We are now back on Cape Cod after returning from Crystal Lake in Naples, Florida; the winter sure went by fast.  We were happy to be down south as they had a real winter here in New England as well as elsewhere.  It seemed that we were busier this season, with a day for Habitat and Sarah and I taught a Stained Glass Class on Friday mornings that went over very well.

      On February 12th, we had the second snowbird luncheon for the chapter; there were 24 in attendance.  We held a brief chapter meeting and recognized Diana & Bill Allen for their great work on our newsletter with a gift certificate to any of several restaurants.  This event for next year has already been scheduled and will be hosted by Marcie & Bill Ryan at their home in Port Charlotte.  Check the Website for details and plan to attend if you are going to be in southwest Florida next February.

      Our next pre-rally scheduled for Lake Chautauqua in western New York State, hosted by Judy & Charles DeRose, is coming together well.  As of this date (April 22), there are only 8 spaces left.  Please check the website for details or call the DeRose's at 716-864-5393.  This is a great area with lots to do or just relax for a few days with "old" friends.  The dates of the rally are July 11 to 14 with a caravan on the 15th to the Erie County Fair Grounds in Hamburg (Buffalo).

      Following the pre-rally, the FMCA Convention starts on the 18th with a two day governing board meeting on the 16th and 17th.  This is similar to the situation we had in Kansas.  This will provide some extra time in the area.  Niagara Falls is not that far away and there are other sightseeing opportunities.  If you have not registered with FMCA for the convention yet, I encourage you to do so promptly as they have capped the registration at 5,000 coaches.

      Our chapter meeting is scheduled for Saturday morning, the 19th at 11:30 AM, but as always, check the program book for changes.  At this meeting, we will be discussing a question that has been raised previously and is now raised again:  Should we open up chapter membership to owners of other Fleetwood diesel motor homes?  Also on the agenda will be the election of chapter officers.  The Nominating Committee of Martha & Pete Palosota and Bill Allen has submitted the following slate:

• President:                Neil Elkins

• Vice President:        Steve Kokinos

• Secretary:                 Pat Walkup

• Treasurer:                LaVerne Foerester

• Nat'l Director:         Ed Walkup

• Alt. Nat'l Director:  Harry Condrey

Nominations will also be accepted from the floor, but please clear it with the person you plan to nominate.

      With regard to the membership question, there are many pros and cons to a change.  Without taking a position let me mention a few:  With Fleetwood's decision to proliferate their product line, there will be fewer Discovery motor homes sold in the future.  If a change is made to open membership, where to draw the line on what to include:  Excursion, Providence and Revolution?  What about Expedition?

      An alternative (or combined) position is to allow members who buy other than a Discovery to maintain their chapter membership.  Does it make any difference what coach they move to?  The chapter has a unique position in its size and the quality of our rallies; several members have stated and acted to purchase another Discovery just to stay as part of this group.  Obviously, there are many sides to this question.  If you have some thoughts and may not be attending the chapter meeting, let me hear from you; my address, email and phone are listed in the newsletter.  I will be sure your comments are shared with the group at the meeting as part of the discussion.

      If there is a decision to make a change in membership qualifications it will require a By-Law change and to do this it requires 30-day notice of the agenda item and a 2/3 vote of members.  Action must be taken at a fully constituted meeting (one with a Quorum).  Therefore, action, if any, will have to be put on the agenda for the next meeting in the spring of 2004.

      This will be my last newsletter input as your president; my term is over at the end of the chapter meeting in Hamburg.  It has been a pleasure and a lot of fun to work with the chapter over the last five years in forming the chapter, serving as National Director and as President.  I want to thank everyone for their support and help.  The upcoming group of officers will keep the momentum going.

      I hope that you will take an active part in the future of the chapter and Sarah and I hope to see you at the upcoming rallies and conventions.

Be Well & Safe Travels,

Ron

      Well the winter is behind us and we're looking forward to some great weather and great traveling.  From all accounts, those of us who weren't able to take part in the "Roving Rally" from Daytona to Pomona missed out on a great adventure!  And the same is true of those of us who weren't able to attend Bob and Kathy Nelson's Tucson Pre-Rally and caravan to the FMCA International Convention in Pomona.  We all owe a great deal to Bob and Kathy for arranging and hosting the Arizona rally and to the Livingstons and Foeresters for organizing the Roving Rally.  Marlene and I had really looked forward to both of those events but weren't able to get away in tie to participate.

      Now we are looking forward to seeing all of you at the Lake Chautauqua Pre-Rally.  I know that Charles and Judy DeRose have gone to a lot of trouble getting everything ready for us in July and I know that we'll have a great time.

      Looking beyond Lake Chautauqua and Hamburg, the next FMCA International Convention will be in Albuquerque, NM, in March of 2004.  I've let the time slip up on me and I haven't yet identified a host/sponsor or location for a pre-rally.  Please send me your ideas and suggestions for this and other FMCA International Conventions; the times and locations are listed under Events on our website.  And don't be afraid to step up and volunteer to host/sponsor a pre-rally yourself.  It doesn't necessarily need to be a rally in conjunction with an International Convention, but just an opportunity for Discovery'ers to get together and enjoy each other's company.  I'm sure that those who've hosted rallies in the past will tell you that it's not the formidable challenge that you may imagine it to be.  Instead, it's a great opportunity to appreciate rallies from 'the other side' and there are many, many people willing to help you with the details of planning and hosting.  Any chapter is successful only if the members are willing to help it be a success; we need input and ideas from each member.  Please volunteer.

      My term as Vice President is coming to an end with the Chapter meeting at the FMCA International Convention in Hamburg.  I thank each of you for helping me and where I've been successful, it has been because of your contributions.  The nominating committee has seen fit to nominate me for president on their slate of officers for the coming term.  If elected, I will do my best to follow the lead of previous Presidents; it will be a challenge to live up to their high standards.  If not elected, I will do whatever I can to assist the new slate of officers and contribute as best I can to the future, continued success of the Discovery International (FMCA) Chapter.

      See you in Lake Chautauqua, Hamburg, or someplace else down the road.

Neil

• Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

• Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

• The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.

• The citrus soda 7-Up was created in 1929.  "7" was selected because the original containers were 7 ounces.  "UP" indicated the direction of the bubbles.

• When overwhelmed by many things to do, do the most urgent/difficult first.  Everything else seems easier after that.

• Rub screws or nails with soap before driving into hard wood.  They go in easier.

• If you need to get the approximate measurement of something, you can get pretty close using a dollar bill.  It is just a little over six inches long.

      In January, we left Maryland on a mini "Roving Rally".  The first stop was Hilton Head to pickup Charles and Judy DeRose.  We stayed at their home park for a couple of days.  Griff and Janet and the DeRoses met Bob Foerster (LaVerne flew in on the 15th) and went to the Daytona International Speedway on January 30.  We dry camped until February 17.  The Daytona 500 was rained out for the first time in its history!!  We went to several NASCAR races during that two weeks.  The best time was in the "Campground", which is really just a field next to the track.  I think I can speak for everyone there, I've NEVER had such a good time in a parking lot!  I could take up a whole page here describing the events of that two-week tailgate, but I'm sworn to secrecy!

      We left Daytona and headed to Henderson Beach State Park in Florida.  It's a brand new park and it is really beautiful!! From there, the DeRoses had to leave us and go back home and the Foersters and Livingstons completed the rest of the trip together.  We headed to Houma, Louisiana.  With just a little notice, the Kokinos arranged for some great things for us to do!  We stayed at the local civic center which was also the staging area for the Mardi Gras parades.  We met the Condreys, Baughs and the Palasotas there.  It was a great time!  We highly recommend the Jolly Inn Cajun Dance Hall open Friday, Saturday, & Sunday nights, complete with a Zydeco band and Karaoke washboard playing!  You would have been proud of your fellow DI members, they partook in all of it!  One of the days Steve & Leland had some friends come to their house and do a shrimp & crawfish boil which was delicious.  They also took us to shipyards, an offshore oil rig, plantations, Mardi Gras parades and Avery Island (where they make Tabasco).  While we were in the area, we got in touch with the Natels (who recently sold their D) and had dinner with them.  We had such a great time in Houma, we hated to leave there!

      The Baughs had to get back home and we had to leave the Kokinos behind.  The rest of us went to San Antonio for a couple of days where we met up with John & Judy Whittenburg for the rest of the Texas visit.  We went to the Riverwalk and had some great food in the area.  We then moved to the Texas Hill Country, visited LBJ's ranch and had the best chicken fried steak and okra in the world!  Fro here we lost the Palasotas and the Whittenburgs, but we picked up Ralph & Johnna Hagewood at the next stop in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  We toured the area and had some great food there--thanks to Harry & Mary's suggestions, we all had wonderful experiences.

      After Las Cruces, the Condreys did a side trip but the three remaining coaches traveled to Phoenix where we met up with Junior & Betty Mertz.  We stayed in Phoenix for a few days until we went to Tucson for the DI pre-rally hosted by the Nelsons.  We won't go into that because hopefully the Nelsons will write about the rally!  The Nelsons are awesome hosts and we all have a new appreciation for Tucson thanks to them!

      When we left Tucson, at the Nelson's suggestion, the Condreys, Hagewoods, Mertz, Livingstons and Foersters headed to Banning California's "Big Morongo Indian Casino".  Here we met up with the Slycords, Musgraves (and their Bounder Friends), Walkups, Didichs and Kokinos.  We spent the night and headed into Pomona as a DI caravan.  While in the casino parking lot, we experienced a motor home fire in a coach parked behind our group which was very frightening.

      After the FMCA convention, the Kokinos, Livingstons & Foersters traveled to Las Vegas and after the Hagewoods & Condreys got all settled into their NEW DISCOVERY MOTOR HOMES, they met us there.  Besides gambling, we ate at the Vodoo Lounge at the Rio, went to a comedy show at Harrah's and walked miles and miles on the strip trying to see all there is to see.

      After Las Vegas, the Livingstons and Foersters felt like a horse running for the barn as we drove pretty hard and got home on April 4th.  We had a truly amazing time and we really have to give the credit to this club--we spent 2 months with our DI buddies and look forward to the next time we can be with them again!

Janet Livingston & LaVerne Foerster

      The Discovery Pre-rally to the FMCA Pomona Convention was held March 12-17.  Bob and Kathy Nelson hosted eleven coaches and shared a little Southwest Hospitality.  The Pima County Fairgrounds provided parking and a good place to walk the dogs.

      We stayed busy, with Mexican Food, a Desert Museum Visit, a Lunch and Gunfight at Tombstone, before visiting the new Karchner Caverns which is one of the few wet caves open to the public and a visit to the Pima Air Museum.  On Saturday, we had a free day, but most everyone did more touring.

      The BBQ Cowboy dinner had so much food that many were able to take some back to their motor homes for another day.  We had door prizes; Beaudry RV gave us three jackets and "Thanks" to Wendell Syndal, of Camping World, who gave two $25 gift certificates.

     Kathy and I didn't go to Pomona because of pending Doctor appointments.  However, the Coaches headed out Monday morning, met up at the Morongo Casino in Banning California, and caravanned to Pomona Fairgrounds arriving there at the set time.  "Special Thanks" to Jr. and Betty Mertz for leading the Pomona Caravan.

      Two of our members bought new "D" Coaches in Pomona, so they must have been making some Great Deals.

     Kathy and I want to thank everyone that stopped in Tucson; we enjoyed hosting the rally.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone on down the road.

Bob and Kathy Nelson

The Carpenter

      An elderly carpenter was ready to retire.  He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.  They could get by.

      The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.  The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work.  He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.  It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.

      When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house.  He handed the front-door key to the carpenter, he said, "my gift to you".  The carpenter was shocked!  What a shame!  If he had only known he was building his own house he would have done it all so differently.

      So it is with us.  We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building.  Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built.  If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently.  But we cannot go back.

      You are the carpenter.  Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall.  "Life is a do-it-yourself project," someone has said:  Your attitudes and the choices you make today build the "house" you live in tomorrow.  Build wisely!

      Work as if you don't need the money.  Learn as if you will live forever.  Love as if you've never been hurt.  Live as if God were with you because He is.

----submitted by Ron Hyslop

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