President’s Message – Nov/Dec 2023

We are still unpacking from the 2023 Christmas Rally in Williamsburg and I can say, what a great rally it was! I love these – sure, we had a business meeting and talked about finances, membership, and officer reports, but the best part, by far, were the stories. Where have you been in the last 3-4 months? We see folks maybe 3-4 times a year, and to hear their stories is what makes (to me) the rally so great. “We were in Montana”, “We just came back from out west/up north/down south.....”.“Traveled all day and saw the Tetons”, or “Came up from Florida and are scheduled to go back next week/month to our campsite...” And then you hear “Well, our rig caught fire on the highway and we lost darn near everything..” or “We did a brake job in Ed’s driveway on my Coach” or, “he is replacing the radiator in the driveway in order to get to the oil cooler”, or "Finally got the transmission issue squared away and found a great mechanic that didn’t charge me an arm and leg to fix the fridge...” . The things that our members have encountered, fixed, seen, enjoyed, over the past few months are incredible, and the stories they have are fascinating to listen to.

 

Ed Herbert

Jean and I didn’t get into Williamsburg to see the Grand Illumination (whatever that was), but we heard tales from the road that make us want to pack up and head out tomorrow! And planning – oh wow! We have a full schedule laid out, and Penn Coachmen Club has invited us to join in two of their upcoming rallies in Pennsylvania and the Poconos Raceway. So the rally plans laid out, the adventures to be had, and the trips to be taken – all of which make for a great upcoming year for Dogwood. These are the things that make the rallies so great for us and keep bringing me back into this club. And lest I forget, special thanks to the Tenneys and Lynn and Wayne for the excellent settings and food in Williamsburg – please let them know how great the rally was. Keep traveling and stay safe in all you do and where you go in the coming year.

 

Ed & Jean

Ed Herbert, President
FMCA Dogwood Chapter

   

Secretary’s Report – Nov/Dec 2023

Family Motor Coach Association

Dogwood Chapter Business Meeting Minutes

December 2, 2023

 

Members present:   Alexander, Bingham, Brinkley, Bucklew, Buelow, Cummings, Z. Dancause,Dudziak,Gravatt, Greenwood, Herbert, Hunter, Kuppert, Lavalley, Mahanes, McFarlane, Meyer, Nelson/W. Dancause, Norvelle, Robison, Tenney, Tilman, and Torrence

 

1.Call to Order:   President, Ed Herbert ("Ed") called the meeting to order at 9:37 a.m. with a welcome and thanks for the good food and fellowship. He recognized Dogwood’s nine new members….  Read More

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Jean Herbert, Secretary
FMCA Dogwood Chapter

 

Treasurer’s Report – Nov/Dec 2023

Treasury balance is $3,251.36.

REMINDER:  All Membership Dues are now due and should be paid to the Treasurer.

• The Membership renewal fee is $15/coach/year.

• Make check payable to "Dogwood Chapter - FMCA".

• Mail your check to: 

                                            Pat Allen

                                            FMCA Dogwood Chapter Treasurer

                                            9507 Lakewater Ct

                                            Henrico, VA  23229

Pat Allen, Treasurer

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

  

VP Rallies Update – Nov/Dec 2023

Merry Christmas to one and all from your new Rally Master!  As we look back on this past year we had lots of fun and made new friends. Experiences included a Bluegrass Festival, Amish food in Lancaster, torrential rain in the Outer Banks, and an awesome autumn in WV at the GEAR rally. All of this was made possible by you the members who so graciously agreed to host these events. Lastly what a time we had at the Christmas Rally, hopefully you did not miss this great time.

 

More fun is scheduled for 2024:

 

February 26-28:  Hosts  Steve and Sue Sohles  

Rally at TGO (The Great Outdoors) in Titusville FL.

March 20-23:  FMCA International Rally in Tucson AZ

April 15-18:  Hosts  Penn Coachmen

Old Mill Stream Campground in Lancaster PA

May 2-4:  Hosts  Ed and Jean Herbert

Mr B’s Bluegrass in Woodford VA

June TBD:  Hosts  Meyer

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

August 14-17:  FMCA International Rally in Redmond OR

August 29-Sept 4:  Hosts  Alexanders and Bonewitz

Lobsterfest Rally in Bar Harbor ME

September 25-Oct 2: Hosts  Penn Coachmen

Pocono Raceway

October 23-27: FMCA GEAR in Fletcher (Ashville) NC

November 1-3: Hosts  Karen and Berkley Alexander, Ed and Anke Fisher

Urbanna Oyster Festival

December TBD: Hosts, TBD

Dogwood Christmas Rally

 

Christmas 2024 Rally information is being worked now and soon will be finalized. I am seeking hosts for that rally so please step forward. If anyone has another get together they want to add, just let us know and we can put the information out to all!

 

 

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

 

Safe and Happy travels,

 Dell Tenney, Rally Master

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

  

VP Membership Update – Nov/Dec 2023

WELCOME to our newest Dogwood Members:

 

– Bruce & Renee Bingham from Ashland, VA.

– Richard & Irene Norvelle from Troy, VA.

– Peni Roberts from Urbanna, VA.

– Zach Dancause & Nicole Baillie from Suffolk, VA.

 

Glad to have you and looking forward to seeing you at the upcoming Rallies!!

 

Pat Allen, VP Membership

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

    

Care Person Update – Nov/Dec 2023

Hello Dogwood Friends!

I hope everyone is well and enjoying your travels.

 

At the end of Oct, I sent a get well card to Robert Greene as he had a knee replacement. Nancy tells he finished up physical therapy and is doing well.

 

I also sent a get well card to Lynn Nelson as she had surgery for cataract removal from both eyes a week apart. She looked to be doing well at the Christmas Rally!

 

In Nov, I sent a get well card to Lee Deal as she had shoulder surgery. I hope she is doing well.

 

Thanks 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 or just not doing well for whatever reason at ndmeyer3@icloud.com. 

 

Happy New Year!!

 

Sincerely,

Nanette Meyer, Care Person

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

Celebrating Dogwood Birthdays and Anniversaries – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

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 Christmas Rally - 2023 - Summary

Well another Christmas Rally has come and gone and it sure was fun. This year we had 24 campers and an overall attendance of approximately 48 at the Saturday main festivities. This year’s Rally was hosted by Wayne Dancause & Lynn Nelson, Jean & Ed Herbert, and Dell & Terry Tenney.  Several activities kept us busy during the rally like a scavenger hunt, camper Christmas decoration contest, door prizes, a 50-50 drawing, and the gift exchange. The gift game, so effectively run by Connie Tillman, was again a big hit and after a slow start much stealing of prized gifts provided many humorous situations.                

.... Read More

~Click here to see the Rally Photo Album~

2023 Dogwood Christmas Rally at American Heritage in Williamsburg, VA

Your Hosts,

Wayne Dancause & Lynn Nelson

Jean & Ed Herbert

Dell & Terry Tenney

Replacing “house” batteries

Replacing “house” batteries

by Robi Robison

 

If you (like me) are crazy enough to attempt to replace the RV “house” batteries by yourself (as a one-person job), the following is a description of the hoist-system that I created to accomplish the task.  My 2016 Winnebago TOUR is a Freightliner chasses and the “house” batteries (six, group-31’s) are located directly below the sliding cargo tray “mid coach”.  Lifting the old batteries out of their well is nearly impossible by one’s self.  This is a tight space.  There is little head room in the area.  You can’t position your body and find the leverage needed to extract each 80-pound battery (well: I can’t do it).  To accomplish the job ...  Read More

Dogwood Christmas Rally - 2023

Dogwood Christmas Rally 2023

11/30 through 12/3

American Heritage Campground

Williamsburg VA 

Hosts:  

Terry & Dell Tenney  /  Lynn Nelson & Wayne Dancause

Updated 11/14/2023

Terry Tenney        240-925-0023       terry@tenney1.com
Dell Tenney          240-298-5553       darrel@tenney1.com

Lynn Nelson         757-651-3589       LNVB1956@outlook.com

 

The rally fee is $25 per person.... Read More, including the Itinerary

Care Person Update on Robert Greene

Robert & Nancy Greene

Hi Dogwood.  I wanted to share some news and updates on Robert & Nancy Greene.  

Here is a note we received from Nancy.

**********

Hi!

 

Just a note to let you know what’s up with the Greenes.

 

Robert met with a doctor in February to schedule knee replacement surgery for September!  We had a quiet summer then in August Robert had a sinus infection…went to ENT and within 5 days was in hospital with Afib.  He stayed almost 3 days to get it under control and “normal.”  Then we had to reschedule his knee surgery.  That went well and he’s now in physical therapy and doing really well with that.

 

To say the least we want to travel some more but the ‘driver’ needs to be healthy and able to safely drive.

 

Miss all our Dogwood friends but we are doing better.

 

Nancy & Robert Greene

**********

 

Sending them our prayers and good wishes for a full and speedy recovery!

Sincerely,

Nanette Meyer, Care Person

FMCA Dogwood Chapter

 

  

President’s Message – Sep/Oct 2023

GEAR 2023

As I write this we are still unpacking from a terrific week in Lewisburg, WV, at GEAR. This was a really fun time; by the numbers there were 223 registered families (so about 445+ people and untold number of dogs) and of those folks, there were 180+ First-Timers!  Dogwood had the second largest contingent there – Penn Coachmen outnumbered us but for Dogwood, I counted thirteen Dogwood families – a great turnout.

We had twelve vendors, one of whom had to call in for extra help because he was so busy – that was the Kleen Tank guy. By way of commentary, there were over 1500 seminar evaluation sheets turned in and the seminars were pretty crowded from what I hear. A “left-handed” compliment was that thereweren’t enough seminars and that we should have doubled up on the ones offered. OK, lessons learned for next time. And speaking of next time, next year’s GEAR will be at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Fairgrounds in Fletcher, NC – near Ashville on October 23-27, 2024. Please mark your calendars. I want to give a shout-out to the volunteers that helped make this event so good; these include Mary Lou Dudziak, Ed & Connie Tilman, Wilt Greenwood, Rich Bonewitz, Tom Evans, Gary & Sue Cipa, Steve Mahanes, Dave & Nanette Meyer, and Jim & Susan Buelow – thank you all VERY much! 

GEAR President's Round Table 2023

Jim, along with our Area Secretary Sue Cipa, put together the President's Round Table Breakfast and Seminar. Dave and Nanette provided support on that as well and another left-handed compliment - “Great stuff, but there wasn’t enough time....” And a BIG shout-out to Connie Tilman for setting up the Dogwood Dinner on Friday night.  We had close to 40 folks including some of the EAMA officers, and lots of great food.

 

GEAR Chapter Fair 2023

At the EAMA Annual Business Meeting, some new officers were elected, including our own Lynn Nelson who is now our Central Regional VP. Please convey your congratulations to Lynn the next time you see her. I got signed up for a couple more committees (when am I gonna learn...?). We picked up seven (7) new family members and we tied for First Place, winning a check for $20 in the Chapter Fair. Again, many thanks to all of you who helped out with that.

 

Carson Peters Bluegrass Band

The evening entertainment was pretty good; the sound system got straightened out by Saturday night and the Carson Peters Bluegrass Band had the room jumping and dancing. There was a beauty contest of sorts and I deny any involvement or participation thereof.  At any rate, a good time was had by all, I’mpretty sure. And next year should be just as much fun. 

 

For Dogwood business, we currently have a vacancy in the position of Rally Master.  The Nominating Committee worked quickly and has already sent out a notice with dates and their nominee - Dell Tenney.  And I would like to offer a special thanks to Pace Mimms for a great job as Rally Master this past year – Thanks Pace for a job well done! 

We have a business meeting scheduled during the Christmas Rally in December.  More to follow on that.

 

See you in November or December at our next rallies.

Ed

Ed Herbert, President
FMCA Dogwood Chapter

  

Treasurer’s Report – Sep/Oct 2023

Treasury balance is $3,406.77.

 

Dogwood donated $110 to K9 for Warriors. K9 for Warriors is "The Nation’s Largest Provider of Service Dogs for Veterans.  

Click here for a copy of the K9 For Warriors Letter

For more information, please visit their website at:  https://k9sforwarriors.org

Pat Allen, Treasurer

FMCA Dogwood Chapter