Save Wally Byam!!
I am not shure if you know the WBCCI. The WBCCI is the Wally Byam Caravaning Club International. For further details on what the club does go to their Webpage where you can find links to the different Regions, Units and Intraclubs. Wally Byam was the founder of Airstream and the man behind great and long Caravans such as Cape Town to Cairo and others. Some People say that he was the inventor of Caravaning as we know it today. Now the WBCCI wants to change their name to become the AOAI (Airstream Owners Association Inc.) Which many people don´t want, as this new 'Club' will be more or less part of Thor Inc. the owner of Airstream Inc. The main reasons for that are now published on the Web at SaveWally.org. We are no members of the WBCCI yet. We would like to, but are waiting for the vote results and we won´t become members of the AOAI, as they give up the rich history that was made by Wally Byam...
posted by Pschoerrn at 21:43
2 Comments:
I am an active WBCCI member and am always surprised at reasons given for not joining the organization based on on no experience but some sense of perceived history. We are Argosy owners and were refused admission to the club because it wasn't an Airstrea. (As an aside, I am acquainted with early caravanners who travelled with Wally Byam and no such requirement existed to join.) Organizations are what people make of them rather than the organizational mame. The name is immaterial to me as long as I enjoy the people I associate with. We have been on caravans and are active in all phases of the WBCCI, local, region and International. Regardless of what the name will be, I will remain a member of the organization and continue to enjoy the activities sponsored. I would suggest you join, participate and enjoy rather that remaining aloof.
Hi Max and Myra,
I don´t know why the WBCCI refused Argosys for such a long time and the newly discussions about the Basecamp or the Interstate People is what I also don´t understand... In the end these all are Airstream Products and at least these should be allowed to join the Airstream club.
So why am I against the name change... I like the idea Wally Byam had, by opening the caravans to all brands of RVs and not only Airstreams, this is probably the best way to convince someone to buy an Airstream and it is always good to stay open minded and open to others...
Why aren´t we WBCCI members... well, because there is no unit in europe and the Units life from their get-to-gethers and ralleys and luncheons and that everybody knows each other, which is very hard to do when you have lots of water between you and your unit in the USA or Canada. It even wouldn´t in europe be that easy. I know a few european airstreamers from the forums and most of them are in the UK or in France, some in Germany, one in Austria and so on, so spread across Europe.
BTW we already asked the WBCCI to become members-at-large, but we wouldn´t be allowed to vote then, so should we really become members just to get some red numbers?? They get our money and we don´t have the right to vote?? No, thanks!! Maybe we can get some people together for an european unit, but that would be a WBCCI Unit and not AOAI or any other stupid Thor Inc. implemented name!!
I am not shure if you really know what the name change is about and I would suggest that you get really deep into that topic, as I tried to. It will do harm to what Wally stood for and it will not help the CLub or Ass. or what ever to survive. IMHO they are on the best way to destroy a 50 year old succesful (more or less, but they are still here) Club and Thor tries to get everyone who uses the word Airstream undercontrol. If you want another big brother watching you - vote Yes! But if you want to stay independ there is no other way then voting with a big NO! Sometimes it is better to look from the outside to see what inside is going on.
I really hope to meet you one day on an International. You as WBCCI Members and me as member of an european WBCCI unit - I won´t be wearing a beret or anything like that, but I will keep the name of Wally Byam in honor for what he did.
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