Lack of Activity on WIT Club Forum

[DonGee]

I keep checking the WIT Forum and find it to be rarely used. Why do you think this is? I know there must be questions from at least the newer members as to what it is all about.
Don

[DonGee]

I keep checking the WIT Forum and find it to be rarely used. Why do you think this is? I know there must be questions from at least the newer members as to what it is all about.
Don

[Carle]

I don't think WIT has a lot to offer unless you are a member of a local chapter. The magazine doesn't contain much reading material except chapter news. Most chapter news is obtained by other means than chat rooms or forums. GNR activity is covered some.

I don't belong to a chapter and am considering dropping WIT membership this year.

I think forums such as this one offer much more interaction because not every owner chooses to join WIT, FMCA or Good Sam or another club.

Carle McFarland, 2004 Journey 36G, WIT, FMCA, Good Sam (Redwood Good Sam Chapter)

[becks]

I also dont feel Wit has much to offer other than GNR. We are not interested in local chapters. We will attend our third GNR this comming year mostly to see friends who will be there. Then will drop our membership. I think Wit works best for those who enjoy the local chapters.

[DonGee]

As a long time member I think your points are well taken. The magazine has a lot of areas where they could do some good. A question and answer format would be helpful. I think WIT does a good job on their caravans, but not everyones choice. The local chapters are the backbone and one GNR is pretty much like another. I do know that WIT and The manufacturing end of things are totally separate so you won't get any help with problems. 10% off parts and labor if dealer even knows about the discount is nice.

Just my thoughts, and who knows maybe someone with a little clout might wake them up.

[skigramp]

I disagree with the previous posts.

WIT has a lot to offer ... they have fantastic rallies and caravans.

We have been to 3 rallies: New York, Washington D.C., and Mardi Gras. We have been on one caravan: Maritime Provinces. <span class="ev_code_RED">Each was a great experience.</span>

We plan to participate in more in the future.

WIT 98093

[Ding-a-ling]

For those who have a Winnebago product but are not on the road a lot (E.G. still working) belonging to WIT and a local chapter is a great opportunity to make friends with people of similar interests. Monthly campouts are a fun way to socialize.

Remember, unlike FMCA or Good Sam, WIT is a not-for-profit organization. That's why their magazine is not as glossy or filled with articles by travel writers.

We enjoy the camaraderie of our local Keystone Winnies chapter and have had great times and met super folks on WIT rallies and caravans.

Membership in WIT is all we subscribe to. We do not belong to FMCA or a Good Sam chapter.

You only get out of an organization what you put into it.

[Jeeperrmartin]

Whenever I am at a dealer, I ask for the WIT discount. If they don't give it, I tell them I will go to one that does. Some will go ahead and give me the discount.

That is a nice feature, it more than pays for my membership. Even if I did none of the other activities.

[MaverickBBD]

It is unfortunate that many WIT member are not interested in belonging to a chapter. It is a great way to meet others and to get out and use your coach. My chapter has an activity EVERY month and has been a chapter of excellance for at least the past five or six years. The quality of the local chapter could make a large difference in many peoples views of WIT.

[j griff]

We too belong to WIT and the Gateway Winnies local chapter in the St. Louis metropolitan area. We have belonged since 1988 and our Gateway Winnies friends are among the very best we have. Our chapter camps every month except Dec and Jan when we have indoor dinner meetings. We also do an extra campout or two during the year. We have about 50 coaches as members and our campouts average about 20-22 coaches.

[RRT2]

We've met many WIT members (obviously) on our recent Grand Circle Caravan and Albuquerque Rally trip. Next spring, we're going to Branson again.

Oh yes...you get out of what you put into it. We don't belong to a 'local' as there are 2 in Indiana. However, we are not in the position to take off much during the summer months. So be it. But we're having a blast meeting new people.

We haven't done the GNR. Other (family-type)commitments in that time frame.

Rose

[Petro]

We have been members for 3 years. Just this summer we started camping week ends with A couple chapters. We have made many new friends and we are looking forward to camping with them this next summer.

We are signed up for GNR this year (50th Anniversary) mainly do to urging of our new friends who try not to miss a GNR. We are looking forward to it.

Don

[Izzyblueye]

There are those of us Rvers that are not joiners. I am one of them. I do enjoy meeting people in campgrounds and have a long list of contacts that I keep in touch with. I do not like the herd mentality. I also hate it when I try to make a reservation at my favorite campground and find out it has been been tied up with some camping organization, like WIT and others. Many of which probably would rather be some where else, but the herd rules. My 2 cents.

[FrontRangeRVer]

We like meeting people at campgrounds also, but are not at all interested in being a "member" of the WIT Club. We dropped our membership this year, and dont regret it one bit. Both my wife and I work full time, so we go RVing on our schedule, and not someone else's....and we have plenty of friends at Church.

Same with FMCA...the only reason we are members is the good magazine.....

Wearing vests with patches, pins and logos on it doesn't interest me at all.

[FrontRangeRVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ding-a-ling:
Remember, unlike FMCA or Good Sam, WIT is a not-for-profit organization. That's why their magazine is not as glossy or filled with articles by travel writers.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

FMCA is not for profit.....and has a very nice glossy magazine.

[glenda1908]

To each his own, but our experience with joining a local chapter has been nothing but great. We were on our 3rd Winnebago and were given memberships to WIT each time, but had not explored joining a local club. I had had enough of wives clubs and ward rooms for awhile. DH was still working full time(and still is) and we thought the clubs were just for those "ole retired folks". We decided to attend a state rally since it was near by to see what the attraction was. Everyone was more than nice and not at all "pushy" for us to join. We were then invited to just go camping with one of the clubs...and the rest is history. That was about 7 yrs. ago. DH just finished serving as club pres. for 2 yrs. and I as secretary. I even agreed to be the state secretary for the coming year. We have made some of the greatest friends by joining. Many of us live near by to each other and enjoy just getting together for dinner or drinks often. These are people I would be friends with club or no club. I know these are friends I could call upon for any reason...any time. DH spent 32 yrs. in the Navy, and I can honestly say we have made better friends through our RV than we did in the Navy. Maybe not all chapters are as unique as ours. We have a couple in their 70's and one in their 30's. Most of us fall in between those ages! I know from talking to others that all chapters are not like ours. However, like someone else said, "It is what you make it." During one rally, we had 5 coaches join our club after they saw how much fun we have together...and it wasn't for the vests or pins! We do however wear blue polo shirts on occasion to state events! I guess we are in to stay since we just ordered coach # 5. Our Vectra 40FD should be here in about 6 to 8 weeks.

[Dsouthw524]

I will chime in as a 30 year member of WIT and State and local clubs. I was reluctant to try the clubs originally as I liked to be indepandant also and didn't want to get involved with "pushy people".

We found that the people within the clubs are varied in interests and backgrounds and theregore very interesting. The clubs do not insist that you go to every outing and vary the place and what activity is offered. Many of the members work, some are retired and they are young with families and us old retired.

The guideline that you get out of the club is related to what you put in is very true. It works with clubs as it does in friendship.

[vicsryd]

Being some-timers and DH still working full time we decided to join the local Columbia River Rollers WIT chapter about a year after we bought the coach. Reasons include the social aspect and share/learn from others who have been doing this longer. Frankly, we'd rather have these self-help discussions in front of other people AND the computer than by ourselves.

Also, we found the local FMCA and Escapee chapters only have outings during the summertime and they scheduled on weekdays instead of weekends which doesn't work for us. The WIT chapter has 9-10 outings all year long, a Christmas party and other functions during the winter.

Another aspect of WIT we like is they have state and regional rallies which FMCA, Good Sam and Escapees (at least around here) do not. These are nice because they are usually within a days drive and not crowded with only a few hundred rigs. As such we can attend the Washington/Idaho, Oregon and NW Regional Rallies each year. National rallies are hit and miss based on many factors and, in the case of FMCA, we are not thrilled at the idea of being one of 5000+ coaches.

We've made many new friends and been to a few places we liked that we've wouldn't have thought of otherwise. And last month we were elected as club officers because someone thinks we have leadership and organizational skills.

[vicsryd]

Also, to respond to the basic statement of lack of activity in the WIT forum I just added two posts.

I'm also making a request to my contact at the WIT magazine to add something about the Winnebago and WIT forums on an ongoing basis.