Members of the Holiday Rambler Recreational Vehicle Club (HRRVC) have a deep loyalty and strong pride for their organization, for it was after all, Holiday Rambler owners who conceived the idea of the Club, who established the purpose and bylaws and who made this the nation's fastest growing corporate sponsored recreational vehicle club.
Holiday Rambler dealers first learned of interest in a club from inquiries made by their customers. The dealers conveyed this information to Mr. Richard Klingler, President of the Holiday Rambler Corporation (HRC), who quickly realized the interest in the formation of a club was nationwide. Mr. Klingler gave the idea his wholehearted support and issued the order to use the corporation's warranty files to send questionnaires to all Holiday Rambler owners of record in the Spring of 1964.
From the many replies, eight couples were selected to represent various sections of the United States of America. They were invited to attend an organizational meeting to be held at the Randall's Inn, South Bend, Indiana on July 25, 1964. From these assembled eight couples came the first members of the National Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer Club, Inc. (NHRTTC) and from their ranks the first officers were elected: Mr. and Mrs. Lowell "Lank" Reynolds (HRRVC No. 1) president, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Clutterback (HRRVC No. 2) vice-president, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Leisey (HRRVC No. 3) secretary-treasurer, the first committees formed, and the first regional managers assigned.
These are a few of the milestones our club has made since it started over 45 years ago.
- 1964 - Club formed in Spring
- 1964 - Original Club name: National Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer Club, Inc. (NHRTTC)
- 1964 - Club newspaper, Holiday Ramblers, created
- 1964 - December showed membership at 500
- 1965 - Charter Member is a member prior to January 1, 1965 (1500 Total)
- 1965 - The first National Rally in Alliance, Ohio (484 units)
- 1977 - Largest attended rally: 2,214 units (Fort Collins, CO)
- 1966 - "Order of the Hitchball" (club's most prestigious award) was created during the second National Rally
- 1968 - First Caravan, 86 units went on a Mexican caravan, under the leadership of experienced wagonmaster Johnny Johnson of Trailer Life magazine.
- 1970 - First winter Rally, Eustis, Florida (February)
- 1975 - Name of the club changed to: Holiday Rambler Recreational Vehicle Club, Inc. (HRRVC)
- 1977 - Official Holiday Rambler jacket introduced
- 1977 - HRRVC would purchase and furnish ice cream for ice cream socials to be held at all State and Regional rallies
- 1980 - HRRVC and the Monitor Caravan Club were merged into one organization- HRRVC, Inc.
- 1983 - First art, crafts and hobby competition was held -
- 1985 - Created a category, "Member Emeritus."
- 1986 - Chapter Newsletter Contest began
- 1986 - Heritage Family program created
- 1986 - The Holiday Rambler Corporation was sold to Harley-Davidson, Inc.
- 1989 - Book exchange began
- 1989 - HRRVC signed documents entering into a partnership with the United States Forest Service for the express purpose of promoting conservation and RVing
- 1990 - Two new benefits added: Roadside assistance and HRRVC credit card program
- 1990 - Muffins and yogurt joined the doughnuts and ice cream
- 1993 - First Annual Walk for Life
- 1996 - Monaco Coach Corporation agreed to purchase the Holiday Rambler RV Division from Harley-Davidson, Inc.
- 1996 - Adopted the Make-A-Wish program as the Club's official national charity
- 1998 - www.hrrvc.org formed with help from Monaco Corporation and the Holiday Rambler Division