The Male Tent and Trailer Campers

2005

20 Years of “Family” Camping

MTTC and Its Members

Male Tent & Trailer Campers is a social organization for gay and bisexual men who enjoy camping and spending time in the outdoors. It serves our community by providing an alternative to the bar scene—a relaxed, friendly opportunity to socialize with others in a healthy environment.

The members of our organization come from many walks of life, and have a wide range of personal interests, but everyone shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to share that with others. We have members from just about any profession you can think of, and a variety of ethnic, religious and educational backgrounds.

Our roster includes both singles and couples, and camping “styles” vary as well. We have everything from the traditional tents to large motor homes with all the amenities. Our members range in age from 28 to 72, with representatives from every generation in between.

MTTC Operations

Male Tent & Trailer Campers functions as a private membership group. This means that participation in group events is limited to enrolled members and their guests.

Decision-making is primarily decided through members. The yearly calendar is decided at an annual meeting in January. The opinions and input of all members are extremely valuable in keeping the organization fit & healthy.

Membership in MTTC is managed through our Yahoo group. There are two types of membership.

“E” memberships involve the same exchange of information, but it is done exclusively by computer over the internet. “E” members sign on to the MTTC web site and download correspondence directly to their own printers. Communication is done through our Yahoo Group.

Those with “Paper” memberships receive information and correspondence by US mail. We have a volunteer who will mail correspondence to you.

All members’ personal information is strictly confidential, and our mailing list is never provided to any person or organization. A Membership Roster, which lists all members’ names and is published with each newsletter, contains other personal information (such as address & phone numbers) ONLY for those members who have given their permission, and it is for the exclusive use of our members for personal purposes. Members are encouraged to enter their contact information in the Yahoo group if they wish to share that with the other members. This information is visible only to members.

The MTTC Newsletter, which contains information about various group events (upcoming and past), the Membership Roster, photos, reminders and announcements, is available to members 4-5 times yearly.

The MTTC Calendar lists the dates and locations of all our events, and is only provided to those who have paid their annual membership fee.

Participation in group events is fairly simple. You choose which outings fit into your schedule. The first person to reserve a campsite will post their site number on the Yahoo group so that you can make your reservation nearby. It is recommended that you make reservations 6 months in advance for state parks.

There is no expectation that you participate in every campout or every activity (such as miniature golf, horseback riding, swimming, croquet, hiking, riding roller coasters, etc.) when we are camping. Members pick the campouts they wish to take part in, and everyone remains free to join in to the extent they wish. Of course, it is a lot of fun and most find themselves easily drawn in to participate as much as their schedules will permit. We do not have itineraries to follow—we’re all out to relax and have a good time meeting and being with others.

The MTTC “event” season runs from April through October with a roster of about 7 outings. Most of our outings are in Michigan, with visits to an Ohio campground and a campground in Ontario, Canada. In addition, most of the campgrounds we visit are on or adjacent to lakes and rivers for those who like swimming, fishing, canoeing, boating, beach volleyball, etc.

It is important to note that Male Tent & Trailer Campers is not a sex, nudist or dating club. Dating and sex do happen between members, but these are not the primary purposes of the organization. There are groups which cater to these interests, and if this is what you seek, we encourage you to join those organizations.