WBCCI A Secret Society?

[Silvertwinkie]

When we got our free year membership back in 2003, I got the red numbers with a welcome package. These were the same numbers I saw for years as a kid camping and seeing Airstreams on the road.

As I started to actually learn more about the club, as a number of folks realized that WBCCI in most places was not what it use to be. When it came to the matter of the numbers on the then Bambi, I refused to stick them on the hull. We upgraded to the Safari a bit later and would still not stick stickers on the hull even if WBCCI or whatever it wants to be called today was actually worthwhile in my geographic area.

To me it's a personal choice and if a club required it or frowned on not having them on, they, IMHO could either accept that fact or not, their choice. I'm also not into secret handshakes or strange hats either, which could be why the informal forum type rallyes seem to be such a hit.

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by gadgetat

Chuck,

LOL! That was my plan. I was going to walk around the Spring Into Camping Rally and make puppy eyes at folks who have their stickers on!

Trade ya network services for a person who aced cut & paste!

hmmm...already got plenty of network services. what else ya got?

kidding....that's the thing, though. you don't really need "puppy eyes". I nearly got a free brake job without even asking last year because someone heard something going "click click click" in one of my wheels when I was on the way into the rally site.

[Stefrobrts]

When I needed to finish up the patch on the side after I replaced my heater, I just waited until the next rally. Sure enough someone had a rivet shaver, and had the rivets done all professional-like in about five minutes flat!

I haven't heard of anyone being ousted for not wearing their numbers. At International your number serves as a sort of address. So if they need to make an announcement, like your trailer's on fire, they'd like to be able to say "#3717, your trailer is on fire" as opposed to "There's a 68 Caravel on Fire in the vintage area". See how one would be more precise - think how many people would have to drop their ice cream and come running for that second call But seriously, it's for identification purposes at big rallys and caravans, so it does have a practical application. But it's still optional.

And, Eric, I keep telling you we don't all have funny hats Our President doesn't even have one on in the photo for our membership directory this year. It's the 'new' WBCCI! I sincerely wish you had a good unit in your area so you could see how much fun it is!

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

..."There's a 68 Caravel on Fire in the vintage area".

..."its the one with the blue suburban tow vehicle"

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

But seriously, it's for identification purposes at big rallys and caravans, so it does have a practical application...

...and it can be achieved with a placard in the window or elsewhere, as has been mentioned before. I thought the best one was the lexan placard with suction cup hooks mounted to the endcaps. at a glance, it looks very much like the traditional stuck-on numbers.

[Stefrobrts]

Yeah, I agree, if I polish the trailer I'll go with the numbers on plexi idea, but mine will be in the window. No way I'm bringing a ladder just to put on my numbers Somehow I don't think they'll throw me out because of it!

[Gunnyusmc]

Can't put numbers in the window, that's for EX President's, Ex Treasure's, Ex Secetarie's & Ex Janitor's of the WBCCI and they will make your life H---!!
Just ask me how I now>>>>> in a private e-mail, please, I don't need anymore warning's.

Don

[ITOWAIR]

We are now on our 2nd trailer. on the first we went all out and put the big red numbers on it front and back. I did all the measuring and marking and got them on just as they should have been. This was on a 1997 25foot Safari that we had bought used.

We traded up to a 2004 28ft CCD, no big red numbers on this one, we plan on keeping it for a long long time and I do not want to put the perminent shadows on the endcaps. My solution was inspired by a fellow member of our local unit.

The rear window is a large black surface, put some big white numbers on this and you can read them from miles away. Up front we have the wraparound black plexiglass window protectors, went to a Boat store and bought some 3" numbers that are a silver metlic shiney marterial, they look real neat reflecting the sun. Our endcaps are bald but everyone knows my membership number. No complaints yet , have been to two internationals and countless other rallies.

[SafeHarbor]

This got me interested in my "ghost numbers" on the Excella, and I just got a surprise. They're not the same number on front and back! The front looks like it was 31997, and rear looks like 8507. Both ends look like they had the WBCCI circular logos above them.

I wonder if that shorter number is available? Or either one of them, actually. Or who these people were?

Lamar

[cammur]

#8507 is assigned, according to the 2006 directory, #31997 is unassigned.

If you are joining you can call WBCCI and request a specific number (we used our house number) and if available, you've got it!

[LuminumTraila]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

You have the right to bring in your progency to your units and enlist the lovely young ladies to enter the Teen Queen Contest.

Okay, how 'bout in exchange for not responsibly applying the numbers to my next new Airstream (coming soon -- old Safari came with numbers already applied), I agree to forfeit my right to enroll my daughters in the teen queen contest. What a deal!

[wheel interested]

Originally Posted by dougjamie

Okay, how 'bout in exchange for not responsibly applying the numbers to my next new Airstream (coming soon -- old Safari came with numbers already applied), I agree to forfeit my right to enroll my daughters in the teen queen contest. What a deal!

"How much for the women?" Blues Brothers Belushi

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by dougjamie

Okay, how 'bout in exchange for not responsibly applying the numbers to my next new Airstream (coming soon -- old Safari came with numbers already applied), I agree to forfeit my right to enroll my daughters in the teen queen contest. What a deal!

I don't know...they'd probably win it, hands down, in a few years. they're gonna be heart-breakers.

[Communicator]

NO SECRETS HERE! ALL WBCCI MEMBERS ARE WELCOMED TO ATTEND!

UNIT LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP SERIES

A series of four leadership workshops will be offered at the 2006 WBCCI International Rally in Salem, OR. The workshops are open to all members and unit leaders in all positions are encouraged to attend. Recognition will be provided to those who finish each workshop. Those who finish all four workshops will be named Certified WBCCI Unit Leaders. Names will be published in the Blue Beret as a means of acknowledgement.

Workshop 1 – Basic Unit Business Operations for WBCCI Unit Officers
Covering the fundamentals of the business of WBCCI units, this workshop is critical for all unit officers and all members who wish to understand the administrative needs of their local WBCCI unit. Learn about: unit officer job descriptions; tips for conducting effective meetings; effective communications; the WBCCI organizational structure; the WBCCI Blue Book; unit bylaws and Policies; leadership transitions; standing committees needed; WBCCI Insurance; financial management; Merit Award Program; important due dates/responsibilities; Region and International resources.

Workshop 2 – The Making of Great Unit Rallies and Caravans –
Creating Fun, Fellowship, and Adventure
Fun, fellowship and adventure are the heart of WBCCI. Learn about various ideas for creating successful unit rallies and caravans. Brainstorm with those from other units. Share ideas on such things as theme rallies or caravans; youth rallies; community service projects; joint rallies or caravans; intergenerational activities; special events and so forth. Discuss the general elements of a successful rally or caravan in small groups. Learn strategies for improving communication. Open to all.

Workshop 3 – Leading and Motivating Volunteers
Rally and caravan success relies heavily on the ability to involve members in ways that get them invested in the club. Effectively leading volunteers requires a different approach from leading paid employees. Learn strategies for motivating/leading volunteers and capitalizing on member talents. Explore the concept of the servant leader and various leadership styles. Discuss ways to build unity with in a club. Open to all.

Workshop 4 – Building Membership
Recruiting and retention are important to every WBCCI unit. This workshop presents membership boosting options such as participating in the adopt-a-dealer program; implementing a mentor program; utilizing the media kit and other public relations ideas; employing strategies for following up with potential members; developing a unit web site; hosting a unit open house; and orienting your membership toward recruiting. Open to all.

Sign-up for these workshops will held at registration at the International Rally in order to ensure sufficient availability of handouts.

[Midamrail]

As proud vintage owners, we were rather dismayed after reading the International President's remarks regarding the responsibilities of being WBCCI numbers and in particular the display of numbers on our trailers. We are fortunate to be involved in a wonderful local unit as well as the VAC community, and we feel the WBCCI is a viable and useful organization with much to offer its members. But the adamant inflexibility the leadership often exhibits is difficult to reconcile with the organization's obvious need to blend tradition with new membership growth and retention.

We have not adhered the numbers directly to any of our trailers, although we do have them on plexi inserts we can slide into the front and rear windows of our Tradewind. As a museum curator, my initial reason for not sticking them to the aluminum was simple - preservation. In the course of polishing our '64 Tradewind, whose original numbers had been removed many years ago, I found dozens of cracks in the aluminum where the old numbers and WBCCI logo had been. Apparently, the mixture of adhesive and moisture retention had caused a deterioration in the aluminum, and no amount of polishing will repair that. After seeing the damage and spending more time and energy than I care to recall in polishing the trailer, there was no way I was going to put new numbers on. Likewise, I was not about to put them over the original Plasticote on our '71.

The integrity of our trailers and the investment we've made in them is far more important to us than adhering to the strict conventions of a group to which membership is voluntary and a privilege of Airstream ownership rather than a responsibility.

There are healthy and creative methods of blending tradition and history with innovation; working in a public history museum environment every day forces my colleagues and me to find ways to do so. I would have hoped by now the WBCCI would have recognized the need to find those methods within the organization and perhaps looked to the success of the VAC as a model, but the positions taken by WBCCI leadership often indicate that's not the case at all. And, to us, that's reason number two to leave the numbers on the plexi and off our aluminum.

~Molly

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by Midamrail

The integrity of our trailers and the investment we've made in them is far more important to us than adhering to the strict conventions of a group to which membership is voluntary and a privilege of Airstream ownership rather than a responsibility.

I would have hoped by now the WBCCI would have recognized the need to find those methods within the organization and perhaps looked to the success of the VAC as a model, but the positions taken by WBCCI leadership often indicate that's not the case at all. And, to us, that's reason number two to leave the numbers on the plexi and off our aluminum.

~Molly

Way to go Molly!

[myboyburt]

Molly,

Very well said.