Articles

November 2018 Blue Beret

<reserved for Rick’s photo, if desired>

Author: J. Rick Cipot (WBCCI# 3411)

New England Airstream Club, Unit #64

Yes, every year about this time we say “I can’t believe how fast the year has gone”. And then here we are, that time of year again. Now that we all have our year end reports into Jackson Center, have our officers in place and a good rally schedule in the works for next year, perhaps we should give thanks for another great year of traveling, camping and good times with all of our Airstream Club friends. I know that Sandi and I had a great year with our club and Oz even made a few new friends along the way.

How does this all work? How is it that year after year we have great events to attend, new friends to be made and adventures around each corner? How is it that we can travel five hundred miles with twenty fellow Airstream owners, not get lost, have a wonderful place to camp for the night and feed our brains and our tummies at the same time? How is it that we can gather with folks from all four corners, coast to coast, border to border and all have so much in common? The answer is quite easy, WBCCI Airstream Club. If it were not for our wonderful club imagine where you would be. Imagine all the places you would not have seen. Imagine all of the wonderful people you would not have met. What if Wally decided to focus on food trucks and not camping trailers? Hey, don’t get me wrong, I love to cook and eat but not for a line of strangers banging on my window on some sidewalk.  So, how does this all work?

First and foremost, a gathering of likeminded individuals who have an interest in travel, adventure and friendship is how it all starts. Of course the common denominator is the aluminum, our wonderful Airstreams. The bond grows a little more each time we gather as we find the adventure down the road is always better when you share it with others. An additional ingredient to the success of our club is the common need for knowing how to fix things. I learned early on, if you see someone with a tool box follow them. My thirst for knowledge about our wonderful Airstreams started well before we purchased one and not a year goes by when I don’t expand that knowledge. Twenty years ago I could care less how many amps you might be able to squeeze out of a flexible solar collector. Back then a pig tail was something you found on a pig and a tongue was something in the butchers cooler that I had no interest in. Not today! Then there is the almighty Happy Hour – the perfect forum for exchanging repair stories, upgrades, woes and quick fixes. And yes, the exchange of recipes for that delightful salmon dip Betty placed on the table.

Now, what does all of this wonderful reflection have to do with our club? Everything. Without our club none of the before mentioned would ever happen, it is that simple. So how does our club work? With volunteers. Without rally hosts, caravan leaders and club officers I would probably be reading a book or watching the evening news right now. What would you be doing right now if you were not a member of the Airstream Club? With so much to offer and with so many taking advantage of all the wonderful things our club offers why is it that we have a lack of members in many regions to fill the officer positions of our clubs? Speaking as someone who knows, there is no pain, nothing embarrassing, doesn’t really cost you anything, nothing damaging to your character, and really not too much different from what you are already doing in your club, having a good time. What it comes right down to is that without our officers we have no club.

The very first section of the Blue Beret I go to when it is published is the new member section. First I count the number of pages and then I actually read each one. More than once I have come across someone I had met along the way. How exciting. Possibly someone who stopped me at a campground to ask about Airstreams or someone whose path I crossed at Camping World. I do remember a family I chatted with at a gas station a few years back; I gave them a few Airstream Life magazines and we exchanged cards. They are now Airstream owners and belong to a club outside of our region and we are looking forward to seeing them at International some year. Yes, all because we belong to the WBCCI Airstream Club.

I always fly my Past President Flag because I am proud to have served our club and I continue to do so.  Sandi and I always ready for the next Airstream adventure and all the fun we have along the way. I am happy that I became involved and rose through the ranks of our club. I learned a bit along the way and made a difference as each and every volunteer does. That is what keeps our clubs going year to year, volunteers. No you are not filling sandbags or knocking on doors, your offering  to give a little bit of your time to the club you love and enjoy so much. It’s quite simple, raise your hand and become the person who wants to give a little back in return for all of the great adventures we have shared so far and for all of those that we are going to create tomorrow.