Region 1 Donates to Food Bank
MEDIA ALERT
RV Association Donates Funds to
Harry Chapin Food Bank
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORT MYERS, FL–With the economy breaking down for many Southwest Florida residents, Region 1 of the statewide Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) decided to provide needed funds to help make the holidays bright. Rather than hold it’s annual Holiday meeting party, the Region took the money it would have spent and donated $5000 to the Harry Chapin Food Bank. The donation was made at the food bank’s headquarters on Fowler Avenue in Fort Myers on Tuesday Dec. 15.
FRVTA Region 1 President Everett Henkel III (right) presents $5000 donation check to Steve Soucey (left) Chief Financial Officer for the Harry Chapin Food Bank.
“We know many in our community are having rough financial times due to the COVID pandemic and its affect on our local economy, “ explained local FRVTA Region 1 President Everett Henkel III. “This prompted us to give back to the community in a small, but hopefully meaningful manner to make things a bit easier this holiday season as well as prompt other organizations to donate, too.”
The donation to the Harry Chapin Food Bank comes as unemployment in Southwest Florida, especially among the hard-hit service and tourism industries, takes its toll on our local population. The food bank says that every $1 donated translates into $8 of food, so the Region 1 donation potentially is $40,000.
According to state data, the Lee, Collier, Charlotte metro area lost 16,000 jobs when compared to September 2019. This represents a job decline of 3.4 percent. The leisure and hospitality industry lost the most jobs with 11,300 eliminated. This was followed by trade transportation and utilities at 3100 jobs lost, government with 1900 jobs and educational and health services with 1300 jobs eliminated.
Statewide, with the huge reduction in tourism, the state estimates that the 22.112 million travelers that visited Florida from July to the end of September is significantly below what’s required to provide much needed revenue to fund the state budget as well as secure an estimated 1.5 million jobs.
Besides a monetary donation to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Region 1 members also are involved in an annual toy drive. “One of our campground members in Arcadia coordinates an annual toy drive so the local children there can enjoy the magic of Christmas,” detailed Henkel, also the owner of RV Kountry, a longtime local RV dealership in Fort Myers. “We’re trying to do our part to spread the spirit of the season and help the overall community enjoy the holidays.”
The statewide Florida RV Trade Association is composed of seven regions spread throughout Florida. Locally, Region 1 covers Manatee (Bradenton) County to the north down along the Gulf Coast to Collier (Naples) County in the south and east along U.S. 27. There are approximately 80 members of the region, which covers those businesses involved in the RV Industry—RV Dealers, RV financers, RV Resorts/Campgrounds and other industry-specific suppliers.
At this time, local RV Dealers and RV resorts/campgrounds are gearing up for the 36th Annual Fort Myers RV Show to be held once again at the Lee Civic Center, January 21 to 24, 2021. Now the largest RV Dealer sponsored RV Show in Florida, admission for this annual huge event is $10 with children under 16 free. Free parking courtesy of the RV Association also is provided. For more information, please go to www.FRVTA-Region1.org.
