General RV Center is partnering with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and USA Hockey Arena for the 2022 Heroes Appreciation Weekend. The three-day event is this weekend, March 18 – 20, and is dedicated to supporting and celebrating Michigan’s veterans, active military, military families and all first responders.
“General RV is proud to sponsor Heroes Appreciation Weekend because giving back is part of our commitment to the communities we serve,” said Loren Baidas, president of General RV Center. “It’s an honor and privilege to be able to support veterans in particular because they make up an important part of our workforce.”
Local veterans to participate in ceremonial puck drop on Saturday
2022 Heroes Appreciation Weekend takes place at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich. Team USA will play three games against the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders over the weekend-long event; each game will feature special military guests, family fun, resource and information tables and giveaways.
General RV said it plans to have recruiters onsite during the event to speak with anyone interested in starting a rewarding, new career in the RV industry.
Among the many local heroes being celebrated this weekend is World War II veteran Herb Elfring, a survivor of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor that killed 1,100 and led to the involvement of the US in World War II. Elfing has returned to Hawaii 10 times to remember those who lost their lives in the attack, including last year on the 80th anniversary.
Also being honored is General RV’s Joe Weider, operations manager for the company’s flagship location in Wixom, Mich. Weider is a former U.S. Marine corporal serving from 1995 to 1999, and says his time in the service was invaluable to the success he celebrates today.
“Being a Marine defines who I am and also gave me the opportunity to become a leader at a very young age. It’s why I’m a better operations manager today,” says Weider. “The continuous work and development of leadership skills that I learned in the Marines has helped me succeed in my civilian career.”
Elfring and Weider will both take part in the ceremonial puck drop before Saturday’s game, as the crowd also celebrates Elfring’s 100th birthday.