[VAC] Re: WBCCI MEMBERSHIP

[Roy Lashway <rlashway@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I understand they have a membership application on the WBCCI web site 
(www.wbcci.org)    but think that just gives  you the form to print out 
and mail into  An active membership sign up where you can use a credit 
card would be a definite asset.

WBCCI is somewhere around 9500 folks which is about half what it was 20 
years ago.  Folks keep passing on and new membership cannot keep up that 
pace of loss (nearly a 1000 per year lately I have heard).  Airstream 
RV's  and WBCCI  group activities have a lot of competition from less 
expensive trailers and organizations that  now emulate the activities 
started  by Wally B and perfected by WBCCI.  Motorhomes are also a big 
competition and Airstream only moved into the MH mfg'g in the past few 
years.  They  are still behind the curve in many respects.

Plus we need to face it, that the  overall  operation of WBCCI is kind of 
moribund  and needs a good shot of vitality and infusion of fresh ideas 
on how to do what they do successfully in a  more appealing way.  I am 
not being critical but rather trying to be realistic.  I am convinced 
that WBCCI will, in time, rise to the occasion but as it is said "It may 
get worse before it gets better"   We don't seem to appeal to lot of the 
new Airstream buyers.  Airstream still mfg and sells a lot of trailers 
and MH but  a lot of buyers do not join or participate in WBCCI.  We also 
seem to lack appeal to new buyers of used Airstream.

Part of the problem is NOT what we are doing -the club purpose and 
activities  -  but the  way we go about doing them and particularly the 
very poor way  we are  marketing WBCCI.  Our complacency in thinking  we 
can sell ourselves on our past achievements,  reputations, etc.  is not 
enough and is not working.   Where and how do we get this infusion of 
vitality, etc.?   I suggest it is not going to come from the regional and 
national officers of WBCCI who, although they work  hard at their 
assignments and we must be thankful and appreciative of their efforts,  
they are an-over-the-hill- gang  who at this stage in life shouldn't be 
expected shoulder all the WBCCI operational burdens they do and who 
should have a full time staff within WBCCI  to  provide a lot more help 
then what has been provide in the past.  Important would be an Executive 
Director given some authority and responsibility to propose things to 
improve the organization.  I felt it was a real mistake for WBCCI to not 
replace the executive director when he left. Instead they appointed his 
wife to provide  leadership as the  Director of Administration while 
still assuming  many of her previous duties.   The leadership slack was 
to be picked up by the regular officers of WBCCI.  What should have been 
done was  hire a professional "head hunting" firm to go out and find a 
real hot-dog of a professional Executive Director, from outside of WBCCI, 
who could bring fresh approaches and hustle to the organization.  There 
are a lot of experienced executives within and without  the RV world who 
could to fill this need. I don't think we can keep doing things the same 
old way with the same old ideas. However, even before this can be done 
the membership and leadership needs to redefine our  future goals and 
purposes  that speak to our future needs and establishes the expectations 
and goals of an executive director and staff and the officers of WBCCI.

Roy Lashway
'78 Argosy,'56 Bubble
WBCCI 1610     VAC
rlashway@zianet.com
web site: www.zianet.com/rlashway
   (polishing report included)