trace." This natural travel corridor dates back to pre-history when mastodons and giant bison carved the original path. These were followed by early hunters who, who were followed by the Chickasaw, the Natchez and other tribes. Then the conquistadors arrived, followed by the trappers, and boatmen. With the growing number of travelers tramped the rough trail into a clearly marked path. The Trace crossing over the Tennessee River Today the Natchez Trace Parkway creates a greenway from the southern Appalachian foothills of Tennessee to the bluffs of the lower Mississippi River. Going along one has the feeling of solitude. Mile after mile of smooth paved highway, the asphalt dappled with spots of sunlight streaming through the leaves of overhanging trees. There are several campgrounds along the Trace, we stayed at the Jeff Busby location. Named after the Mississippi congressman who gained funding to finance the construction of the modern road. It is dry camping among the trees, but there is no charge. A wealth of Indian mounds, portions of the old "sunken trace" (worn down by centuries of travelers), historic Civil War sites and the farming lands once given to cotton, all are found along the All-American Road. Election of officers for Chapter 309 Stopping along US Route 61 at The Old Country Store Restaurant- what Alton Brown has crowned as the "Best Fried Chicken - ever" Here is Barb with the chef "Mr. D" During the recent Region VII, AZ, NM Rally our Chapter 309 held election of new officers for the year 2015. Installation of these new officers will take place at the December outing at Distant Drums RV Resort. The new officers are: President ~ Nancy Joy Vice President ~ Ray Zeek Secretary ~ Kay Honn Treasurer ~ Mary Schweppe Chairs: Membership ~ Barbara Laursen Charity ~ Marcia Foster Historian ~ Jack Foster Sunshine ~ Gidget Zeek
Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3 The town too beautiful to burn.. Traveling along highway US 61 between Nachez and Vicksburg one gains an appreciation of the rich history of this wonderful area. Nachez is filled with beautiful antebellum and Victorian homes. Nachez did not suffer the fate of many other southern towns, for their leaders quickly gave over to the Union troops. While cotton and plantation life was accepted, the town did not agree that succeeding from the union was the proper path. North of Nachez is Port Gibson. In May of 1863 during General U. S. Grant march to Vicksburg, he declared that the town should Interior of St Joseph Catholic Church,Port Gibson not be pillaged for it was "too beautiful to burn." Church Street (US 61) is lined with old homes and churches of the community. Of special note are three buildings. St. Joseph Catholic Church, offers a special characteristic, which almost knocks you in the face. It is the cobalt blue stainedglass windows so vivid that the air inside the churches turns into a purple haze. The First Presbyterian Church is unusual, for atop the steeple is a gilded hand point heavenward. There is also an unused Moorish Revival synagogue. The town is "too beautiful to burn." This is the oldest surviving synagogue in Mississippi The Old Country Store Restaurant is located in Lorman, Mississippi on US 61. People travel for hours to partake of Mr. "D"s 'Heavenly Fried Chicken'. The buffet includes fried chicken and other meats cucumber/tomato tossed salad, salad, potato salad, coleslaw, mac & cheese, corn on the cob, green beans, turnip greens, dirty rice, field peas, sweet potatoes, dressing and cornbread. Owner Arthur Davis (Mr. "D") entertains diners by singing a song Membership (con't from p. 1) For those locations, a personal stop at each lot is needed. What we do need is personal contact with those who have purchased a new to them unit or who allowed their membership to lapse. When was the last time you have seen an HR unit at a campground and asked if that person had heard of HRRVC? We need to aggressively continue our membership drive. Ray Nichols has oft reminded us that if each of us would bring in just one new member, our club would double in just one year. It is time for us to step forward if there is any hope for the future of our organization. Now is the time. Do not wait until nothing remains. First Presbyterian Church in Port Gibson
Chapter 309 Breakfast Gatherings This winter we shall meet on the first Tuesday each month: Nov. 4th, Dec. 2rd, Jan. 76h, Feb. 3rd, Mar. 3rd and April 7th. Meet at Coco's Bakery & Restaurant, 2026 N. 7th St., Phoenix. We begin at 9:30 am. Brief announcements, then a speaker, if you choose you may order breakfast. Nov. 4th ~ Summer Adventures Dec. 2nd ~ Gerry Kroloff, Area Agency on Aging. January 6th ~ AZ State Parks February 3rd ~ Coach Care - Cummings (at their Avondale location) March 3rd, & April 7th ~ TBA We welcome your suggestions. Topics need not relate to RV or camping, but of general interest for our members. Contact Thom Feit with suggestions. Visit our website www.azhrrvc.org Come join the fun Chapter 309 & HRRVC SCHEDULE November - open 2014-2015 December 9th - 11th: Chapters 309 & 71 Christmas Gathering ~ Distant Drums RV Resort, Camp Verde, AZ. Registration form attached January 20-25: Quartzsite Adventure - Rice Ranch RV Park. Registration form attached. February - open March 12-15: Casa Grande, AZ April 22-26: Western International Rally, Hemet, CA May 1-6: Chapter 419 MS, Goshen, IN July 21-25: HRRVC Eastern International Rally, Escanaba, MI HRRVC Chapter 309 Officers President Nancy Joy 85873 602-684-7278 Gnjoy97530@aol.com Directors Larry Laursen 19685 989-859-8446l ljlaursen@aol.com State Manager Thom Feit 114992 317-507-3557 thomfeit@gmail.com The Windsor Ruins, at Port Gibson, MS are a stark and skeletal testimony to what was once the grandest antebellum home in Mississippi. Vice President Ray Zeek 104190 602-432-1137 zeekstrophy@yahoo.com Secretary Kay Honn 88530 520-825-0043 knhonn@yahoo.com Treasurer Mary Schweppe 114012 602-999-9998 maryschweppe@cox.net Membership Barbara Laursen 19685 989-859-1058 bjlaursen@aol.com Jack Foster 87266 480-917-9506 jacknmarc@gmail.com Charity Marcia Foster 87266 480-917-9506 jacknmarc@gmail.com Historian Jack Foster 87266 480-334-0927 jacknmarc@gmail.com Sunshine Gidget Zeek 104190 602-620-4320 g.marita@juno.com Region VII Director Joe Richey 18084 409-781-2249 jndrichey18084@aol.com HRRVC Christina Crist 547-295-9800 christina.crist@hrrvc.org PO Box 3028 Elkhart, IN 46515 Newsletter editor: Thom Feit
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