Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Notes from FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR
| [GMCnet] Notes from FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR [message #259250] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 14:26  |
glwgmc
Messages: 1014
Registered: June 2004
Karma: 10
|
Senior Member |
|
|
We just returned from the FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR, where I represented the GMC
Cascaders at the National Board meeting. Attendance was about 1500 coaches so smaller than the peak attendance rallies of several years ago when as many as 5000 coaches attended, but larger than some forecast for a west coast national convention this day and age. Three other GMC club National Directors were also in attendance representing GMC Pacific Cruisers, GMC Saguaro Jet Setters, GMC Western States.
Many in the GMC community question why they have to belong to FMCA to also belong to a GMC club feeling that the FMCA only caters to large diesel pushers and not our smaller, older models. The simple answer is economics. FMCA provides event liability insurance for all of our GMC club events as part of your member dues. If each club had to purchase their own event insurance it would run around $100 to $150 per club event. Since GMC clubs average around 6 events per year that would put event liability insurance cost to the club at around $600 to $900 depending on the number of attendees, the type of event, the liability coverage amount and the number of days each event lasts. For the typical GMC club that would be around $15 to $20 or more per member which would roughly double the current dues for most GMC clubs.
In addition, FMCA now (just reinstated at this meeting) provides medical evacuation services for all members anywhere in North
America from any kind of travel (RV, bus, train, plane, etc.). For the last few years that coverage has been optional and the premium cost was more than $100 per year. Now it is built into the FMCA dues (no increase) as we voted to have this paid for by withdrawing funds from the now over $9,000,000 investment account. I am one of the directors who feels FMCA is keeping too much of the members money so enthusiastically endorsed the idea of spending this money for a direct member benefit. I would prefer to also return a large amount of this money directly to the members, but am in a distinct minority with respect to such an idea.
FMCA has also enhanced the Michelin tire purchase program to include the 225 75r16 load range E tires many use on their GMC coaches. This is the newest of the Michelin tires in that size and the program price is lower than any of the internet or local prices I have been able to find. So, if you are in the market for tires this member benefit could be worth as much as $400 to $600. One can question the value of the FMCA magazine which is offered as a free subscription with your membership, but a number of people with whom I have spoken seem to enjoy it as one way of keeping up with all the new accessories and appliances that are coming to market with the rather sharp return of new coach sales. Most other member benefits are outsourced programs for which the member pays directly, usually at a reasonable or even deeply discounted rate.
Bottom line is your FMCA dues fund $15 to $20 per year in GMC club event liability insurance, $100 or more per year in medical evacuation insurance coverage, $400 to $600 in Michelin tire purchase discounts (if you need tires), a magazine subscription, regional and national rallies across the US and a variety of other purchasable member benefits. I think it is money well spent for our GMC club members.
FMCA is finally running in the black again with a properly balanced (barely) budget, dedicated volunteer officers and board members who are far more realistic than some of their predecessors and a staff properly sized to fit the needs of the now 77,000 FMCA members, a number which at present is shrinking by about a net 2,500 to 5,000 or so members per year. That may well turn around with the sharp increase in new coach sales. It was obvious at this event that buyers were very much in attendance and all the manufacturers appeared to have made a number of sale at this event.
I also saw a number of things that looked quite interesting for our GMCs and will be detailing those as I get or confirm the information and applicability for coaches of our size.
Jerry
Jerry Work
The Dovetail Joint
Fine furniture designed and hand crafted in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building in historic Kerby, OR
Visitors always welcome!
glwork@mac.com
http://jerrywork.com
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Jerry & Sharon Work
78 Royale
Kerby, OR
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Notes from FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR [message #259253 is a reply to message #259250] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 15:08  |
jknezek
Messages: 1057
Registered: December 2007
Karma: 5
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Thank you for this summary. That was extremely well done. I've been an FMCA member since I got the coach and do enjoy the magazine. I was irritated at losing a benefit that I'll probably never use, but firmly believe if you take benefits away you should also lower the cost. I spend time every year going over the FMCA financials provided in the magazine and have been shocked at what they did when they were flush with cash and mildly impressed with the ways they have corrected the problem. The information on the club monetary benefits was wonderful. Hopefully we will remember to refer to the facts in the future when the topic comes up. Extremely well done and I thank you for putting forth the effort.
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Notes from FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR [message #259274 is a reply to message #259250] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 18:11 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Jerry,
Thanks for the update. We Dixielanders will be depending on members like
you to represent the GMC community in the future. At our last rally, we
voted to drop back to Associate Membership, which means that we no longer
have a vote, nor need to send a representative to conventions. It was not
a lightly taken action, but we simply didn't have anyone who'd take on the
job of representing us. Even the Perry, GA rally doesn't draw any
significant attendance from us -- I've only attended once myself, and I
live only 45 miles away. In fact, when I lived 19 miles away, I NEVER
attended -- and I did have a motor home, though not then the GMC.
I'm especially glad to hear of the return of Med Evac. We did subscribe
to it since I was going to take the cross-country trip last summer. Now
we can spend that money on gas for Chippewa Falls. :-)
Ken H.
On Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 3:26 PM, Work Jerry wrote:
> We just returned from the FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR, where I
> represented the GMC
> Cascaders at the National Board meeting. Attendance was about 1500
> coaches so smaller than the peak attendance rallies of several years ago
> when as many as 5000 coaches attended, but larger than some forecast for a
> west coast national convention this day and age. Three other GMC club
> National Directors were also in attendance representing GMC Pacific
> Cruisers, GMC Saguaro Jet Setters, GMC Western States.
> ...
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Notes from FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR [message #259293 is a reply to message #259250] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 20:55 |
Craig Lechowicz
Messages: 541
Registered: October 2006
Location: Waterford, MI
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Jerry,
Thanks for the nice summary. It's a little far away for you, but one nice FMCA benefit if you live in the midwest and are traveling up or down I75 is free camping at the FMCA campground outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. I think they limit it to 2 nights a month, but it includes a fair number of 50 amp full hook up sites and some overflow boondock sites if it's filled up. Year before last I spent a night there each way to and from the Hamilton, OH work rally, and was pretty impressed.
Craig Lechowicz
'77 Kingsley, Waterford, MI
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Notes from FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR [message #259299 is a reply to message #259250] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 21:04 |
|
|
Jerry,
I appreciated your report and the plug you put in for FMCA. Now that
FMCAssist has been restored, no member has a right to complain. Top that
off with the Michelin tire discount and even cheap GMC owners would be
hard pressed to be critical. As to the insurance thing, most members don't
understand the benefit, if needed, nor give it any consideration.
Insurance is insurance -- risk management. You hate to have it but
appreciate it when its needed.
Ultimately, FMCA is what a person wants to make of it. If you don't want
it to be anything, it won't. Personally, I've learned something at every
FMCA event I went to and also saw some things of interest regardless of
the type/year/brand/model of coach an owner may have. Sure, they cover all
the new stuff in the magazine but keep in mind that when a GMC club
submits something, there's a 90% chance it'll get published. Again, it
takes initiative and that's something you can't blame on the other guy.
Thanks, again, for the report. Glad you went.
Byron Songer
Louisville, KY
Former owner
Web guy for gmceast.com and gmcgreatlakers.org
ATTENTION: This reply is in reference to what is provided below
> We just returned from the FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR, where
> I represented the GMC
> Cascaders at the National Board meeting. Attendance was about 1500
> coaches so smaller than the peak attendance rallies of several years ago
> when as many as 5000 coaches attended, but larger than some forecast for
> a west coast national convention this day and age. Three other GMC club
> National Directors were also in attendance representing GMC Pacific
> Cruisers, GMC Saguaro Jet Setters, GMC Western States.
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
--
Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Notes from FMCA national convention in Redmond, OR [message #259300 is a reply to message #259293] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 21:07 |
|
|
You can even stay longer if the space is available. It's a bit off the
beaten path unless you're a fan of US 50 but, hey, free isn't always
close. For sure, it is quieter than Camp Walmart.
Byron Songer
Louisville, KY
ATTENTION: This reply is in reference to what is provided below
> Jerry,
> Thanks for the nice summary. It's a little far away for you, but one
> nice FMCA benefit if you live in the midwest and are traveling up or down
> I75 is
> free camping at the FMCA campground outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. I think
> they limit it to 2 nights a month, but it includes a fair number of 50 amp
> full hook up sites and some overflow boondock sites if it's filled up.
> Year before last I spent a night there each way to and from the Hamilton,
> OH
> work rally, and was pretty impressed.
> --
> Craig Lechowicz
> '77 Kingsley, Waterford, MI
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
--
Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Mon Sep 23 21:27:22 CDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.02615 seconds
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
