2016 - Las Vegas Rally - Discussion Thread

[jbeletti]

Thank you everyone for the kind words.James and Sheila - it was great to meet you both. Thank you for some of the advance work you did for me, checking a few details out at Oasis that I had not noted in my scouting visit. Wishing you both the best in your upcoming retirement and seeing you down the road, possibly in Goshen.

For all - as to the rally Core-Team, I cannot state this more emphatically... I am unable to execute the National rally without a Core-Team of committed Heartlanders who step up, many of them, year after year to help me.

Thank you Core-Team members, you guys and gals really are our rock stars!

 

[lindaw]

James and Sheila,
There is no better reward in going to these
rallies with expectation to meet new people and
really am happy to know we will see you again
down the road. We also met a lot of people we
didnt know and it was fun. Thanks to everyone who made this rally possible.
Walter and Linda West

 

[ZonieLD]

We had a great time at the rally. It was our 1st national rally and we enjoyed meeting so many people and attending the seminars and the events. Loved the night at Studio M, especially the band!! Jim, Julie, and core team members - we thought you did a flawless job! Thanks again and hope everyone had safe travels to their next destination or home. Larry & Jane Davidson/AZ Chapter

 

[clubmgr]

So glad to hear that all the first time rally goers enjoyed themselves. Now, put it on your bucket list, plan to attend a Goshen rally. Every Heartland owner should attend the rally in Goshen at least once.

 

[JohnD]

We just got back to Denver around 5 p.m. today . . . left Vegas Sunday just before 11 a.m.:



Can't believe the Vegas Rally is over already!

We had such a great time and hope to meet up with all of you down the road someday soon!

Jim B., Julie, Terry and Floyd . . . you all did a wonderful job putting it all together!

This was our first National Rally and our eighth HOC Rally out of nine total HOC campouts in three years of being in the HOC.

Our next HOC Rally will be the Lake Havasu Rally in Arizona this coming January.

I know a bunch of you who were in Vegas will be there, so we'll see you then!

 

[clubmgr]

Did you win a FREE One Year Extension to your HOC membership at the Las Vegas North American Heartland Owners Club Rally? If you did, email me your name, HOC member number and a picture of your certificate and I will add one year to your membership.

Confirmation will be by email.

If you didn't win, but you know someone who did, let them know to contact me.

 

[klindgren]

JohnD it was great meeting you in Vegas after "talking" on the forum. That's why I love these rallies. You get to put a face with a name. Good to hear you got home safe and sound. Carol and I look forward to seeing you in the not too distant future. We are settled into our 'next campground' in Mesa, AZ to spend two weeks with the kids and grandkids. One more state rally to attend in North Carolina before we make it home, then it's on to the North Pole to make sure everything is on track for my BIG night.

 

[jwcox]

I enjoyed the Las Vegas rally and met so many wonderful Heartland owners. Thanks for experience., Jeanne

 

[KatJon]

My huband and I just happened to check into the Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort on Wednesday, October 5th, in our 2016 Cyclone 3611 and we were greeted very warmly by members of the Heartland Owners Club welcoming us to the rally. We explained that we weren't member, just a lucky coincidence. We were encouraged to join the festivities, and we did, and we had a great time. Everyone was SO friendly and welcoming, and John learned so much by talking to other Heartland owners about our 5th wheel.

We were both touched by the charitable fund raiser to help match service dogs with veterans. What a wonderful way to help both dogs and people. I hope this charity catches on in other states.

We joined the Maryland Chapter and look forward to meeting up with our local Heartland owners in Ocean City in September, and we are definitely making plans to join the National Rally in Goshen in June.

Thanks again for the warm welcome,

John & Kathy

 

[jbeletti]

John and Kathy - we're so happy you joined the club and the rally while you were in Las Vegas. I'm pleased to hear that while you didn't pull into Oasis for the rally, that you were warmly greeted by our parking team and invited to join the club, then the rally. I hope you had a blast at the rally and that you enjoy the Heartland Owners Club. As was done with you, please share the good-cheer about the Heartland Owners Club with other Heartlanders you may run into in your travels and certainly, have fun at other rallies you may join us at, all over North America.

 

[jbeletti]

Thank you everyone for all the positive feedback on this rally. As this was the one and only time we plan on holding a national rally this far west, we really wanted to make the experience memorable for all who attended.

With the rally being in Las Vegas, we were challenged with "what to do" and not try to compete with Las Vegas, but to create a program that struck a balance between on-site rally activities, off-site rally activities and free time for attendees to enjoy the area. We hope we achieved this.

As I explained at the rally and online in the past, the going forward plan is:

1. Continue the National Rally every other year (odd numbered years) in Goshen Indiana
2. Place more emphasis on and put more resources into Region Rallies planned by our Region Directors in the 7 regions across North America

The reason for placing more importance on the Region rallies rather than holding a National Rally in the even numbered years, somewhere in North America is that it's far easier, takes less travel time and is less costly for Club Members to travel 500 miles (for example) to attend a Region Rally.

So it is our hope and our plan to fund our Region Rallies to a higher level than in past years so Region Directors can hold longer rallies, larger rallies, have better catering, better entertainment, more door prizes etc. Simply - give Region leadership more resources so they can hold an event that is even more amazing than they've held in past years.

When you see Region Rallies pop up on the Events listing on any forum page, check your calendar and travel plans to see if you can work in one or more each year. They are amazing events.

 

[Jim Posz]

We also had a great time at the rally. We do have a really dumb question, however. We received a round device in our goodie bag from Lippert made of rope and fabric. What is it?
Thanks.

 

[clubmgr]

We also had a great time at the rally. We do have a really dumb question, however. We received a round device in our goodie bag from Lippert made of rope and fabric. What is it?
Thanks.

A frisbee for your dog or cat or whomever will play with you.

 

[jbeletti]

We also had a great time at the rally. We do have a really dumb question, however. We received a round device in our goodie bag from Lippert made of rope and fabric. What is it?
Thanks.

Happy to hear you guys enjoyed the rally Jim!

My guess on the Lippert item is: Frisbee like sporting item to be used by people or dogs.

 

[fastmetal]

Thanks Jim Posz for asking the question! I was wondering to what that rope circle was for. No way my 7 pound puppy could carry it!!!! LOL

Also, thanks again for the night out with you and Betty. Jean and I had a great time! Hope to meet up again in another Rally!

Paul and Jean Rink

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

That is such a cool story. Welcome to the heartland family John and Kathy

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[JohnD]

A frisbee for your dog or cat or whomever will play with you.

I showed that thing to our cats (we had three with us in Vegas) . . . and one of them said (in meoweze):

"I ain't no #$@%&* doggie!" :angel:

Did I mention that she sometimes talks like a sailor?



Here Spicy shows her enthusiasm for the new doggie device (click to see the whole image).

 

[macjj]

A special thanks to a Jim Belitti and his staff for a great rally. We had a great time, met with some old and new friends. Got some great ideas and mods for future enhancements. Thanks for the great advice. Not sure we will make to Indiana, conflicts. But will enjoy it almost as much thru your posts

 

[Jim Posz]

Good to know what that device is. Not saying that our dog is lazy, but the only way she is likely to chase something is if a hunk of meat is attached to it. That would be one way to get her to exercise.
Jim