When the Maryland Recreational Vehicle Dealer’s Association canceled its end-of-February Maryland RV Show during the last week of January, Beckley’s RVs in Thurmont, Maryland, stepped in. By selling 107 units in 11 days, Beckley’s RVs raised thousands for local charity I Believe in Me.
“There is so much interest out there this time of year,” said Mike Boerum, Beckley’s RVs’ sales and marketing manager, about February as the industry’s season kick-off. “We did not want to miss a beat for the new RVers coming into the industry.”
To celebrate, Beckley’s RVs donated $100 from every unit sold over 11 days to a charitable local cause. Though Beckley’s RVs only advertised “The SALE Must Go On” event for Feb. 19-21 and 26-28, Boerum said sales staff counted sales during the week toward the donation.
Boerum and Sales Manager Dan Zboyan chose I Believe in Me from three nominated local charities to win the $10,700 prize. I Believe in Me is an organization focusing on youth development through mentorship and education. Since COVID-19, I Believe in Me estimates its volunteers have distributed more than 3 million meals to 70,000 people experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic.
“Fredrick is njot a huge town,” Boerum said of the destination a 20-minute drive south of Thurmont, Maryland, where the dealership’s rental location resides. “There is such a small-town feeling with so many local entities coming together to support those affected by COVID-19.”
Boerum started in sales at Beckley’s RVs in 2003 and began handling the company’s marketing in 2019, months before COVID-19 hit. Earlier that year, the dealership sponsored youth sports and organized food drives. Donating to I Believe in Me was a way to give back to the community, he said, during a year when Beckley’s RVs missed out on doing so.
