Jeff is looking for a Workamping solo or couple who is experienced in managing a campground or RV park. They may also be tasked with managing the on-site apartments and retail space, too. Compensation is set up differently than most other Workamping jobs in that the manager will receive a percentage of the gross income of the RV park. Jeff hopes that will be a big incentive to a prospective manager to help fill the park.
Workampers serve as park attendants, which mean they greet visitors to the park, help them check in to their campsites, clean up the bathrooms, and help with clerical duties at the office. The volunteers are expected to donate 24 hours of time per couple in exchange for a full-hookup RV site very close to the Washington/Idaho border. The project has enough volunteers for the 2021 season, but Andrew is looking for Workampers in 2022, at which time he will be transitioning two more campgrounds over to volunteer attendants. He estimates he will need nine sets of volunteers next year.
Cherry Republic operates six retail stores throughout Michigan, but hires 10 Workampers for its headquarters campus which is also home to the packing and distribution center. Workampers are utilized in the retail store, but also to serve samples or full glasses of wine to guests. In the distribution center, they assemble and label products before packing them for shipping. The paid jobs start at $10 per hour plus a free RV site.
Jim Nelson and Rene Agredano jumped in to the RV lifestyle as a favor for their German shepherd, Jerry G. Dawg, who lost a leg to cancer. They wanted to give him an adventure of his lifetime, but the experience changed them to the point they continue traveling in their RV to encourage others to “be more dog.” Since 2007, they have logged 170,000 miles working various Workamping jobs, but also developed multiple income streams to support their nomadic lifestyle. They founded several successful online groups including Tripawds, for pet owners caring for three-legged animals, and Live. Work. Dream. to encourage others to embrace their travel dreams.
Last year, with everyone stuck inside for COVID, Denise Fuller saw an opportunity to encourage others to try quilting. She started a business she could run out of her RV to create kits that people can buy online. Designed specifically for RVers and others who live in confined quarters, the kits come with patterns, batting and other supplies to complete smaller quilting projects. She also describes the RVing adventures she has enjoyed with her husband, Mark, since 2012.
Workampers have been employed by Prairie Berry for the past five years and they’ve always been involved with serving samples. This year, additional Workampers are needed to help in the kitchen preparing food for the on-site restaurant and helping to set up for special events. We have interviewed a number of Workampers on this show and in the Workamper News magazine who have described their time at Prairie Berry as one of the best jobs they’ve ever had.
Park Ranger Rob Hill needs several volunteers to help create and deliver water safety presentations to area schools. For that reason, any Workampers with teaching experience and who love boating, canoeing or kayaking would likely love this opportunity. Rob is also looking for volunteers to help with maintenance of the property, serve as gatehouse attendants and simply interact with guests while overseeing the project. Workampers Mike and Sue Ward also come on the show to describe the community of Workampers as well as some of the jobs they do when working and some of the activities they enjoy during their time off.
For 20 years, ID Plans has hired teams of RVers to trek across the country performing physical surveys of commercial real estate properties, primarily at retail locations, like malls or strip shopping centers. The teams confirm and record all the assets on the property. It might be the location of light poles in the parking lot to the types of air handling equipment on the roof and even the position of security cameras. The compensation plan uses a formula based on the square footage of the commercial property and assigns an amount to each item that must be documented whether it is an air handling unit or a sprinkler head. Generally, people can make from $1,000 to $2,000 per week.
Adventures add life to living, but they don’t have to be extravagant, expensive or epic trips. Heidi Dusek, founder of Ordinary Sherpa, helps adults and families transform ordinary activities into extraordinary adventures. The money parents spend on trinkets for their kids that just add noise to their lives and clutter to the house can be reinvested into memory-making park admissions and tools like butterfly nets and fishing poles. Heidi helps other families build lasting memories and discover how much fun it can be to share common experiences that enable everyone really get to know each other on a more personal level.
Anthony Montelongo, who owns a fifth wheel, started a mobile service business in north Georgia right in the middle of the COVID shutdowns. He completed five weeks of advanced training, went to work for an RV dealership to get some experience and then ventured out on his own by launching Certified RV Solutions in Ellijay, Ga. His company does more than just fix RVs. He also offers inspections as well as enhanced walk-through orientations for new buyers that go beyond the quick tour that buyers typically receive when picking up a new RV. He describes the steps he took to get his training and start his growing business.
Dan and Patty Harrison feel Workamping gives them a purpose for getting up in the morning. Like Patty said, people can fill their time with crafts, playing cards and activities like that. But, for the Harrisons, that lifestyle quickly got boring. Workamping allows them to use their brains while keeping busy and active. They also wanted a greater sense of purpose, so Dan and Patty started looking for ways to volunteer to help others in some way. That’s when they discovered Workamping as an ideal way to blend tourism with jobs.
Tracy and Lee Perkins have been crisscrossing the country a number of times and funding their travels by Workamping along the way. They have sold Christmas trees, harvested sugar beets, shipped products in an Amazon warehouse, guarded gates at Texas oilfields, and worked at several campgrounds in paid and volunteer positions. They constantly feel the tug to go see some place new. In fact, Lee said that whenever he wears a path from his RV to the pond, he knows it is time to move on.
