Page 7 - Travelore 36 Winter 2016

DRVC Travelore - Page 7
Have You Connected?
RV Friends’ Network
If you haven’t heard FMCA has invested $250,000 in a program to help increase membership by participating in the social media phenomina we’ve all witnessed the last few years. Before it totally passes by FMCA and the popu- lation of motorhome owners, the decision was made to become of sponsor of RVillage, a site dedicated to provid- ing a common, online meeting place for RVers of all type. The site’s URL is RVillage.com. While anyone may become a member of the internet-based community, it is aimed at RVers and those who make their living in the RV lifestyle.
While RVillage is a bit late to the
game that includes groups on Face-
Book as well as a myriad of RV blog-
gers, please consider that RVillage
is designed, from the ground up, to
appeal to RVers whether occasional
campers or full-timers. To assist
in becoming acquainted with the site, a video may be accessed at http://rvfriendnetwork.com. The informative video provides some background information as well as the rationale for the online community.
Membership in RVillage is free. Be aware, however, that they currently are offering membership in a Gold level which promises to support an enhanced experiencd. The only thing required to get started is a valid email address and a good password.
Currently on RVillage users will find a group for FMCA- Diesel RV Club as well as many other interest groups such including motorhome manufacturers and others. A list
of some of the more popular or larger groups is provided below.
• American Military
• Bloggers
• Boondockers
• Escapees RV Club
• Family Motor Coach Association
• Fulltime RVers
• Geeks On Tour
• Good Sam Family
• KOA Fans
• National Park Fans
• NuRVers
• Passport-America
• RV-Dreams Community
• Technomadia Tales
• Thousand Trails
• Xscapers (geared for younger RVers)
An image of the web site’s page showing the top level menu is embedded with this article. Please refer to it to get an overall view of what is available. You’ll also note that on the right side of the menu are three icons that rep- resent the user’s email list (the number includes the total number of unread messages), the user’s profile, and new
messages of interest (represented by the bell).
An interesting feature of RVillage is the option to “check in” when arriving at an RV campground or a general area. After checking in, you’ll be able to view if any others are in the park who are also Villagers and receive alerts (via email) if other members arrive. This feature allows people sharing common interests to meet and get acquainted.
There is no secret that the decision to invest so much money was a hotly debated topic of the recent meeting of the Governing Board this past summer. However, FMCA’s declining membership is a real and serious problem for the long-term survival of FMCA and eventually all of the various chapters including DRVC. The action taken by FMCA is a solid attempt to
appeal to the growing number
of motorhome owners. Right
or wrong, the Governing Board
is trying to do something. If
our membership numbers are
heading in the wrong direction
and we take no other steps to
attract new member, then we
are not managing but, instead, are just caretaking a declin- ing organization.
Let’s get behind our leadership and check out RVillage. Who knows, it may turn out to be useful and even fun.