“I’m fortunate that I work for an employer that’s very invested in the community. We want to live and work in a good community. Part of that is, giving back to it and helping out when you can,” says George.
Well, there are campers, and then there are Airstreams
- George Beckwith
George is the CFO for a large-scale building products manufacturer. He attended the College of Charleston (as most in his family did), got a business degree and started out in public accounting. George was there for several years until he was made a controller, moved to his current company in the same position and eventually rose to his current role.
Lately, George has become increasingly involved in the Airstream® community. That’s because he and his wife of 30 years, Pam, are now traveling with a “new home” – a 2019 30’ Airstream Classic RB Twin, named “Lil Peanut.”
George and Pam recently sold an under-used second home in Charleston, in part because Pam wanted to get a camper. George told her, “Well, there are campers, and then there are Airstreams.”
“I knew that she would appreciate well-built, refined, and the fine finishing of an Airstream. We moved out of our Charleston home and feel like we moved into this,” says George.
The couple’s first Airstream event was the International Rally in Doswell, Virginia. “We talked to a number of people, and it’s as if we’ve always known each other. They're such a very welcoming group. They all just want to be helpful and friendly,” says George. Pam and George plan on participating in more club activities and perhaps being part of a caravan. But some of that fun will have to wait until they are fully retired.
While George would tell you that he and Pam are “practicing retirement right now so they can get used to it,” you wouldn’t know it with all of the hobbies and commitments they have. For these two, life is much more about the journey than the destination. As George puts it, “We are both interested in lifelong learning.”
A perfect example of this mindset was the couple’s 10th anniversary – they gave each other flying lessons. They took lessons from instructors and eventually were able to fly solo.
“We don’t do it anymore because we don’t have the time to keep it up. But, we just enjoyed the process,” says George.
This attitude fits well with George’s personality; he’s a man of many interests and talents with an incredibly curious nature. He’s a hands-on guy and a problem solver. Over the years, George learned metalworking, which allowed him to rebuild a few cars and build another from the ground up. He’s also a woodworker. Both he and his wife also took beekeeping classes and now keep bees at their home.
We’ve made new friends. We’ve learned new skills.
Still, George and Pam have a grand plan for their new life with their Airstream. Their near-term goal is to strike off and spend six months on the road, so that they can immerse themselves in the club and in Americana along the way. But, no matter where they stay now, they soak up everything the area has to offer.
“We’ve been to campgrounds in small towns on the weekend – places we’ve never been that are fairly close. I would say that seeing both familiar places and new places with the Airstream gives us a different perspective. We just like seeing things from a new angle,” says George.
This couple is also considering using their Airstream to give back to the broader community through volunteer efforts. For example, through Habitat for Humanity, George and Pam have learned that people use their RVs to go to natural disasters areas so they can help provide relief and rebuild communities. It’s that generous spirit at play, again.
Of his new life with an Airstream, George says, “We’ve made new friends. We’ve learned new skills. We’ve really enjoyed it, and we’re looking forward to doing more traveling in the future.”
