Team RV Express, along with its core group of Canadian-based customers, raised $30,000 on behalf of March of Dimes Canada (MODC), the company announced this week.
Team RV Express matched donations made by customers and the dealer donations totaled $15,000.
The program fell short of the $75,000 goal, but organizers and the MODC were thrilled with how much was raised despite all the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Even with the challenges we faced with COVID, our family of dealers stepped up to donate more then MODC or Team RV Express expected would be raised given the challenges,” said Devon Mason, western territory sales manager for Team RV Express. “Everyone stuck with the program they had committed to before the pandemic hit last March and continued to support the program right to the end of the year.”
The fundraiser was the brainchild of Mason and Shawn McGee, eastern territorial sales representative for Team RV Express. It was part of a MODC program called “Campers Helping Campers.” Its purpose is to provide financial support so that disabled children and adults can go camping. Many of them are going camping for the first time, according to a MODC brochure.
“March of Dimes Canada’s mandate is to assist those with disabilities in achieving more independent and productive lives,” according to Mary Lynne Stewart, MODC national director for corporate partnerships. “The support of partners, such as Team RV Express, makes it possible for us to continue to provide the programs and services so vital to achieving this.”
Like many organizations affected by the pandemic, the pandemic forced MODC to do things differently too, explained Stewart.
“This year we ran camp in a new format and went virtual, so that kids and adults with disabilities could still attend camp during COVID-19,” she said. “In a year where so many activities were cancelled, our campers were thrilled to still be able to participate in camp, have fun and make new friends.”
Stewart said in the virtual program, campers were sent pre-camp packages full of activities and were connected virtually to play games, do scavenger hunts, sing, roast smores and other activities including gathering around a virtual campfire.
Mason said the 2020 fundraiser was not repeated for 2021 because of COVID-19 but the transport company is making plans to conduct another MODC fundraiser in the future.