Gary Lyons called the meeting to order at 7:34 PM with the following present:
Marvin Ballard, Berkeley Alexander, David Fowler, Patricia Groover, Gary Lambert, Glenn Himes, Mike Smalley, Victor Banks, Rene Bollengier, Phyllis Britz, Eugene Herring, Gillian Raye, Bruce Taylor, Dwellion Howard, Elisabeth Schultz, Sue Cipa, Joe Kromash, Matt Hoelzel, Chris Carroll, Ed Herbert, Jerry Dickinson, Clarissa Sherrow, Carol Graham and Janis Fowler.
Membership
Membership is down to 56k from 70k a year ago. Gary Lyons asked some people what their FRVA experience has been. Several felt there was nothing in it for them, others felt they did not fit and others did not feel welcome. There were numerous discussions throughout the meeting about how to attract new members. They included using a clear folder with rally schedules and registration forms, using a single sheet of benefits, and visiting other campers in campgrounds to discuss FRVA.
Membership Services Committee
They are trying to refine our benefits and will make them exclusive to FRVA members. RVOvernights is a new partner with 70000 locations for an overnight stay for a membership fee of $29.95 per year. FRVA is no longer associated with Harvest Hosts.
A new Chapter benefit will be Chapter affiliate links that will provide chapters with a $10 commission for every new member recruited.
Chapters are also encouraged to request business cards to be used for potential members by emailing Chapter Services at FRVA.
Dates to Remember
RV There Yet? Discovery Channel May 10
National Convention – Gillette WY 16-19 July 2025 (4 National Officers to be elected) National Directors are encouraged to attend.
GEAR 25 November 5-9 at Ocean Lakes Myrtle Beach SC
National Convention – Perry Ga. 18-21 March 2026 Hosting is the Eastern Area. We are recruiting Chairs for the event.
GEAR 26 Lewisburg, WV. Oct. 5-9. Later in the meeting there was discussion about whether we can manage hosting both Perry and GEAR in the same year.
Motion- Marvin Balard motioned “The GEAR 26 at Lewisburg WV should be cancelled”. Chris Carroll seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. Gary Lyons will contact Kelly at the WV Fairgrounds to cancel the dates and suggest we use them in 2027.
National Convention – Perry Ga 2027 National Confention – Gillette WY 2027
FRVA is working with the vendors to stabilize the rally locations to make it more desirable for them. The challenges to find a location are to have one large enough, have enough amenities, and a facility for the rally functions.
Demographic Study and Re-organization
The FRVA Council needs National Directors to participate. Please encourage your National Directors to join the Council. They will look at reorganization.
Feedback from Perry 2025 Attendees
The attendees’ feedback included that FRVA took too long to make decisions, it is too hard to maintain 15 members for a Chapter, how to form a Chapter, and to have electronic voting available for National Directors.
Recruitment and Retention
Gary Lyons is considering a recruitment/retention person for the Eastern Region. Gary Lyons said he is talking to Winnebago chapters about FRVA because they are not receiving much National support.
Several people spoke about the lack of knowledge regarding benefits. Several chapters volunteered information about what they use. Gary Lyons will ask Tim Keppler to create a tab on the website for recruitment tools and requested that all chapters that have a folder, trifold, or sheet of benefits forward it to Tim Keppler for inclusion on the website. {This has been created and we already have several submissions}
Gary Lyons asked if we should spend more Zoom meeting time on recruitment and several people said yes. There was also discussion about how to help people with what to say to new recruits.
Ed Herbert asked if electronic voting would be available for Gillette and Gary Lyons responded it is not yet available.
GEAR 2025
David Fowler, Rally Master, reported that Registration forms will be in the July/Aug magazine but hopes to put it on our website earlier. There are at least 117 registered campers, there will be RV Basics on Nov. 3-4 and that we can open it up to other campers, and that many activities planning is underway, Golf carts are $25 per day and the Christmas show tickets will be on the registration form. Marvin Ballard agreed to bring the trailer to Ocean Lakes. Gary Cipa will create a flyer that can be used to advertise the RV Basics classes. David Fowler will discuss the classes with Ocean Lakes and RV dealers.
Eastern Area April 17, 2025 Workshop
Zoom Meeting Minutes 4-17-2025
Gary Lyons called the meeting to order at 7:34 PM with the following present:
Marvin Ballard, Berkeley Alexander, David Fowler, Patricia Groover, Gary Lambert, Glenn Himes, Mike Smalley, Victor Banks, Rene Bollengier, Phyllis Britz, Eugene Herring, Gillian Raye, Bruce Taylor, Dwellion Howard, Elisabeth Schultz, Sue Cipa, Joe Kromash, Matt Hoelzel, Chris Carroll, Ed Herbert, Jerry Dickinson, Clarissa Sherrow, Carol Graham and Janis Fowler.
Membership
Membership is down to 56k from 70k a year ago. Gary Lyons asked some people what their FRVA experience has been. Several felt there was nothing in it for them, others felt they did not fit and others did not feel welcome. There were numerous discussions throughout the meeting about how to attract new members. They included using a clear folder with rally schedules and registration forms, using a single sheet of benefits, and visiting other campers in campgrounds to discuss FRVA.
Membership Services Committee
They are trying to refine our benefits and will make them exclusive to FRVA members. RVOvernights is a new partner with 70000 locations for an overnight stay for a membership fee of $29.95 per year. FRVA is no longer associated with Harvest Hosts.
A new Chapter benefit will be Chapter affiliate links that will provide chapters with a $10 commission for every new member recruited.
Chapters are also encouraged to request business cards to be used for potential members by emailing Chapter Services at FRVA.
Dates to Remember
RV There Yet? Discovery Channel May 10
National Convention – Gillette WY 16-19 July 2025 (4 National Officers to be elected) National Directors are encouraged to attend.
GEAR 25 November 5-9 at Ocean Lakes Myrtle Beach SC
National Convention – Perry Ga. 18-21 March 2026 Hosting is the Eastern Area. We are recruiting Chairs for the event.
GEAR 26 Lewisburg, WV. Oct. 5-9. Later in the meeting there was discussion about whether we can manage hosting both Perry and GEAR in the same year.
Motion- Marvin Balard motioned “The GEAR 26 at Lewisburg WV should be cancelled”. Chris Carroll seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. Gary Lyons will contact Kelly at the WV Fairgrounds to cancel the dates and suggest we use them in 2027.
National Convention – Perry Ga 2027 National Confention – Gillette WY 2027
FRVA is working with the vendors to stabilize the rally locations to make it more desirable for them. The challenges to find a location are to have one large enough, have enough amenities, and a facility for the rally functions.
Demographic Study and Re-organization
The FRVA Council needs National Directors to participate. Please encourage your National Directors to join the Council. They will look at reorganization.
Feedback from Perry 2025 Attendees
The attendees’ feedback included that FRVA took too long to make decisions, it is too hard to maintain 15 members for a Chapter, how to form a Chapter, and to have electronic voting available for National Directors.
Recruitment and Retention
Gary Lyons is considering a recruitment/retention person for the Eastern Region. Gary Lyons said he is talking to Winnebago chapters about FRVA because they are not receiving much National support.
Several people spoke about the lack of knowledge regarding benefits. Several chapters volunteered information about what they use. Gary Lyons will ask Tim Keppler to create a tab on the website for recruitment tools and requested that all chapters that have a folder, trifold, or sheet of benefits forward it to Tim Keppler for inclusion on the website. {This has been created and we already have several submissions}
Gary Lyons asked if we should spend more Zoom meeting time on recruitment and several people said yes. There was also discussion about how to help people with what to say to new recruits.
Ed Herbert asked if electronic voting would be available for Gillette and Gary Lyons responded it is not yet available.
GEAR 2025
David Fowler, Rally Master, reported that Registration forms will be in the July/Aug magazine but hopes to put it on our website earlier. There are at least 117 registered campers, there will be RV Basics on Nov. 3-4 and that we can open it up to other campers, and that many activities planning is underway, Golf carts are $25 per day and the Christmas show tickets will be on the registration form. Marvin Ballard agreed to bring the trailer to Ocean Lakes. Gary Cipa will create a flyer that can be used to advertise the RV Basics classes. David Fowler will discuss the classes with Ocean Lakes and RV dealers.
Gary Lyons adjourned the meeting at 8:43PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Janis Fowler Secretary EAMA