Carefree Communities Donates To Veterans
The fourth annual Carefree’s Got Talent competition finale raised $25,000 to support Disabled American Veterans (DAV), which helps military veterans obtain benefits and disability compensation. The March 24 event in Lakeland, Florida, drew nearly 2,000 competitors and attendees.
Carefree Communities Inc., owner and operator of more than 100 RV parks and senior manufactured-home communities in the United States and Canada, partnered with DAV a year ago. Since then, more than $50,000 in cash and in-kind donations has been generated from the talent competition and fundraising in various Carefree resorts and communities.
The Carefree’s Got Talent finale came after weeks of preliminary park contests at 28 Carefree communities throughout Florida.
For information about Carefree, visit www.carefreecommunities.com.
Allied Recreation Group President Retires
John Draheim retired in April 2015 as president of Allied Recreation Group (ARG), a division of Allied Specialty Vehicles (ASV). Tim Sullivan, ASV president and CEO, will serve as interim president of ARG until a successor is named. Mr. Draheim will remain as special adviser to help with the transition.
ARG’s manufacturing facility in Decatur, Indiana, produces Type A and Type C motorhomes under the brands American Coach, Fleetwood RV, Holiday Rambler, and Monaco.
“I would like to thank John for his significant contribution to ARG’s growth over the past seven years,” Mr. Sullivan said. Mr. Draheim added, “I am extremely proud of what the ARG team has accomplished and grateful to have had the opportunity to lead such a collection of iconic brands.”
Dometic Introduces Awning App
Want to see what your motorhome will look like when it’s outfitted with a particular Dometic patio awning? There’s now an app for that.
The free Dometic Awnings mobile app is designed to provide a visual boost beyond standard sales-display samples, said Theresa Brown, the company’s aftermarkets product manager. “It’s not very effective to expect someone to look at a fabric swatch and just picture it supersized and hanging from their RV,” she said.
With the Dometic app in hand, a user can select one of 18 colors of vinyl or acrylic fabric awnings from a menu and view it full-sized on a photo of a motorhome in an outdoor setting. Then, the user can tap through to the Dometic website’s awning page for more product information or to find a dealer or service center.
“Our app kind of lets your RV ‘try it on’ first, which gives you more confidence in your investment and prevents surprises or problems at pick-up because the awning doesn’t look how you thought it would,” Ms. Brown said.
The app has been in development for about a year, she said, and is the first of its kind among RV suppliers. The Dometic Awnings mobile app for Apple and Android devices is available for free download in the iTunes Store and the Google Play store.
Lazydays’ Driver Course Reaches Milestone
A Florida couple on April 2, 2015, became the 55,000th customers to complete the Lazydays RV Driver Confidence Course. FMCA members Patricia and Richard Howell of Brandon, Florida, completed the training at the Lazydays RV dealership in Tampa. The course also is offered at Lazydays’ Tucson, Arizona, location.
The Howells, who have been RVing for more than 10 years, bought a 32-foot Type A Fleetwood RV Storm in October 2014. They said they took the course together because it was important that Richard not have to shoulder all the responsibility of long-distance driving.
Bob Bergeron, Lazydays senior RV driver instructor in Tampa, said the course begins with two hours of classroom training followed by a hands-on-the-wheel instructional session that provides an opportunity for new and seasoned RV owners to sharpen their skills on the RV driving course. Participants receive tips and learn techniques from an RV driving expert.
According to Lazydays, several insurance companies offer special discounts on RV insurance for those who have completed the Lazydays RV Driver Confidence Course.
The course is free for those who purchase an RV directly from Lazydays. It is also available for a nominal fee to those who have bought an RV from another dealership. One free refresher course is available within a year of first taking the Lazydays RV Driver Confidence Course. Reservations are required by calling (866) 703-3076.
Lazydays also offers seminars and classes on topics such as cooking with a convection oven; RV chassis; basic RV electricity and electrical protection; tire safety; and more. For more information, visit www.lazydays.com.