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The Recreation Vehicle Safety Education Foundation (RVSEF) is a non profit corporation, tasked with providing safety education materials and services to the RV community. Field Safety representatives provide educational safety seminars at more than 50 RV rallies and events across North America each year. These representatives also provide RV weighing services, formerly provided by A'Weigh We Go. 

This year RVSEF introduced a comprehensive nine volume safety education package, with accompanying video, designed to provide RV owners with essential safety information. 

The RVSEF Board of Directors includes representatives from each segment of the RV community. Newly elected in August, 2002 are: 

Richard Parks, President, Newmar Corporation (Manufacturer). Prior to his position at Newmar, Dick Parks held several positions at Fleetwood Enterprises, including Senior Vice President of the Recreational Vehicle Group, over a period of 17 years. He has served on the RVIA Board of Directors, and on the Public and Legislative Affairs Committee of RVIA. 

Ellen Kietzmann, Vice President, Recreational Vehicle Aftermarket Association (RVAA) (Supplier).
Ellen Kietzmann has previously served RV Aftermarket Association as an officer in the role of Secretary, Membership Committee Chair, Strategic Alliance Chair, and as Association Management Chair. Ms. Kietzmann is also Vice President of Blue Ox. 

Other RVSEF Board members and their representation include: Randy Biles, President, Pike's Peak Traveland (RV Dealer), Gaylord Wooge, President, Farm & City Insurance (Insurance Industry), Gaylord Maxwell, Founder, University of Idaho Life on Wheels Program (Education Community), Cathie Carr, Chief Executive Officer, Escapees RV Club (Consumers), and Edson deCastro, Founder, Data General Corporation (Advisor from outside the RV industry). 

For additional information, contact John Anderson at: (423)256-4940, e-mail john.anderson@rvsafety.org, and on the Internet at www.rvsafety.org

RVIA members elected six incumbents and four new members to the Board of Directors during the association-wide elections that concluded on Aug. 31. More than 228 eligible voting members -- a rate of 58 percent -- cast their votes. 

Doug Gaeddert, general manager, Forest River (towable); Carl Pfalzgraf, executive vice president, Atwood Mobile Products (supplier); Dan Shea, president, Gulfstream RV (towable); and John Waters, president, The Dometic Corporation (at-large) were newly elected to the Board for three-year terms. Newly-elected Board members will begin serving their terms on October1. 

Two seats, a towable and an at-large, remain open on the Board due to the recent resignation of Glenn Kummer, of Fleetwood Enterprises, and the passing away of Newmar's Virgil Miller. The Board will appoint two representatives to those seats until the 2003-04 elections.

Texas Motor Speedway is making $1 million worth of improvements to 200 acres of the 400-acre Workhorse Chassis Campgrounds outside of Turn 3, which serves approximately 40,000 fans on race weekend. 

Crews have been spreading, rolling and packing 70,000 tons of a specially designed large rock aggregate to assist campers who have had to struggle when rains hit the campgrounds in past years. 

"This part of North Texas is extremely flat and just a little bit of rain really dampens the enjoyment for our campers," said speedway general manager Eddie Gossage. "By bringing in this rock material we hope to alleviate the problems of campers getting stuck in the mud. We are spending a sizable amount of money to make these improvements for our fans, but they are important to us and we want to do the right thing."

 "We have asked NASCAR to move our Spring race date to a drier time of year but they could not accommodate us in 2003. Given those circumstances, we felt the need to spend this money to the benefit of our campers."

A test area of approximately 13 acres in the Workhorse Chassis Campgrounds was prepared with the rock material prior to the June 6-8 Boomtown 500 race week. Even with several inches of rain leading up to race week, the test area remained usable with no visible signs of ruts or low spots. As a result of the successful test, the speedway has been working on 200 additional acres in the Turn 3 camping area. 

With the improvements come some other changes as well for 2003. All race week camping in the Workhorse Chassis Campgrounds on the east side of the speedway will now be reserved. There will be 4,700 marked spaces approximately 20.x40. in size. The area is divided into two sections. The Lone Star Circle Reserved camping section has 2,200 spots and encompasses the current reserved camping closest to turn three. Victory Circle Reserved camping is adjacent to the east and consists of 2,500 sites. The Lone Star Circle Reserved sites may be reserved for the 2003 season for $300 beginning Sept. 3, 2002. Any spaces not purchased- chased for the season in Lone Star Circle Reserved as well as all sites located in Victory Circle Reserved will be available on a per race basis from $50-$150 depending on the race weekend and location of the site. Those sites may be reserved beginning Nov. 4, 2002. 

There will also be two areas on the east side with a total of 1,100 10.x15. sites available for campers with tents. Sites are $75 in the Lone Star Circle Tent City and $50 in the Victory Circle Tent City. Tent campers may purchase unreserved tent sites for both areas beginning Nov. 4, 2002. 

Another change will be the banning of camping between The Victory Lane Reserved section and the frontage road along I-35 W to the east. This area was primarily unreserved camping in past years. 

Unreserved camping will still be available on the west side of the speedway for Samsung/ RadioShack 500 race week. There are approximately 1,000 20' x 40' spots available for $50 each for the week. The sites, many of which have been fortified with the rock aggregate as well, are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

All camping will open at 8:00 a.m. on the Saturday prior to race weekend. 

For more information on 2003 race events or camping, contact the speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500 or go online to www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

A special-edition red, white and blue Damon Escaper diesel motorhome escorted a cross-country motorcycle ride of over 150 firefighters and peace officers this September in honor of those who gave their lives on September 11, 2001. The "2002 Firefighters Memorial Ride" started on September 5 in Lakewood, CO, and traveled to New York City. While in New York, the riders made a memorial "New York Ride" to Ground Zero on September 11. 

During their journey, the riders stopped in Elkhart to visit with Damon representatives and local firefighters. Elkhart Mayor David Miller was also on hand to greet and thank the riders. In addition to Ground Zero, the firefighters also visited the crash sites at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and Somerset County, PA, where United Flight 93 went down. 

Damon was joined by Windish RV Center of Lakewood, CO, Harley-Davidson dealers, various fire departments and many others in sponsoring the ride, which was co-coordinated by Rick and Lisa Franz, members of the Wind and Fire Motorcycle Club. 

DTI RV Parts & Appliances announced today that on October 7th distribution from its Dallas, Texas location will be moved to a larger warehouse facility. The new location is more than double the square footage of the current building and is located in the same complex only two doors down. The new address will be 10742 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75220. The move was made to keep up with the increasing demand for new and different products from dealers and to maintain a fill rate of more than 98%. For information please call 1-800-289-0919.

© Copyright 2002 by D&S Media Enterprises, Inc., Tempe, Arizona
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