Jamie Allnut is the program director for the RV Disaster Corps, an organization that sends groups of RVers to various disaster areas, but only after the initial cleanup is completed. These folks are unique in that they are helping coordinate and orchestrate the volunteer effort on behalf of a broader outreach. These volunteer workampers staff reception centers and long-term recovery centers by organizing where other volunteers will serve.
Mark Ducharme is the general manager overseeing the Xanterra operation at Glacier National Park. He is seeking workampers to staff hotels, restaurants, bars and retail operations throughout the park. Xanterra also hires drivers for its 33 distinctive red buses which shuttle visitors and employees around the park.
Chris and Bill Latimer are from California and have been camping much of their lives. Last year, they bought a 40-foot fifth wheel and started living in it as they downsized from a much bigger home. The Rendezvous showed them how to find and apply for workamping jobs. Ideally, they are looking for jobs that would allow them to work three days and fish for four.
Tim Martin is a sales representative for Kitchen Craft, a company based out of West Bend, Wis., that produces cookware of all types and sells it at big events like RV rallies, fairs and campgrounds. Tim explains what makes the cookware so unique and why people like to buy it. He also outlines ways in which people can make money on the road by doing what he does – demonstrating the products and taking orders.
Johnny & Tracy Bercegeay are from Louisiana and they have been full-time RVing for a little more than two years. They are nowhere near retirement age, and their only source of income is their ability to do seasonal jobs as they crisscross the country. Our second guests are Tommy and Martha Payne, from Tyler, Texas. They are just getting started in the RV lifestyle now that Martha retired and Tommy sold one of his businesses.
Kyley Moody is with American Land and Leisure, a recreational property management company that serves as a concessionaire for the U.S. Forest Service. The firm also oversees campgrounds in California state parks as well as those owned by utility companies. Kyle explains the hiring process and what workampers need to do to apply and set up interviews. He also explains how workampers can better present themselves to ensure a good interview and increase their chances of being hired.
Today we are going to talk with two couples who are active dreamers in that they are gathering information and developing a plan to hit the road on adventure. Dennis and Tracie Utley have lived in Peoria, Ill., for most of their lives where they raised four children, who are all married and starting families of their own. The second couple, Robert and Jessica Weyman, is from Texas, and they are also planning to hit the road soon. Robert worked as a high school principle and Jessica worked as a dental hygienist.
Rendezvous is like a bootcamp for workampers. It packs a ton of essential information into a week’s worth of training to prepare people to launch on their journey as full-time RVers and workampers. But, all that information can still be overwhelming for people who don’t have RVs, but are just thinking about embracing the lifestyle. Steve Anderson will outline the new Dreamer’s Journey, an online training program that takes place over a 12-week period. It features 24 coaching sessions with an open forum discussion session each month where people can ask any question.
Jeff Parsons is the executive director of Bayshore Camp and Family Ministries, which is located along the shores of Lake Huron, about two hours north of Detroit in the thumb of lower Michigan. Bayshore hires workampers to help serve meals, manage the camp store and oversee the mini-golf course as well as help with mowing and landscape work. Workampers even help check campers in and out every week.
Bill Linsenmeyer is the owner of Your Best Address, a company ideally suited to support RVers and workampers. The company helps RVers set up residency in South Dakota, get a driver’s license, register their cars, register to vote and even handles all their mail while traveling.
Jill Sessa has certainly figured out how the system works and how to bypass years of banging her head against a wall trying to climb some corporate ladder only to retire when she’s too old to really enjoy the things she likes to do. Jill explains how she creates structure in her day in order to be able to see some amazing things and enjoy some incredible adventures, but also work the 15 to 20 hours a week necessary to maintain her business and lifestyle.
Guard 1 Services provides security to the oil industry by staffing gates through which trucks and oil workers pass every day. The firm pays at least $150 per day, and includes a full-hookup RV site. The company prefers to hire couples because the gate must be staffed 24 hours a day.
