Region 1  

New England Unit
June 19-27, 2015
Informal Caravan to/from Four Corners Area for International Rally
Host: Hamnqvist

White Mountain Unit
September 25 - October 6, 2015 - Fall Rally/Unit Caravan/Fall Business Meeting  Destination - Hadley's Point Campground, Bar Harbor, ME   

For the first time in several years members who are passionate about continuing the legacy of WBCCI are forming new units! The process takes a little time, but it's not that difficult to complete. To start the process, you need only 10 or more members (you can count new members, Members At Large, and those who want to move from an existing unit) and a letter to the President of the Region in which you plan to charter. Your Region President will grant a Provisional Charter. At this point, your new Unit can start having Fun, Friendship, and Adventure while completing the process. By the next IBT meeting (in January or July), you will be asked to submit a list of officers and constitution and bylaws. The requirements are flexible and outlined in Bylaws and Policy Appendix #6. You are encouraged to correspond with the International Constitution and Bylaws Committee as you complete this step. The IBT will act on your application at its next meeting, completing the process.

The requirements for chartering a new unit can be found in the Blue Book (Constitution Article XI, Sec. 2 and 3; Bylaws Article IV, Sec. 11 and Article VI). Just ask your Region President for help.

Click on the link to learn more about WBCCI's newest units: Southeastern Camping Club and the  Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club.  

This past month I've been spending time reading and reviewing the comments in the survey. (See results earlier in this issue.) It brings home to me the diversity of our club.

I remember an article I read a while back in the Escapees magazine in which Kay Peterson relates a story about four young women eating lunch at a park at an Ivy League school in the East. One of the girls felt something on her foot and looked down to see that a snake had crawled across her foot.   The snake was a harmless garter snake, but this young woman from New York City threw her lunch in the air and ran screaming "snake, snake, run for your life". Another of the girls, from Seattle, jumped on the table in fear, a young woman from Tennessee, undisturbed, continued eating, saying "it's only a garter snake." The fourth, a young woman from the bayous of Louisiana, reached down picked up the snake and carried it to some bushes and released it. Based on their backgrounds and their frames of reference, the way these girls saw this incident varied amazingly. Likewise the way we see the world can be very different.

In the comments I read regarding the International Rally I found: the rallies are too long, the rallies are too short. I read we are just getting too casual, and we are absolutely too formal. I also saw a lot of what are reruns of negative comments from years past; in some cases its admittedly secondhand. Whatever one thinks, everything written is the honest view of at least some of our members and is therefore not to be taken lightly. While it's true that there's likely no way to respond to all comments by making changes in processes, you can often make some adjustments.   In some cases, changes do need to be made; in others perhaps the only thing to do is listen and respect the opinion of the member.

Another truth is that when someone sees something in a certain way, to them that's the way it is. Often it's only a matter of opinion; much of what divides us is like this. Which is better, Chinese or Mexican food? There is no "better," only individual preference. Sometimes there is truth in one of the opinions; frequently there isn't.   My point is simply this, a lot of what divides us is simply opinion and a matter of perspective and a lot more is trivia. Still, it can become a major factor that distracts us from some real unifying truth; we are all Airstreamers sharing common goals and purpose.

Some of us are RV travelers of the original school of WBCCI members, where 15% of us attended the International Rally each year (with our suits) and spent many weeks in our RV. Many of the newer and more progressive members view this as a camping club, with T-shirts and shorts for the dress of the day. We want our rallies shorter, weekends when we can escape from the daily routine and enjoy the countryside. We don't want our events to have too much organization or to be too formal. Not asked on the survey, but a very frequent comment is that we place too much emphasis on the Protestant Christian religion. Don't get mad at me; I'm a Christian and mean it, but it's there and ignoring it doesn't help.

Until just recently the traditional member was firmly in the majority. This is not true anymore. Over 50% of our members have been members less than 10 years and 25% less than two years. 28% work and 59% are under 70 years of age. Almost half visit online forums and a very substantial percentage read online newsletters and communications.

All this is no problem; it's possible for us to find common ground. Let's cut each other a little slack. Sure, we're not the same, we will never be nor should we be. We do all share a love for our Airstreams. We all want to attend rallies and social events with other Airstreamers. Some events may not work for all of us,but here's the thing: there are events that are to your liking, and you can attend and enjoy lots of events. WBCCI exists only to provide Airstreamers with events of all kinds, something for all Airstream owners. Let's do everything we can to make that member from New York City and the Bayou member from Louisiana happy; there is nothing wrong with either. Let's listen, love and respect them without judgment. Let's stick to our roots and not follow trivia into division.  

I think about our club, who we are, who we were, and who we will be.  I think our club probably reflects our society. It's becoming more and more diverse all the time; not sure why but I am sure it is. The truth is that for any organization to long exist, thrive and remain relevant it must have two things: a tolerance for diversity and a willingness to conform to the views, opinions, and values of its members. As Airstream owners we have excluded those who own RVs of other brands; this was a conscious decision and we all accept it. At this point, however, we can ill afford to reject those members whose opinions do not conform to ours.

While you may not agree with some of the results of the survey, remember these are the opinions of the members and all members need to "give & take" and work together for the good of the club.