President’s Message
Hope you are all having a great summer, and staying cool! Tommy and I just returned from a little over a month on the road, visiting the Oregon Coast and Puget Sound area in Washington, culminating at the 61st International Rally in Sa-lem, OR, affectionately named Silver City! We love attending International and re-connecting with all of our Airstream friends that we have met, through the years.
This International was GREAT for several reasons! The weather couldn’t have been better, it was fairly close to home, and best of all, we had 16 El Camino Real Airstream rigs in attendance, and several Affiliates. Jay & Betty Nordgren were vacationing in the area, and they visited us, and attended the Opening Cere-mony, where I had the honor of carrying our new Club Flag. We have been to about 15 Internation-als, and I have always watched the Flag Ceremony, but it’s a whole different feeling when you are the one carrying the flag.
I was so proud to be able to represent our great Club!!
We met two new members, Chuck and Toni Miltenberger, and Tom and Marie Jackson. I was happy to give them their new unique badges. Speaking of our new badges, they were a BIG hit. We all got very positive feed back from people we didn’t even know. We are one of three clubs/units that have gone through the process. It’s a BIG DEAL!! We had four new members and First Timers at the Rally, Dan and Rosa Bush, Michael and Linda Greene, Jim and Pat Ivins, and Weston and Julie Taylor. We think they all got the bug, and we won’t be surprised if we see them next year in Doswell, VA, for the 62nd Int’l Rally! Tommy and I will be there, ”God willin’, ………….”
Region 12, reported that they had 172 Airstreams and 282 members in attendance. There was lots to do, and something for everyone! Tommy and I assisted with check-in the first couple of days, which was so much fun! Seeing old friends and meeting new ones, and making a big deal, and embarrassing, the First Timers!! Our club had two get together events. The first was a happy-hour, where we presented each of our members with our new ECRAC stickers. Our gift to those who were there to support us!! The sec-ond was a Club Breakfast at Sybil’s Omelette’s. We were joined by Region 12 President Jim Polk, and Past Region 12 Officers, Tom and Hedda Smithson. Most of us also attended the yummy Region 12 Breakfast.
Many of us took advantage of the great tours that were set up for us. Others volunteered for one, or more jobs that are needed to make the International run smoothly. We are a volun-teer club!! Linda Greene won a First Place Ribbon with their dog, Gidget, who apparently is quite a dancer. She also won a First Place for her unique fabric creations in the Art/Hobby Show! Marie Jackson won two First Place Ribbons for darling snapshots of her grandson, and another in the Art/Hobby Show. If I forgot someone, please let me know! Congrats to all who entered, and won a rib-bon
Tommy brought a couple of boxes of Airstream related stuff for the Swapmeet, and sold it ALL!! YAY!! Jim and Velinda Howard sold their immaculate 34 foot slide-out, to friends of ours, David and Judy Cahall. Both were really excited!! There is so much more, but I am running out of space! We did have one hic-cup. Beth Kerfoot had broken some bones in her foot, and dis-placed her ankle, previous to traveling to International, but didn’t know it. Unfortunately she had to be hospitalized, where they sta-bilized her foot, and then she and Bill flew home where she had surgery, and is now in rehab. Our best wishes for a speedy recov-ery Beth!! We hope to see you all in Williams, AZ in September, and/or Region 12 in Vegas in Oct, and Guajome, in Nov.
Kathy