The Ultimate Guide to NAARVA RV Club
From coast to coast, the NAARVA RV Club is fostering fun, family, community, and sustainability.
From the NAARVA National Camp Rally to Mardi Gras in the South, you can expect to meet and greet with one of the best RV communities around. The National African American RVer’s Association started as a means of “networking and fellowship with other minority campers” and has become one of the fastest growing RV Clubs in the United States! (Gina Ruffin Moore).
The National African American RVer’s Association focuses on linking together African American Rvers and celebrating diversity within the RV community. The biggest attraction for the NAARVA is all the amazing road trips and rallies you will find yourself attending as you follow the community from sea to shining sea!
What is the National African American RVer’s Association?
The NAARVA are your friends and family. It is a community of Rvers that enjoy getting together, inspiring each other, and just having a good time in the outdoors and on the road. With their seasonal newsletter, you are always kept in the loop about upcoming events, contests, regional news, uplifting testimonies, and so much more.
The great thing about NAARVA is that it creates a space for minority families to meet each other as camping becomes a popular way to see the country. Because the history of camping as an African American is often underrepresented, it is important that groups like the National African American RVer’s Associoation are bringing Black and Brown families together to show support and embrace the RV lifestyle.
But people aren’t the only motivation behind the National African American RV Association as they also strive to create sustainable practices in the RV world. Their website states that they wish to preserve the environmental integrity of the campsites they visit. With the environmental conditions we find ourselves in today, this is an important commitment for any RV group to have!
The history behind The National African American RVer’s Association
The National African American RVer’s Association was founded after a group called the Ohio Buckeye Road Runners decided to create a way for people of color to get together in a time when seeing other Black and Brown campers was kind of rare. These campers were out there, and the 1993 Winton Woods Campground Camp Rally was proof of that! With over 150 people in attendance, camping as a group and joining the yearly rallies was sure to catch on.
According to their website, the group constitution was adopted in August 1995 (27 years this month!) and the rest is history. Hosting events and rallies each year, they are continuing to grow the outdoor and RV loving community one camping trip at a time. Now there are chapters in all regions of the United State, from Central, Southern, Eastern, and Western.
Currently at NAARVA
The NAARVA RV Club is now a group of over 1,400 members and counting. With four regional directors, you will always find a guide in the RV world no matter what region of the country you’re visiting. But it goes well beyond just 4 regional Chapters because the NAARVA also has over 50 Affiliated Chapters. It’s a community that continues to foster “fun and fellowship”.
The National African American RVer’s Association also consists of eight amazing executive board members along with their National President Louise Grogan. The NAARVA Regional Directors include Brian K. Skipper in the Central Region, Belinda “Bee” Moore of the Eastern Region, Charles Breedlove in the Southern Region, and Charles Gill out in the Western Region.
Benefits of joining NAARVA
- Newsletters
- Scholarship Opportunities
- Events
- Rallies
- Positive Family Atmosphere
- Community
- Group Ecologist
- National Chaplain
- Community Historian
- Road Trip Guides
- Discounts
- $60 yearly membership fee
- Sponsor
- Contests
- And More!
Benefits Breakdown for NAARVA
NAARVA Newsletters
The NAARVA newsletter feels like a message from a friend. They are filled with inspiration, shout-outs, notes from group members, and letters from regional directors. But that’s not even half of what you’ll get when you tune into NAARVA’s VOICE newsletter as it’s also packed with useful information from technology experts, nature ecologists, health professionals, and RV dealers. You’ll learn everything from how to budget on the road to the importance of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Joining the NAARVA newsletter also means you’ll get the unique opportunity to hear from Reverend Jesse Battle. A cherished voice in the National African American RV Association, he creates fellowship through his letters and encourages the community with his section titled NAARVA Chaplin’s Corner.
Discounts with the National African American RVer’s Association
Of course, every RVer loves a good discount. Well, how about 50% off your campsite! By joining Passport American and the NAARVA, you’ll have the opportunity to save on the road. But that’s not all, club dues are only $50 a year with separate regional prices at only $10! You really can’t beat the deals!
Scholarship Opportunities with the National African American RVer’s Association
How would it feel to know your membership dollars are going to help someone get an education? If you have a child or grandchild that meets the scholarship qualifications, they are eligible to apply for the NAARVA Scholarship Opportunity. For your recent grads, the NAARVA has a scholarship program centered around helping your student with college, university, or trade school. Join Preston and Sandra Bryant in making sure our students are supported in education!
Events with NAARVA
NAARVA is going to Mardi Gras! The National African American RV Association is all about traveling and having a good time and their events are the main attraction. Joining this membership means you’ll be joining the fun! From Hollywood meet and greets to road trips in the east, this group is gathering in every region of the United States.
Rallies with the National African American RVer’s Association
The biggest event of the year is always the NAARVA Camp Rally. This is a gathering of RVers that you don’t want to miss! Games, golf, parades, raffles, vendors, and a whole lot of family fun, this event is really what the NAARVA is all about. Creating a place for RVers to meet each other and have a blast. What started as a group of 52 in 1993 is now a yearly retreat for the NAARVA’s now over 1,400 members!
Themes of past events include Glamping in the Gulf, showdowns in Wyoming, gatherings at the Grand Canyon, and most recently, Mardi Gras in Oklahoma. The National African American RVer’s Association truly knows how to have a good time, while bringing families together and respecting the sustainability of the nature they explore!
The positive family atmosphere at NAARVA
The National African American RVer’s Association is not just a group for adults, it’s also supportive and inclusive of your little (and not so little) ones too. For the little ones, they have awesome summer camp programs that teach and inspire. Even NAARVA events are friendly to families with kids’ activities and group games.
Contests with the National African American RVer’s Association
Everyone loves a chance to win something cool! Well with a NAARVA membership there are plenty of opportunities to enter for a chance to win! Past event contests have offered things like dream vacations or church donation funding. They even have newsletter contests that allow you to share your “Big Rolling Wheels” adventure!
Beginner RV and road trip guides when you join NAARVA
Starting your RV journey is a big step! Even if you’re a seasoned traveler it’s always a great idea to get a road trip game plan in mind. NAARVA has you covered. For beginners, the National African American RVer’s Association website has tips and advice on getting started and making the most of your new RV experience. They even have a list of links any RVer can use while hitting the road. It’s your one-stop shop for weather updates, Map Quest directions, gasoline and truck stop services, towing guides, and workamping opportunities.
Professional advice with the National African American RVer’s Association
When you become a member of NAARVA you are also connecting with tons of professionals that are here to help. There is an ecologist, Jean Hampton on board to share and excite people about the natural world and how to respect it. Like mentioned before, NAARVA has Reverend Jesse Battle on board to harbor fellowship and prayer. Ronald Standifer is the group historian. There are also tips on the latest apps to use from Bruce Toney! The point is that this isn’t just any group of RVers and outdoor lovers. It’s also a community of knowledgeable people who love to share and inspire you on your everyday journey!
Community with NAARVA
The biggest draw to becoming a member of the National African American RVer’s Association is the beautiful community you will be joining. Just going through the NAARVA website you can feel the sense of pride and care they put into making sure their members are well informed and having a good time. From student shoutouts and community announcements to offering condolences in times of loss. Even the NAARVA VOICE newsletter is full of inspiration and education. People are always sharing recipes and advice on how to RV the right way! It’s a community of diversity and fellowship. It truly is an awesome group of members over at the NAARVA RV Club!
So, join the National African American RVer’s Association as they continue to connect Black and Brown families all over the US! Catch up on the latest news with the VOICE. Learn a new app or educate yourself on the ecology of the world around you. Planning a road trip soon? NAARVA has you covered with 50% off campsites. Or maybe you want to help fund a new student’s chance at university or trade school. But the main attraction is always the larger-than-life NAARVA Camp Out Rally! The National African American RVer’s Association is beyond any RV Club you’ll find as it focuses on friends, family, fellowship, and fun!
