To WBCCI or NOT To WBCCI

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Chuck

Some of them dismantled their trailers, and are taking a long time putting them back together.
not naming names.

😃😃😃

Good one Chuck!

[Easyrider06]

We have been tossing it back and forth as to joining the WBCCI, it doesn't appear to be as difficult as joining the HA MC but its early yet. Also, not a big fan of berets, unless they are Green, Maroon or Black but we think there are some good aspects of joining such as brand support, tech question support, part supplier/dealer location and feedback. I'm(James) not much of a people person but would help anyone in need, regardless of RV brand. We were hoping that the WBCCI would not be a snobby organization and supportive of RV'ing as a whole. Called the WBCCI National Headquarters, they were very helpful and are coordinating with a local unit(upstate NY) to get in contact with us and look forward to getting a "feel" of the organization at the local level. Anyone have a comparison of WBCCI and Good Sam? Thanks for your support...
Regards,
James- USA(ret)
Rebecca- USAF

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Easyrider06

Anyone have a comparison of WBCCI and Good Sam? Thanks for your support...

The differences between the two clubs are greater than their similarities, but for me, one of the most telling difference is this:

Good Sam is a corporation with over 1600 employees, including paid CEO, CFO, and other officers, who administer the club on behalf of 1.7 million members who have little say in the day-to-day business of the club. The vast majority of the money taken in by the club is used to enrich the corporate coffers.

WBCCI is a non-profit organization, and is run by its 6000-odd members. Your membership buys you the right to vote on issues of importance to the club. WBCCI has only a handful of paid employees, most of whom are tasked with keeping the membership rolls up-to-date. The vast majority of the money taken in by the club is used to sponsor club events.

[blkmagikca]

Consider joining the Escapees. No snobbery, local chapters throughout the USA, Canada & Mexico, rally's, Escapade makes the International pale by comparison. Add to that the system of campgrounds (reasonable fees), co-ops where you can "own" your lot (actually it is a 99-year lease). Sub-groups, called BOF's, by interest and much more. Oh, yes, their magazine rocks - best in the RV industry.

[J. Morgan]

Met with the Razorback chapter of WBCCI, very nice folks, not a single snob in the mix.

We are joining.


Brevi tempore!

[timhortons]

WBCCI Membership $30 to 90 bucks (international)

trying to see the big picture here.

[wheel interested]

Goody packages, merit awards and recognition events, fund raisers, proceeds to be directed later, etc. There has to be some difference between the units that designate a nominal fee and those that charge the maximum. Perhaps members of each representative unit could give a reply as to what and where their dues go. Also perhaps there could be a response as to where the additional funds for a member at large with no unit affiliation goes and why that particular amount is designated, perhaps siting bylaws and not speculation of the incongruities across the board.

[sandlapper]

Remember that WBCCI is a not for profit club, but it IS a corporation and therefore must abide by rules put in place to make sure things go as the founding members designed.

Regions, and Units, have a maximum amount of $$$ they can have in their treasury. When/if their funds exceeds the max they reimburse the attendees or have a free rally or whatever they choose to bring the balance back down.

The treasury holds the funds to put on a rally. The rally fee, based on $$$ needed to put on the event, replaces those funds. No profit intended, and if profit is made, it will be redistributed back. Some rally's, both big and small, win.... some lose.

Remember also that WBCCI is an old- but-slowly -becoming -modern club which has been around much longer than the internet. Much of the $10 unit dues went to postage and paper supplies to keep members informed.

Now with paperless communication many Units can now have $1 dues.

[dwightdi]

WBCCI dues are charged by two organizations. The International HQ in Jackson Center has full time employees. The majority of the International dues pays their salaries+ benefits+ social security, plus the operating cost of the facility. Some international dues money is spend for travel for Region Officers.

Local Unit dues pay for operation of the unit. There are no paid employees in locals. Most money goes to cost of producing and distributing documents (hard copy) for the unit. Some units hire "Constant Contact" for newsletters and directories. Constant Contact charges $180/year for that service. For small units, that can be $5/member. Google offers competitive service for free. Some units contract for websites. That can add $. International offers wbcci.net sites to units for free.

[Hittenstiehl]

The 4Corners Unit dues went up drastically for this coming year, doubled in fact, increased by 100%.

Why its up to $2.00 now.

;o)

[mefly2]

... and, the dues also cover "travel costs" for some officers ...

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by mefly2

... and, the dues also cover "travel costs" for some officers ...

SOME travel costs. Only for attendance at WBCCI events at which their attendance is mandatory or to which they've been specifically invited because they are IBT members; only going to the event, not going home from it; and unless they're excessively frugal nowhere near 100% of the cost even to get to the event.

There are people in the club— and former members of the club as well— who begrudge the IBT members even that level of reimbursement. But I don't think anyone becomes an IBT officer just for the travel reimbursement, because they're not going to break even, let alone make a profit on travel reimbursement during their tenure on the IBT.

And full disclosure, I'm not an IBT member and have no interest at all in ever being one, so I have no personal stake in that issue.

[Bill M.]

"Anyone have a comparison of WBCCI and Good Sam?"

We are members of both. I never even thought they are similar enough to compare. Different things altogether. We belong to good Sam for the campground discounts and sometimes the on the road services. (but right now that is AAA for us) which we belong to also.

Our main interests with WBCCI are the local rallies and lunches and the national caravans. We are planning to go to the national meeting in West Virginia next year. I do not own and have not felt the need for a blue beret. I do have a long sleeve blue denim shirt with WBCCI and the local unit embroidered on it hanging in the trailer for chilly days.

Our local unit has several organized rallies each year with local tours and a couple of group meals. We are a small but pretty friendly unit.

The way I feel about the national organization and the IBT is that somebody has to do that but thank goodness it is not me. They do a somewhat difficult job for nothing and somebody is always unhappy with them.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

They do a somewhat difficult job for nothing and somebody is always unhappy with them.

As the saying goes… "Do your job and everyone hates you. Do your job well and everyone hates you equally."

[Gene]

When the WBCCI controversies raged, IBT members travel expenses were a big issue and then they increased the dues, and it got even nastier. I think that was mostly resentment about the IBT members' attitudes and policies. Money issues were an easy way to attack them.

If you've ever served on a board, you know it takes a lot of time and often costs quite a bit too. I think the travel thing was blown out of proportion. Dues are not very high for a nonprofit and perhaps people were judging the cost like we old people do ("I remember when dinner out cost 85¢…"). Neither were a reason we never joined—it was attitude and policies. Seems like the IBT has improved a lot and if the Club had been different eight years ago, maybe we would have joined. But the Forum is a club too and works fine for me—old line member organizations still face the competition of internet groups and that's not going to change.

Gene

[dwightdi]

AirForums is not a club. AirForums is a forum. There are some people who frequent this forum who have get togethers. Airforums is nice to provide them free advertising.

WBCCI has a Jackson Center headquarters and sponsors local clubs, Region associations, and national rallies. They also publish a monthly magazine and coordinate national caravans that are conducted by volunteer leaders. There are also regional rallies and special event rallies sponsored by the national club.

Competitive clubs are Tin Can Tourists, Escapees, and Good Sam clubs, which are privately owned. The answer is to: use the services that serve your needs best, at the lowest cost.

Not everyone need to use a club to enjoy their Airstream.

[KenSanLan]

My husband and I are 2nd generation members of the Central Indiana Unit. WBCCI is the reason we bought an Airstream. The friendships and support we have found in this club are wonderful, and no matter how experienced you are there will always come a point where you need help from someone that has "been there". We offer rallies all over the country, national caravans and event rallies that are far cheaper than the for-profit caravans, free courtesy parking on members property, our club publication "The Blue Beret", and a network of great people. Of all of those the friendships are the most important. Our unit includes members in their eighties and three year olds. We have retirees, teenagers, and working families. I am very proud to say our rallies are a mixture of all of these - and we have a GREAT time! We ❤️ WBCCI!

[TCwheels]

My wife is a third generation AS owner, but neither her parents or her grandparents were WBCCI members. We joined right away because my aunt and uncle were very active and loved the club. Plus, I love the big red numbers! Haven't done anything WBCCI in our year + of ownership, but are definitely going to the international rally in 2017!

[Easyrider06]

After contacting the WBCCI headquarters, they passed along our request for information to the Hudson-Mohawk Unit in upstate NY. The Hudson-Mohawk NY Unit President and 2nd Vice-President both took the time to send us information on their unit and made themselves available to answer any questions we had. After a telephone chat with the President and Treasurer, I had a good feeling about the unit and intend to send back our application for membership to the WBCCI next week and hope we can meet some members of the local unit soon. Thanks for all of your input !!!

James and Rebecca

[wecoyote]

This is shaping up to be quite an adventure. After reading all 12 pages of this thread, we are certianly looking forward to the WBCCI.

Next Friday we will be picking up our first AS (2014 30' Flying Cloud) and have yet a different reason for joining the WBCCI. Looking back at old photographs of my grand parents' AS, we saw they were members. Upon contacting WBCCI membership, we found that thier old number (8356) was available. Come to find out, they were members from 1963 - 1981. So, our joining was purely out of nastalga. We actually joined last Friday once we were notified that our financing was approved - sight unseen.

Neither of us are "formal organization" kind of folks. Though my parents and grandparents were part of the Michigan Travel Trailer Club too, I have very little memory of the group from when I was very young. For the past two seasons we have had another brand travel trailer and are pretty good at camping on our own as we do almost every weekend during the summer season. We joke that we can only set the trailer if it is the two of us. Any other "help" just screws the whole thing up.

So here we are. We are members and have yet to even go to our first luncheon. Due to where we live, we decided to join the Metro Detroit Unit purely out of convenience. If it doesn't work out, there is always the NOVA group that appear to be quite progressive.

We certianly don't fit what we see as the typical WBCCI member profile. Though we have been a couple for several years, we are not married. I have teenage kids that are with us every other weekend. We are not religous (more athiest than anything else) and have no desire to deal with the burden of leadership outside of our jobs. We are very much younger working age and have very limited vacation time to do much other than weekend events.

As with many other things we have tried, we are joining with an open mind and eager to see all that the WBCCI has to offer for when we can participate. If nothing else, we now have Fred and Margorie's old number!