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FMCA changes By-Laws
Recent vote changes by-laws at FMCA …. If your self contained joining FMCA is available for membership.
CINCINNATI — Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) is about to embark on an exciting new journey. A recent vote of the members of this Cincinnati, Ohio-based international organization for motorhome enthusiasts has resulted in owners of all types of self-contained RVs becoming eligible to join and take advantage of the group’s benefits and services. This broadening membership opens a new chapter in the association’s 54-year history.
When asked about this expansion of the association, FMCA national president Jon Walker said, “This initiative started because FMCA members increasingly were asking the leadership of the organization why owners of other types of RVs were not eligible to join. Many of them have family members or friends they travel with who own fifth-wheel or other travel trailers, and they wanted to be able to welcome them to the FMCA family.
“The time seemed right to take this to the membership for a vote,” Walker said. “We, as leaders of FMCA, discussed that the focus really should be on the RVers, the people who enjoy RV travel, and not the equipment they’ve chosen. Surveys showed that the vast majority of FMCA members have owned a different type of RV at some point. Since the Great Recession, towable RVs have been far outselling motorized RVs, and we believe we have something valuable to offer those owners also.”
A good move for FMCA who experienced declining membership for years.
AL
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21 Replies
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Cha Ching.
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Prior to this change which broadened membership eligibility, weren’t there more potential members coming on board as more and more people became RVer’s? Wasn’t the pool of RVer’s increasing each year?
Or where people getting into RV’ing and NOT joining FMCA?
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More ads about widgets and crap that I will never buy or use. It has gotten to the point that I don’t think it is worth the dues money anymore. Hardly anything worth reading in the magazine these days.
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Like it or not it’s a great deal, the magazine is hardly worth the postage and the rallies are not anything to write home about, But the medical assistance plan thats simular to Sky Med plan that you get included with your annual dues is worth its weight in gold if the need ever comes up.
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Anyone that has looked at the FMCA magazine can see the problem, and their new policy is not about to change that.
Look at the FMCA members in the pictures……..they are all between 65 and dead.
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In other words, they are ALL Jon’s age.
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Look who is talking……….
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Jon … you’re lucky you insulted some of the members today. Tomorrow I would have taken it personally, very personally.
But lets face it, many RVer’s are over 60 or 65. Lots of people have a goal in life to reach or get close to retirement and if the health is good buy and RV and live that lifestyle. That does drive the advanced age component.
But when I stop by a local independent RV dealer once or two a year to visit or stop in the local Camping World or walk through the campgrounds at Road America or Daytona or Indianapolis … there are lots of younger people who have RVs. I suspect that FMCA might be missing those folks.
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How did I insult anyone? Merely observing the average age of FMCA members and tying that to what must be dwindling membership just seems obvious.
You are correct. If they don’t get some young members FMCA is doomed.
I was a long time member (F138965) but they lost my respect as an advocate for RV owners when they held one of the national rallies in San Antonio just after San Antonio passed punishing local laws regarding RVs that all but prevented any resident from having one visible on their property or even parking it on the street for loading. I don’t know if the laws still exist but if anyone in San Antonio wanted to buy or retain their RV they faced an uphill battle just to be able to park it. And FMCA not only did not raise hell, they rewarded San Antonio by holding a convention there. (This was about 20 or 25 years ago when FMCA was very strong.)
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I sure don’t see any insult and I’m one of the old farts. They have a long way to go to attract younger members, just look at the magazine, young folks aren’t interested in a Jitterbug.
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I agree that the medical assist plan is worth the cost of the membership.
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As long as they don’t get rid of the Flxible in the FMCA logo, I’m happy!
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Here’s a note from the younger generation ….
I’m an FMCA member, but have never been to an FMCA Rally. There’s really no discounts that have been beneficial during my travels the last two years, but I do enjoy their magazine. However, I’d have to think long & hard come renewal time regarding the benefits of renewing my membership.
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When I joined FMCA Prevost and Prevost conversions were a part of the organization. They had ads on the inside of the covers and back page of the magazine. There was a huge Prevost conversion display at conventions.
There were often articles relating to conversions. People associated with Prevost conversions were the subject of articles.
There were ads for goods and services that Prevost owners would find valuable. But at some point 15 or 20 years ago Prevost and the converters pulled out. The magazine shrunk, articles were aimed at more conventional RVs and it became clear to me the FMCA organization focus was not on Prevost conversions and they had very little of interest to me.
What prompted me to stop paying dues however was seeing every issue of the magazine aimed at seniors and that just turned me off.
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Jon, I don’t think that they will ever run out of seniors. As they die off there is a pipeline in place to keep more coming. I just think that owning an RV for travelling is part of a lot of persons retirement dreams and for those people, FMCA does provide a service. As I mention to people that we will be going full time it is amazing how many would like to do the same, or so they say. I enjoy reading about the places that many visit. FMCA is not for everyone but it is evidently good enough for many.
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