A note of Thanks!!

[rideair]

I would like to send out a “Note of Thanks” to now “expelled” members of the WBCCI Leo and Gail G.

As many of you know, Leo and Gail G. were expelled from the WBCCI a few months ago. I will be the first to say, I think the actions of the WBCCI IBT/EC7 were appalling towards these WBCCI members. Unfortunately, the IBT/EC7 holds all the power in the WBCCI and they get to choose who will and who will not be allowed to run the WBCCI and to make it the best club (in their eyes) it can be.

With that said, I want to say “Thank You” to Leo for all of his years of hard work trying to move the WBCCI into an open and honest club that is “truly” controlled by the membership and not just a choice few. If it was not for voice of Leo, his many hours day in and day out, many of us would now be members of the “Airstream Caravan Club” sitting next to “Mandalay” motor homes. Leo has had the ability to get many people involved in the WBCCI who normally sit on the sidelines and watch things happen. His voice, his ability for motivation, him holding the IBT/EC7 feet to the fire and sadly in the end became the “fall guy” for a movement that lasted over five years! I think everyone that likes the fact that the” WBCCI” is still the “WBCCI” an “Airstream” only club, owes Leo and his wife Gail a debt of gratitude. I know of no one else in the WBCCI that lived, breathed, and slept the WBCCI day in and day out like Leo, this all coming from a man that from his first WBCCI rally was “asked” to take on a leadership role within his own Unit.

I hope like many Airstream owners that “are not” members of the WBCCI (non-renewing members, those that will not join currently because of the actions of the IBT/EC7) that he continues to speak out as he as in the past. If anything, he can speak out without the fear of retaliation from the very WBCCI IBT/EC7 management.


Again Leo,


“Thank You” for all you have done, your membership in the club will be missed!

[jm2]

Originally Posted by rideair

Again Leo,

“Thank You” for all you have done, your membership in the club will be missed!

I agree with your sentiments, Paul, and appreciate your posting them.

thank you, Leo, and thank you, too, Gail.

though Leo's membership has been, and will be missed for some further period of time, I'm confident that we'll still be hearing Leo's voice and seeing his face for a long time around here, and on the roads and in the campgrounds we share.

today is clearly not the end of this story; there are many more chapters to come.

best,

[exthemius]

Thank you for opening our eyes to NOT EVER JOINING this club, as we've been waiting for change, and it obviously is not going to until current leadership is no longer part of the group.

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by rideair

With that said, I want to say “Thank You” to Leo for all of his years of hard work trying to move the WBCCI into an open and honest club that is truly controlled by the membership and not just a choice few.

Paul,

Hear, hear!

[wheel interested]

Now considering we know Leo and we are among friends I think a roast would be more appropriate. I searched and searched for the rock scissors paper trophy to award to you this evening but all I could find was a symbolic graphic.



to jog your memory back to Salem Oregon in 2006 when the name change issue was to be voted upon at the International Rally. You had a Save Wally with a RSP reception for all sides to come together and meet and greet. What a hoot!
Even though there were times before and after it may have felt a little more like this



as always you were congenial and fun and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely.

Seriously though, where does someone start to wrap up years of accomplishment in a few short paragraphs? If I was more adept I would create a time line and show the amazing industriousness with which you generously volunteered your time, money, and skills with years upon years of thankless volunteerism.

Save Wally started with the advent of the name change issue and you didn't think a club of 50 years should cast off its heritage like so many other historic entities that have fallen never to regain their honored and unique relevance with careless aspirations to "moderize." You got it. "Make only improvements." And you knew even then that the change WBCCI needed was not to change the name to refresh the club but to bring its operation and appeal forward into the world today where new Airstreamers would find it appealing and you continue to this day to work tirelessly for that very goal. Your successes have been many but your challenges are great. We are all hoping this is but another of life's speed bumps along the road as you keep on rolling keeping your shiny side up.

It wasn't but another year and you were back campaigning, "just say no" to the sob motorhome amendment and again Save Wally was successful in furthering member awareness and increasing member involvement. Volunteers from all over the country sent in for packets of buttons and stickers and would speak to their individual units to get the word out following your lead.

There were constitutional changes and amendments that you poured laboriously over reading Roberts Rules and being able to recite it back better than the parlimentarian on many matters! You wrote letters, reports, revisions, graphs; you worked and worked and then you went back and then you worked some more, because you had a job to do. You were a true volunteer of the club. You really care about the WBCCI and want to be part of the viable plan to restore the club to health and vitality and hold it in guardianship preserving it for our the generations to come.

The Save Wally website is a fine resource and the journalistic style is stellar and updated regularly. Together with Tim K. (buttercup) you two blazed a path through WBCCI member news that lit up many a member and their passion. Save Wally was the site to go to when you wanted to know just what really was going on in the club as far as business and issues, the things that really count. This was for inquiring minds who grew weary of the Blue Beret and its passive content duplicated each month by the line rather than by relevance. Not only was the material found on Save Wally informative and current it also was poignant and showed keen wit. We were always kept abreast of changing times. If it happened you could find the scoop on Save Wally Forums to be sure. Although you were busy writing for the website you still had time to submit photos and articles that were welcomed and published in the Blue Beret as well as the cover picture of your GT and gorgeous landscape of Sedona Arizona. Here is a companion picture to show more of that beautiful scenery and by that I include Gail in that description.



How much more there has been that I could add to your credentials. I haven't even grazed the surface. You made the WBCCI Unit Index that was updated as you received more information and could be cross referenced and used by any member or interested party of WBCCI without charge and availed that resource directly to the leadership of WBCCI as well. I remember when the VAP interviewed you about Save Wally and you represented the issues so clearly to introduce members to what you would be trying to accomplish. You created and processed a Mid-Winter IBT Motion survey and completed it with a summation and tally that was clear and understandable to be immediately available and useful to aid leadership and members alike to follow the trends of the the members' priorities. You ran twice from the floor at the International for a place on the nominating committee and each effort proved more successful and you made a fine standing and started to show us how even one person could stand up and bring change and make a difference. You have always led the charge with courage to break out from the norm and voice your opinion. You were the first to put out a candidacy position with a vision statement and election platform and press for others to do the same and publish them in the BB so members could have real and informed choice. You worked on a membership drive and cheerfully directed people to the fun of WBCCI. The extraordinary rallies that you held such as AirPocono and AirSchuyler and more provided unique and memorable Airstream experiences that members will not soon forget and will surely come back for more. Those are the kinds of events that draw people to the WBCCI to join and that is what you have always strived to do to increase membership and recruit potential members.

How do we thank you Leo when words do not speak the volumes of our hearts? Always a gentleman, never losing your temper or being unkind to any individual, you have always shown remarkable composure and valour under the best and worst of situations. You have my deepest respect and utmost admiration and my friendship.
But take it from Don Rickles, these hockey pucks just don't have a sense of humor!!!


WBCCI Experience: WBCCI member since 2005.
MetroNY 2nd VP. MetroNY Webmaster.

Region 2 WBCCI Internet Participant
WBCCI.net.

Host 50th Anniversary Metro NY Celebration.

VAC Member

CAC Member. 2007 International Rally early worker, Wally Byam Control.

Developing online and stand-alone “Unit Guide”

to help non-members find a compatible unit.

Co-Founder SaveWally.org.

Successfully campaigned against AOAI. Successfully campaigned
against Four Winds Motor Homes.

Co-Author 1M1V (One Member, One Vote).

Owner: 1965 20’

Globe Trotter; 1953 21’ Flying Cloud

REINSTATE LEO!!