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Care Camps Foundation Presents Annual We Care Awards

At this year’s Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina, Nov. 17-20, Care Camps Foundation presented its annual We Care Awards during the closing evening celebration. Since 2009, these recognitions have been given each year to individuals, KOA campgrounds and corporations for their outstanding service and support of Care Camps Foundation’s mission.

The awards and recipients are as follows:

The We Care Volunteer Award, which recognizes individuals who generously give their time, energy and talents to advance the Care Camps Foundation’s mission, was awarded to the ten KOA campground representatives (listed below) who launched Care Camps Foundation’s new Ambassador Program. This was the first year for the Ambassador team, which greatly enhanced every fundraising challenge and event.

care volunteer award 2025
left to right: Kathy Allen, Care Camps Foundation; Wendy Woodman, General Manager, Sugarloaf Key KOA; Marc Hollander, Director of Guest Services, Galveston Island KOA; Rakeem Behlin, General Manager, Billings KOA; Sonya Gedda, Owner, Horse Cave KOA; Becci Ambroe, Owner, Newberry I-26 Sumpter NF KOA; Angie Bower, Owner, Fancy Gap Blue Ridge Parkway KOA; Dave Bower, Owner, Fancy Gap Blue Ridge Parkway KOA; and Missy Lucas, Care Camps Foundation. Photos courtesy of Care Camps Foundation

The We Care KOA Award honors a KOA campground that has increased its contributions to Care Camps Foundation over the past five years while demonstrating steadfast dedication to the mission. This year’s recipient, the San Antonio Alamo KOA Holiday, exemplified exceptional commitment and continued generosity through their many fundraising events.

We Care KOA Award
Wendy Woodman, General Manager, Sugarloaf Key KOA (last year’s winner); Carol and Sterling Rohde, Owners, San Antonio Alamo KOA Holiday; and Jeff Clark, Manager, San Antonio Alamo KOA Holiday

The We Care Peter Warrick/Wayne Morris Award, named in honor of two longtime Southeast Publications leaders and supporters of Care Camps Foundation, is presented to the KOA campground with the greatest year-over-year increase in charitable giving. Despite facing literal storms, the Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA Resort demonstrated unwavering dedication and earned this year’s award.

We Care Peter WarrickWayne Morris Award
Nate Thompson, Care Camps Foundation Board Member and partner of KCN Campgrounds (last year’s winner); Sasha Lippart, General Manager, Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA; and Russ Gibbons, former General Manager, Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA

The We Care Corporate Award recognizes a company that goes above and beyond traditional business priorities to champion Care Camp Foundation’s mission. This year, the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA) received the honor for its year-long 50th anniversary fundraiser, which toured a donated travel trailer across Canada to raise raffle funds and awareness for pediatric oncology camps located across the country. This award was presented to Shane Devenish, CRVA president, at the RV Dealers Association Convention in Las Vegas.

We Care Corporate Award
Shane Devenish, CRVA President, and Gwynn Sullivan, Care Camps Foundation Executive Director

In addition to the We Care Awards, a special recognition was presented to KOA Inc. and KOA campgrounds for contributing a cumulative total of over $22 million to Care Camps Foundation over the past 41 years. As Care Camps Foundation’s legacy partner, KOA is responsible for igniting its mission and significantly helping to fund pediatric oncology camps across the U.S. and Canada since its inception. Learn more about Care Camps Foundation and KOA’s history here.

care camps koa special recognition
Rebecca Kirch, Care Camps Foundation Board Chair; Bre Bardson, KOA Owners Association President; Toby O’Rourke, KOA, Inc. President & CEO; and Gwynn Sullivan, Care Camps Foundation, Executive Director

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