March 27, 2008
Hello MAB Members,
Well, are you ready for spring and ready to get that Bounder out and hit the road? I trust you
have had a safe and healthy winter? We have a busy camping season planned for this summer and I
hope you will be able to join us on many of these campouts. Unlike most of our campouts, we have to
give a much longer advanced notice of our intentions for each month than we have in the past.
Because of the popularity of 5 of the 6 locations this year, we have to secure the reservations
further ahead to guarantee enough campsites. We are urging you to think and plan further ahead
than normal. If you think there is a possibility of going to any or all of the campouts send in your
reservations now because there are cancellation policies, within deadlines, on each camp-out that will
allow you to get a refund if you are not able to make it.
Starting with the BOA International Rally in Richmond, IN on May 13-16, 2008: MAB will be
assisting the host chapter, Buckeye Bounders, with parking so we need to come in at least one day
early to familiarize ourselves with the layout before the masses start coming in. Beginning April 1,
2008 the registrar, Sue Sims, will start assigning campsites and those wanting to park in groups
(Chapters) will need to get them in before that date. In other words, do it NOW! Please plan on
arriving on Sunday May 11, 2008 no later than Monday, so we can get organized. If you wish to
come in earlier that is fine. These extra days will be $25.00 per day. If you have already
registered and have not included this in your payment, you can pay upon arrival. At this time only 12
from MAB have registered. Please remember to bring something unique from your area to add to the
door prize baskets we will be making at the rally to give away.
June 19-22, 2008: Alice, Scott and Jodi Blind will be our hosts, assisted by Kyle and Nancy Davis
at Indiana Beach Camp Resort in Monticello, IN. Although they have a large campground, in order to
reserve camping sites as a group we must secure our reservations with one night’s camping fee needed
to be in March 1, 2008. However at this point in time, make your reservations directly with Indiana
Beach Phone 800-583-5306 and ask to be placed as close as possible to MAB. Then contact Alice
Blind and let her know you are coming ASAP. We are encouraging you to bring your grandchildren. If
your grandchildren cannot spend the weekend, possibly the family could come for a day to enjoy the
variety of activities that are available for their amusement. We have reserved 5 full hook-up sites
@ $30.41 and 10 water and electric sites @ $28.45. All sites are pull thru and have cable TV
hook-up. Campers will be issued a pass to the Sand Beach-Splash Bash water playground, $2.50
discount at the Water Park. Many more amenities are available for our amusement. Go on line for
more details at www.indianabeach.com. At this writing, there are 16 coaches registered.
JULY 17-20, 2008: Fox Hill RV Park in Baraboo, WI will be the site with John & Ruthann Serio and
Bob & Jan Israelson hosting. This rally will be in the Wisconsin Dells area, and also grandchildren
friendly.
For reservations call Toll Free: 888-236-9445 or 608-356-5890 or E-mail foxhill@foxhillrvpark.
com. Because of the popularity of that area, we also have to make early reservations. It also will
take a first night deposit to hold the reservation. Reservations were supposed to be in by March 1,
but try anyhow, but SOON, then contact John or Ruth Serio. For more information on Fox Hill go to
the website at: http://www.foxhillrvpark.com.
AUGUST 21-24, 2008: The KOA Indianapolis will be the location with the annual air show going on at
the near by Mt. Comfort Airport. This rally will be hosted by Rick & Kathy Groves and Danny & Gail
Leonard. KOA has advised us that any registrations coming in after April 1 will not get as great of a
discount nor can be guaranteed to be parked with the group, if reservations are made after April 1,
2008. CALL 1-800-562-0531 NOW!
SEPTEMBER 18-21, 2008: Our hosts will be Bob & Paula Young, Bill and Carol Haenny and Dan &
Niecy Milner. If you even think you will be attending this rally, get your reservations in now. This
area is a very popular tourist attraction and it will require an early reservation with one nights
deposit to secure it. Full refunds no later than 2 weeks before the event will be available if you are
not able to make it. It will be at Mark Twain Cave Campgrounds in Hannibal, MO. For reservations,
call 1-800-527-0304 with one night camping fee of $26.39 for the MAB Rally. If you have not
made reservations yet, even though it is past December 7, 2007, try anyhow. You never know! Also
contact Bob Young. At this writing there are 21 coaches registered.
OCTOBER 16-19, 2008: This rally will be at Sundermeier RV Park, St. Charles, MO and our hosts
will be Larry & Jolly Ann Whitener and Tom & Judy Robinson. More information will be coming later
on this rally. Registrations should be made with: Sundermeier RV Park @ 1-800-929-0832.
Dues: A reminder that the annual renewal dues are due in May 2008. Please send $5.00 payment to
Jolly Ann Whitener or pay her at the May rally. Also your BOA Dues date is on the mailing label of
your Bounder Beacon.
NEW Members: Welcome to three new members that have recently joined Mid America Bounders.
Jim & Nina Francis Indianapolis, IN
Rick & Debra Kerrigan Oak Lawn, IL
Terry & Rene Schulz Elmwood, IL
We look forward to seeing them at our rallies and extend a hand of friendship.
Concerns: Bob Hansen is still healing slowly but surely from his back surgery. He and Judy are
planning to attend the Baraboo, WI rally in July. They want to thank everyone for the “Get Well”
cards.
Joe Ernst is still dealing with a foot problem due to his hip replacement. He also had cataracts
removed from both eyes since he was otherwise incapacitated. So he too is progressing slowly but
surely. He and Betty are celebrating their 50th Anniversary this weekend. Their Anniversary was
the 21st of March. Congratulations Joe and Betty!
Celebrations:
Birthdays in March: 27th Beverly Webb & Jolly Ann Whitener.
Birthdays in April: 9th Kathy Groves & Jan Israelson & Addie Weast
24th Georgia Czerniak
26th Joyce Borkoski
28th Betty Ernst
Anniversaries in April: 1st Dave & Georgia Czerniak
7th Bob & Jan Israelson
9th Von & Hilda Greene
26th Tom & Carol Sapp
MAB Website: If you have not visited our new website, you really need to. There is all kinds of
information available there. Check your own roster entry to see if it is complete. If it is not, send
Kathy the information she needs. (kgroves@mabounders.org). This has already been and will be a
good communication tool for our chapter. The address is: www.mabounders.org. Check it out.
THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD
By Tom Robinson
I took a lot of liberties with an article that was written for the Ainad Bulletin, January 2008:
To the chapter officers and members of the MAB,
We are the family that was asked to join your chapter. We are the family that paid our dues to
join. We’re the family that came to your campouts and no one paid any attention to us. We tried
several times to be friendly with some of the folks, but they all had their own buddies to talk to and
to sit next to. We sat down with the group several times to eat and attend meetings, but no one paid
any attention to us. We hoped very much that someone would have asked us to
ride in their car when we all went somewhere, or asked even one of us to be on a committee, but no
one seemed willing to let us in their group.
After joining, we missed a couple of campouts because of illness; no one asked us at the next campout
where we had been. We guessed it didn’t matter very much to the others whether we were there or
not. The next campout we decided to stay home and do a little yard work and watch some TV. We
attended the next campout, and again, no one asked where we had been.
You might say we are a good family, do a lot of volunteer work in our church and other organizations,
love our community and our country. You know who else we are? We are the family that never came
back.
It amuses us when we think back on how you discussed why the chapter was losing members. It
makes us sad to think that you spent so much time looking for new members when we were there all
the time. All you had to do was to make us feel needed, wanted and welcome.
Regretfully yours,
Have you noticed anyone missing from your campouts? Could this letter be from them? We all know
how hard it is to attract new members, and how hard we try. It is equally, if not more, important,
to keep them. Paying just a little extra attention to both new and not-so-new members could make a
terrific difference to the future of our chapter, and to our reputation for being a friendly, caring
group.
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
It has been a great winter for Madam Secretary and me. We left home January 5, 2008 heading
south to the Texas area, visiting several MAB Winter Texans in the Rio Grande Valley, then moving
on to New Mexico, Arizona and ending up in Pomona, CA for the FMCA International Convention. We
fulfilled a few things on our “Bucket Lists” (That’s things you want to do before you die) along the
way. One of which was visiting the Nixon and Reagan Presidential Libraries and Museums. Others
were, going to church at the Crystal Cathedral, and seeing the Grand Canyon. There are a lot more
things to see in this beautiful country we live in. We drove through 14 states (4 twice) covering
6300+ miles and arriving home March 18, 2008. It was a good “Shake Down Cruise” for the new
coach, ironing out several bugs along the way, but still with a few more to go. We are anticipating
an exciting and eventful summer of rallies and we are looking forward to seeing many of you along the
way.
Thanks,
Jerry Hardacre
We want to wish you a safe and healthy Spring season.
Carol Hardacre, Secretary