Eric: After just casting my vote, I see the WBCCI gets a 100% satisfied rating. How about them oranges! Clam happy,
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Fred Coldwell, WBCCI #1510, AIR #2675
Denver, Colorado - WBCCI Unit 24
Charter Associate Member FCU
Vintage Airstream Club Historian
Airstream Life "Old Aluminum Adventures"
After having owned an RV of some other brand, I was anxious to gain full enjoyment from my Airstream purchased in 1995. The Overlander had been in my driveway less than 48 hours when I made my first contact with the WBCCI to forward membership information for my local unit. I haven't looked back since - - the enjoyment of my Airstream has been enhanced through each year of continued membership.
I wasn't looking for a "Marque Club" as I had my fill of those with my collector cars. What I liked and continue to see as a major purpose of the WBCCI is an avenue to keep involved in the use of my trailers to travel in caravans or to attend rallys. I enjoy the Blue Beret, and generally read it from back to front - - I like to check the rally and caravan information first so that I can make plans for upcoming events. I don't limit my participation to my local unit activities - - I have attended a large number of events hosted by WBCCI units other than the one to which I belong. The one thing that I always try to keep in mind is that the vast effort behind the Blue Beret (WBCCI magazine) as well as the Vintage Advantage (Vintage Airstream Club Quaterly Newsletter) is that of volunteers who also own and want to enjoy their Airstreams. As a former Vintage Airstream Club webmaster, I can understand the "behind-the-scenes" effort that goes into each of these endeavors.
In many ways, two of the Intra-Clubs represent an opportunity to become involved in a "Marque Club". The Vintage Airstream Club as well as the Classic Airstream Club offer much of the flavor of the "Marque Clubs" in the collector car arena. I have found the combination of my membership in WBCCI combined with memberships in the Vintage Airstream Club, Free Wheelers, and the Computer Club has been a key to greatly increasing my enjoyment of the Airstream experience.
Kevin
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Kevin D. Allen WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC/Free Wheelers #6359 AIR #827
1964 Overlander International/1999 GMC K2500 Suburban (7400 VORTEC/4.11 Differentials)
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre/1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible (8.2 Liter V8/2.70 Final Drive)
I think the WBCCI would be a great club to belong to if there were a chapter that I can attend that is oriented toward outdoor activites. Outdoor activities and camping go hand-in-hand IMHO.
I once was a member so I do speak from some measure of experience.
My brouser/service will not allow me to vote! The first year was free except for the $7.50 to the Southern AZ Unit which we out-of-business.
The Blue Beret is a waste of paper. We don't do "luncheons" at hotels in Phoenix. We thought Wally traveled and the club would be more into caravans and travelling.....
For $7.50 I can't really say I am dissatisfied--at least I know what I'm not missing--thank you Blue Beret.
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Kistler
Brenda
Misty (Maltese)
Maxwell (grey tabby)
2002 Classic 25'
2003 Expedition EB 5.4L, AWD, AdvanceTrac Class IV hitch pkg. Reese dual cam/Prodigy
Thanks for voting and your comments, I'm not a member and my views are a bit skewed so thus the poll.
Eric
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
Originally posted by 63wind I voted not satisfied.
I think the WBCCI would be a great club to belong to if there were a chapter that I can attend that is oriented toward outdoor activites. Outdoor activities and camping go hand-in-hand IMHO.
Scott
The answer is to participate and change the orientation of your chosen unit. Gather some friends and start a unit of your own. Split some like minded folks from a unit or gather them from several units. It isn't impossible, it just takes some work.
The unit I belong to is a very active unit because a group of members split from another unit some years ago. The mother unit didn't meet their needs, so they created a unit that did. The original unit is still in existance, but is still pretty unexciting.
I was lucky in that a friend that had an office next to mine before I retired happened to be in a good unit and was/is my mentor.
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John W. Irwin
2005 Classic 28 "Sabre-Dog III"
2004 Silverado 2500HD Duramax/Allison
WBCCI Region 9 Webmaster, #9632
I agree John, but again, being retired, that allows such luxury that for someone like me and others like me isn't entirely possible to try to get that kind of thing going. I don't mean to sound like poor us, but it frankly isn't that easy of a task being in my early 30's. I think that the fact that I'm even in this club at this age shows that I've got what it takes, but there are just so many hours in one day with a career and all.
I joined the WBCCI when I was 28. We were younger than many members kids. We have been welcomed with warmth and respect by every unit we have visited, and wish we had more time to do more with our WBCCI friends. As with any organization there is no way to make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time, but I have been pleased with my experience.
A ton of extra time is not necessary to be a member. Of course you get out of it what you put in. If you want to be a member of an active unit then you need to find it. Some units work hard to recruit new members, others do not. This leaves it to you to decide if you want to join in. If you want a copy of the Blue Beret this spring when the rally schedules for your area come out, PM me and I will gladly send you a copy of the Region 7 stuff. If you can identify what you are looking for in a unit, a few phone calls will help you to narrow down your choices.
Some of the things we ask our members in a survey that might be a fit for you:
How many days are the rallies 2,3,4 days?
What days of the week are they held?
Do you go to the same place all the time?
What kind of hook ups are normally offered at a rally?
Are the days filled with things to do, planned activities, or free time?
Will there be activities or suggestions of things to do/see for kids?
What is the rally cost, and how is it calculated?
Only you know what the answers need to be for you.
Our unit does a yearly survey of the members for feedback on rallies and unit activities so the next year officers have a feel for what our membership is looking for.
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Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey." -- Fitzhugh Mullan
Wise men talk because they have someting to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap— Napoleon
"I think that the fact that I'm even in this club at this age shows that I've got what it takes, but there are just so many hours in one day with a career and all."
Eric: What club are you in? I recall you are emphatically NOT a member of the WBCCI, so what is the name of the club you are a member of? The Silvertwinkie Club? The Complainers Club? The Peanut Gallery? Curious people want to know. Please enlighten us. Thanks.
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Fred Coldwell, WBCCI #1510, AIR #2675
Denver, Colorado - WBCCI Unit 24
Charter Associate Member FCU
Vintage Airstream Club Historian
Airstream Life "Old Aluminum Adventures"
Thanks for the info. It would be nice if the majority of the groups around the country did that.... unfort, not all groups do what some of the folks that have positive impressions have ........
That said, it was suggested that time be invested to try to change it and that is where the crux of it is.
The main reason for the survey is to see really how satisfied folks that are in these groups really might be. Clearly there are a strong number of folks that are without question happy. There are however a combined number of folks that have a less than optimum feeling.
Fred, I'm not sure I like the tone of your post, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt here....
I'm simply saying owning an Airstream connects you to all sorts of other Streamers and that is a kind of informal club/family.
It's been suggested by some in various threads that if you don't commit time, you are not someone that makes things happen. I have to say, few folks in their early 30s can afford a new Airstream, let alone all that's involved. It takes folks that make things happen to be able to do make that happen.
I am far from complaining about WBCCI. I am asking questions from the folks and am surprised Fred that you'd suggest or elude to anything more than that.