The Beckworths (A.V. & Mary) of Amarillo and the Wrights (Elvin & Edith) of Gruver attended a Westex FMCA rally at the prude Ranch near Fort Davis in May of 1985. Milt Cranfill of Marble Falls, Texas, then Vice President of the South Central Area of FMCA, talked with the Beckworths about the need for a club in the north Texas Panhandle. Then, after talking to the Wrights, they all agreed.
Upon returning home and talking with others, enthusiasm grew for the formation of a new club.
In October, the Rusts, Hatleys, and Beckworths traveled to Muskoge, Oklahoma to a Six State FMCA rally. Cranfill encouraged the group to talk to other families who were attending the Six State Rally about organizing a chapter. Upon doing so, they soon had more than the 20 families needed for the formation of a club.
With the help of friends in the Westex club, much planning, telephoning, and a meeting held at the Beckworth home near the first of November, an organizational meeting date of November 16, 1985 was set to be held at the Country Barn restaurant on I-40 east in Amarillo, Texas.
Milt and Shirley Cranfill had National send a letter to all FMCA members in the general area about the meeting.
The Milt Cranfills, the E. Ray Freemans, and 70 residents from the Panhandle and vicinity attended.
The meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m. with A.V. Beckworth presiding. Edith Rust was elected as temporary secretary. Visitors were introduced and the meeting turned over to Milt Cranfill. He discussed steps for the formation of a new chapter, by-laws, and regulations. The group voted to approve that the "Chapter will abide by the constitution and by-laws of FMCA".
The chapter year begins November 1. Dues are payable before November 1 for the following year, except new members who join in August, September, October, the dues will apply to the following year.
The name "Hi Plains" was selected as the most representative of the panhandle area.
Elected officers were:
President - A.V. Beckworth
First Vice President - Seth McFather
Secretary - Edith Rust
Treasurer - Karen Slate
Chapter Representative - Elvin Wright
Alternate - A.V. Beckworth