President's Message

Greetings Dogwooders

Carolyn and I have been racing around preparing for Christmas to the point of near exhaustion. As a Dogwooder, you'll find that there's a huge benefit. The Presidents message will be even briefer than usual.

From our home to yours, we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas , and a HAPPY NEW YEAR filled with good health, good travels, good friends and prosperity.

Mann

Highlights from the Virginia Beach Rally

The annual Christmas rally was held December 3-5 at the Holiday Trav-L-Park campground in Virginia Beach. 17 coaches attended including new members David & Jackie Gilbert, Richard & Elle Bonewitz, Steve & Mary Hall, and Debby Deffendall.

The rally officially kicked off Friday with a happy hour followed by a chili dinner. Each coach contributed a container of chili to the community pot. Despite some skepticism, all agreed the outcome was delicious.

Saturday started off with a hot breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy followed by a business meeting. Members then ventured out to check out the local attractions.

Saturday evening we enjoyed a wine tasting followed by a holiday dinner. Our hosts provided turkey, ham and stuffing and members contributed side dishes. The highlight of the evening was our traditional Yankee Gift Swap emceed by Donna Gruel. There was lots of laughter as gifts were "stolen". The Greenwoods continued their tradition by finding all 4 packages of Bailey's Irish Creme, but once again all were stolen. Some lucky members also won door prizes. Mother Nature provided snow flurries for the grand finale.

Following a breakfast of biscuits, ham, sausage and cinnamon buns, members packed up and headed home Sunday morning.

Special thanks to our hosts, Jim & Susan Buelow, Berkley & Karen Alexander, Paul & Nancy Cummings and Mel & Dian Hughes for a great rally. Click here to view photos from the rally.

Highlights from the Urbanna Oyster Festival Rally

11 coaches gathered around Ed Fisher's garage to enjoy the festivities the weekend of the Urbanna Oyster Festival. New members Steve & Mary Hall, Richard & Elle Bonewitz and Doug & Jeri Carroll joined us.

For those Dogwood oyster lovers, there were plenty of roasted oysters as well as the Alexander's famous oyster stew. Members provided an abundance of good food throughout the weekend.

Dogwood's own blue grass band (Donald Warthan, Mel Hughes, Dickie Cannon, and guests Sandra and Harold Smith, Carter Clements, and Maggie Rainwater-Budd) provided entertainment in the evenings.

Other activities included festivities at the Oyster Festival and antique & yard sale shopping. The Alexanders enjoyed a flight in Ed Fisher's plane and took this picture of the Fisher's RV Resort.

Thanks to Berkley & Karen Alexander who hosted the event.

Highlights from GEAR

Dogwood was well represented at GEAR (The Greater Eastern Area Rally) which was held in Winston-Salem in October. There was a nice selection of seminars, vendor exhibits, entertainment and a good time shared by all.

Thanks to the Cil & Fairleigh Schoolar for hosting the Dogwood social hour which was funded from the Dogwood treasury. We had a good turnout and a lot of fun and recruited 3 new members.

Special recognition should be given to Wilt & Barbara Greenwood, Max Hicks, and Berkley & Karen Alexander, who chaired various committees, and to the many Dogwood members who volunteered during the rally.

Stylish Travel

"Traveling in style is the name of the game" said Cil Schoolar. Her husband Fairleigh says she is low maintenance so long as there's a 50 amp electric service, plenty of "hot" water for showers, sewer hookup, beef tenderloin, shrimp, foie gras, and ..... . ... . . . ..or, sunshine , moderate temperatures and . . ..... . . . .. ..

2011 Rally Schedule

Click here for the 2011 rally schedule.

If you are planning ahead for the 2011 International Convention in Madison Wisconsin, you may want to check out these events in nearby areas. The EAA fly in will be held in Oshwosh Wisconsin July 25-31. Click here to view their web site. A Dulcimer Festival will be held in Evart, MI, July 14-17, 2011. Click here to view their web site. Richard Bonewitz volunteered to host the happy hour at the convention and suggested the possibility of caravaning in to the fairgrounds (more on this will be posted later).

The Hughes volunteered to host a rally on their property. Dian suggested the attendees hold a yard sale and enjoy some blue grass music (more information to follow).

Membership

Welcome new members: Richard & Elle Bonewitz, Doug & Jeri Carroll, Debby Deffendall, David & Jackie Gilbert, and Steve & Mary Hall.

Membership statistics for 2010:

• 69 members on role as of 12/15/2009
• 18 members did not renew in 2010
• 7 new members joined in 2010
• 58 total membership as of 12/15/2010

Dogwood has several free FMCA memberships that can be given to people who are not FMCA members, but join Dogwood. Contact Mann if you know of someone who is interested in joining Dogwood and FMCA.

The following members will not be renewing their memberships for 2011: Bonnie Scanlin, John & Susan Weigley, and Jimmy & Margie Elliot. We wish them the best. They will be missed.

The Photo Directory has been updated. If your photo is missing (or you don't like the one that is there), feel free to send one and we will include it. A link to the Member Photo Directory can be found on the right side of the screen (green section) under Photos.

A new Member Directory (addresses and phone numbers) has been distributed (dated Dec. 10, 2010).

If you haven't already done so, please pay your 2011 dues to Carol Warthan.

Member Updates

Steve and Judy Czarsty: "Judy and I wish our Dogwood friends a Happy Holiday Season. We will be returning to Cincinnati immediately after Christmas to greet the new Executive Director to our Family. If someone wants to track us we will be Flying to Indio, CA for the Western Area Rally then back for SEA in Brooksville. That is followed by Perry and then another trip to Cincinnati (third in 4 mos). Then the rally circuit begins 3 in 4 weeks. INTO, GLASS and Northwest. Hope everyone is planning on joining us in Madison, WI in August. Whew we will be busy! Hope to see you all along the way. Zar"

Bonnie Scanlin wrote that her husband Tom passed away.

Charlie Schrenkel, FMCA president, resigned and fellow Dogwood member, Judy Czarsty is now acting President.

I received these updates after the last newsletter. Sorry for the tardiness in publishing them.

Dennis & Joyce Reid wrote "We hit the Pacific coast a few days ago. We will be on the road until late November. I hope we don’t have the luck of “Big Bubby”." Here is a link to their blog: http://wobbleboxtravels.blogspot.com/

Judy and Steve Czarsty wrote "We enjoyed reading the latest on what is going on in Dogwood. The Oyster Festival rally will be great as usual and while I am in meeting in Cincinnati I will be salivating over all the good oysters I'll miss. The Christmas rally at VA Beach also sounds like it will be the usual fun. I will think of all while in Louisville, KY at the RVIA show and FMCA's exhibitor sign up for Perry, GA in March.

Speaking of Perry, I sure hope you can talk up the Perry convention (March 14-17). We will have a lot of new things at Perry. Be sure to check on the registration which should appear in the November magazine and currently on line for changes in parking options.

Best wishes to all our Dogwood family and please keep in touch. We will be at GEAR and hope to be free to attend the Thursday happy hour."

Winter Travel Plans (Send me your winter travel plans and I will include them here. It is always fun to hook up with fellow RVers when we are on the road)

Florida: Warthan, Jones, Alexander, Fisher, Venable, Gruel, Williams

California: Hicks

Arizona: Greenwood

Texas: Duff

Business Reports

A business meeting for the Dogwood Chapter was held on Saturday December 4, 2010. Click on these links to view the treasurer's report and secretary's report.

2011 - 2012 Officers and Committees

President: Mann Duff
Vice President Membership: Carol Warthan
Vice President Rallies: Fairleigh Schoolar
Vice President Communications: Carolyn Duff
Secretary: Karen Alexander
Treasurer: Carolyn Duff
National Director: Ed Fisher
Alternate National Director: Mann Duff
Audit Committee: Mo Martin, Cil Schoolar, and Liz Jones

Nominating Committee: Paul Cummings, Pat Allen, and Barbara Greenwood