Rob Jackson of CWRV Transport presents the company’s first check for KOA Care Camps to Hope Perkins at the Elkhart County/Middlebury KOA this morning, May 25.
CWRV Transport made a large donation this morning (May 25) to KOA Care Camps, while also committing to a long-term commitment to support the charity, which sends children with cancer to specialized oncology camps.
Rob Jackson, president of Elkhart, Ind.-based CWRV — which exclusively delivers RVs from manufacturers to Camping World RV locations — handed over a check for $10,000 to Kampgrounds of America franchisee Hope Perkins, owner of the Elkhart County/Middlebury KOA Holiday.
Perkins, a former chairperson of the Care Camps board and cheerleader for the charity, said, “That’s huge when you think about how many kids you’re going to be able to send to camp. The cost for each kid to go to camp for a week ranges from $1,200 to $2,000.”
Wade Elliott, chairman of the Care Camps Trust board, added, “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome CWRV Transport as a new donor partner for Care Camps. It’s important to have dedicated partners such as CWRV to ensure we are always able to offer the camps at no charge to these deserving families.”
Jackson noted that CWRV Transport’s donation isn’t a one-time show of support, relating that he learned about Care Camps during a presentation by Elliott at the May 11 RV Industry Power Breakfast. “On the way back to the office, I was thinking, ‘We’re going to support this,’” Jackson said.
In addition to the up-front donation, CWRV Transport committed to donating money on a per-mile basis by drivers. “A year from now, I hope to get us to $100,000 or more,” Jackson said, adding that the company has 450 drivers ferrying units to more than 125 Camping World stores, with hopes to double the company’s driver base.
Jackson also worked with Elliott to create a dedicated website for CWRV to inspire donations to Care Camps by drivers and their families, friends, churches and communities. CWRV Transport’s new dedicated app features not only business information, but also an accounting of how much each driver’s miles have contributed to help send children to camp.
Jackson also hopes to use his position to inspire others in the RV industry to support the Care Camps cause. “It’s kind of a no-brainer. Why take a charity outside the industry? I really like the fact that it’s not just the child — it’s siblings, it’s a focus on the family,” he said. “Plus it’s a good platform to get people who don’t normally camp to connect in a camping setting.”
Perkins, whose business is just a few miles from most of the RVs built in North America, agreed, stating, “What better charity to support than a charity that promotes camping?”
