The South Central Area held its first rally in 1974.  The Cruisin’ Cajuns took the initiative, planned and hosted the first rally which was billed as the “Four State Rally”.  The only chapters of FMCA in these four states were: “Arkansas Travelers” – Arkansas, “Cruisin’ Cajuns” – Louisiana, “Lone Star” – Texas, and the “Rollin’ Okies” – Oklahoma,

The following year the event was referred to as the “Five Chapter – Six State Rally.  The Rollin’ Okies Chapter served as host.  The area chapter that joined the four mentioned above was a Kansas & Missouri chapter, the “Jayhawks”.  In 1976 the “Jayhawks” became the Heart of America Coachmen.

 

The rally fee for that first rally was $15.00.  The rally was held in conjunction with the State Fair of Louisiana and the rally fee included parking, entrance to the fair, coffee, donuts and hors d’oeuvres.  Grandstand entertainment was free.  The Rodeo and Auto races were optional activities for a small admission charge.

 

The rally fee today is considerably more.  Parking is included but much more is spent on entertainment and food.  Rental of the rally facilities is much greater.  Larger crowds require more services, all costing money. Examples of added services are trams for moving people, radios for communications, golf carts for worker transportation, and electrical power, where possible, for all motorhomes.

 

During these thirty-eight years the number of chapters in the six states has grown from five to almost fifty. The growth of chapters has led to other ways of obtaining host chapters and distributing the opportunity to be part of the area rally production.  The concept of the area association was created with the primary purpose of planning and staging the annual area rally.  FMCA’s Bylaws also directs that the area associations facilitate communications with the membership.

 

Governing Board members of the South Central Area’s chapters voted to form an association at an area meeting in 1996 while in Billings, Montana at FMCA’s International Convention.  The association bylaws were approved at an annual rally in Sedalia, Missouri in October of 1997.  The 25th Anniversary Rally held in Shawnee, Oklahoma in 1998, was the first rally hosted by the Six-State Rally Association, Inc.

 

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