Escapees RV Club 63rd Annual ‘Escapade’ Opens Sunday – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
The Escapees RV Club’s 63rd Annual Escapade Rally will be held June 16-21 at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyo. The six-day event will include 67 technical and educational seminars, daily live entertainment, vendors, and plenty of opportunities for attendees to socialize, share experiences, and learn from one another.
“We are expecting about 600 rigs,” said Laura Kernodle, who, along with her husband, Rob, serve as Escapade Directors and are responsible for organizing the rally with volunteers. “This is the typical size for one of our Escapades, maybe a bit larger.”
The Kernodles, originally from Indianapolis, have been Escapees members for eight years – about as long as they have been full-timers – and have been involved in organizing the Escapade rally for about three years.
When asked what attracted them to Escapees, Laura and Rob praised the community the club fosters. Explained Rob, “I mean, we get all the discounts, and there’s a ton of information disseminated through Escapees, but the bottom line is the people that we meet, and the people that we connect with, are some of the most outstanding people we come across. So it’s our community on the road.”
A new addition to this year’s Escapade is the pre-event “early arrival kickoff party” on Saturday, June 15. Said Laura, “One fun event Saturday evening is the pasta bake. I don’t know how many gallons of pasta we are making and using this party as a fundraiser for CARE. It will be a big social time for a good cause.”
Escapees CARE (Continuing Assistance for Retired Escapees) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded by the members of Escapees RV Club. Its mission is to provide financial assistance and support to club members facing unexpected hardships, such as medical emergencies or natural disasters. In addition, the independent living residency program allows members to continue to live in their RV by providing physical and emotional assistance. The charity relies on donations from club members and contributions from fundraising events to help those in need within the Escapees community. You can learn more about CARE here.
Major Escapde sponsors include RV Country, SkyMed, Dometic, Winnebago, Fantasy RV Tours, RV Insurance Benefits, Harvest Hosts, Alliant, Adventure Caravans, FCIS Insurance, MASA, Grouper, RV Life Pro, Miller Insurance, Wash Wax All, Henderson’s Line-Up, RV Roofing Solutions, Safe Ride Motor Club, Campground Views, Shade Pro, and Poppins-PWR.
About the club: The Escapees RV Club is one of the largest and most well-known organizations for recreational vehicle enthusiasts in the United States. According to club officials, the current membership is around 65,000 individuals.
Founded in 1978 by Joe and Kay Peterson, the club was established to create a supportive community for RV travelers, addressing their unique needs and fostering connections among like-minded individuals. Membership in the Escapees RV Club offers a variety of benefits, including access to a network of campgrounds, mail-forwarding services, and a comprehensive education program to improve the RV lifestyle.
A subset of the club called Xscapers was started several years ago to provide for the needs of working and younger RVers. It holds an annual “Bash” get-together with the next event scheduled for January 2025 in Lake Havasu, Arizona.
