July 4th, 1978
Our affiliate, Escapees RV Club was founded on July 4, 1978 by Joe and Kay Peterson. At that time, they were already traveling full-time in their RV with their children and wanted a way to keep in touch with others like them. Postal mail and landline telephones, the primary means of communication at the time, were difficult to navigate for full-time RVers like themselves. Joe and Kay created the Club’s first official publication in order to fill this need: a five-page newsletter hand-cranked from a portable printer and distributed to 164 members. Read the original newsletter here. Today, that newsletter has grown into a bi-monthly magazine distributed to more than 70,000 members as well as a global social presence that reaches gets over 350,000 monthly impressions.
Our First RV Park
In 1984 our affiliate, Escapees RV Club, built its first RV park to meet the needs of their community. Since then the Escapees RV Club expanded its reach by building and operating seven more RV parks across the southern United States and assisting in the construction of 11 cooperative RV parks. They understand the dedication and time required to move from concept to actualization and have become a trusted name in affordable, quality accommodations for RV enthusiasts.
The Largest Private mail Service in the US
To continue addressing the needs of its members, our affiliate Escapees RV Club created a private mail-forwarding service. Since 1985, their service has enabled full-time and part-time RVers to receive their mail and packages wherever they travel in North America, whenever they want. What began as a handful of cubbies mounted on a wall has turned into a 9000 sq ft. operation that employs dozens of staff to service RVers as they explore the country.
Though it began before the age of email and online banking, when RVers were far more dependent on USPS for their means of communication, mail-forwarding is still necessary for today’s full-time RVers. From holiday cards to packages to vehicle registration, some things just have to be mailed, and Escapees is there to check the box. The Escapees Mail Forwarding service handles the mail of thousands of traveling RVers all across the country, making it the largest private mail service in the U.S.
Extended Services for All RVers
As the needs of RVers grew our affiliate, Escapees RV Club continued to create services that benefit all RVers. These services help to promote responsible RVing and create a more informed and educated RV community.
Throughout our history we have promoted an atmosphere of Caring and Sharing for our members, and for all RVers.
As needs continue to evolve we are now offering the next chapter, Escapees RV Parks.