The Northeast Florida Chapter of the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) has donated $5,000 to help with continuing Hurricane Matthew relief efforts still underway in the Florida Panhandle.
“After hearing of the disaster relief still needed in the area around Mexico Beach, and in several panhandle areas south of Interstate 10, our chapter members decided to make an investment in that effort,” said Northeast Florida FRTVA Board President Ken Loyd. “We also want to recognize the other seven FRVTA regional chapters that joined us in donating to this cause.”
According to FRVTA Marketing Director Dave Kelly, the state FRTVA office pledged to match all region donations up to $10,000. In total, FRTVA and its seven regional chapters donated $25,000 for Hurricane Michael relief efforts.
“We’re working directly with people on the ground in the panhandle to ensure that every dollar we donate is going directly to help recovery victims,” said Kelly.
Hurricane Michael, which made landfall last October, was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
In addition, it was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on the mainland U.S. in terms of pressure, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Hurricane Camille of 1969, and was the 10th-costliest Atlantic Hurricane – resulting in $25 billion in damages.
“It’s important to note that it’s the support of the local community, and those who have attended our regional RV shows over the last several years, that have helped us raise these funds that our chapter can then reinvest into worthy causes in our communities and, in this case, to our Florida neighbors who still need help in getting their lives back on track after Hurricane Michael.”
Made up of area RV dealers, accessory companies and campground representatives in the region, the FRVTA Region 6 has made more than $65,000 community donations over the last three years.
These included a $5,800 for St. Augustine Youth Services, a $4,000 donation in concert with Jacksonville’s Flamingo Lake RV Resort to Wolfson Children’s Hospital, $5,000 for scholarship support, a $10,000 donation to the local Morocco Shrine to support 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children, about $22,000 earlier this year to Hoods For Heroes – a local nonprofit raising money to provide more protective hood gear for firefighters, and $6,000 to INK! (Investing in Kids), a nonprofit education foundation in St. Johns County.
For more information, visit the association’s website at www.frvta.org.