Our Board Members

President – Mary Jo Thormahlen

 

My husband and I purchased our 2006 Alpine in 2015 which was before we retired. Previously, we had been camping in a truck camper. We happened across the NoWACA group through one of the motorhome forums and joined that same year. What a blessing it was. We have met a lot of very nice people and participated in some great rallies. Now retired, we are traveling in the motorhome a lot more.  We are looking forward to many more great gatherings and making more new friends. 

 

Mary Jo

Vice-President – Renee Perrault

 

My husband, Gary Arnold, and I and owned a sailboat for years prior to buying our first Alpine. We sailed the San Juan Islands and Canadian Gulf Coast and after 20 years were itchy to see some new things. We went to a concert at The Gorge in George Washington. We were in Gary’s sister and brother-in-law’s trailer, surrounded by big diesel pushers and kept hearing a KRRRRRR KRRRRRR sound (translated, it was the sound of blenders making drinks). We both said, “That sounds like fun!” It planted the seed. We sold the sailboat and started our Alpine adventures in 2003. Owning a “land yacht” was a big change and opened up so many new places to travel. When we joined NoWACA, we met new friends with similar travel goals who have become lifelong friends. We’ve taken many trips with our fellow Alpine owners that have taken us across the United States and into Canada and Nova Scotia. Gary and I ventured up to Alaska by ourselves for an extended trip, and our coach handled all the frost heaves beautifully (except for the one we saw too late, and then the coach was like an E ride at Disneyland). In 2013 we purchased our second Alpine, a 2006 40’ Apex. We needed the extra space when we adopted our sweet little German Shepard puppy, Jetta, nine years ago. She is now 86 pounds and between her and our cat Mojo, they keep life in the Alpine interesting. Fortunately, they seem to enjoy the travel. We love owning our Alpine and all the adventures we’ve had and look forward to the ones to come.

Treasurer - Debra Humphrey-Keever


Debra spent her 40-year career as a CPA (that does not mean a “Certified Pain in the Ass”), first was with public accounting firms and later nonprofits.  She at times was also referred to as a bean counter or a dog with a bone! These skills were especially useful when surviving government grant audits. The highlight of Debra’s career was when her management skills helped her nonprofit employer receive the #1 Small Best Nonprofit to Work for in Oregon Award, in 2017, after making the 100 Best Nonprofit list for the five prior years!


Her organizational skills and attention to detail make her a perfect treasurer.  Debra served as the treasurer for the Portland Civic Theater in the early 1990’s and was the first treasurer for the Q Center during their inaugural years. Debra became the treasurer for NoWACA in 2016.


Debra and spouse, Mary Ann, enjoy exploring the wonders of this county in their motorhome with their two dogs, Jacques and Lili. They have also traveled aboard and been on several cruises. Time is also spent at their beach house in Lincoln City and visiting their son and family in Astoria. Their youngest son lives in Austin, with his dog, Izzy.

Secretary and FMCA Director– Terry McGuire


Patty and I have always been into camping.  Even while dating in high school, we cut classes together one time to spend the day in the mountains.  (#Wegotcaught)   Fast forward a few years and we had progressed to a slide-in camper that we used nearly every weekend camping with our two children.  In was 1998 when we acquired our first Class C, which was quickly traded in on our first Class A Gasser the next year.  But life took a major change in 2005 when we stepped up to the Alpine display at “The Rally” in Redmond, Oregon and asked to test drive a 34-foot Alpine Coach.  Wow!  A couple hours later the paperwork was done.  We found that not only was the coach great, but the Alpine owners were also amazing.  Our first rally found us both racing new Alpine Coaches at a Drag Strip near the Yakima manufacturing facility.  Neither of us won, but it was quite a while before that big smile rubbed off Patty’s face.  That rally was also our introduction into the newly formed NoWACA which, of course, we joined.  In 2008 we took ownership of our ‘09 Alpine Coach.  The miles, the camping, the rallies, and the people we have met because of our Alpines equal a life well lived.  And we ain’t done yet!