Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton stopped by Monaco Coach Corporation’s Coburg, Oregon headquarters on August 19 as part of her Take Pride in America Tour — pointing to the company’s increasing RV sales as an indicator of a strengthening economy.
“Everything I see here is very important for our economy,” Norton said. “It’s a sign of growth in both the tourism industry and the manufacturing industry.”
In addition to an hour-long tour of the Monaco Coach Corporation production facilities, guided by CEO Kay Toolson and President John Nepute, Norton held an interview with several members of the local media and ate lunch with around 50 employees. Also present were Eugene Mayor Jim Torrey, President of Recreation Vehicle Industry Association Dave Humphrey, Guaranty RV Owner Herb Nill, and President of the American Recreation Coalition Derrick Crandall.
Shaded in an enclave created by three Monaco Coach Corporation coaches with awnings extended, Norton spoke after lunch about the reasons for her visit and her impressions of the company.
“It has been fascinating to walk through and see your manufacturing facility,” she said, turning to look at the motorcoach behind her. “It’s amazing to see you start from parts and raw materials and end up with one of these.”
The first woman to serve as Secretary of the Interior, Norton was appointed to the post in 2001 after serving as Attorney General of Colorado. “What you all do represents a key part of American freedom,” she told Monaco Coach Corporation employees.
However, Norton explained that her visit was not just in recognition of Monaco’s role in economic recovery. “Our Take Pride in America Tour is our way of saying thank you to all of the volunteers who are working in our public lands,” she said. “It’s also about encouraging younger generations to get involved in stewardship by volunteering.”
“Everything I see here is very important for our economy,” Norton said. “It’s a sign of growth in both the tourism industry and the manufacturing industry.”
The Take Pride in America program is a national partnership initiated by the Department of the Interior to seek and support volunteers who work on federal lands, including public parks, forests, grasslands and wildlife refuges. Monaco Coach Corporation is a charter member in the partnership.
“RVs play a large role for many of our volunteers because many of them are people who bring RVs, park them in our campgrounds and live in them while they are working to better our public lands,” Norton said. “[The program is] an opportunity for people who use public lands — the recreational vehicle folks, for example — to give back some so they’re helping the places they care about.”
Kay Toolson, who introduced Norton to the crowd, said Monaco Coach Corporation was happy to play a role in supporting volunteers. “We are proud to be a co-sponsor of the West Coast swing of this tour and charter members of the Take Pride In America program,” he said. “It’s exciting to be associated with a program that is helping to keep public lands clean and open for our public.”
RVIA President Humphrey also spoke, thanking Norton for her recognition of RVers as good stewards of the environment. “RVers have no intention of hurting the outdoors and they take great pride in leaving it better than they found it,” he said. “[Secretary Norton] has made it easier for people to visit federal lands. She is a cabinet officer who has reversed a potentially tragic trend of uninviting Americans to public lands.”
In fact, Norton said RVing was close to her heart. “When I was born my parents lived in a [travel trailer],” she said. “When we moved to a house my mom said she had more room in the trailer than she did in the house.”
After her visit, Secretary Norton hopped in a Monaco Coach Corporation motorhome for a ride to Redmond, Oregon, where she planned to attend the FMCA rally before continuing her Western States Tour.
In his introductory speech, Toolson joked, “After she has had the opportunity to drive to Redmond, I think she’ll retire from her job and become a full-time motorhomer.” |
