RV community raises $40K for organ donation

A partnership 24 years in the making

What began as a guest lecture nearly a quarter-century ago has evolved into a powerful philanthropic partnership between Grand Design RV and Tennessee Donor Services (TDS), raising nearly $40,000 over the last four years in support of organ donation awareness and advocacy.

In 2001, Billy Jarvis, a double kidney recipient who now serves as Senior External Affairs Coordinator for Tennessee Donor Services, was invited to speak to a group of senior nursing students at Lincoln Memorial University.

Among them was Crystal Spencer, a student unsure of her nursing path. Inspired by Jarvis’s personal story and passion, Crystal set her sights on a career in either organ transplantation or dialysis care, eventually starting her journey at DCI Dialysis Clinic, a precursor to TDS.

Years later, Crystal and her husband Leon became involved in the Grand Design RV community and began organizing annual rallies in Pigeon Forge, TN. Seeking a meaningful cause to support through the event, the couple chose Tennessee Donor Services—an organization that helped shape Crystal’s life and career.

Since 2020, Grand Design RV rallies have included dedicated fundraising efforts for TDS, starting with $5,500 in the first year and culminating in a record-breaking $14,000 donation in 2025. This year’s event welcomed nearly 400 attendees during the Opening Breakfast, who participated in raffles and festivities, all in the spirit of giving. In an act of generosity, each raffle winner donated their prize back to the cause, making this year’s donation the largest to date.

The funds raised support initiatives such as The Transplant Games—a national, multi-sport event for transplant recipients and living donors—as well as ongoing outreach campaigns to promote organ, eye and tissue donation.

“This partnership is proof that grassroots efforts can have life-changing impacts,” said Jarvis. “I always tell people—whether you’re speaking to three people or 3,000—you never know whose life you may touch. That one class I taught years ago changed Crystal’s direction in life, and now, through her and Leon’s efforts, it’s impacting hundreds more.”

Help make an impact today by registering at donatelifetn.org.