This is the official website of the Virginia Unit. On it will be news of the unit and its activities. Hopefully it will hold a complete schedule of events for the year as well as updates from time to time.

If anyone visiting this site is interested in joining WBCCI or the Virginia Unit please contact the webmaster at:  w4vl@arrl.net or our membership chairlady at: da@banisterriver.com.
Our unit flag has been submitted to the IBT and was approved at the winter IBT meeting.

The complete schedule of rallies and events for 2009 can be found in the March  issue of the Virginia Traveler and is also listed on this website under rally schedule.

If anyone has any other news he/she would like to list please contact Joe Kolb at w4vl@arrl.net of call him at 276-766-3121.

VIRGINIA UNIT OF WBCCI

April 8, 2010  Unit Meeting Minutes

 

Members met at the Clover Hill Village Rally (in Service to America), Appomattox, VA. Attending the rally during the day were the Vincents and the Shimps who were unable to stay for the meeting because of other commitments. Everyone was delighted to see them, if only for a short time. Jean Hutson brought a guest to the rally and we were glad to get to know her too.

Rich Bartelt called the meeting to order with fourteen members in attendance. He praised the work that members have done to get Clover Hill ready for re-enactors to commemorate the 145^th Anniversary of the signing of Lee’s Surrender to Grant at Appomattox. The Historical Society is most appreciative.

Minutes from the previous meeting on February 15^th were read and approved. Treasurer, Linton Leary said there was $3587.45 in the treasury at the end of February. $70.00 of that he was holding for this Clover Hill Rally. Linton said there were no outstanding bills. Ron and Kathy Wright sent in their dues despite the fact that Ron is quite ill. He has had his vocal chords removed, cannot talk, and is learning sign language.

Jean Hutson made a motion that the $70.00 overage for this rally be donated to the Appomattox County Historical Society/Clover Hill. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS

John Vincent e-mailed Bob Lee to tell him that The Golden Age Passport has been grandfathered into the National Park Service policies, and will not be rescinded this year. It continues to be honored.

Bob Lee clarified the information on the Golden Age Passport issued by the National Park Service:

1.       The senior citizen National Park Service discount card known as The Golden Age Passport was replaced four years ago by another card, but The Golden Age Passport continues to be honored. It includes discounts to Corps of Engineers Parks. Don’t relinquish this card if you have it. Do not trade it for the new card.

2.      The Golden Access Passport is the current senior citizen card and does not include discounts at Corps of Engineers Parks. There may be other advantages from the earlier card which it does not cover. There is still a benefit for holding The Golden Access Passport, but it is not as extensive as the previous card.

 

Bottom line: if you own a Golden Age Passport, and if you exchange it for the newer card, you will lose some of the original benefits. Hold on to it! If you lose it, you will not be issued another one. The Golden Access Passport will be issued to replace it.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS cont.

Douglas Powell said he has fifteen units signed up to go on the Roanoke River Caravan, with some on a waiting list. It will begin at Highland Haven Airstream Park, Floyd County, VA and end at Edenton, NC. He is working on a detailed itinerary with turn-by-turn directions and hopes to get it to participants before the caravan begins. It will be over 30 pages.

Douglas emphasized that we will have to car pool from campgrounds to some sites of interest, because of limited parking. Stops during days we travel may require creative parking of our rigs. He has planned main meals but often breakfast and lunch will be on your own. If the meal he has planned is in the middle of a day, you may be responsible for a light supper on your own. He again emphasized that you must make reservations, for after the caravan, yourself. A group from the caravan is going to camp at Cape Hatteras afterward. It will be Memorial Day week. Contact him, and he will offer the dates and details so you can make your own reservations for this.

Sam Barnard stated that he has ten contiguous sites reserved for the Joint Virginia and Shenandoah Unit’s Verona, VA Rally in June. Fri. June 11^th, Sat. the 12^th, and Sun. the 13^th. (Early arrival on the 10^th is possible - let Sam know if you want to come early.) Six spaces have been spoken for including Jean Hutson. That leaves four available. More than ten units can attend; however, those over ten will not be guaranteed a contiguous spot with the others and will need to make their own reservations instead of going through the Virginia Unit. Steve and Kay Lambert have agreed to co-host the rally because the Shenandoah Unit doesn’t have anyone to do it. We will do our best to encourage Shenandoah members to come. It seems that somewhere communications have broken down and they believe the rally may not take place, despite efforts by Sam to convince Shenandoah otherwise. We hope to get all ten spots spoken for. If not, the Virginia Unit will have to pay the first night fees for unused spots if we don’t get a refund from the campground.

Richard Bartelt said that the new Unit Flag is in the back of his truck on a lift at Cedar Line Automotive, and he and Mary will share it with the group at the next meeting so everyone can get to see it. There will be a discount if we order six or more additional flags. The Bartelts will take it to the Region 3 Rally the end of this month, in Charleston, SC and members can get a look at it there. He apologized for the inconvenience.

Bob Lee made a motion that Rich and Mary be reimbursed the $161.00 for the flag and shipping. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

 

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

The August Rally will be at Galax. Members are encouraged to attend.

The September rally will be held at the Harrisonburg Fairgrounds, hosted by NORVA. It will be a joint installation rally of all four Virginia Units.

Steve and Kay Lambert have distributed sheets outlining our October West Virginia Rally.

Clover Hill has invited us back next year. Richard said he would host it again if we want to do it. Linton made a motion to hold the rally the first weekend in April if there is no conflict with Easter. The motion was seconded and passed with one dissenting vote.

Jack O’Regan made a motion to thank Rich and Mary Bartelt for the rally this year at Clover Hill. They pointed out that it took everyone working together to make it a success.

There being no more business, the meeting was adjourned.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Mary Bartelt, recording secretary

 

 

                                                              Unit Meeting at Region 3 Rally

 

 

Members met at the Region III Rally, Exchange Park, Ladson, SC.  Attending the meeting were the following: Steve and Kay Lambert, Frank and Norma Bobbitt, DA and Douglas Powell, Mary Rowland,  Jimmy and Nancy Lassiter, Joe and Gladys Kolb, Grace and Linton Leary, Betty and Junior Patton, Edith and Tom Stutts, Jack O’Regan, Page and Ray Landis, and Rich and Mary Bartelt.

 President, Richard Bartelt called the meeting to order and DA made a motion to dispense with reading the minutes of the previous meeting, it was seconded and passed. The minutes will appear in the News Letter or on the Web Site.

Rich presented the new flag to the group and passed around a paper explaining the price break at six or more flags ordered. Some members present signed up to purchase their own flag and Douglas Powell made a motion that we purchase a second flag for the Unit so we will have a spare. The motion was seconded and passed. Altogether, seven flags were spoken for at $89.00 each plus shipping and handling. When we know the charges for shipping, the total will be given to the people who ordered them, and they can pay the Treasurer, Linton Leary. We hope to have the order filled in time for the Roanoke River Caravan in May, so flags can be distributed then.

Douglas Powell gave a brief rundown of the Roanoke River Caravan plans and showed us a hefty three ring binder with the details in it that he plans to distribute to everyone who goes on the excursion. A couple of cancellations have left openings for one or two more trailers to go. The Beards have had two deaths in the family and the Doberers are still dealing with the aftermath of a house fire so they had to cancel.  Tony and Cherron Sherman spoke for one of the spots. Douglas said he would distribute an outline to those who signed up… giving an overview and things to bring so we will know what is expected. Some of the meals, activities, and accommodations are pay-as-you-go. Douglas told us we will have to car pool to some of the points of interest because parking is limited. And when we stop while towing, we might need to get creative in how we accommodate space limitations.

The Verona Buddy Rally is going on as planned. It will be held June 10^th through June 13^th at Shenandoah Valley Campground, Bald Rock Rd., Verona, VA 24482. Sam and Karen Barnard (540-248-7556) and Steve and Kay Lambert (434-933-8513) will host the event. The Shenandoah Unit couldn’t find a co-host from their Unit so Steve and Kay stepped in. It will still be a joint rally with Shenandoah. At the time of this meeting there were four reserved spots not yet spoken for, and a couple of Shenandoah members interested, as well as more Virginia Unit members. Once the four reserved spots are taken, others are welcome to attend, but may not be able to camp together with the rest of the group, and will have to make reservations independently. Contact Sam or Steve if you are interested in attending they will fill you in.

Betty Patton said that everything is falling in place for the Galax Fiddlers Convention Rally. They have the plans to set-up handled by Jack, Junior, and Joe. There is some good entertainment lined up, and Betty is hoping more Virginia Unit members will plan to come. We need more members to help. This is the 75^th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and there are special events going on at the Blue Ridge Music Center.

The September Commonwealth Rally will be held at the Harrisonburg Fairgrounds, hosted by NORVA. It will be a joint installation rally of all four Virginia Units.

Steve and Kay Lambert have distributed sheets outlining our October West Virginia Rally.

There being no more business, the meeting was adjourned so we could go to Guillign’s for a seafood dinner.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Mary Bartelt, recording secretary