Eastern Area Meeting Notes - Jan 15, 2026

GEAR 2025 - Summary

Hello Dogwood! The GEAR 2025 was a pretty big thing! The Eastern Area hosted approximately 360+ families and I think all Eastern Area Chapters were accounted for. The Tenneys and the Kupperts rolled in on Sunday; Jean and I, along with Jim & Susan Buelow, and Paul  Cummings rolled in on Monday.  Other Dogwood folks included the Greenwoods, Alexanders, Mahanes,  Bucklews, Britzs and Cipas. So we had a good representation, and the Penn Coachmen were there also.

 

This campground is/was HUGE – 800+ sites or houses. We definitely needed the golf cart to get around. Our campsites were all on concrete pads with full hookups. Well-tended is an appropriate term – everything seemed to be neat, organized and in its place. So we would go back anytime.

 

Wilt Greenwood hosted a terrific seafood dinner at Wahoo’s Fish House on Tuesday evening and we (Dogwood) had a gathering at our site on Thursday evening. The party was fun and it was great seeing everyone together, but, man, It was WINDY! The next day I was able to get a few hours out on the beach – for the most part the day time weather was beautiful and lots of folks and fishermen were out on the beach. There was a slew of horseback riders out there as well. 

 

So the rally went off pretty well – about a dozen vendors and some excellent evening entertainment. The seminars were good too; we only had two rooms for seminars, but it worked out. At the Chapter Fair we (Terry, Jean, Dell, Jim, Susan, Paul & me) talked to many, many folks and gave out lots of our Dogwood Flyers. It was interesting to note that several other chapters followed our lead in having flyers (tri-folds) printed for handouts at this event!

 

The Saturday morning Business Meeting was brief – several new officers were voted in including our new Central Region (that’s us) Vice President – Steven Raileanu.  The budget was presented, and the big topic of discussion was over how to use electronic voting in future FRVA elections. Nearly everyone was in favor of electronic voting, and FRVA HQ is looking into this – no timeline or dates of action for now.

 

Dave Fowler and his crew did an excellent job putting on this rally. Two things to note for us – 1) December is our business and planning meeting, so think of some places You would like to go and bring them to the meeting, and 2) The Perry Rally is occurring in March and the Eastern Area is the host. Please let me know if you want to volunteer at Perry.

Click Here for a video by Paul Cummings

 

Safe Travels –

Ed

Ed Herbert, President

FRVA Dogwood Chapter

 

  

 

GEAR 2025 - Dogwood "Host" - Oct Update

Hello Dogwood,  We have an update on GEAR for you.

 

Ed Herbert is our new Dogwood "Host" for the Rally.  Unfortunately, Tim and Sheila will not be able to attend as planned.  Thanks for getting the ball rolling!

 

Jim & Susan Buelow, Paul Cummings, and Ed & Jean Herbert will arrive at Myrtle Beach on Monday, 11/3.  They are in sites 2070, 2068, and 2069 respectively.  They plan to leave home on 11/2 and caravan down together with 1 overnight at a location still TBD.

 

If you are interested in joining their caravan, please contact Jim for more information. 

 

Also, wanted you to know Oceans Lakes has hundreds of golf carts for rent on a first come first serve basis. Rental cost for 5 days is $131.76, and 6 days is $155.52.

 

Thanks! ❤️❤️  

 

 

Hope to see you there!

Ed Herbert, President

FRVA Dogwood Chapter

 

Eastern Area Nominations Committee Letter - Aug 2025

 Hello Dogwood,  

Attached is a letter from our Eastern Area VP concerning upcoming elections for the Eastern Area positions to be voted on at Myrtle Beach in November. Please read through the information and the attachment carefully. We (the Eastern Area) have several key positions to be filled and we need folks to step up to the jobs. If you are at all interested in helping to run the Eastern Area part of FRVA, this is your chance!

 

Thanks in advance - 

Ed Herbert, President

FRVA Dogwood Chapter

Click here for a PDF version of the letter

Additional information on the Regional VP Duties

                            ____________________________________________________________

FMCA is now Family RV Association — same great RV community, bold new direction!

August 18, 2025 Attention Eastern Area members, Please see below for an important message from FRVA's Eastern Area Nominations Committee.

READ NOW

Minutes from the Eastern Area Zoom Workshop - Jun 2025

 

GEAR 2025 Registration is Open

Hello Dogwood,  

We’re sharing a message from the GEAR Rally Master.

 

Registration for GEAR 25 is now open!

 

 

 

Sent: Monday, May 5, 2025

Subject: GEAR 25 Registration open

 

Hi all,  I just wanted you to be aware that the registration for GEAR 25 is open.  Please let your member know this and that they MUST register for camping with Ocean Lakes Family Campground by CALLING (877) 510-1413, not online.

 

Go to the FMCA website. rallies, area rallies, Eastern area rally, or follow the link on the EA website.

 

Dave Fowler

GEAR Rally Master

 

 

Here is link to the GEAR Registration Form – for your convenience.  

 

Or copy&paste the URL:

 

https://www.fmca-ea.com/wpcontent/uploads/2025/05/EA25RegistrationForm.pdf

 

And a Reminder -  Tim & Sheila Schwartz volunteered to be our Dogwood "Hosts" for the event.  Thank You, Tim and Sheila!

Here's a link to Tim's article on the Blog and contact information ... 

    GEAR 2025 - Dogwood "Hosts"

 

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

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

Hope to see you there!

Ed Herbert, President

FRVA Dogwood Chapter

 

2025 EAMA request for Review Council Nominations

 View this email online  to access all the embedded links and Forms

Click here for the FRVA Bylaws pdf

Click here for Nomination and Consent Form

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

EAMA Message - Cenrtral Region VP

Hello Dogwood.  We received this message on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 9:48 AM, from David Fowler.

Good day,

 

As you may or may not know, Lynn Nelson has resigned her position as the Regional VP for the Central Area. I would really like to get this position filled at the Annual Meeting on December 10.

 

If any of you would like to step up and submit your resume for this position or if you know someone in your chapter that would volunteer to submit their resume, I would really appreciate it. We don't want to let this position go unfilled. 

 

If anyone has any questions, please email me at: david.fowlereavp@gmail.com

or call me at:  (843) 833-3197.

 

Thank you,

Dave Fowler

EAMA

Sr. VP

 

GEAR 2024 Cancelled

GEAR 2024 Cancelled

October 2, 2024 - - Due to the destructive nature of Hurricane Helene on Friday, September 27, which impacted many of our members who had registered to attend as well as the WNC Ag Center which has ...   Continue Reading

Important Eastern Area Announcement - Aug 1, 2024

Important Eastern Area Announcement

Eastern Area members,   This morning, I received and accepted the resignation of Curtis Coleman, the incoming Eastern Area Vice President. Curtis was to take office at the Annual Membership Meeting in Redmond, Oregon. See the entire announcement ... Read More

Dogwood Gathering at GEAR

 

Going to GEAR in Lewisburg, WV soon?

 

Dogwood Gathering at GEAR Update

I'm planning for Dogwood Chapter's usual gathering at this Eastern Area of FMCA event.  Heavy hors d'oeuvres suitable to be our dinner before entertainment one evening has always been a nice time together. 

We now have a time and place for our chapter gathering!

 

Friday, October 6, 2023

5:30 pm

Blue Ribbon Building

 

Please bring the following:

·      your drinks

·      substantial hors d'oeuvres to share

·      your plates and utensils and serving utensils

·      potential new Dogwood members you have met at GEAR

 

I'm still going to make a group text of everyone attending so we have an easy way to communicate.

 

See you soon! 

 

Connie Tilman 

804-513-7274 

 

EAMA Annual Meeting Minutes - Oct 2021

Hello Dogwood,  Hope you are all doing well!  Gaye Young chaired the EAMA annual meeting that I sat in on last week (via Zoom); we were due to have all this go down at Lewisburg/GEAR, but that didn't happen so Gaye set up a Zoom meeting for us last Saturday (2 October).

 

These three files came out of the meeting.  Here are the links:

1. Message from EAMA President, Gaye Young
2. Reports from the Regional VPs
3. Meeting Minutes

 

From Gaye - Thank you all for your attendance, support of our Eastern Area and FMCA!

 

Regards,

 

Ed Herbert

Dogwood President