Robert & Renee’ Price – Presidents
The NKK Kentucky Thoroughbreds chapter would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming response to our invitation… to come help us grow our chapter. In August of 2023 Steve & Cara Sue Kraus asked my wife, Renee and me, if we would be interested in coming on board as President of the Bluegrass Kentucky Roamers Chapter. We accepted the challenge and immediately began to “drink from the firehose”.
We set our sights on Sedalia, Missouri and made plans to attend our very first rally, the Big Kahuna, the International Rally!! We enjoyed every minute of the rally and even presided over our very first NKK chapter Business Meeting while under the watchful eyes of our Region 6 Directors, Chuck & Michelle Steenwyk.
Before we left for home, we attended lots of informative meetings and made lots of new friends. In addition, we recruited 12 new members for our chapter. One of our first orders of business was to adopt a name change for our chapter. The name “Kentucky Thoroughbreds” seemed fitting for the journey that would follow. Thoroughbreds are powerful horses bred to race hard all the way to the finish line. The name change was voted and approved at Sedalia, so off to the races we went. We approved the purchase of our beautiful new Kentucky Thoroughbreds membership bars for all chapter members.
We immediately held a luncheon at a restaurant in Elizabethtown near the center of our state. We wanted every Newmar owner to hear our story. Each of the three quarterly luncheons we’ve held have yielded more visitors who have become new members of our chapter. The goal is to make new friends and to share our core values with everyone.
Along the way we’ve added Scott Sears as Secretary/Treasurer and a VP, Jeff Michlowski. At one of our luncheons, we were able to meet former Kentucky Bluegrass Roamers Chapter Presidents, Ralph & Nancy Dennis who valiantly led our chapter for many years. We became fast friends after hearing their stories and are better prepared to be the best leaders we can be in the future. We now have the power behind our name in place. Each Klub Officer has a different skill set from the other and we all encourage and support each other.
Friends… that’s how you win races. Surround yourself with good likeminded people who want to serve others and build the brand to new higher heights than ever before.
We recently launched a Facebook page and hope you’ll visit when you’re done reading this article. Search Newmar Kountry Klub Kentucky Thoroughbreds Chapter. Photos from our chapter luncheons and rallies will be there along with pics from the Rally in the Gorge. Please give us a like and consider joining our chapter. We’ll send you a Klub application for you to fill out and return with your $10 dues check.
As I write this article, we are a mere 2 weeks away from hosting our first “Presidents Rally”, the “Rally at the Gorge”. This rally is scheduled for September 5-8 in Stanton, Kentucky. It is a hiker’s paradise with lots of natural beauty. We have 17 Newmar coaches with reservations at Four Guys RV Park. We reserved 20 spots with campground management back in the spring. We’ve done our homework. We have special “Rally in the Gorge” bars to commemorate the rally and the new friends we’ve made.
We consulted with Chuck & Michelle and other NKK chapter leaders and received invaluable advice and suggestions from other NKK veterans. We even resurrected a dormant relationship with the local Newmar dealer. They are now “in it to win it” with the support they have offered. The wind is at our backs, and we believe we are going to have a wonderful Rally in the Gorge with more good things to come.
On October 24-27th our State Directors, Steve & Cara Sue Kraus will host their first “State Directors Rally” in Bardstown, Kentucky. If you’ve ever heard of Jesse James or the Bourbon Trail this might be the rally for you. We’ll dine at the Old Talbott Tavern built in the 1700’s. Jesse James must’ve had a bad meal or something… folklore says, he shot the place up. All kidding aside, the food is great. We’ve been several times and never had a bad meal. The food is always good, and the staff is very attentive.
The Bourbon Trail should be on everybody’s bucket list. Bardstown is “smack dab” in the middle of the Bourbon Trail. The history and tastings at each stop are more than memorable. We hope you’ll visit us at the State Directors Rally. We would love to meet you, share a meal and make new friends. That’s what Kentucky is all about… southern hospitality is always on display. You’re going to love our state!!
We can be reached by email: Robert.Price@expresspros.com.
