Dogwood Rally in Chiefland - Summary

Chiefland Rally - 2025

We had a great rally at Southern Leisure Resort in Chiefland FL!!  

Had a great turnout, with Tenneys coming down from Maryland and snowbirds from all over Florida!!  Tenneys came in on the 3rd so we enjoyed a week with them.  Everyone else came on Friday, March 7th.  

The Rally began by meeting at Suwannee Bell Landing for an early dinner on Friday.  Followed by dessert and coffee at the Kuiken's campfire where we shared a lot of stories and laughs!  

Steamers in Cedar Key

Saturday a group went to Manatee Springs, about a 15-minute drive from Southern Liesure Resort and saw a few Manatees, and then headed to Cedar Key for lunch.  It was a rainy day, so Kuikens and Tenneys stayed at the resort and played games.  Saturday night we took our left-over desserts to the clubhouse where the Resort had a dance.  Meyers and Tenneys were here until Monday morning, so enjoyed a little extra time with them on Sunday.  It was really nice to have newer members Jack and Mary and Carolyn and Tom come.  We enjoyed getting to know them!

 

Thank you to everyone who came, making this a fun Rally!!

Click here to see the Rally Photo Album

 

Sincerely,

Your Hosts

 

Patty & Henry Kuiken

Donna & Rob Hill

Cil & Fairleigh Schoolar

Care Person Update - David Gilbert

David Gilbert passed away on March 25, 2025.

David & Jackie Gilbert

Hello Everyone,  

Sadly, we share the news of David's passing.

David and Jackie were past members of Dogwood.  Our condolences to Jackie and the Gilbert family.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers for strength and comfort.

Here is the link to his obituary:  Click Here 

Or copy & paste the URL into your browser.

https://somd.com/announcements/obits/name/23143-David-G-Gilbert.html

Sincerely,

Nanette Meyer, Care Person
FMCA Dogwood Chapter  
 

Care Person Update - Marion Cockrell

Marion Cockrell passed away on March 5, 2025.

Marion Cockrell

Hello Everyone,  

It is with heavy heart that we share the news of Marion's passing.

Our condolences to the Cockrell family.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers for strength and comfort.

Here is the link to her obituary:  Click Here 

Or copy and paste the URL into your browser.

https://www.curriefuneralhome.net/obituaries/Marion-Anthony-Cockrell?obId=38311184

Sincerely,

Nanette Meyer, Care Person
FMCA Dogwood Chapter  
 

GEAR 2025 - Dogwood "Hosts"

 

Subject: GEAR 2025 (November 5-9, 2025)

 

Hello Dogwood, 

 

The GEAR Rally will be November 5th to 9^th at Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC. The sites will be available from Sunday November 2 until departure on November 9, 2025. You can make your reservations by calling the Ocean Lakes Family Campground directly at 1-800-722-1451. Use the name “2025 FMCA Eastern Area” when making site reservations. This is for site locations only. Registration for GEAR 25 will be separate from the site registration.

... Continue Reading

Tim & Sheila Schwartz

 

Tim: (540) 226-5263, email TimSchwartz63@msn.com

Sheila: (540) 659-6578, email GMtoHHM@msn.com

Mr B's 2025 Spring Music Spectacular

Updated 3/3/2025

Second Call for Mr. B’s 2025 Spring Music Spectacular...

Continue Reading, including the Rally Registration Form

(Original Post 1/16/2025)

Hello Dogwood! 

This is first call for the upcoming Mr. B’s Bluegrass Spring Music Spectacular on May 1-3, 2025. Like last year, it will be held at Mr. B’s Event Park in Woodford, VA – on the west side of old Route 1 just north of the Ladysmith exit off I-95. Ms. Billie Sue Goff (Event Director and good friend of the club) has set aside 10 spots for us – all together. If more sign up, that’s fine, you just might not be right next door to us. But that’s OK because the campground is easily crossed in minutes from wherever you get parked. The directions and signup sheet will be out on the Dogwood Blog site.   We have two families signed so far: us (the Herberts) and the Buelows.

Jean and I are hosting again for the brunch, but we will need a co-host... 

Continue Reading, including the Rally Registration Form

Your Hosts

Ed & Jean

Dogwood Rally in Chiefland

Southern Leisure in Chiefland FL - 2024

Updated on 2/25/2025!! 

See the latest here

(Original post 2/14/2025)

Hey Dogwood!!   We are planning a 2+ day rally at Southern Leisure in Chiefland, FL!

 

When?  March 7 & 8, but we can extend that depending interest.  

 

Your Hosts are  Patty & Henry Kuiken, Donna & Rob Hill, and Cil & Fairleigh Schoolar.

 

We will plan the usual happy hours and dinners on Friday and Saturday evenings.  Depending on interest, we can plan more. 

More to follow... Rally Fees are TBD.  The sooner we have numbers, the sooner we can make more definite plans.  

 

Please text or call Patty Kuiken at 540-424-8134.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Dogwood Rally at North Landing Beach

North Landing Beach in Virginia Beach

Hello Dogwood!   It’s time for another Dogwood Rally at North Landing Beach RV Resort in Virginia Beach.  

Your Rally Hosts are Jim & Susan Buelow, Robi & Dale Robison, and Dave & Nanette Meyer.  We hope to see you there.  

 

The Rally dates are Thursday, June 5^th – Sunday, June 8^th. 

Location:     …  Continue Reading

 

President’s Message – Jan/Feb 2025

It is February and many of you are either in Florida or prepping to go south somewhere warmer than it is here in Fredericksburg. Can’t blame you for that; the snow still lingers in corners and in the great piles in the parking lots, reminding us that Old Man Winter hasn’t left yet.

 

I spent time this morning wandering through the Dogwood Blogsite, re-reading some stories and looking at the photos – lot of good times there. I’m thinking to myself, we really do have an active, vibrant club! Every Newsletter is chock full of details and we keep up with each other through the stories and personal updates. This month’s newsletter will be no different. So Kudos to our writers and contributors. Also note that since we are part of FMCA’s Eastern Area, the blogsite also has the Eastern Area Newsletters listed as well as the FMCA’s HQ letters, mailings and notices. So many ways to see what’s going on the RV world! Please give us your adventures – they may seem dull to you, but someone in this club is going where you are now (or have been) and would like the latest info on the place/site/adventure.

 

We have a pretty full rally schedule listed, but please remember that “Pop-ups” are always welcome. If you have a rally in mind, or even a luncheon like what the Tilman’s just did, please get the details to our Rally Master, Dell Tenney.

 

Travel safe & we’ll see you down the road!

Ed Herbert, President

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

 

Treasurer’s Report – Jan/Feb 2025

Treasury balance is $4,217.26 as of 2/14/2025.

 

 

 

REMINDER – Chapter Dues for 2025 are now due.  Many of you have already paid – so thanks to all of you!

 

Dues are $15/coach/year.  And remember we have a new Treasurer this year - Please send your Dogwood dues payments to Sonia.

 

Sonia Kuppert

FMCA Dogwood Chapter Treasurer

6113 Providence Court

Fredericksburg, VA  22407

 

 

Sonia Kuppert, Treasurer

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

VP Membership Update – Jan/Feb 2025

Greetings Dogwood family from your new Vice President of Membership. I look forward to working with all of you on recruiting and retaining new members for our chapter.

 

In my first article in our newsletter, I would like to discuss one of the ways we can recruit new members, and that is at FMCA and Area Rally Chapter Fairs. At the chapter fairs, any chapter present at the rally can set up a booth, basically a table. It can be as basic as putting your chapter name on the table, to a more extensive display. In past years, we have set up a beautiful display and have won an award for the past 3 years in addition to gaining new members.

Chapter Fair at GEAR 2023

 At the upcoming FMCA rally in March at Perry, GA, Dell and Terry Tenney will be setting up a booth for Dogwood. The chapter fair is Tuesday afternoon, March 11th, immediately following the Newcomers Orientation. There will be hundreds of newcomers visiting the booths and this is a great opportunity to visit with prospective new members, pass out Dogwood fliers and share information about our great chapter. "Working the crowd" so to speak.

 

So if you are attending the Perry rally and will be there by Tuesday afternoon, please contact Dell at 240 298-5553 and offer your assistance at the chapter fair. The more members that we have at the fair, the better chance we have of attracting new members. And be sure to wear your Dogwood shirt if you have one. It is a fun time and a great opportunity to support Dogwood and meet new friends. Come on out.

 

Note that our current membership is 59 member families.

 

Until next time, have fun and safe travels.

 

Regards, 

 

Jim Buelow, VP Membership

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

VP Rallies Update – Jan/Feb 2025

Lunch at Dixie Crossroads - Feb 2025

Here's what we have coming up!  Stay tuned for the latest updates on the Blog.

March 7-8:  Southern Leisure Resort in Chiefland FL; Hosts: Kuiken, Schoolar, and Hill

March 12-15:  FMCA’s 110th International Rally; Perry GA

April:  Open

May 1-4:  Mr. B’s Bluegrass Festival in Woodford VA; Hosts: Herbert (seeking co-host)

June 5-8:  North Landing Campground, Virginia Beach VA;  Hosts: Buelow, Robison, and Meyer

July 7-11:  Breaks Interstate Park, near Marion VA;  Hosts: Nelson and Brooks

July 16-19:  FMCA 111th International Rally; Gillette WY

July:  Dogwood Luncheon, date and place TBD;  Hosts: Herbert and Kuppert

August 29-Sept 4:  Lobster Rally in Booth Bay ME; Hosts: Alexander and Bonewitz

September 11-14:  Old Mill Stream Campground in Lancaster PA,;  Hosts: Tenney and Kuiken.

         We have 30 seats reserved for “Noah” at Sight & Sound Theater on 9/12.  Request for tickets will be included on rally registration form.  Ticket payment will need to be paid to rally host with rally registration.

October:  Open

November 4-8:  FMCA Greater Eastern Area Rally (“GEAR”); Myrtle Beach SC

December 4-7:  Dogwood Christmas Rally in Lanexa VA at Rochahock Campground;  Hosts: Kuiken, Warren, Brooks, Hill

 

Please see all the Rallies and updated information planned for this year.

Happy Camping, 

Dell Tenney, Rally Master

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

VP Communications Update – Jan/Feb 2025

Hello All.  After spending January in the snow and freezing cold of NY, with VA not much better, Nanette & I left VA on 3 Feb and made our way down to Patrick SFB here in Cocoa Beach, FL.  Having a great time here with Jim and Susan Buelow and got to join the group for lunch at Dixie Crossroads.  Thanks to Connie and Ed Tilman for setting that up for us. 
 
I’m working on a few updates to our Membership Directory – the latest version was distributed on December 30^th.  Please let me know if you have any updates or corrections for me to make.  And be on the lookout for a new version coming out soon.

 

Dogwood Officers - 2025-2026

We updated a number of Dogwood documents for the new year and the new term for the Dogwood Officers who assumed their roles on January 1^st.  Working though the Reference Documents we’ve updated our new Flyer, the Membership Form, and posted the updated 2025 Rally Schedule.  The new Officers picture and Photo Album for 2025 were also posted.  We updated and posted the Standing Rules, following the discussion and vote on the change regarding approval of miscellaneous expenses.
 
As you look through the Blog and our documents, if you find anything I missed, or you feel needs updating – Please let me know so we can get it taken care of!
 
We’ve posted announcements for some of the upcoming Rallies and know there are more announcements on the way.  Visit often and Stay up to date here on the Blog Site!
 
As always, please share your travels and adventures – I’d love to share your stories with the chapter!
 
Looking forward to seeing many of you in Chiefland, FL and then in Perry, GA.

Dave Meyer, VP Communications

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

Safety Article – Jan/Feb 2025

Fellow Dogwooders…

 

I’ve stepped into some really big shoes … worn by Butch Jones when he acted as Safety Chairman and wrote many articles to keep us focused on RVing safety.  His last article (part 1, part 2, and then part 3) covered the topic of tires and tire issues for essentially each type of RVing/camping:  Motorhomes, 5^th Wheels, Class-C’s, Trailers, towed cars, or the trucks/vans/SUVs that do the towing.  There was much to consider there, but at the top of the lists for consideration were load capability requirements (e.g., being the correct size) and proper tire inflation.  My first contribution for this newsletter stays on the theme of “rubber”, but covers its placement on or throughout the RV, some of which is certainly safety related.  

For this article, I’ll focus on windshield wipers.  …  Continue Reading

THINK

SAFETY

EVERYDAY!

 

Wishing everyone safe travels.

Robi Robison, Safety Chairman
FMCA Dogwood Chapter

   

Care Person Update – Jan/Feb 2025

 

Hello Dogwood Friends...

 

In a sad way to start the new year, in January:

💟  Nancy Cummings passed away on January 4, 2025. Please keep Paul & their granddaughter in your continued prayers. A sympathy card was sent and a $50 donation has been made in Nancy’s memory to the American Red Cross California Wild Fires.

💟  Kurt & Sonia Kuppert both lost a brother within a short amount of time in mid-January. A sympathy card was sent. Please keep them and their families in your prayers for strength. 

💟  As most of you know from the Blog, David lost his brother Tom after complications from surgery in January. We both want to thank all for your prayers and words of comfort. It was very much appreciated.

 

In February:

 💟  Ed Herbert was supposed to have shoulder replacement surgery, but flu decided it wasn’t time. He’s better now and surgery will be done at a later date. Sent a ’thinking of you’ card. 

 💟  Steve Sohles had a bout with Covid. Sent him a ’thinking of you’ card as he is finally feeling better. 

 

Thank you to all who reached out to keep me informed of these events. Please continue to let me know whenever you hear of our members being ill, having surgery, losing a loved one (even a pet) or just not doing well for whatever reason at ndmeyer3@icloud.com or text me at 757-813-0828.

  

Sincerely,
Nanette Meyer, Care Person
FMCA Dogwood Chapter 

Celebrating Dogwood Birthdays and Anniversaries – Feb/Mar 2025

We would like to help you celebrate your annual milestones.  Please send your dates (just the month is fine) to FMCADogwood@gmail.com so we can include you on those special months.  🥳

Dogwood Lunch in Titusville, FL - Summary

Feb 7, 2025...

We all enjoyed a wonderful lunch and each other's company, earlier today at Dixie Crossroads in Titusville, FL.

In attendance were:

Dixie Crossroads in Titusville, FL

Connie & Ed, with their guests, Jim & Nancy.  
Jack & Mary, 

Buck & Linda, 

Pat & Clint, 

Jim & Susan, 

Dave & Nanette, 

and Bonnie.

Sohles weren't able to attend as Steve is getting over a bout of Covid - we missed them and wish him well!

Thanks to Connie for making the arrangements and coordinating everything!

And as a bonus 😀 - Connie shared a picture from a dinner at the Oakwood Smokehouse in Clermont on Jan 22nd.

Attending dinner were the Tilmans, Warrens, Alexanders, and Allens.

Oakwood Smokehouse in Clermont, FL