The Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI) is the club for owners of Airstream brand travel trailers. Unfortunately even though there are more Airstreams on the road today than at any other time in history, the club is shrinking, and doing so at an alarming rate.

Last year the International Board of Trustees created a marketing committee in an effort to help stop our declining numbers and they appointed me to it.

I think that our committee did good work and created a solid plan. It certainly seemed to be well received by the membership. Regrettably though the plan was not adopted, apparently due to a lack of funding for it.

Out of that process I came to learn that perception seems to be the largest stumbling block our club has. The majority of Airstream owners perceive it in a negative light, and if it is to grow again that perception will have to be turned around.

This problem of perception was made all too clear to me tonight.

I've always been a bit of a primadonna, I enjoy being treated exceptionally well, and I make it a point to do business with people who do so. When I'm in Olympia that means that I will drive a bit out of my way, and pay a bit too much, when I need to fuel up my truck. The folks who own the station I frequent understand that I am a very good customer and take steps to ensure that I am treated very well.

Tonight I had just finished fueling and was chatting with the daughter of the station's owners when she asked me where I lived while in Olympia. I explained that I stayed in my Airstream, up on the top of the hill.

She asked some more details, so I gave her the street name and told her that it was in an RV park.

"WBCCI?" She asked. "I drive that way to work."

I answered yes, and she got a funny look on her face.

"But those are all old people." She said.

She asked how old I was and on hearing the answer assured me that I didn't belong there because I was way too young.

I've spent a great many nights, in excess of 200 in this WBCCI Park over the past three years. We are not all over the hill.

Alas though, the perception is that we are. It is perceived that we have little or nothing of value for those who are now middle aged or even younger.

People who should be joining our club think that we just sit here hiding behind our locked gate and razor wire. It isn't true, but it is what they perceive.

I think the perception is there because we do have that locked gate, we do have that wire, and we make everything difficult.

It's difficult to join the WBCCI; it's difficult to understand the traditions of the club. It was even difficult for me to convince the officers of this park that my guests should be allowed to spend a few days in their motor home when the request was made a couple of weeks ago.

If we are to overcome this perception, if we are to grow as a club, we have to make the WBCCI seem inviting and easy. I fear though that may be a task too hard.