Successful Second Annual Amana Mods, Maintenance & Merriment Meetup!
Successful Second Annual Amana Mods, Maintenance & Merriment Meetup!
This gathering brought 42 compact coaches and their owners together for a great time.
By: Noel Fleming & Chris Miller
Photo Credit: Amana RV Park & Event Center
“The Sequel” is in the books and we had a blast once again! Seventy-two attendees of 42 Winnebago compact coaches showed up to join in the fun, and boy did we have a ball!
There were 31 Class B rigs (Solis and Travato) and 36 Class C rigs (EKKO, Spirit, and View) on site along with five wannabe owner attendees. Additionally, a number of Winnebago product planners, some with family in tow, and Winnebago’s marketing team also joined our event!
We enjoyed hosting along with Kathleen Hanson, Terry Sue Boney, and Becky Ratliff. Cheri Golden, Angelique Goodnough, and Toni Parker also helped as Modulators.
Fun fact: returnees from last year’s inaugural meetup numbered 26 adults and 3 children.
So, what is this meet up all about you ask? Last year, this event created a new format option for meetups in three significant ways:
- inclusion of multiple kinds of rigs
- owners helping owners do mods and maintenance
- giving back to a local non-profit
The activities extend beyond the usual inspiration of viewing neighbors’ mods. Attendees actually work together to complete mods and maintenance!
You can read about the first Winnebago Compact Coach Meetup here.
Modulators Helped the Flow of the Event
While some aspects of the event remained consistent with last year, there were a few big changes to the format. The five-member co-hosting team decided to implement the role of modulators. One individual served as the modulator for the Class B owners and one for the Class C owners.
The modulator’s role began with a personal touch of connecting with each owner upon arrival to share info about the meetup and gather details from the owner regarding what questions they might have, what mods they might want, and what skills they might lend to other attendees.
Modulators assisted attendees in filling out pre-printed mod sheets, coordinated volunteers, and scheduled the work to be done. Their people skills and organizational talents resulted in a well-orchestrated timetable.
It was a beautiful sight to witness the momentum as rigs pulled in and out of the garage and tools were shared up and down rows of vehicles.
Guided Mods Meander
If you’ve been to other RV meetups or rallies, you have likely had a chance to view other owners’ mods. This year we had two groups of mod-viewers; one group toured Class B rigs and the other group toured Class C rigs.
A host guided each of the walking tours. Attendees choosing to share joined the parade and, upon reaching their rig, popped out of the group and highlighted their featured mods.
The group seemed to enjoy this format since it allowed all participants to be part of the tour, instead of waiting at their own rig for visitors to come. In order to keep the pace moving, a timer was set at each stop.
Attendees kept track of what they might want to revisit or delve into deeper with owners at another time. Each rig had a sign on the windshield that was used throughout the entire meetup. The sign read either “Welcome” or “Not Now.” This visual served as an easy way for attendees to identify good times to revisit a rig.
Making Mods & Maintenance Fun with Teamwork
Like last year, we found ourselves installing wheel well liners, spray-painting jack points, securing loose wiring, aligning latch handles, adjusting roof racks, and more.
The camaraderie was phenomenal as owners tapped into their skill sets to assist each other. Sometimes rigs were lined up for multiple tasks to be completed, and at other times a select group was organized for owners to complete the same project side by side.
Regardless of the mod or maintenance item, there was always a willing hand, an encouraging word, and a hooray when the project was completed.
[Please note: Winnebago did not facilitate the completion of mods at this meetup. Mods were done by owners who decided to do so at their own risk with the assistance of others from the Winnebago family. Any mods noted here are not direct recommendations from Winnebago.]
Education-Packed Sessions
Quick Education sessions were also new this year. They were masterfully conducted by a seasoned Travato owner who led four sessions including: Go Digital, Basic RV Electricity, RV Toolbox, and RV Checklists.
Many of the sessions used helpful information shared by The Fit RV. Additionally, attendees were shown how to access Winnebago-specific information online, such as schematics for plumbing and electrical systems. Such knowledge helps when ordering parts, working with dealers, maintaining your RV, and traveling with confidence.
Often, at the conclusion of a session, small groups of owners would huddle at their rigs, reviewing what they had learned and how the information applied specifically to their vehicle.
Helping Local Communities
As with last year, sales of our raffle tickets supported Shelter House. Shelter House’s mission is “to provide safe shelter and help people improve the quality of their lives as they move beyond homelessness.”
This year included a presentation by a representative from Shelter House Iowa City. She reminded us that everyone at some time is faced with crisis and the powerful role that community can play in addressing systemic poverty. Our contribution this year ($1,505) was very much appreciated. Click here to learn more about Shelter House Iowa.
This year, we extended our reach and helped support a local Ukrainian family by purchasing an official Ukrainian meal for 70+ people for the event.
Since arriving in the U.S. in October 2022, this family has been making and selling traditional Ukrainian-style dumplings, also known as “Varenyky.”
Our attendees were treated to Borscht soup, a wide variety of dumplings, and garlic and parsley dinner rolls. Many return trips were made to visit the soup ladle and the dumplings were enthusiastically shared between tables.
What a treat for us to enjoy such a meal and provide an opportunity for the family to showcase their heritage!
Gathering Feedback for Next Year!
Feedback was gathered at the conclusion of the meetup. Attendees’ responses made it clear that the role of the modulator was positively impactful. Attendees also indicated that they would enthusiastically return to another Amana MM&MM.
The success of this event is attributed to the attendees and their willingness to show up, help out, and give back.
If this meetup is of interest to you, we’ve got good news! The 3rd Annual Amana MM&MM has already been scheduled for May 16-20, 2024. Event information can be found on the Winnebago Compact Coach Meetups Facebook Group*.
*Note: This is a private group and you will need to request to join before being able to see any posts. A moderator will review your request, so approval is not automatic. Answering the questions provided after you click to join will help this process along. You do need to be logged into Facebook to request to join.
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