Urbatsch creates fun times for WIT Tours

Wit Club News -- June 2001

   Making sure WIT members have excellent caravans and rallies to attend with experienced and professional leaders is the responsibility of the WIT Tour Administrator.  That's Pam Urbatsch's job at the WIT office.
     Pam oversees WIT Tours which includes determining upcoming events for the next year, organizing rallies and caravans and handling the Wagonmaster/Tailender program from creating its guidelines to hireing and training those involved.  She also keeps WIT members informed on the tour program with a monthly article in the WIT Club News magazine.  During the Grand National Rally you can find Pam in the WIT Tours tent answering members' questions regarding rallies and caravans, and giving a seminar on WIT Tours on Wednesday morning.
     Pam started working as a receptionist in Stitchcraft in 1968 and when it became a part of Winnebago Industries she was moved to the marketing department.  After her marriage in 1969 she moved out of the area while her husband attended college until 1972.  In 1987 she started part-time in the WIT office doing registrations for Grand National Rally.
     Pam recalls her first GNR experience working in the Documents Tent was almost her last.  The heat during the rally was overwhelming, at over 100 degrees.  As the motorhomes werre rolling onto the grounds she stood with her feet in a cooler and a wet cloth on her head to keep from passing out.
     "I said that was going to be my first and last GNR but I'm going on my 15th this year," Pam said.
     She then moved to the Visitor Center and was a tour guide for Winnebago Industries and also did the mail-forwarding program and was in charge of the WIT store items.  Pam started with the tour program in 1989 and the first event she put together was the River Road Caravan.
     At that time only about 5-6 events were offered each year.   WIT Tours now offers 25-27 events each year.
     "We've come a long way in setting up guidelines for the rally and caravan participants, and the organization of the tour program."  She has on file a "brain" for each event which includes contact names, phone numbers, time schedules, locations, phone conversations, and other vital information.   It's the only way to keep track of all the information compiled when putting together one event.  Pam said it would be a disaster if her "brains" were lost!
     "I like working with the WIT people.  RVers are the happiest people on wheels,"  Pam said.  "It's fun creating the fun they experience on our rallies and caravans."
     She also enjoys working with the WIT members who go through the wagonmaster/ rallymaster program.
     "They are all accomplished RVers with proven leadership ability who know how to show people a good time," she added.
     And of course everyone enjoys having fun with their coworkers once-in-awhile.  Pam said one day dressed up as an old woman who cme in to join the WIT Club and no one even recognized her.
     The most challenging part of her job is working on a new event.  Pam said it is comparable to putting a puzzle together.  She gathers up all the pieces of information and lays them out before starting to put the event together.   It's important to make sure that puzzle goes together right for a good first rally or caravan.
     Pam said she would like to get out and experience each caravan and rally but that isn't possible now because she needs to be at a central place to keep watch over all the events going on at one time.
     She said her goal with the WIT Tour program is to continue to offer new events for members.  Currently, they are looking to providing more special interest rallies.
     Pam's husband Harley works in Winnebago Industries specialty vehicles division.  They have a son Brian who does security for the company and a daughters Kris and Jamie who live in Minneapolis.  A few of Pam's favorite things are spending time with her family, her cats, cooking, snuggling in front of a fire on a cold winter night, pizza, chocolate and beating her husband and brother-in-law in a game of bridge.