Let's start a camping club to replace the Good Sam's club.

[fowler2765]

We need to be start a club to camp and promote charity activities.

 

[LMHS]

I assume you mean Good Sam and not Sam's Club.

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

...and what would your group do differently to make it more successful than Good Sam, or FMCA, or Escapees, or any other group already out there?

 

[fowler2765]

Good Sam has closed their clubs. A few operate on their own. corporate didn't want to sponsor it anymore. The concept and principles were good.

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

Good Sam has closed their clubs. A few operate on their own. corporate didn't want to sponsor it anymore. The concept and principles were good.

... and yet almost all of their chapters were having issues with attracting new members. Same with FMCA - as the existing membership ages it's becoming more difficult to attract the younger population. I don't know if it's because the young folk don't like socializing, or what but it seems for whatever reason they don't like organized group camping.

 

[fowler2765]

I think they are more independent and want to do their own thing. Alot of people don't have spendable income to participate in these things. With pension funds not offered anymore their fixed incomes don't go very far.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

It seems that social media has changed the ways campers interact and find each other.
With sites like this, or groups on FB, what does a paid membership group like FMCA or Good Sam provide that they cannot get from FB groups that have a wider audience?

Full disclosure - I do not have FB account

 

[fowler2765]

The organization provided material and sponsorship for the clubs. Social media has definitely made it easier to connect with others. It gives unity and purpose to be united under a name or logo.

 

[Yellowrose]

We need to be start a club to camp and promote charity activities.

I'm down for that. I cannot become a member due to the age of my RV. She is a 1997 and when I called to join they informed me of their age discrimination rule.

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

I'm down for that. I cannot become a member due to the age of my RV. She is a 1997 and when I called to join they informed me of their age discrimination rule.

Who did you call? When we were in a Good Sam Chapter there was no maximum age limit; we are currently in 2 FMCA Chapters and neither one has an age limit. Neither Good Sam, nor FMCA, as national entities have age limits. It's entirely possible that an individual chapter might be focused on newer units, but they would need to fashion their by-laws to avoid anti-discrimination rules.