Greg & Margie Harrop (20694)
Florida State Directors
Our summer travels are about over. We had our grandson, Aidan, with us for the month of June and we hit all his travel plans. We visited Pensacola Beach, Florida; Beau Bridge, Louisiana (where we met up with some long lost travel friends); The Grapevine RV Park, Grapevine, Texas (where we visited our Ft Worth family); Kirkland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico (where we met up with Margie’s brother’s family); Ft Collins, Colorado (Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado and up to Scenic Route 14 finding some snow cap mountains and water falls to Waldon, Colorado); Rock Springs, Wyoming (where we took in The Flaming Gorge & some 60+mph winds); from there we traveled to Twin Falls, Idaho (Shoshone Falls, Balanced Rock & Craters of the Moon) and on to Hill AFB, Salt Lake, Utah. While at Hill AFB we had our daily 8:45am morning show of F-35’s and F-16’s, taking off into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun. Great to see the boys in blue getting some airtime. While in Salt Lake we visited the city and its Mormon Churches, Museums & Antelope Island. We also visited Pleasant Grove, Utah where they flew the largest American Flag between two mountains. Quite the site to see, “The Red, White & Blue” flying up high where it should be. We visited so many great places along the way. The month was over, and our grandson flew out of Salt Lake for a return flight home to Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Now we are on our own. Sure, miss my set up & tear down helper.
Margie & I traveled back to Rock Springs, Wyoming to volunteer at the International Rally. We set up the Service, Service Vendors & Parts areas with some great help from the Parts Volunteers Gene & Grace Failmezger, the Presidents of the South Carolina Palmetto Pals. This was their first time volunteering at an International Rally and Gene & Grace did an outstanding job. They had their volunteers all set up for work each day and were there in case Margie & I needed any extra help.
Margie & I also could not have done it without our volunteers, Jim & Carla Jean Miller again this year. Margie & Carla Jean make up a great team, and I can’t say enough about the help that Jim is. Margie would always make sure the candy dishes were full for the Service Writers and volunteers, and she did a great job holding down the fort while I went and played in the NKK Golf Tournament.
We also had our volunteers each day, and we want to thank them for volunteering their time and helping. They are Carole Keith, Bill Stanley, Ron Etchenacher, Kelly Shadden Jim Watson, Wayne Burke, Dick Larson, Terry Trammell, Curt McNamee, Malari Lynn Shown, Maggie Steenson, Michael Kugle, Tom & Sally Bernardi, John Svatek, Dick & Judy Williams, Gayle Webber, Ron Larkin, Paul Redden, Bill & Eileen Berg & Jim & Pat Leiss.
We would like to talk a little about Newmar Service Techs & Service Writers that worked the International Rally this year. Newmar assigned 14 Service Writers, 6 Parts Techs and 55 Service Techs, to complete all the work orders on our Newmar coaches. When you registered for the International Rally (444 of y’all) you were asked to prepare a Service Request. A total of 295 service requests were received by Newmar, and when the service techs arrived, they were off and running with your parts to service your coaches.
On a special note: When you send in your request, they already have the parts on the truck for service, which makes their job and your repair so much easier. Now 295 sounds like a lot of service requests but wait, we’re not done yet. They completed 453 service requests from Monday to Wednesday, but some were still waiting for parts to arrive from Nappanee. When the parts arrived on Thursday, the Tech’s completed the remainder of their jobs. They completed a total of 534 service requests for the week. Now that is something special to talk about.
Margie & I wish we could name all the Newmar Service Personnel, but that would take up the whole NKK Legacy magazine. We want to give special thanks to Matt Utley, VP of Newmar Service & Facilities and Ken Miller, Service Manager for bringing the “best crew” with them. So, the next time you’re having your coach worked on by a Newmar Tech, don’t forget to thank them.
We also want to thank the Service Suppliers who arrived at the International Rally and brought their service techs along to help in servicing our motorhomes. International Thermal Heat/Oasis; MCD; ProAir; KIB; EQ Systems; Cummins; Freightliner; Spartan; River Park; Dometic; HWH; PTL; Wi-Fi Ranger; Girard Systems; Xantrex; Silverleaf & Lippert.
Margie & I, along with some great volunteers, put on the Florida Social at the International Rally. We had a great time together sharing information on our Klub rallies, luncheons and get togethers. Our Florida Chapters were well represented and many in attendance joined up with each chapter to share in the fun, fellowship, and food.
There were 446 Newmar Coaches in attendance at this year’s International Rally and there were 217 first timers. And they were winning all the prizes again this year. We had 36 motorhomes from Florida in attendance. Seventeen (17) were first time attendees. Considering the expense that it took this year to travel from Florida to Wyoming to attend the International Rally, that was pretty special to say the least.
Margie & I want to give a “Special Thanks” to Wayne & Sue Burke, Pennsylvania State Directors, and the Pennsylvania State Chapters for another great showing of what our Newmar family can do when asked to “give” to the needs of the community.
Margie & I also want to give another “Special Thank You” to Bob & Jane Hadley, Region Seven Directors. We met Bob & Jane a few years back while volunteering at the Tampa Super Show, and they were a delight to be with and we consider them great family friends. You see Bob & Jane gave nine (9) years of service to the Newmar Kountry Klub Family as Region Seven Directors. They did an outstanding job in bringing Newmar to the forefront in the New England, New York, New Jersey, & Pennsylvania areas. They are now retiring from the directorship of Region Seven and will be traveling throughout this great nation of ours. So, if you see a couple of lost Newmar souls, stop by and say hello, it just might be Bob & Jane. “Godspeed” Bob & Jane.
After the International Rally we headed to Newmar Service Center in Nappanee for some Dutch Star treatment. Got a few things done and then headed back home only to find a new “honey do list” waiting.
We look forward to the upcoming Region Five Rally in Savannah, Georgia, our “Chapters Welcome Back” rallies here in Florida and the NKK Rally in the Keys.
Remember, “The best part of any journey is the people we meet along the way.” We can be reached at gmh4369@gmail.com Greg’s cell: 954-914-8335.
