Regardless of your beliefs, there are two things most of us can agree on.
Organizations can thrive or die because of leadership, and coffee is delicious, especially on a cool November morning.
Those are two of the guiding principles of the nascent RV Industry Prayer and Coffee group.
Like any startup, they have ambitious goals.
They are asking for your help to make them a reality.
Their first goal is to host its second annual event at this year’s RVDA Convention in Las Vegas.
Because where better to gather in prayer than in Las Vegas?
One of the members of the group spearheading the event is Bill Koster.
He says the planned Prayer and Coffee event builds on an old tradition.
“Years ago in Louisville, we would have a prayer breakfast during the RV show,” he says. “When the Louisville show ended, I was disappointed, because the prayer breakfast was something I always looked forward to attending. I’d been mulling over the idea of doing the same thing at RVDA, but putting on a breakfast there is outrageously expensive, so we are only serving coffee, But we’re moving ahead. It’s a leap of faith.”
The Prayer and Coffee event is scheduled for seven o’clock in the morning, Wednesday, November 12.
Koster believes the early time will still draw a good crowd.
But he and his team could use your help.
Organizing an event of this magnitude is no small feat.
Especially when it involves bringing back an old tradition that has been forgotten for more than a decade.
The good news, according to Koster, is there has been no shortage of people stepping forward to help.
“We have a lot of volunteers right now,” he says. “The biggest thing we’re doing now is raising money. There’s obviously a cost to form our not-for-profit, and we have to pay for the speaker, and we also want to give back to a local charity in the Las Vegas area. Prayer and Coffee at the RVDA convention is a chance to bring people together and pray and encourage them and support one another. But that’s just the beginning.”
Koster says the goal is to continue building on the momentum from this year’s Prayer and Coffee event.
“Beginning next year, we want to have quarterly webinars,” he says. “We can keep building this group and continue to be there for one another.”
If you would like to help, refer to the information on the flyer at the bottom of this page.
Even though Christ is at the center of the Prayer and Coffee event, Koster wants everyone to feel welcome, no matter where they are in their faith journey.
“The nice thing about the event is, we’re not going to be guarding the door for only card-carrying Christians,” he joked. “We want to encourage people to show up, whether they are interested, skeptical, or all-in.”
The guest speaker will be part of that wide-net appeal.
According to Koster, Frank Shelton will speak on leadership.
Even though Shelton is a popular minister, his talk will be universal.
“Leadership is a very powerful and important message,” Koster says. “It’s something we really need in this industry.”
Koster is far from alone in putting-on this event.
The core team putting together the RV Prayer and Coffee event and group also consists of Rick Horsey, President at Parkview RV Center, Ron Shepherd, President at Camperland of Oklahoma, and Mike Regan, President and GM at Crestview RV.
Koster is thankful for the team he is with, but wants younger people in the industry to take note.
“We’re all north of fifty,” he says. “And we want this thing to keep going after we get it started.” Other, younger, volunteers have also joined, including Shannon Regan, Shannon Raddigan, Ryan Horsey, and Thomas Shepherd.
Koster says it’s a reminder that you do not need to be wealthy to be generous with your time, talent, and treasure.
“There is so much divisiveness going on in the world now, we all could use some more fellowship.”
