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Florida RV Trade Association Regional Chapter Donates $15,000 to Jacksonville Equestrian Center

Left to right: Harold Bullington, Ken Lloyd, Peggy Fuller, Patti Tebow, Jerry Tempio, Joanne Connell, and Penny Gorton. (Photo courtesy of SDPhotography)

Jacksonville, FL (July 8, 2016) – After the Northeast Florida Chapter of the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) spent years enjoying the success of its annual Jacksonville RV Show at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, the FRVTA decided to give back to the center in a big way. The FRVTA recently donated $15,000 to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center to go towards making improvements to the already exceptional facility, which hosts everything from FRVTA RV shows to dog agility trials to major equestrian events year round.

According to the FRVTA Region 6 Treasurer, Gerard (Jerry) Tempio, “The decision for the FRVTA to make this donation was based on trying to help the community and the partners that help FRVTA grow in northeast Florida.”

Thanks to the generous donation, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center will be able to amplify RV accessibility at the center, ultimately adding more dual-amps for RV use at the center’s south parking lot, which currently offers 78 parking pads.

The donation is a result of several years of quality partnership among the FRVTA, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, and the support of the public, who have flocked to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center for previous FRVTA events.

“We’re just happy that the public has supported our two regional RV shows every year, which has really put us in a good financial position to make the donation,” Tempio said.

Speaking on behalf of the Northeast Florida Equestrian Society (the board that manages the Jacksonville Equestrian Center), Joanne Connell expressed her gratitude. “This is huge for us, and the board is so grateful!”

Connell explained that the donation – which the board hopes to double through a matching grant – will have the ability to make a strong, positive impact on the community.

“Working along with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, these types of donations help us to make capital improvements that will attract more people, bring in additional shows and events, and generate more economic impact of the west side of the city,” Connell said.

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is currently a popular destination for local Jacksonville residents as well as people throughout the southeastern U.S. The facility often opens its riding arenas to the public, and the Olympic-sized swimming pool, miles of trails, golf course, and recreational park that surround the center are available year-round. On weekends, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center is bustling with horse shows, dog agility competitions, 4-H events, or concerts. Along with its impressive outdoor amenities on 80 beautiful acres in Jacksonville, Florida, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center features a massive 123,000 square foot indoor coliseum and horse barns with over 400 permanent stalls.

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is actively seeking additional donors to make further capital improvements, including an open-air covered area, two additional rings, a schooling area, and a livestock cover.

For more information about the Jacksonville Equestrian Center or how you can help the facility impact the northeast Florida community, visit www.jaxequestriancenter.com or call Penny Gorton at 904-255-4227.

For more information about FRVTA, call the association at 813-741-0488 or visit www.frvta.org.

For more information, contact:
Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Penny Gorton 904-255-4227
PGorton@coj.net
13611 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32221

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