Did you participate in the Great American Campout? The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) encouraged people everywhere to open their doors and sleep under the stars on Saturday, June 23rd, 2012. Great American Backyard Campout was a virtual fundraising event that raised awareness about the benefits of camping, especially how camping connects people with nature.
Participants didn’t need to be experienced campers to partake in the fun. All you needed was a backyard, campground, or community location. Sign up was free and fundraising supported vital NWF programs that get kids outdoors for their health and happiness. By signing up participants had an opportunity to win a trip to L.A. or NYC and go behind the scenes with a TV celebrity naturalist. Prizes were also awarded for fundraising!
Those taking part in the Great American Backyard Campout directly supported the Be Out There(TM) movement, dedicated to getting children outside so they can enjoy a lifetime of healthy, outdoor fun.
If you took part in the Great American Backyard Campout, please share your experience via the comment box below.
As always, I encourage RV enthusiasts everywhere to “be out there” getting kids out of the 
house, away from their electronic world and take them camping. It is one of the best adventures in RVing for you and them!
Learn more about the Be Out There(TM) movement at: http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There.aspx
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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