SEACA Newsletter – May 2020

GREETINGS TO ALL SEACA MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN SOCIAL DISTANCING FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS, AT LEAST. Hopefully, everyone is healthy, physically and emotionally. No doubt this pandemic and its repercussions has been a strain on everyone. It will be so good to see all of you again and spend time in our beautiful American Coaches. With that in mind, let me bring you up-to-date on our plans and rallies.

Your Board is responding to members’ requests to again hold rallies outside of Florida. With that in mind, a rally at Pine Mountain RV Resort (www.pinemountainrvresort.com), nestled in the Georgia Pines with much to see and do, has been set for October 1 through 5, 2020. The Mid-South Roadrunners held a rally here in 2013 and as recently as this past July 4th, Michael and I, along with our family, stayed there. This area offers much to see and do. Points of interest include Callaway Gardens, Chipley Historical Center, Wild Animal Safari, Roosevelt’s Little White House and the National Civil War Naval Museum and the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, just to name a few. We currently have 20 sites in the Corsican Section near the Activity Center reserved. Our site fees will be reduced if we have 15 or more coaches in attendance. Average price is $60 per site. All sites are concrete and pull-through. To date, we do not have a rally host for this rally. Two couples have offered to help so if anyone is able to host, helpers are available. Please let me hear from you. Please call Pine Mountain Resort to reserve your site (706-663-4329) and register online at www.southeastaca.net. To date we have two couples that have registered online for this rally. We have until June 1 to get our one-day deposit paid and the reduced rally rate. I urge everyone who is interested to register for this rally. Please note that a one- day deposit is required. Sixty (60) days prior to the rally, members must call and pay the remainder due. The one-night deposit is non-refundable. When reserving your site with the RV resort, please check when the balance will be due. This final date has probably changed due to the pandemic. Once we determine interested coaches, a rally price can be established. 
Remember, this rally is in response to Members’ request, so please those that have asked for a change in venue, sign up.

The Christmas rally has been posted online and ready for you to sign up. It will be held at Creekside RV Resort in Punta Gorda, FL December 3 through 7, 2020. This will be our first Christmas Rally not in Sarasota in almost 20 years. The last few years, commitments made by the Sun ’N Fun RV resort were not upheld, so the Southeast chapter Board thought it was time to take our business to another location. Creekside was so well received by our members at our Fall 2019 rally, it was decided to hold the Christmas rally there. While the rally agenda is still in its development stages, some things have been decided. Friday night there will be a Christmas canal boat cruise (www.kingfisherfleet.com) following dining at the Captain’s Table restaurant (www.captainstable.com) located in the very popular Fisherman’s Village. We will have a catered dinner with dancing afterwards on Saturday night and Sunday night dinner will include our popular Christmas gift exchange. The dining out, Christmas canal cruise and gift exchange are always optional for members’ participation. The hosts are also considering inclusion of a luncheon at Solomon’s Castle located in Ona, Florida. Trip Advisor comments on this are very favorable. This is a 2-3-hour tour and is about an hour drive each way so it may not fit into the schedule this time. There are many additional places of interest: Peace River Wildlife Center, Octogen Wildlife Center, Military Museum, Vietnam Memorial and many more. Rally hosts are Kay and Jerry Venlet and Michael and Dorothy Strunk are excited to welcome you to Punta Gorda. Signup online to reserve your space. (There are only 196 days left!!!)

The ACA National rally will be held at the Paragon Casino RV Park in Marksville LA November 1-6, 2020. This rally will celebrate ACA’s 30th anniversary. This is sure to be a special event. Registration forms are online at www.myamericancoach.com and in the ACA magazine. Pre-rallies will not be held, but early arrivals will be charged the rally rate.

2021 RALLIES

The ACA Board has approved our request to hold our 10th Annual ACA Eastern Regional Rally. This rally will be held January 6 through 17, 2021 at Lazydays RV Resort and the Florida Supershow. The first part of the rally will be held at Lazydays RV Campground January 6-12, 2021. The gathering of the alumni of what was the Happy Wanderers chapter and the Southeast members will be held January 6-9, 2021. Starting January 9, our traditional three nights at Lazydays will start. This includes nightly catered dinners with beverages provided by Lazydays. The segment of the rally to be held at the Florida State Fairgrounds for the Florida Supershow begins January 12. To attend the January 6-12 2012 aspect of this rally, call Lazydays RV Campground (800-905-6627 or 813-246-4777) to make you site reservations and any extra days, should you plan to arrive early. These early pre-rally days at Lazydays have, in the past, been a lot of fun. The billing and refund policies of Lazydays has changed so be sure to ask about these when making your reservations. DO NOT FORGET TO REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.SOUTHEASTACA.NET. Also remember NOT TO SEND ANY MONEY TO SEACA.
The Florida Supershow part of the rally (January 12-17) is run by the Florida Recreational Vehicle Trade Association (FRVTA). We have been in contact with FRVTA and they are making plans for the 2021 Supershow. The numbers of rally coaches may be reduced from previous years. We will announce when registration becomes available. Registration must be made through the FRVTA. Once the registration date is known, notice will be published and available at www.southeastaca.net.

Southeast will celebrate its 4th annual Disney adventure at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, January 31 – February 15, 2021 (https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/campsites-at-fort-wilderness-resort/). Pick whatever and as many days as you like. Magical social hours will be held daily. Make your plans early, we only have 20 sites reserved. This is an ala carte gathering as meals and park admissions are not included. Expect the cost to be about $138 a night for your site. Reservations can be made by calling Hilda Neal (302-598-8892) or emailing her at camelot822@aol.com, tell her you are with the Southeast Chapter of ACA. If you do not want to visit the theme parks, there is still plenty to do!

Mark your calendars for our Spring, 2021 rally April 9 through 13, 2021 at Florida Grande Resort in Webster, FL. Our rally hosts are actively working on details for this rally and more will certainly follow. Be sure to get these dates on your calendar. Those who attended the rally there in 2019 know what a fun rally this is. The resort has offered to allow coaches to come in 2 days early and stay 2 days after the event at the rally rate. Be sure to watch for more information on this rally.

One last item, unrelated to rally sites. The Southeast ACA bylaws require that the President appoint a Nominating Committee at least 90 days prior to the annual meeting in January 2021. The nominating committee shall consist of 3 past officers. If any past officer is interested in serving on this committee please let me know no later than the end of September. Also, if there is anyone who is interested in serving on the Board as an officer of the Southeast Chapter, again, please let me hear from you. Both Ray Shea and I will be stepping down from our positions as Vice President and President, respectively, so this is a critical nomination process for this organization. The Southeast Chapter has the highest membership and is the most active. Please, please, please look into your hearts and volunteer to keep this organization strong and active.

Stay healthy. If you are traveling, be safe. God bless each of you.

Dorothy Strunk, President
Southeast Chapter ACA