The Allô Québec Chapter

By May Ann Deans, F51098, and Clarence Boutin, F193803

Did you know that FMCA has a bilingual chapter? Well, it does. In September 2000, FMCA awarded a charter to the Allô Québec ("Hello Quebec") chapter, which is based in the Canadian province of Quebec. Although 95 percent of our chapter members speak French, we are ready to greet you in either French or English. Visit us at one of our rallies and we will show you how to have fun Québec-style.

Since the chapter's inception in 2000, its membership has grown to more than 250 family members. We also have 18 corporate members, one emeritus member, and five members from the United States. The chapter's bylaws and rules are in accordance with FMCA's bylaws and procedures.

Since the beginning, the Allô Québec chapter has worked with Camping Québec (Québec's campground owners association), the Association des Commerçants de Véhicules Récréatifs du Québec (Québec's RV dealers association), and many other specialists involved in the RV industry in Québec. These contacts make our rallies all the more interesting and informative. We always can count on the cooperation of the campground owners who host our rallies.

The chapter's bilingual newsletter, “Info Québec,” is published four times a year, and fliers also are sent out to keep members up-to-date on what is happening. We hold our chapter rallies in June and September each year. These rallies are held at campgrounds that can accommodate a minimum of 100 motorhomes. The campgrounds must have at least 75 full-hookup sites, with electricity and water available at the other sites. We also offer three fully catered meals, ice cream socials, sport activities, sight-seeing, entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights, and many door prizes. On the serious side, we have three to six seminars and new and used coach displays.

Members of our chapter are always happy to volunteer, and we can count on our officers and their spouses to help organize efforts at our chapter rallies and the Northeast Area rallies. Those who attended the Northeast Area rallies in Essex Junction, Vermont (2002), and Prince Edward Island, Canada (2003), probably met Allô Québec members who passed out coffee and doughnuts or muffins. Also in 2003, we guided a caravan of 24 family coaches around Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. In 2004 we will be busy again distributing coffee and doughnuts at the Northeast Area Rally in Essex Junction.

The objective of our chapter is to maintain a good membership by offering a great variety of rallies, services, and participation in all FMCA activities. All of our members are treated like one of the family.

The chapter's board of officers includes a president, four vice presidents, a treasurer, a secretary, a national director, and an alternate national director. Chantale Larocque, F300238, is the Webmaster of our Web site, http://membres.lycos.fr/fmca, and she can be contacted by e-mail at fmca.alloquebec@oricom.ca. Chapter dues are $10 annually per family, including children up to 19 years of age.

We always welcome new members and it would be a pleasure to greet you in one or both of our languages. Bienvenue dans le chapitre Allô Québec.

Please contact chapter president Clarence Boutin for more information about Allô Québec. He can be reached via e-mail at Clarence.huguette@oricom.ca. Or, contact FMCA's Chapter Services department at (800) 543-3622.