10/03/2026
We’re excited to add the 2025 and 2026 plates to the wall at Kuhl’s Trailer Sales! A huge thank-you to Jeannie Nix for her incredible work continuing a tradition that means so much to our family and dealership.
There’s quite a story behind this collection.
Jayco founder Lloyd Bontrager was an avid bird watcher, and the bird became an important symbol of the freedom that comes with camping—the freedom to travel, explore and wander.
In 1977, Jayco sent its dealers a hand-painted Blue Jay plate as a small token of appreciation. It was so well received that a tradition was born. Each year, Jayco dealers received a new hand-painted plate featuring a different bird.
That tradition continued through Jayco’s 50th anniversary in 2018. When the annual plates ended, we weren’t quite ready to let the tradition end with them. So, we turned to talented local artist Jeannie Nix, who has helped us continue adding a new plate to the collection each year.
We’re especially proud that Kuhl’s has the complete collection—something very few Jayco dealers in the country can say.
To us, these plates represent much more than birds on a wall. They tell the story of a relationship that began when Art & Ellen Kuhl traveled to Northern Indiana and chose Jayco as the manufacturer they wanted to stand behind. More than 50 years later, Kuhl’s remains an exclusive Jayco dealer.
Art believed that if you sell something, you should believe in it and stand behind it. That philosophy still guides us today.
Family Owned. Family Focused. Jayco Proud.
Next time you’re at Kuhl’s, take a few minutes to look at the plates. Each one represents a year of history—and we’re pretty proud of the story they tell.
And once again, thank you, Jeannie, for keeping this special tradition alive! 🦃🦆
