WBCCI Communications Liaison

[yukionna]

I just received my August copy of the Blue Beret in the mail today and was pleasantly surprised with the article in the "Club News" section. It talks about the WBCCI Communications Liaison committee recently formed to gather information/suggestions from members for improving WBCCI. I also noticed many of our forum members are part of the Communications Advisory Network who are helping by forwarding any feedback they receive to the appropriate people.

Given everything that I've seen transpire in WBCCI over the past four years that I have been a member, I think this is a strong and positive step in the right direction for this club.

For those of you interested in shaping the future of our club, here is your opportunity to contribute your concerns accompained with recommendations for positive solutions.

[streamer23]

I would agree that this is a very positive development for the future of the club and am looking forward to seeing how this progresses.
It is encouraging to know that the current leadership is open to member suggestions.What I want to see is some followup on the leaderships part on some of these suggestions.
Yuki,you mentioned several of the forum members are involved.Are our forum handles listed or do you just recognize some of the emails listed.I usually don't get my Blue Beret until the end of the month.

[LuminumTraila]

Here are the names that I recognize in the Communications Advisory Network Members list:

Communicator is the new WBCCI Communications Liaison; members of the network include these forum members

Shari,
rgesch,
Leipper,
and me, dougjamie

If anyone recognizes others on the list and on the forum, please correct my list. These are just the ones that I recognize.

I wanted to copy and paste the article in for you but I can't find a way to do it, so I'll summarize here:

"The Liaison and Network members are volunteers who will be listening and looking for trends in member thought. All feedback will come through the Communications Liaison and be channeled to the appropriate WBCCI leaders. Any actions to be taken as a result of that feedback will be decided by the appropriate club officials.

Give us your suggestions for improving WBCCI. No topics related to WBCCI are sacred. Concerns accompanied with recommendations for positive solutions are requested. Members may share their ideas, concerns and suggestions in one of three ways:"

"1. Post feedback on the WBCCI website." (article gives instructions)
"2. Correspond directly with the WBCCI Communications Liaison." (further instruction given)
"3. Contact a Network Member who will forward your feedback to the Communications Liaison."

"Please include your name and WBCCI# in all correspondence. The Communications Liaison and Network Members do travel so please understand any delayed responses."

Hope this helps until you get your Blue Beret. I'm happy to take any correspondence by way of private message here on the forums. I think this is definitely a step in the right direction and I hope that it helps the WBCCI become more of a club that is of, for, and by the members.

-Jamie

[streamer23]

Hi Jamie,

You can add me to the list

[moosetags]

That sounds great. Maybe the club can grow.

Brian McCabe
WBCCI #3628

[LuminumTraila]

Originally Posted by streamer23

Hi Jamie,

You can add me to the list

Thanks for helping me out here, Streamer23. That's excellent! You do such a good job of disguising your real name on the forum I didn't recognize it in the Blue Beret article!

-J

[streamer23]

Originally Posted by moosetags

That sounds great. Maybe the club can grow.

Brian McCabe
WBCCI #3628

Hi Brian,

To me that is the ultimate goal of the network.To make improvements and modernizations that I feel are long overdue and increase membership.It is one of the first of many steps on several fronts to reverse the current trend.

The above views are mine and in no way am I speaking for anyone else associated with the network.

[InsideOut]

Also, add jbond Herb (& Sidra) and Mr.InsideOut (Rob) to the list.

Shari

[Communicator]

Hi Everybody,

Thanks for this great thread about the new WBCCI Communications Advisory Network. I've been out of touch a little recently due to family health issues so I'm catching up. It may be another week or two before I'm back full strength so please bear with me.

We are seeing good things happening with the new Communications Advisory Network. WBCCI members should read pages 22 and 23 in the August Blue Beret for details, but Jamie has done a good job of summarizing.

Members are submitting ideas and feedback and those comments have each been forwarded to the appropriate leaders in WBCCI. Your feedback and ideas can also be sent to leaders. One email per topic area you wish to address will help me sort them out to the right leaders.

Send me a private message here or better yet email me at the official email address for the WBCCI Communications Liaison, listed on page 22 in the August Blue Beret. (Using the official email address helps me with forwarding the ideas.) Include your WBCCI number. If you are a potential member, please let me know that as well.

You may also post suggestions on the WBCCI forums Member Suggestion Box at www.wbcci.org. Please use this great tool for getting some dialog going in a place WBCCI leaders are likely to monitor. Constructive suggestions are more likely to be well received than straight criticism.

Credit for the idea and establishment of a WBCCI Communications Liaison position goes to current WBCCI President Don Shafer. Thanks to all the WBCCI members who are serving as Communications Advisory Network (CAN) Members! Together, we CAN make a difference!

Renee Ettline
WBCCI Communications Liaison

[66Overlander]

I am also a Communication Liason network member. And I'll bet I am not the last one to be identified that is a member here on ASForums.

Keep those ideas coming!

[66Overlander]

I just want to make sure everyone remembers that there is a Member Suggestion Box over on the WBCCI Forums. If you have any ideas on how to improve WBCCI please submit them here. There are several threads already started, or if you don't see one that fits, start a new one. Thanks.

P.S. You will have to sign up for the WBCCI Forums to be able to post there.

[Over59]

Originally Posted by yukionna

I just received my August copy of the Blue Beret in the mail today and was pleasantly surprised with the article in the "Club News" section. It talks about the WBCCI Communications Liaison committee recently formed to gather information/suggestions from members for improving WBCCI. I also noticed many of our forum members are part of the Communications Advisory Network who are helping by forwarding any feedback they receive to the appropriate people.

Given everything that I've seen transpire in WBCCI over the past four years that I have been a member, I think this is a strong and positive step in the right direction for this club.

For those of you interested in shaping the future of our club, here is your opportunity to contribute your concerns accompained with recommendations for positive solutions.

So have you read your Vintage Newsletter. I expect this is a more realistic insight to the IBT.

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by Over59

So have you read your Vintage Newsletter. I expect this is a more realistic insight to the IBT.

Here's the bit Over59 references:

I think that most of us will agree that our parent club, the WBCCI is going through some changes most of which are dealing with the decline in membership. The VAC is holding its own with active growth noted at the Unit levels and steady numbers of Vintage activity nation wide. In other words the VAC members are active in the club and are going to impact the makeup of the WBCCI in the very near future. What I think is interesting is most of us VACer's have a very different outlook on how we fit into the WBCCI and its activities than that of a non-VAC WBCCI member. We seem to be a threat to the old school ways of doing things; we look for the fun and not the pomp and circumstance that are a large part of the WBCCI. A typical VAC sponsored event focuses on the use of the Airstream product and sharing information to help us keep these old coaches on the road. We want to take our limited time off from our jobs and see the country, talk of our adventures and expand our horizons learning new things. We are not interested in meetings, rules, and policing the membership to make sure everyone is in line, we welcome everyone to share our time and experience. In short this is not the only thing in our lives but a part of our lives, a hobby that we fight for time from our "real life" to enjoy.


When the VAC Board had a chance to meet with the WBCCI board at the International Rally this year in Salem, these differences became even more apparent. I will not bore the VAC membership with the details of that meeting(s) here but it is very clear that the two groups are very different in how to approach the future. The WBCCI Board stressed control, club liability, the Blue Book, flying the right flags, approval of activities, and attendance at meetings, they were generally combative. The VAC Board on the other hand expressed a desire to comply with the limited Inter-club rules outlined in the Blue Book, autonomy while not exposing the WBCCI to undue risk, having fun and stressing to the Board that we are on vacation and this is not a major part of our lifestyle.(at least for most of us, not yet!) For the VAC to continue to grow and our events to be enjoyable for our members we need to continue to look for ways to support the VAC member. I don't think focusing on rules and regulations are going to do that, nor do I think that mindset will increase WBCCI membership in the future. I am asking all VAC members to travel on a caravan, host a rally, meet new people, enjoy the club and most of all HAVE FUN! These basic "rules" will help keep our club strong and growing. We can't forget that Vintage Airstreaming is a state of mind, and I think the current Airstream, Inc's marketing line of "SEE MORE. DO MORE. LIVE MORE." truly expresses the Vintage Airstream Club's outlook.

[InsideOut]

The above article was authored by Ed Emerick, 2006/7 VAC President (and "newish" Forum Member)

Shari

[66Overlander]

Was Ed Emmerick's article in a recently received Vintage Advantage? If so, I haven't received my copy yet. When did you get it?

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by 66Overlander

Was Ed Emmerick's article in a recently received Vintage Advantage? If so, I haven't received my copy yet. When did you get it?

Vintage Website: http://www.airstream.net/presidentsmessage.html

[Alumaholic]

Ed's message was delightful in its thoughtfulness, coherence, and candor.

[streamer23]

Thanks Michelle for posting Ed's article.Many outside the vintage club have similar feelings.Long live the VAC.

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by streamer23

Thanks Michelle for posting Ed's article.Many outside the vintage club have similar feelings.Long live the VAC.

Yes, the VAC is a very bright star in the WBCCI sky.

[Goin camping]

What a brilliant guiding credo for a camping club. "Have fun"

Maybe this concept will travel to the mother club.