I can't believe that January  is almost  over as I write this.  We just returned from a cruise on the Disney Magic with out daughter's family.  I thought we were going on a weight  reduction program (Norwalk Virus) but it went the other way.  It was a great time and a chance to spend some time with our fast growing  teenaged  granddaughters.  A highlight for yours truly was a chance to use the Segway Human transporter (scooter), it is an amazing machine, 30 seconds of instruction and off you go, it's so intuitive.

      Since the last newsletter, we sent out recruiting letters, a chapter benefit from FMCA who pays for all cost associated with the mailing.  We have several new members as a result and welcome all who have joined and we welcome back many former members who have chosen to rejoin.

      You may have noticed with this issue of the newsletter, we have a changing of the guard; Marlene Elkins is now our newsletter Editor (I am sure Neil also helps).  We appreciate very much having Marlene take on this important task for the chapter.  We also want to thank Diana & Bill Allen who did such a great job in producing our newsletter for the last two plus years.

      A luncheon has been set up for members who are in southwest Florida for February 12th (see Rallies).  We have asked members to bring other Discovery Owners who are staying in the same park as they are; it looks like we will have several guests joining us.

      Many of the folks who attended last year's luncheon are traveling west this year to attend the Nelson's rally in Arizona in March and on to the FMCA convention March 21, 22, & 23, in Pomona, California.  A "caravan" is being led by Janet & Griff Livingston, leaving from Daytona Beach after the races with the DeRose's and Foerester's.  Picking up the Condreys, Hagewood's and Mertz's along the way.  If you want to join up with this group or park with them in Pomona give Janet a call on her cell phone 202-251-1040.

      If you have not visited our website (www.difmca.com) recently, I recommend that you take a look at what our webmaster's, the Tolson's have done.  They have included some very useful information in addition to keeping information about chapter events current.

      It is not too early to start thinking about the upcoming chapter activities.  In addition tot he Rally in Arizona, we have the summer rally hosted by the DeRose's planned for July 11 to 14 at Lake Chautauqua in western New York State.  Watch for more info on the Website and future issues of the newsletter.

Drive Safe, God Bless and Be Well,

Ron

      Winter will soon fade away and those who've gone south in search of warm weather will be able to return home and those of us who've stayed home for the winter will resume our travels.  I hope that all of our members have enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas and that you have a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year all through 2003.

      Soon Griff and Janet Livingston and others will begin a rolling rally beginning in Daytona Beach and ending in Pomona, picking up more of our Discovery International family as they move west.  In Tucson they will rendezvous with even more of our members at the Discovery International pre-rally being hosted by Bob and Kathy Nelson at the Pima County Fairgrounds.  Bob and Kathy have a great rally planned and I know that everyone will have a really great time.  Marlene and I had rally looked forward to this pre-rally from the time that Bob and Kathy first volunteered to host the rally.  Unfortunately, a number of personal conflicts have come up which will keep us from getting away in time to attend either the Tucson pre-rally or the FMCA National in Pomona.  We will surely miss seeing all of you at both events.

      Visit the Discovery International website find out all the details on the Tucson pre-rally and print out a registration form.  And wile you're there, check out all of the great work that Chuck and Donna Tolson have done for the chapter.  We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude for all of their efforts on our behalf by maintaining the chapter website.  Please take the time to drop them a note of appreciation.

      The next rally on the horizon will be the Lake Chautauqua pre-rally being hosted by Charles and Judy DeRose in July as a run-up to the FMCA National Convention in Hamburg, NY, at the Erie County Fairgrounds.  We are looking forward to seeing all of you there in July.  Again, check out the Discovery International website for more details which will also be available in the next newsletter.

      Speaking of the newsletter, your help is needed to make the newsletter interesting and meaningful.  Everyone has the potential to be a contributor by sending items to Marlene for her to use.  They don't have to be long articles; just little tidbits of interesting things you've discovered while traveling, safety tips, maintenance tips, or humorous anecdotes about your daily lives.  It will make her job as Newsletter Editor much easier - and by extension make my life more pleasant!  Or , if you can't write an item, just send her ideas for future articles or columns that would interest you and make your chapter membership more interesting and enjoyable.  It's your chapter - help us make it a better experience for you.

      Enjoy your spring activities and may God bless you with fair winds and following seas.

Neil

      Are you prepared for health care emergencies?  Do you have the necessary documents to ensure that your wishes are known and carried out in the event of an emergency?  Do you have them with you or are they at home while you're in your Discovery hundreds or thousands of miles from home?

       Marlene and I were recently reminded that we not only needed to review our paperwork for health care emergencies but that we should be sure we have a copy at all times.  So now we have another item on our "to take always" checklist when we hit the road in our Discovery:  A fire-safe box with copies of our Living Wills and our Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care.  The Living Will spells out our wishes as to courses of treatment to be followed in the event we are not conscious or otherwise able to act for ourselves (e.g., Do Not Resuscitate) and provides a legal basis for the health care provider to follow our instructions.  Without this document, the health care provider might have to resort to involving the courts and lawyers and our desires could be ignored.  The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPAHC) appoints someone to act on our behalf to make decisions while we are, again, unable to make our desires known.  (For example, a family member who was having a pacemaker installed did not have a DPAHC and had to be brought out from under anesthesia in the middle of the procedure to sign additional forms to allow them to install a defibrillator in conjunction with the pacemaker.  Not a pleasant experience!)

      Are you ready for emergencies away from home?  Maybe you should review your paperwork and consider keeping copies in the Discovery.

Neil Elkins

      Man...Bill and Diana Allen are sure a tough act to follow!  We all owe them a great debt of gratitude for the excellent job they have done as newsletter editors.  I really have a great appreciation for their efforts after having put together my first newsletter.

      I have used a new software package for this newsletter, one that has many formats.  I may try different formats, so I need your input on what you like or don't like about both the format and the content of this newsletter.  I also need pictures or articles to include, so please help me out.  A brief story about the rolling rally and/or Tucson pre-rally would be great for the next edition (hint, hint).  Also a description of any neat places you have visited and want to recommend to our members would be interesting to include.

      Keep in mind this is your newsletter.  If you think of something you'd like to see, let me know.  Chances are that if you think it would be interesting, then many others will find it interesting too.  E-mail: elkins@micoks.net Snail mail:  39290 W. 295 St. Paola, KS 66071.

      Hope to see you all down the road sometime!

Marlene

• One of the most attractive things you can do is wear a smile.

• Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

• Corners cut from used envelopes make great bookmarks.  Just slip over the page you wish to mark.

• You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

• It it weren't for the last minute__just think what wouldn't get done!

• Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.

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