Speaking of Redmond, the names of the people who volunteered for early security have been submitted and it is now full. However, as you may know, there are several other opportunities to volunteer. If interested, you may contact the volunteer captain in charge of the specific job you would like to do. Covering the State of Montana May 2014 Celebrating25Years Presidents Message... Hello Big Sky FMCA Family; The rally in Clinton, tentatively July 17-20 will possibly be attended by our National Vice-President, Andy Balogh. 2014 is the 25th Anniversary of the of the Big Sky FMCA Chapter and he wants to be in attendance for the purpose of presenting our chapter with a plaque and gift. I will have more definitive information concerning this in the next newsletter. The summer is shaping up to be an exciting and funfilled time. I sure hope many of you will plan to join us at one or more of our summer get-togethers. Dixie and I look forward to seeing you then. Safe Travels, Mike Teague Wow! Where did the 2013/14 winter go? I know one thing, I m sure glad I was south because from what I could tell, Montana had one of the coldest winters on record. I hope everyone is well and stayed warm and cozy wherever you were. Our winter consisted of several stops in Arizona and California. We spent a large part of our time in Lake Havasu City in order to be close to Dixie s dad. We also had a good time traveling with Dixie s brother and sister-in-law, and visited with family along the way. In February, we traveled by air to visit our son and family at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Currently we are in Desert Hot Springs, CA and looking forward to heading home to Great Falls soon. At this park we pass the time playing water volleyball, pickleball, and taking short hikes. We have an aunt in Riverside and I have a sister in Corona that we visit as well. The Big Sky Chapter has a lot going on this summer with rallies planned for Fort Benton in June and Clinton in July. August is the FMCA 90th Family Reunion in Redmond, OR. While at our June rally we can plan our trip to Redmond. The rally site for September is still in the planning stage. If you have a suggestion for a location, please let one of us know. Wagonmaster Gene Farr will have more details in this newsletter. -1- Big Sky Chapter Officers... President Mike Teague 406-868-6711 Vice President East Al Baird 406-656-3606 Vice President West Tony Heaton 406-846-2710 Secretary Dixie Teague 406-868-6711 Treasurer Susie Farr 406-431-9341 Wagon Master Gene Farr 406-461-0426 National Director Tom Clump 406-651-8938 Alternate Director Mary Popiel 406-651-8938 Historian Karen Davis 406-360-0395 Newsletter/Membership Chair Susie Farr 406-431-9341
Wagon Master Message Welcome back. We are looking forward to another great summer season with our RV friends. Below is a list of the rallies to be held this year. It s time to start thinking about our 2015 rally season. I will be looking for rally hosts so please give it a thought. Ask any of our prior rally hosts and they will tell you what fun it is to be a rally host, and if you can t we are always looking for new locations so please call me with your ideas. This Years Rallies: June 26-29, 2014: Fort Benton Days Summer Celebration hosted by Gary & Marcia Drosten (to be cohosted by the Farr s). Dry camping at the Fairgrounds $10/night; 2 spots available with electricity, $18/night. Rally fee $10. See flyer in this newsletter. July 17-20, 2014: Hosted by Dennis & Carol Ogle, at the Bearmouth Chalet & RV Park in Clinton, Montana. More information will follow. August 2014: No rally this month due to the FMCA 90th Family Reunion in Redmond, Oregon, August 13th through the 16th. September 2014: Hosted by Mike & Dixie Teague. Location and further information will follow. Gene Farr, Wagon Master Newsletter Editor Message Welcome Home Everyone! I asked that you let me know what you did over the winter... even if you stayed home! Look for the responses in this newsletter. Have you changed your address, phone number or any information pertinent to Big Sky FMCA? Or FMCA National? Please make sure to send me any changes so I may keep your records current. Email wa2trvl@yahoo. com or 406-431-9341. However you must make these same changes to FMCA National yourself. We can not do it for you. This can be done either online or by telephone. www.fmca.com or 1-800-543-3622. - 2 - Behind the Scenes The following were submitted on the biography forms from prior newsletters. Look for other bio s in the next newsletter. The form is on page 4 in this newsletter. Submit your information for future newsletters. LeRoy & Dorine Morse LeRoy & Dorine live in Billings, MT and have been RV ing since 1997. They are both originally from Hardin, MT. Le- Roy was in the Banking business and Dorine a Registered Nurse. Both are retired, LeRoy in 1993 and Dorine in 1996. They spent 12 years traveling south spending winters in Casa Grande and Yuma, AZ. Their last year of travel was staying at Sundance RV park in Casa Grande. They currently continue to RV part time. Leroy & Dorine were married on June 2, 1957 and are parents of 2 children, Bruce of Lowel, WY. and Karen of Billings. They are proud grandparents of 5 grandchildren 3 in Billings and 2 in WY. In August of 2013 they became great-grandparents to Tucker! (you aren t that old enough for that are you?) LeRoy & Dorine celebrate their Birthdays and Anniversary all within a months time starting with Dorine on May 27th, LeRoy on June 20th and their Anniversary in the middle on June 2. Wishing you a very Happy 58th Anniversary this year! They consider themselves very blessed to have a wonderful family and great friends! We are happy to have LeRoy and Dorine attend our rally s. Ian & Bonnie Steel Ian and Bonnie call Helena, MT home in the summer and Tucson, AZ in the winter. They stay at Rincon Country West while in Tucson. They have been RV ing 31 years since 1983! They currently are Part Time Rv ers. Ian is originally from Great Falls, MT where he was a Teacher Vocational Rehab Counselor until retiring in Oct. 2005. Bonnie is from Cascade, MT and prior to retirement in 2001 was a Nurse and Business Owner. Over the past few years they have been campground hosts at the Oregon Dunes & Lewis and Clark Caverns. They have also hosted at the Umpqua River Museum and Lighthouse. Part of this summer Ian and Bonnie will be hosting once again at Lewis and Clark Caverns. They were hosting there when our rally was held in Lewis & Clark Caverns in Sept. 2011. The important days in the Steel family are Ian s birthday on Oct. 20th, Bonnie s on Dec. 26th and their Anniversary on Nov. 6th. Happy of Happiest to you! Thanks for your support of the Big Sky FMCA Chapter.
The Skelton s We spent 3 months on the Big Island at Kona, but are on our way home. Glad to have had the warm sunshine, but feel for the folks who endured the long hard winter. - Dewey and Rosana Skelton The Miller s Jeff and I are currently in Europe. We are in Austria now for another 4 days then onto country 2 of 5 we will visit. We get back to MT mid May. Regards, - Jewel & Jeff The Bales We are looking forward to warmer weather and the summer season, and seeing everyone again. We stayed home for the winter season and really got our exercise shoveling, shoveling and shoveling some more. - Jim and Linda The Whitcomb s I only survived with the aid of a really big snowthrower. Linda and I had to stay home this winter to save up for our next great adventure. We were gone all late summer and fall with a big trip to the northeast, over 7500 miles. We have also had our coach in the shop for the last four months as various shops try to diagnose an oil burning problem. Hopefully we ll be back on the road by the time the snow leaves, if it ever does, that is! - Russ WINTER GET-A-WAYS The Farrs We started our winter journey last October after the sale of our house. On our way down to Bullhead City, AZ we visited Page and Sedona, AZ. Also a trip to southern Calif. to visit relatives, arriving in Bullhead the end of October. This is the first time in our lives we have spent Thanksgiving and Christmas away from home. Being with Susie s two sisters helped, but we were still homesick for our family. While in Bullhead City we were visited by Mike and Dixie Teague, Tom and Dianne Clump and new members Marshall & Betty Myers. After the holidays we spent time visiting lots of fun places in Arizona; Phoenix, Green Valley, Tubac, Tucson and Yuma. We found the greatest little spice store just outside of Tubac where we bought a few spices. While in Phoenix we went to the horse races... and oh got the flu! That was not fun! When we left Phoenix we went straight to Yuma and visited Dennis & Carol who were gracious enough to let us park the RV on their lot (thanks again), Bill and Lois (and Bills sister). The seven of us went out for a nice dinner and had a good visit. We also stopped to see Tom and Dianne and Dennis and Karen. The six of us went to Algodonas Mexico. We had the greatest time, shopped, had lunch, enjoyed margaritas. It was a fun visit with everyone. In March our son and his family drove down and spent a week with us. Mid April we are going to Pahrump Nevada for about 4 days and plan on driving through Death Valley. From there we are heading home, going through Boise, Idaho to visit a long time friend. Any spare time we had we filled in with golf! All-in-all, it was a great winter. - Gene and Susie Farr - 3 -
NOTICE There will be a business meeting during the happy hour at the Ft. Benton Rally. At this meeting nominations will be accepted for 2015-2016 Officers. Dianne Clump, our nominating committee of one, will be calling to see if you are interested in becoming an officer. Current officers must be renominated and voted upon as if they were a new nominee. Elections will be held at the September rally. Big Sky FMCA Member 'Bio' Return to Dixie Teague ~ Mail: PO Box 126 Hogeland, MT 59529 (or) Provide info in an Email: dixieormike@yahoo.com Name(s): Summer location: Winter location (city, park): Rv'ing Since: Full Time RV'er 'MISTER' Originally From: Vocation(s): Retired ~ if so, when? Birthday: Part Time RV'er 'MRS. / MS.' Originally From: Vocation(s): Retired ~ if so, when? Birthday: Anniversary: Additional background or current info you would like to provide: - 4 -
FORT BENTON RALLY June 26th - June 29th ~ Fort Benton Fairgrounds Hosts: Gary & Marcia Drosten, (406)465-8717 Co-hosted: Gene & Susie Farr (406)431-9341 Camping Fee: Dry camping at the Fairgrounds $10/night 2 spots available with electricity, $18/night. Rally Fee: $10. PLEASE RSVP TO ONE OF THE ABOVE. Location: Fort Benton Fairgrounds, 205 Fairgrounds Loop. Directions: Take MT Hwy 80 exit, turn left on 13th Street, then right on Main Street to 4th Street, you are now at the entrance of the Fairgrounds. We supply you with a schedule of events at the rally. AGENDA Thursday, June 26 - Arrival 4:00pm - Happy Hour at hosts coach - bring a snack to share. Business Meeting. Dinner on your own. Friday, June 27 8:30am - Continental Breakfast at hosts coach - bring your own coffee Free Day to attend community events including Pig Roast Lunch at 11:30 and Community Pot Luck at 5:30 if you wish. Saturday, June 28 7-10:00am - Breakfast at Old Fort Park (See schedule of events) Free Day to attend community events. Food vendors available for lunch & dinner. Fireworks on Saturday at dark at the old bridge on the levee! Sunday, June 29 - Departure Day - Safe travels. Thank you for attending. 8:30am - Continental Breakfast at hosts coach - bring your own coffee Free Day to attend community events. Events continue until 2:00 pm -5 -
Big Sky FMCA 1811 Townsend Avenue Helena, MT 59601 BIG SKY FMCA MEMBERSHIP FORM Name FMCA# Address City State Zip Phone Cell# (Optional) E-Mail(s) Annual dues $15.00 plus one time new member sign up fee of $5.00. Badges (not required) $12/pair (pin); $15/pair (Magnetic) (Circle one) Make checks out to Big Sky FMCA. Multi-year memberships available. Circle: 1 yr 2 yr. 3 yr. Total amount Enclosed Mail to Susie Farr, Treasurer,1811 Townsend Avenue, Helena, MT 59601