RV Owners' Lifestyle Seminar - by Valerie Madden

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In the mid 1990's in Idaho, a group of about 75 people met and attended many seminars devoted to the recreational vehicle lifestyle. They learned about RV ownership, maintenance and all facets dealing with the industry. The following year 400 people registered. The third year after 700 people registered they had to start turning people away. Now these seminars are also being held in Oregon and California each year. One of the attendees at the Idaho seminars was Al Cohoe, Recreation Vehicle Instructor of the Technician Program at the Okanagan University College in Kelowna, BC. He saw the need for this type of program in Canada and in late 1997, he approached the Recreation Dealers' Association of BC to co-sponsor information seminars for RV owners. The first of its kind in Canada, the RV Owners' Lifestyle Seminar was held at the Okanagan University College in Kelowna on June 22 - 24, 1998. On Sunday, June 21, approximately 40 people from BC, AB, ON and WA began arriving in various recreational vehicles. The cost was $100 per person and participants dry camped on the spacious paved lots at the OUC campus. After an informal 'happy hour' to get acquainted, everyone was treated to a sumptuous catered barbecue sponsored by the Canadian Explorer's RV Club and two local businesses, Security Manufacturing and Westgate RV Centre Ltd. The following three days from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, eight seminars were conducted daily on subjects such as propane safety, electrical tips, operation and maintenance of RV appliances, trailer and tow vehicle suspension and braking, RV driveline maintenance and service, solar panels, inverters and batteries, gas or diesel engine performances, to name a few of the technical seminars. Other popular seminars included fulltiming as a way of life, RVing as a single, RV accessories, how to get the most in the least amount of space, RV life, financial and estate planning, taking better pictures, travelling in Atlantic Canada, RVs and computers, RVs and the Internet, and RV insurance. The three-day lifestyle seminar ended with a question and answer forum. Monday evening all visitors carpooled and enjoyed a wine tour (and tasting) at Cedar Creek Estate Winery where Corrie Drehbiel gave a very interesting and informative presentation. On Tuesday evening, after everyone getting together for dinner at a Kelowna restaurant, entrants carpooled to Westgate RV Centre to see some of the new RV accessories that were displayed at one of the seminars during the day. This business opened that evening for an hour so one could do a bit of shopping. Upon leaving that business, they continued on to Security Manufacturing where they were given a tour of the Security 5th wheels and truck campers in various stages of construction. This private tour proved to be of great interest to everyone and kept the two Security plant employees busily answering a lot of queries. Too soon the seminar was over. All agreed it had been a very worthwhile time spent learning more about the RVing industry and lifestyle, not to mention new friends made. At the closing forum, Al Cohoe and this technical team from the Okanagan University College and Cathy James, the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of BC Coordinator of Membership Services and Special Projects, were thanked by all. Suggestions were put forward for next year's lifestyle seminar, which is slated for June 21, 22 and 23, 1999. RVing in Mexico and other new seminars have been added to the roster. Registration is still $100 per person which includes three days of seminars and four nights dry camping at the campus. For further information regarding registration, please call Al Cohoe at 250-762-5445, local 4488, by fax at 250-862-5469 or Email <acohoe@okanagan.bc.ca>.