WBCCI Cleveland Unit

The campsites at Four Mile Creek State Park were gorgeous as usual, the camaraderie was flowing and the adventures were new and exciting at this year’s gathering on the shores of Lake Ontario.  While retirements, school starts and other travels reduced the numbers to 5 Units and 1 Buddy, the fun was shared with enthusiasm.  Besides the jet boat trip on the Niagara River that was added last year, this year included tours in Lockport of the caves created to channel water around the “Flight of Five” lock system on the Erie Canal and a boat trip along the Barge Canal with exciting “lifts” up and down Locks 34 and 35.  Some of the group visited the Casino in Niagara Falls, Canada while others shopped in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  We all enjoyed the meals and evening entertainment provided by hosts Tom and Paula Christopher.  We look forward to next year with eager anticipation.  A business meeting was held and minutes can be found under “Annoucements”.

Come to East Springfield PA for turkey dinner, bonfires, covered bridge tours, bike/walking tour of Presque Isle State Park, New Officer Installation and lots more!  See Rally Schedule for details.

2010 R & R Rally, September 12 – 19, 2010

This is a joint rally with the Cleveland Unit

Chairmen: Dot and Jim McAfee, Gary & Pat Auman, Charlotte & Gene Hill

When: Sunday Sept.12 to Sunday Sept. 19, any part or all the days to suit your schedule.

            Where: Dillon State Park, 5265 Dillon Hills Drive, Nashport, Ohio (need Zanesville)

            Utilities: Electric at every campsite, nearby water, shower and a dump station.

 Reservations: You will make your own reservations. We will be camping in a circle with sites 64 to 91. The Cleveland tent will be on site 77. Call 1-866-644-6727. (7 am to 7pm.) to make your reservations directly with the State of Ohio. Don’t forget to use your Golden Buckeye Card for a discount. Cleveland Unit should advise Dot and Jim McAfee (440) 365-4233, Akron Unit should advise Gary and Pat Auman (330) 882-6340 or Charlotte and Gene Hill (330) 896-7050 of your arrival date and departure date so we can plan meals.

Pets: Pets are permitted on sites 33 -104. No pets on sites 1 – 32.They must be on leash         at all times and not left outside unattended.

            Meals: Most of the breakfast and dinners will be provided. Lunch will be on your own.      

            There will be a fee of $3.00 per person per day. There will be an afternoon hospitality

 (4:00) each day….bring your own beverage and snacks. Important to Note: Sunday      evening 9/12 bring your own fixings for pie iron pizza, Tuesday night we will have a pot luck dinner. Bring a dish to share.

Things to bring: Bicycles, pie irons (for one night supper) games, cameras, snacks to share, hiking  shoes. Please bring some fire wood.

Comments: Things you can do:  Visit:

1.     The Wilds, Cambridge, Ohio

2.     J.C. Penny outlet store, Columbus, Ohio

3.     Longenburger Basket Company

4.     Black Hand Gorge (for hiking and biking)

5.     Biking trail in Mt Vernon

6.     Ohio Ceramic Center

7.     John Glenn Home.

8.     Campfire each night, bring marshmallows and items to enjoy at the fire.

Come and join us for a fun and relaxing time with your Airstream friends in a delightful state park.

There will be a one hour Akron Unit Business meeting on Wednesday night after dinner in the dining tent. This will the official annual meeting where we nominate and elect officers for the following year to be installed at the October Rally.

The WBCCI is all about Fun, Fellowship and Adventure.  Part of the “fellowship” mission is building the community of Airstream owners so that they can share their excitement about their “silver twinkies”.  The Facebook social networking site is ideal for this purpose as it adds real time spontaneity to our communications.  Keep in touch with fellow Airstreamers and our activities by becoming a member of this Facebook Group centered about the Cleveland Unit of WBCCI!  Go to the “links” area and click on the Facebook connection.

Glidden House, Cleveland Ohio

Attendance  – 8 units present (Christophers, Standings, Johnjulios, Whitmores, Webers, Jenkinses, Maties, LeVecks)

Actions – Since President Christopher will not be at the International meeting in Gillette WY, an alternate needs to be selected to represent the Unit.  A form for this purpose from WBCCI was presented proposing that Bill and Sandy Johnjulio fulfill this role.  Bill Weber moved the action, seconded by Tom Standing.  This motion passed.

Bill  Johnjulio reminded President Christopher that the Unit flag will be needed for the Region 4 rally and for the International meeting.  A search is on to locate the flag.  2nd VP Joe Maxwell will represent the Unit at the Rally.

President Christopher reviewed actions undertaken to gain new members for the Unit.  Using a list of Ohio Airstream owners obtained from the company, local owners have been contacted by mail – about 40 in number – and will be followed up on to offer a year’s free membership in the club.   A target of 5-10 new members is what we are after.

The plans for various rallies were reviewed and it was noted that the Cedar Point Rally, organized for July 16-18, would be an excellent recruiting tool for potential new members, especially those with children or grandchildren.  It was suggested that having a rally in October, possibly in Penn-Wood, might also reinforce the “Fun, Fellowship, Adventure” message for new members.  Tom Standing (1^St VP) agreed to look into that option.  He will follow up with Joe Maxwell after the Penn-Wood rally in early May.

 Sunday, April 18   12:30-2:00PM

University Circle is one of the true gems of the Cleveland area.  It is home to Case Western Reserve University and many cultural icons — Severance Hall, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and the Natural History Museum.  For those who are “royalty of the road” in their Airstreams, a “must see” is the Crawford Auto and Aviation Museum, which houses the stellar car and plane collection of Fredrick Crawford (one founder of TRW Inc.).  This luncheon will take place at Glidden House Inn, a boutique hotel on the campus of CWRU which was built in 1910.  gliddenhouse.com

We had a fun and informative luncheon on Sunday, 15 November at “Mario Fazio’s” in Willoughby Hills, Ohio.  Pres. Tom Christopher lead us through the “Strategic Plan” developed with help from Joe Maxwell (2nd VP) and Tom Standing (1st VP) that lays out plans for 2009/2010 and beyond.  The goal to is re-vitalized the Cleveland Unit with at least 10 new members and an offering of activities that bring “Fun, Fellowship and Adventure” to the experience of WBCCI Membership.  Highlights include the “Spirit of Cleveland” urban camping experience rally in June and a Cedar Point Rally in July.  Sustainability for the WBCCI begins at the Unit level!

After a delicious lunch, we had a good, interactive conversation with Larry Huddle who has been with Airstream Inc. since 1979.  He described the financial condition of Airstream and its parent, Thor Industries, as “very good” considering the financial shocks of the last few years.  The balance sheet is strong and orders are returning with vigor.  The mix of styles is changing with the needs of the customers and the 34 footer and the Classic model have been eliminated.  (They say that all good things must end some day.)  Airstream sales are about 45% “Flying Cloud” and 30% “International”.  The company is positioning its iconic design as a way of accessing Adventure and is partnering with the National Park system as well as KOA to have “ruggedized” units for rent on site. Other moves include design collaborations with Victorinox (Swiss Army knife), Orvis, and Cabela’s.  Finally, Airstream is working with Camping World to establish repair site that might replicate the Jackson Center experience.

A total of 17 Airstreamers joined in the luncheon including 3 from the Akron Unit.

Submitted by Tom Standing

                                             Sept. 13-20, 2009

Our 10th Annual R & R Rally was held at West Branch State Park Campground near Ravenna, Ohio. We couldn’t have had nicer weather with plenty of  sunshine and NO rain! Activities were varied with boat rides provided by Ron Swan, several went on a 10-mile bike hike on the Mill Creek trail at Canfield, some chose fishing near us on the lake, while others participated in active games and table games.

In the evening, Jim McAfee set up his horse racing game with Gary Auman as our “bookie”. Such exciting cheering took place! Dot McAfee and Charley Pyles were in charge of an evening of bingo with our white elephants as prizes. Thanks to many generous Akron members sharing their backyard wood piles, our campfires were many and enjoyable.

Seventeen trailers made up the rally in the beautiful, newly renovated campground. Those attending from the Cleveland Unit were: Charles Pyles, Sandy and Bill Johnjulio, Joe and Mary Maxwell, Bill and Gerri Sagaser, and the McAfees. Bud and Conna Whitmore joined us for our potluck supper and Ron and Marion Paugh had pizza with us on Saturday.

We want to thank Tom and Suzee Losasso (Akron Unit) for being our wonderful co-chairmen and all those who helped in putting up and taking down our club’s 29′ x 15′ dining canopy. Tom’s canopy and their club’s equipment were great in allowing us to have a dining and food preparation area. On our final evening, many enjoyed watching the colorful Hot Air Balloon Lift-Off in Ravenna. What a fitting and peaceful ending to a fun-filled week!

                      Jim & Dot McAfee

(submitted by Tom Standing #7879)

Bill and Sandy Johnjulio hosted the 33^rd  Annual Rally for our Region In Lewisburg, West Virginia from 20-24 May.  There was a large turnout with 125 Airstreams attending.  The Cleveland Unit had a good representation with 28 members registered.  The weather really cooperated with warm and sunny days and the facilities of the West Virginia State Fairgrounds were excellent.  As 2^nd Vice President for the Cleveland Unit I got the honor of carrying the flag in the opening ceremony on Wednesday evening.  This wasn’t the original plan as I had asked Bud and Conna Whitmore to handle the flag for both opening and closing knowing that Terry and I would be leaving on Friday (for a Memorial Day weekend camping trip with my daughter and two grandchildren back in Ohio).  But fate intervened when Conna took an unplanned trip to the hospital just before the Rally and the Whitmores didn’t arrive in Lewisburg until Thursday.  Fortunately Conna’s problem was not serious but it did leave me begging for appropriate clothing for the ceremony.  So with borrowed white shirt, red tie, dark pants and signature beret collected from Ron Paugh, John Turner (JJ’s successor as Region IV President) and Karen Kurkowski (Region IV 1^st VP), I posted the Cleveland colors as required. 

The highlight of the various sightseeing trips available was undoubtedly the tour of the secret fallout shelter under the West Virginia Wing of the “Greenbrier” Hotel in White Sulfur Springs.  Built as a refuge for all members of Congress in the late 1950s, the underground facility had its cover blown in 1992 by a reporter who is now on the faculty at CWRU – a nice little Cleveland tie-in.  To add color to the visit, the grounds of the hotel were in full bloom with rhododendrons and azaleas.  While that tour had historic significance, nothing could beat the whitewater rafting trip on Friday down the fast-flowing New River gorge for excitement.  Kudos to Joe Peplinski from Metro Detroit Unit for arranging this experience which was taken up by 17 Airstreamers.  The water conditions were perfect and the 3 raft crews came through the Level I-Level IV rapids like champs!  Wally said we were supposed to have fun and we did with a capital F-U-N!

Since Theresa and I headed to Burr Oak State Park right after the rafting trip, I can only surmise that the Rally ended with the same uplifted spirits as it began and that all returned home safely.  I know that the Kurkowskis  made it at least as far as Jackson Center, Ohio on their way back to Michigan since I met Larry in the men’s room there the following Tuesday.  But that’s another story.

Region IV Rally next year in Wauseon Ohio!  See the Region Newsletter for more details.

 http://Region4.wbcci.net