Blog

The generosity of the volunteers and donors made it possible for HOWA to expand the October BYOV  and provide needed improvements to the homes on wheels of 18 recipients! As these smiling faces show, when we work together we can change lives. Thank you to the volunteers, staff, donors, and recipients for making the second BYOV a huge success!

Each recipient had their individual needs met as they worked together with their team of builders. Over the four weeks of October seven shelving units, five beds, three plywood floors topped with vinyl flooring, seven ceiling vents with fans, and twelve solar systems were installed. One van received insulation and covering on the walls and ceiling, and five vehicles were fitted with Reflectix coverings on the windows. The build teams were busy!

Meet some of the recipients!

Michelle has multiple chemical sensitivities so she can not have any wood with chemicals from glue or treatments in her van. Her build team was able to mount her solar components on a metal panel eliminating the need for wood.

Tina’s and Don’s StarCraft popup trailer is a comfortable home that’s light enough to be towed by their truck but it needed a source of power. Their build team mounted solar components in a storage compartment and now Tina and Don are ready to go boondocking!

Norm is an inventive guy so his new storage units were designed to serve several purposes. The unit at the foot of his bed has a drop-down door that becomes a work surface.

Sheryl’s van was a basic shell which her build team outfitted very nicely with a bed, ceiling vent with a fan, solar system, and Reflectix window coverings.

Jenny’s build team worked with her to create the perfect customized layout. Her van now has solar power, a ceiling vent with a fan, and shelving units.

Woody’s empty cargo trailer was ready for upgrades. A vinyl floor, a bed, and shelving were installed by his team.

Even as hard as everyone was working they still had time for some fun – campfires in the evening, an all nomad pot luck dinner at the Quartzsite town park, and pizza lunches every Friday to celebrate another week of work coming to an end.

Two people, one in the second week of the builds and another in the forth week, contracted coronavirus but the HOWA medical team and staff jumped into action with measures such as isolating people who may have been exposed, requiring masks, and conducting tests. Nobody else became sick and the builds proceeded on schedule.

Your donations along with the dedication of the BYOV volunteers have changed the lives of these 18 nomads. Thank you!

The next Bring Your Own Vehicle event will be in the spring of 2023. Applications will be available in February 2023 – HERE. 

If you wish to volunteer click – HERE.

Volunteering for HOWA helps nomads in need in many ways but it’s also very rewarding for the volunteers. Studies show that volunteering creates a feeling of well being and accomplishment. Solving problems and interacting with other people can lower stress and stimulate brain activity. Volunteers report feeling healthier and happier when they are involved in helping others. An added benefit for BYOV  and RTR volunteers is the community that is created when we come together in the desert to share the work and fun. Lifelong friendships are made at every gathering.

If you would like to volunteer for a BYOV or RTR event please click HERE. The information will be updated for each new event so check the linked page in the weeks leading up to an event. All skill levels are needed and you can volunteer for a day or several weeks, whatever fits into your schedule.

BYOV April 2022 volunteers share their thoughts:  

These are just a few of the many volunteers who were at the April 2022 BYOV. We are grateful for all of the wonderful volunteers who made the BYOV so successful and also the volunteers who give their time and labor so that we can continue the RTRs and other programs that benefit our fellow nomads. Thank you!