Wow, what a rally! It is hard to believe that the Eastern Multi Chapter Rally known as SKP ACRE (All Chapters Rally East) was more fun this year than it was last year, but it was! There were lots of varied activities and fun for everyone. Final tally was 100 rigs and 180 people attending this year.
Meet your friendly registration crew and pick up your SKP ACRE shirts and pins.
Wednesday started out with registration and then we proceeded right into the Pet Lover’s BOF Pet Parade. The weather held for the parade and fun was had by all. Betty Bear and Oscar (in his tuxedo) made an encore appearance after the Escapade in Goshen. Several other pets were also well dressed.
After lunch Mark Nemeth presented the first chapter of his seminar series with, ‘Water, Water Everywhere’. Everyone learned the basics of safe water management for their RV.
Wednesday evening was the first catered meal. Countryside BBQ served up some delicious smoked chicken. Wednesday evening, Dan Brown, former director of the Blue Ridge Parkway, offered insights about the area. This was a valuable presentation for everyone. This was Dan’s second time presenting a program for us, and we really appreciate his time and effort.
Thursday morning finished registration and then went right into a great seminar of Geocaching with Joe and Nancy Liston. They had set up some geocaching challenges around the park and area and after the seminar one person was able to find all of the geocache sites. Super! After lunch crafters met to tackle making paper beads to form necklaces and bracelets. There was a lot of giggling goin’ on! Thanks to Patty Mulhall for sharing her creativity. She also did a paper embroidery class on Friday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon was Mark Nemeth’s second seminar on ‘RV Systems, Q &A’. There was lots of information for us to learn from Mark about our RV systems. Following the Social Hour we had a wonderful Pot Luck Dinner. Feeding 180 people in a short time is certainly a challenge. Before we were finished eating, Terry H. McKinney was there with a band to entertain us with some fine traditional country music, and entertain us they did!
This group played from 7:30 P.M. until 10:00 P.M., nonstop and finished the evening with a very memorable rendition of ‘How Great Thou Art’.
Friday it was off to tour the Biltmore Estate. This is the second year that this tour has been offered, but since we had a lot of first time attendees, there were still many people who wanted to make this trip. Spring is a wonderful time of year to visit this beautiful home. 
The evening began with a presentation by Steve Masterson about DOVES after which everyone was invited to another Pot Luck dinner, sponsored by the DOVES. Around 7:00 PM the McKinney Washtub Two entertained us. Judy and Whitt are full time Escapees who make their living by entertaining on the road. They were also rally participants. It was a treat to have them with us.
Saturday breakfast was prepared by Betty Bear and her crew. She was up very early to make sure there was plenty of her famous Bear Sausage and Gravy for everyone. It was delicious.
Come on and have seconds, if you’d like……………….
Several local chapters held their business meetings on Saturday morning. In the afternoon there was a Picasa workshop on Managing Digital Photos as well as Mark Nemeth’s presentation on the Smart Weigh Program. The day closed with a Soup Cook Off for CARE, ice cream and finally a great bon fire put on for us by Tom Johnson. There was some wonderful music and fellowship taking place.
Vendors that were present at the rally were Sky Med, Amsoil, The Gardens RV Resort in Tennessee, and Mark Nemeth with the Smart Weigh program.
There are also many fine places to shop and many people spent time touring the local shops, restaurants and tourist attractions.
Tickets were sold throughout the week for a chance to take a whack at the Escapees Piñata and win a $50 gift certificate. There were many swings taken before it was finally conquered by J.C. Webber 111. Proceeds from the piñata also went to CARE.
Omelets in a bag were a first time experience for a lot of people Sunday morning. Everyone was patient waiting for their breakfast to cook because it gave them time for some more sharing with their rally friends. The morning was filled with RV Discussions and the afternoon had a computer workshop on Easy Website Building, Using Weebly. The quilters also found time to meet and discuss projects a couple of times.
Sunday evening there was a second catered dinner of Pot Roast followed by the closing ceremony. A DVD presentation of The Many Faces of Old Glory left everyone very moved. There is something about standing together with fellow SKPS and singing our National Anthem together that stirs the heart.
Monday morning was the Hitch up Breakfast with lots of SKP HUGS to share. Many people kept Mark and his crew busy as they were being weighed on the way out.
Some wonderful things happened that the committee is very proud of:
*After a meeting with Bryan Rose and several VCRs, a group of enthusiastic people elected officers and decided to reactive Chapter 26, the Carolina Rovers. Plans are underway for their next rally.
*There were several activities geared to raise money for CARE. There was the Bear Gravy breakfast, the Soup Cook Off, the Escapee’s Piñata, a donation from the Solos, a beautiful afghan was crocheted and donated for a raffle by Dixie Peterson, and a donation from the Skp Acre. The final amount presented to Mark Nemeth for CARE was $1000.
*We had visitors from as far away as Australia! Les and Denese Nicholson are SKPS from New South Wales, Australia. They came to the rally and did not know a soul, but they made many friends before the rally was over.
*Our VCR’s Tom and Debbie Abernathy signed up two new couples to ESCAPEES.
*There were several VCRs attending the rally: Bryan and Jane Rose, Tom and Debbie Abernathy, Betty Bear, Vic and Taree Schrubb, Jeanne and Bill Parrish, Keith and Shirley Murphy, Carole and Bernie Patton, and Cindy and Phil Devonshire.
*There were almost 20 SOLOS. The SOLOS were a major contributor to CARE. They held their own fund raiser for CARE and donated about $250 toward the total $1000 collected.
*Mark Nemeth was there from Livingston to present several seminars and then to weigh thirty or more rigs with the new Escapees Smart Weigh Program.
*Crafts, quilting and computer activities were available.
*Chapter 42 had a large group attending.
Planning has already begun for next year’s SKP ACRE. Evaluation forms were looked over carefully so that positive changes can be made. This event is growing and it takes the cooperation of many people to make it a success. The biggest asset of the Escapee’s Club is the members who are so willing to share their time and talent. The SKP ACRE committee would like to thank the many volunteers who helped throughout the rally to make it a success.
Mark your calendar and start making plans to attend next year’s SKP ACRE. It will be held again in Marion NC at Tom Johnson’s Rally Park. The dates are April 17-22, 2012. We’ll keep a space open for you!
Bryan Rose presents a $1000 check to Mark Nemeth for CARE.
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