Industry Comes Together for Major Success at 5th Annual All-Industry Volunteer Day

The RV industry’s commitment to community and collaboration was on full display on Wednesday, May 20, as hundreds of volunteers gathered at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds for the 5th Annual All-Industry Volunteer Day. Hosted for the first time under the RV Industry Association’s Sustainability Committee—following its successful graduation from the Emerging Leaders Coalition—the event marked a major milestone in the initiative’s history.

Working in coordinated shifts throughout the day, volunteers from every sector of the industry tackled and completed an impressive 15 distinct restoration and enhancement projects. The massive undertaking resulted in newly built maintenance sheds, refurbished bathrooms, freshly painted buildings, newly installed fencing, and a brand-new dog park for the fairground’s recreation and campground facilities.

The extraordinary impact of the event was highlighted the following morning at the 2026 RV Power Breakfast. Sustainability Committee Project Leads Michilah Grimes of Lipper) and Mike Gaeddert of Forest River took the stage as the event's first presenters to share the project's results and celebrate five years of collective impact.

“Yesterday was just one example of what this mission has become,” Gaeddert told the audience. “In five years, this mission has completed 60 projects built by 1,500 volunteers giving 4,500 hours of service.”

The presentation also honored key champions of the initiative. Heather Ek, Lead Purchasing Manager at Coachmen RV, received the 2026 Trailblazer of Tomorrow award for her five years of vital work securing materials and financial support. Patrick Industries was honored with the 2026 Champion Parks and Progress award for their dedicated committee support since 2022.

Reflecting on the milestone achievement, Grimes extended a heartfelt thank you to the entire industry. “The RV Industry doesn’t just build products, it builds up people, partnership, and communities.”