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Middlebury, Ind – On Monday, May 18th, the Jayco® Family of Companies unveiled its newly remodeled and expanded fitness facility along with dedicating the building as the Jayco Cindy Hawkins Health & Fitness Center. Cindy Hawkins, daughter of Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager - the founders of Jayco, was instrumental in developing the Jayco wellness program that spearheaded the initiatives that continue to be built upon today.
Mrs. Hawkins graduated from Goshen College® with a degree in Physical Education, which led to her role as the company’s Wellness Coordinator, ultimately facilitating the initial gym on campus, wellness events and health screenings. Cindy was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer) in June of 2023 and heartbreakingly passed in April 2024. The dedication of this facility honors her commitment and continued legacy of health and fitness at Jayco.
In attendance at the dedication were many of Cindy’s family members, including David Hawkins (Cindy’s Husband) and numerous members of the broader Bontrager family including, Bertha Bontrager-Rhodes, Wilbur Bontrager (former Jayco CEO), Derald Bontrager (former Jayco President and CEO), as well as many current Jayco employees.
The event started with Ken Walters, CEO of the Jayco-Tiffin Group, addressing the crowd and explaining how the fitness center evolved from Cindy’s initial vision of a small gym for employees to the current 4,400 square foot state of the art 24-hour wellness facility for all Jayco employees and their family members. Cindy’s husband David then spoke and stated how she would be thrilled at what has evolved from her initial request for a gym on campus to what it is today. A ribbon cutting, plaque dedication and tour of the facility followed, and family members then stayed and toured some of the other new facilities on the Jayco campus.
The Jayco Cindy Hawkins Health & Fitness Center features cardio equipment, free weights, machines, and space for floor exercises. There are two locker rooms with showers, lockers and changing facilities. There are currently 2,000 employees registered for key cards to utilize the facility at any time. The completion of the Fitness Center rounds out the Jayco Holistic Health Center, which also includes an Occupational Health Center and a Family Health Center staffed with doctors and nurses in partnership with Goshen Health® to provide care for Jayco employees and their families. The Health Center has saved Jayco employees and their families over $2 million dollars since it’s opening.
“We are honored to dedicate this building to Cindy,” stated Ken Walters. “Her vision has led countless people to lead healthier lives. No other RV manufacturer in Elkhart County has anything like this and we are proud to be able to offer it to our employees and their families. This facility is another step in continuing the legacy built by the Bontrager family and is ultimately a steppingstone to fulfilling Cindy’s vision of what wellness at Jayco can be.”
About Jayco Family of Companies
The Jayco Family of Companies manufactures and markets towable and motorized RVs through its Jayco, Entegra Coach®, Heartland RV® and Open Range RV® divisions. Products are manufactured in facilities in Middlebury, Indiana and Twin Falls, Idaho. Jayco was started in 1968 and continues to operate on the same principles focusing on quality, customers and family. For more information about Jayco, Inc. or its products, call 1-800-RV-JAYCO, visit jaycofamily.com, or write to Jayco at PO Box 460, Middlebury, Indiana 46540.
