b'Forest River Makes Multi- KOA, ARVC Host Outdoor Hospitality Industry Year Care Camps Pledge Leaders at Inclusion Summit in San Franciscocollective mission of bringing more peopleof all backgrounds into camping, ORourkesaid.Moderators for the event were TeresaBaker, founder of the African AmericanForest River Inc., a manufacturer of RVs, National Parks Eventand the Outdoor CEObuses, pontoon boats and utility trailers, is Diversity Pledge; Jose Gonzalez, founderteaming up with Kampgrounds of America of Latino Outdoors; and Amanda Machado,Inc. (KOA) Care Camps to help support the a Latina writer who works in the inclusionmore than 130 specialized oncology camps space.throughout North America that provide a Inclusion of minorities in the outdoorssummer camp experience to children with is a difficult conversation to have, saidcancer and their siblings, explained officials Baker. I have that conversation day-in andfrom KOA Care Camps.day-out, but its a difficult one to take backForest River will make a donation to KOA to your businesses and have with your co-Care Camps for every RV, boat, bus and trailer Moderators at the event told attendees that as a collective they had workers.sold during the next five years. The total do- a role to play in making the sector more welcoming to minorities. Baker said her recent visit to the Out-nation is expected to exceed $1 million, ac- door Retailers Show in Denver shockedcording to Forest River officials, who expect her.We need to better understand the barriers that exist for theseI was shocked with just how white itthe donation effort to continue well after thefirst five-year period. communities and learn how to advance the collective missionwas there, she said. But that is an illus-The costs associated with sending these tration of the work we have to do. Thatsof bringing more people of all backgrounds into camping, why Im here today.special kids to these very specialized campsis continuing to increase, said Wade Elliott, noted KOA President and CEO Toby ORourke. Baker said minorities often dont seechairman of the KOA Care Camps board of di- themselves represented in either the cus-rectors. All of these camps are depending on Leaders in the camping, RVing and out- Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) Pres- tomer base or in those employed by out-us to find new and innovative ways to raise door industries gathered at the Presidio in identandCEOToby door industries.funds for their support. Having Forest River San Francisco, Calif., on Sept. 5 to discuss ORourke. We are here to help, Baker said. Wejoin us in this effort is a huge step forward. the inclusion of minorities and other di- KOAco-hostedthe need to find how we, as a collective, canForest River is committed to making a dif- verse groups in the outdoors, according to eventalongwiththe come up with a solution as to why the out-ference in the lives of children with cancer, a press release. National Association of door industry feels unwelcome to people ofsaid Pete Liegl, CEO of Forest River. I believe The purpose of this first inclusion sum- RVParksandCamp- color.camping can be essential to your well-being, mit was to really dig into the topic of diver- grounds (ARVC). Gonzalez warned those at the Summit toand we want to help create that experience sityandcampinganddiscusshowour We need to better be hard on the problem of exclusion, andfor everyoneespecially children who may industries can work together to continue to understand the barriers Toby ORourke not on each other.not otherwise have the opportunity. WCM increase our reach within the people-of- thatexistforthese Your life experience is way differentcolor and other diverse communities, said communities and learn how to advance the Inclusion Summit continued on page 44Workamper News Set to Host 9th Annual ARVC Working with Coalition to Ensure Workamper Rendezvous in late October Congress Reauthorizes the Satellite ActThey want to go and see it whilethey are still able to things, Jinkinssaid.Some of the presenters at thisyears event include Steve Ander-son,presidentofWorkamperNews, who will speak in seminarson small business topics; the Na-tional RV Training Academy, andtheRVingLifestyleAmbassadorEducation is a big part of the Workamper News Rendezvous. Program.Susie Adams, a licensed attorneyWorkamper News plans to host its and partner at Livingston, Texas-basedninth annual Workamper Rendezvous, Loring & Associates, which caters to thean RV lifestyle conference with seminars legal needs of full-time RVers, will lead a RVers could be left with less satellitetailored to the needs of current and as- seminar titled All Things Domicile, and options if Congress doesnt act.piring RV enthusiasts who want to work will provide information on how full-timeas they travel. RVers can establish their domicile, which The National Association of RV Parks ARVC, the RV Industry Association, the RVThe Oct. 21-25 event will take place at states are preferred and other information. andCampgrounds (ARVC)continuesto DealersAssociation,theFamilyMotorthe Community Centerin Heber Springs, Terry Cooper, of the Mobile RV Acad- work with a coalition of industry partners Coach Association and the Escapees RVArk., and features 19 speakers who will emy, a technical training school for RV that represent 25 million RVers to preserve Club, have been calling on legislators forcover more than 20 business and RV technicians and RV consumers, will lead the provision of copyright law that allows months to reauthorize the Satellite Actandlifestyle topics. two sessions: Volts, Amps and Purple DIRECTV andDISHNetwork toprovide renew Section 119, including writing let-The average age of a work camper is Monkeys,inwhichhedescribesthe distant network signals to RVers, accord- ters to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair-still in the mid-50s, but younger people three separate electrical systems of an ing to officials from ARVC. man Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Rankingare coming into the lifestyle, and a lot of RV, and National RV Training Academy ARVC is working to ensure Congress Democratic Member Dianne Feinstein, D-the young people are working from their Overview, which he presents with An- reauthorizes the Satellite Act and renews Calif.RV,saidRobynJinkins,socialmedia derson, providing an overview of the Na- Section 119an exception that has been Although it may be unfamiliar to manymanager for Workamper News. People tional RV Training Academys (NRVTA) in place since 1999, which allows satellite RVers who use satellite providers, Sectionwant to go out and see and do. Now I see educational program. companies to provide RVers with out-of- 119 provides the narrow copyright law ex-alotoftheyoungercouples.Theyre Jinkins said the Rendezvous will also market network programming. emption that makes it possible for RVers tohomeschooling (their kids) and the coun- include a job fair.We will have more If Congress does nothing or chooses to access their favorite TV programming re-try is the classroom and thats awesome. than 15 employers at the job fair on the not reauthorize, starting on Jan. 1 it would gardless of where they happen to be trav-She added that there are also growing last day of the event where work campers be difficult or impossible for RVers to re- eling. Without this exemption, it would be anumbers of empty nesters who want to can apply on the spot, she said. ceive programming from the big four broad- violation of copyright law for a satellitesee the country while they are still rela- For more information about the Ren- cast networksABC, NBC, CBS and Fox provider to allow an RVer to access a Newtively young. They dont want to wait dezvous, visit www.workamperevent.com.via satellite. York broadcast while camping at remote na-until they are retired to see the country.Jeff CriderWCM Theindustrycoalition,consistingof tional parks in a different market. WCMWOODALLSCM.com October 2019-3'