Monacoers’ Gatherings

[RVerBob]

GATHERINGS ?

[Tom Cherry]

5 hours ago, RVerBob said:

GATHERINGS ?

Sort of a RALLY for we Monacoers.  Started maybe in 2013 or so.  Covid killed it.  There was, I THINK, a mini one out West one year. We had connections at Lazy Days in Tampa. We rented their "center" for presentations and met for 4 days. We all were camped there, except for maybe a local or two.  GOOD FELLOWSHIP.  We had vendors in. We had presentations by members. We had OPEN DISCUSSIONS (the speakers sort of let us TALK) and we exchanged info.

Unfortunately LD renovated the CG and shut down and the interest waned. It was a TREMENDOUS job to organize.  David Pratt lead it and he had some health issues and other things going on...and it just died.  

I was not able to attend but TWO, but got feedback Daily.  Scotty kept, at one time, copious notes and it was like the SIX 0'Clock news. 

We NEED SOME MEMBERS TO VOLUNTEER and STEP UP and help the STAFF with one next year.  ASSUMING that the poor staff folks are still up to it and we have some real eager MEMBERS that enjoy it.  IT IS A TASK...of course, with David's skills, it was CHILDS PLAY...  LOL

I helped and also presented.  BUT the yoemans load was on David.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS....

 

[David Pratt]

17 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

Sort of a RALLY for we Monacoers.  Started maybe in 2013 or so.  Covid killed it.  There was, I THINK, a mini one out West one year. We had connections at Lazy Days in Tampa. We rented their "center" for presentations and met for 4 days. We all were camped there, except for maybe a local or two.  GOOD FELLOWSHIP.  We had vendors in. We had presentations by members. We had OPEN DISCUSSIONS (the speakers sort of let us TALK) and we exchanged info.

Unfortunately LD renovated the CG and shut down and the interest waned. It was a TREMENDOUS job to organize.  David Pratt lead it and he had some health issues and other things going on...and it just died.  

I was not able to attend but TWO, but got feedback Daily.  Scotty kept, at one time, copious notes and it was like the SIX 0'Clock news. 

We NEED SOME MEMBERS TO VOLUNTEER and STEP UP and help the STAFF with one next year.  ASSUMING that the poor staff folks are still up to it and we have some real eager MEMBERS that enjoy it.  IT IS A TASK...of course, with David's skills, it was CHILDS PLAY...  LOL

I helped and also presented.  BUT the yoemans load was on David.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS....

 

I just want to add to Toms post and give some clarification about any future gatherings. The first Monacoers Gathering was in 2010 and was put together by Bill Duckwitz, Fred White and Myself and held at Lazydays RV Resort in Tampa. Our last Gathering was 2023 at Lazydays. The only year we did not have a gathering was 2021 because of COVID. Fred and Bill handled all the logistics of location and accommodations for our daily meetings and our evening meals. It was my Job to put the Seminars together and contact the Vendors and put the Seminars together. When Bill and Fred passed away I took on the task of continuing the Gatherings myself with a little help from a couple of volunteers..

Lazydays shut the campground down after the 2023 Gathering for renovations and were supposed to reopen by the end of 2023. Lazydays never re-opened and the renovations have never been started. This past month I was told by a very reliable source that Lazydays has put the Campground up for sale and it will not re-open anytime soon.

I started to look at  other RV parks to move the Gathering to, but have not been able to find one that can make or handle the accommodations like Lazydays for 50 to 60 coaches. The Gathering cost to the members included the site, meals, meeting room and vendors at an all inclusive price.

So far I have not been able to find any RV Park that can put this together as an all inclusive price and not be to expensive. Also the location would have to be were the different vendors could come without occurring any additional expenses. All the vendors that gave Presentations at the Gathering did so at no expense because they were close to Lazydays and did not have travel expenses.

The Gatherings at Lazydays average between $500 to $600 per coach for the Five nights site, evening meals and seminars. The best I have found with all the RV Parks I have visited and contacted that are large enough to handle 50 to 60 coaches, the individual coach cost will be up near $1200 to $1500 and would not be inclusive and if the vendors have to travel outside their local area they would have to be reimbursed.

I am continually searching and hopeful that we can have more Gatherings in the Future, but as of now it does not look to good for the near future

[cbr046]

@David Pratt Did you check out renting parts of the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa? 

Do they host small events?

Just a wild thought . . . .

- bob

[Chuck-Kathy_Orlando]

8 hours ago, cbr046 said:

@David Pratt Did you check out renting parts of the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa? 

Do they host small events?

Just a wild thought . . . .

- bob

I think the issue at Florida State Fairgrounds is that they don't have the full hookups, so it would have to be full boon docking at that location.

[lake49068]

I know that the Gathering was always a winter thing in FL but a good substitute may be the Ramblin' Pushers maintenance session in Goshen, IN in early May.  Well organized, long history and attended by folks with the same interests (and issues!).  And sorta timed to coincide with the return north of the snow birds.  The Elkhart County Fairgrounds can handle the numbers, too.

[David Pratt]

14 hours ago, Chuck-Kathy_Orlando said:

I think the issue at Florida State Fairgrounds is that they don't have the full hookups, so it would have to be full boon docking at that location.

Florida State Fairgrounds will not host small events. They will allow Groups to park together at the RV Super Show in January but, it is up to the group to do their own thing.

[Paul J A]

3 hours ago, lake49068 said:

I know that the Gathering was always a winter thing in FL but a good substitute may be the Ramblin' Pushers maintenance session in Goshen, IN in early May.  Well organized, long history and attended by folks with the same interests (and issues!).  And sorta timed to coincide with the return north of the snow birds.  The Elkhart County Fairgrounds can handle the numbers, too.

I have not attended the Ramblin' Pushers maintenance session in Goshen, IN in early May. I know many coach owners that have and would recommend that venue . It is more central to more coach owners and not dependent on snow birds as much as the Gatherings at the Florida location. 

Good luck with your individual decisions to attend the Ramblin' Pushers in 2025!!

Thank you.

[pulsarjab]

I have attended two FMCA locations, Lincoln, NB and Shawnee, OK. These are centralized locations with big meeting areas.

[amphi_sc]

No idea on costs, but could the Ocala World Equestrian Center work as a venue? https://worldequestriancenter.com/ocala-fl/

[David Pratt]

Ocala World Equestrian Center is huge and has plenty of sites, But they want a one day deposit up front on all sites set aside for a Rally. They charge a hourly rate for the use of a meeting room and you would have to cater the meals.. The cost to put on a four day event would be around $1200 to $1500 per coach. This is about the same thing I have been running into at the other RV Resorts I have checked with. Also, Understand that the peek Snowbird Season in Florida is from November through the end of April and Sites at these parks are at a premium and no discounts.

[jimmcpheters]

What about locations where other manufacturers,  like Tiffin, have their coach owners rallies. I am guessing their attendance may be in the 50 -60 ,range. Also, what about a pre or post rally around an FMCA convention or gathering?

Jim McPheters 08 Dip