Greg & Margie Harrop (20694)
Florida State Directors

Our rally season has ended. We attended a rally being hosted by Rolf & Anne Kuhns. Rolf & Anne put together a great rally at the new Santa Fe Palms RV Resort, Gainesville, Florida. They didn’t have a rally hall or kitchen, just a covered picnic area; but let Margie & I say they did an outstanding job in putting it all together and serving up some great meals. We had a great tour to the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, where the students volunteer their time to learn how to take care of the wildlife. The only mishap was when Rolf was carrying a griddle and tripped over a curb. Poor Rolf took a fall and scraped up his hands. And of course, the women kicked in their “Motherly” instincts and provided necessary medical attention.

We then attended another rally being hosted by Steve & Karen Burnette at yet another new campground at Glen St. Mary, Florida called Island Oaks RV Resort. A nice little campground just off I-10 between Jacksonville and Lake City, Florida. Steve & Karen also did not have a kitchen but there was a small, covered area where we had a pizza party and some great music provided by a US NAVY service member Hunter Merritt (Hunter is the son-in-law of Florida Manatee Sunshine Lady Debbie Clough). Hunter is a US Navy Submariner just like his Father-in-Law Joe Clough. Margie & I thank Hunter for his service to our great nation. Steve, Karen, Gary Hartley & Jim Meadows got creative and had a site saved and brought picnic tables together and provided some great outdoor cooking for our members to enjoy.

Well, our 2023 Florida State “Laid Back” Rally at Camp Margaritaville RV Resort, Auburndale, Florida is a wrap. We had 40 coaches (88) in attendance. Out of the 40 coaches, 18 were first timers to any Newmar Kountry Klub rally or function. We had a Cornhole and Mini Golf Tournament, Card Bingo, plenty of catered food, fun, fellowship, and new memories made by all. It was great seeing old friends and making lots of new friends! Go to Region Five Newmar Kountry Klub Facebook page to see all the exciting photos of the rally.

A special “Thank You” goes out to Laura Baker, Trish Brown, Peggy Meadows, and Terry Hartley for their quilting abilities in making squares for the “Quilts of Valor.” Great job ladies!!

Margie & I want to thank all our sponsors: Independence RV, North Trail RV, ITR Oasis, Spartan, Lippert, Hughes Autoformers, Valtera, Summit Products, Wood Design, On-the-Go Water, PTL, Beoshield T-9, RV Life, Diamond Shield, Harvest Hosts, Big Rigs RV, FMCA, Coach Net and FCIS Insurance. A special Thank You goes out to Bill & D’Lu Semple for providing all our Florida State Rally coasters and trophies for our cornhole and mini golf tournaments. Also, Steve May for providing a Yeti cooler and drink cups and Kenne & Sobe Harrop for providing welcome bag gifts.

We want to thank all our chapters for their continued support. Our members host some great rallies and luncheons. So, check out the Newmar Kountry Klub Calendar for all upcoming events. And don’t forget to check out the caravan and other special events.

Now that the summer months are upon us, we look forward to hearing about all your great adventures. We can be reached at gmh4369@gmail.com Greg’s cell: 954-914-8335.

“Remember, “The best part of any journey is the people we meet along the way.”