By Peter Pelland The 47th Annual Convention and Trade Show of the Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association was held from December 6-8, 2010 at the Gettysburg Wyndham Hotel, in Gettysburg. State association conferences vary tremendously in size, attendance levels, and quality of content. The fact that PCOA’s annual conference has a nearly 50-year history is testimony to the caliber of the overall event, the skills of its organizers, and the enthusiasm of its participants.
Any Northern show held in December runs the risk of running into inclement weather, as anyone who attended PCOA’s 2009 event in the Poconos will vividly recall. Although attendees from Western and North Central Pennsylvania reported driving through a moderate snowfall, Gettysburg itself was generally clear, cold and windy. Fortunately, the event was held entirely under one roof, and the new Gettysburg Wyndham Hotel provided an exceptional setting. I am told that few people left the comfort of the
heated bus during a preevent escorted tour of the historic battlefields of Gettysburg National Military Park that was sponsored by Evergreen Insurance. There were 80 campgrounds in attendance, representing over a third of the PCOA membership, in addition to 2 campgrounds from nearby Maryland and 1 from Virginia, along with representatives from both ARVC and the NCA. PCOA’s Executive Director, Beverly Gruber commented, “The convention was a very Continued Page 2
Continued from Page 1 successful venture. I felt all the campgrounds were very positive, and we’re looking forward to a record-setting year in 2011.” Newly-elected board members are Deene Yenchochic, from River’s Edge Camping & Cabins, in Region 2; Kathy Stetler, from Pioneer Campground, in Region 3; Tammy Boltz, from Lickdale Campground, in Region 4; and Tim Cartnell, from Countryside Campground, in Region 5. They join returning board members Tim Chilson, from Brookdale Campground, in Region 1; and Karl Schmidt, from Hershey-Elizabethtown KOA, in Region 6. Barbara Repetski was selected as the new Regional Vice President for Regions 5 and 6, replacing Janet Keen, who is stepping down due to health issues. The conference was off to a strong start with the opening of the trade show at noon on Monday. There were some 70 vendors, covering a full range of products and services, who filled the hotel’s presidential ballroom, an outside hallway, and two adjoining function rooms. There were none of the typical lulls that occur when there are
conflicts between trade show time and other functions. Exhibitors enjoyed nearly 12 hours of exclusive trade show time, along with countless additional networking opportunities. According to Bob MacKinnon, of MacKinnon Campground Consulting, "attendance and member interaction were excellent, with my CPO seminars well attended and generating positive comments.” Guy Gagnon, of Evergreen Insurance, summed things up very well with the words, “Evergreen is always very excited for the opportunity to attend the PCOA Convention. From preconvention planning through the trade show and auction, the entire event was well assembled by Bev Gruber and Debbie Smith. The trade show was very active, and other networking opportunities were plentiful. The members of this association always take the time to say hello with a smile and are happy to see us.” Based upon my own experience with Pelland Advertising, I would venture to say that this year’s PCOA conference could prove to be our most successful trade event in 25 years.
Members of PCOA (Pennsylvania Campground Owners Associatin) receive instruction on how to fire a cannon as well as the view from “Little Roundtop” during a guided Battlefield Tour of Gettysburg sponsored by Evergreen. Beyond the trade show, most attendees would agree that the workshops were top-notch. Some of the nationally-recognized speakers included Bob MacKinnon, Evanne Schmarder, and Lori Severson. A wide range of topics were covered, with a concentration on marketing and guest relations issues. Ryan McFarland, of Buttonwood Campground said, “As a relative newcomer to the industry and PCOA, for the second year in a row I have returned from the conference with valuable information and ideas. The organization does a wonderful job adapting with
the industry to provide a great and useful ‘product’.” Sonya Zacker, of Clayton Park Recreational Area, added, “We thoroughly enjoyed the convention and the networking, education, and motivation provided. We appreciate the efforts of those who work so hard to make the convention a success, and we can’t wait ’til next year!” The opening ceremony and auction were held on Monday evening and were successful by every measure. Attendees were treated to a return engagement by the “Amish Auctioneer”, Aaron Kanagy. Continued
Continued With the help of his entertaining skills, this year’s auction raised a record $26,000, representing a $10,000 increase over the previous year’s event. This statistic represents only one of a series of records for this year’s conference, including record numbers of both attendees and vendors. The banquet and annual meeting, in the same time slot on Tuesday evening, was presided by Mark Wineman (Kalyumet Campground). The annual meeting included a healthy treasurer’s report from Jason Sheaffer (Pinch Pond Campground), and a wide range of committee reports. Occupancy at PCOA member campgrounds was up by 3.7% in 2009, for an overall average occupancy rate of 59.3%. Current membership consists of 231 parks, with 13 new members representing a net increase of 1 park over the previous year and only 1 park shy of the 10-year record … quite impressive statistics under the current economic conditions. Most notable were some of the extensive statistics presented by Jason Vaughan (Mountain Vista Campground) of the marketing committee. These included 182,214 visits to the PCOA website over the past year, representing an 18.5% increase over the previous year and a 34.13% increase over the past two years. The website has
PCOA Premium Associate Members: Evergreen USA, Fork Creek Cabins, Gary Thull Pools, Kolhoff Insurance Agency, Moen Inc., Nexu Innovations, Pelland Advertising, Trailer Life Directory, and Wilcor International. added many popular new features, including online contests that have helped to increase PCOA’s opt-in email database to over 5,500 camping families who are the recipients of frequent e-mail marketing programs. Pelland Advertising and Severson Associates were thanked for their efforts toward ensuring the success of the PCOA marketing and advertising plans. Other state associations should be so fortunate as to enjoy PCOA’s talented and dedicated staff of officers, board members and committee members, only a small handful of
whom have been acknowledged herein. There are so many people who deserve to be recognized for their tireless efforts on behalf of the association, but I would be totally remiss if I did not mention the dedication of Executive Director Beverly Gruber and her skillful assistant, Debbie Smith. They are the best. On the subject of recognition, it is difficult to know where to begin. For starters, Charlie and Lucille Strub, owners of Dogwood Acres Campground, were recognized for the honor which they had been presented at the previous
week’s National ARVC conference, where they were awarded “Small Park of the Year”. In addition, 2010 was the second year in a row when 7 campgrounds (of only 32 parks nationwide) earning an “A rating” in the Guest Reviews program were from Pennsylvania. A-rated parks represent an elite 2% of campgrounds nationwide, making it beyond noteworthy that Pennsylvania parks represent a staggering 22% of the elite, based upon over 30,000 actual consumer reviews! The Pennsylvania campgrounds with A ratings for 2010 (the third year of the Guest Continued
Reviews program) are: Buttonwood Campground (3 years), Dogwood Acres Campground (3 years), Gettysburg Campground (2 years), Keen Lake Camping & Cottage Resort (2 years), Kozy Rest Kampground (3 years), Mountain Vista Campground (2 years), and Pioneer Campground (3 years). Congratulations to all of them! It was with very mixed emotions that PCOA bid its fond farewell to Skip and Judy Deegans, the retiring long-time owners of Anderson’s Brochure Distribution Service. Throughout over a quarter century of service to the industry, probably no two people have been more highly respected and appreciated as friends than Skip and Judy. Very much a presence throughout this year’s conference, Skip and Judy were on hand to pass the baton along to the energetic new owners of Anderson’s, Joe and Jessica Tice, who have relocated the operations from West Virginia to Pennsylvania and have plans for expanded services. Always a highlight of the conference are the Communications Awards, sponsored by Anderson’s
Brochure Distribution Service and presented at the awards luncheon on Wednesday. There is no better honor than for campgrounds to be recognized for their efforts by a group of their peers. Eleven award categories were highlighted by the following categories and winners: • Best Example of Guest Service (1 entry): 1) Lake-In-Wood Resort • Community Involvement (6 entries): 1) Rosemount Campground (for their work with the Schuylkill County Therapeutic Riding Program) 2) Mount Pocono Campground 3) Benner’s Meadow Run • Tourism Employee of the Year (2 entries): 1) Harecreek Campground (and employee Shirley Froehlich) 2) Lake-In-Wood Resort • Best Website (12 entries): 1) Gettysburg Campground 2) Western Village RV Park 3) Blue Rocks Campground • Best Brochure (11 entries): 1) Whispering Pines Campground 2) Rose Point Park 3) Pine Cradle Lake
Preceding the luncheon was a very well-received “Airing & Sharing Your Best Ideas” session, moderated by Evanne Schmarder. The luncheon itself was followed by a dozen round table sessions and a renewed energy for all to return to work to make the 2011 camping season the best yet for Pennsylvania campers. The 2011 PCOA Convention and Trade Show will be held from December 5-7 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center and Sheraton Hotel, in Erie, Pennsylvania, when we all hope for an absence of lakeeffect snow!
For over 30 years, Peter Pelland and Pelland Advertising have been growing small businesses with four-color process brochure production, website development services, and now Facebook business page design and marketing services. Pelland Advertising is the website development and hosting services partner of the Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association and includes many of the leading Pennsylvania campgrounds within its base of clients.
It's that time of year again! What a year it has been- All the uncertainty surrounding the economy has had an impact, you would be silly to deny it. We are more fortunate than some as the Campground industry has stayed relatively consistent throughout 2010. Gulf oil spills, elections, state park closures and severe weather have all tested campground owners. The year for us at Campground & RV Park E News has been no different.
Slow but steady growth with 2011-12 being a time to build advertising revenue and increase our distribution. We would like to thank most sincerely our loyal advertisers and editorial contributors. Without you the e news would not have enjoyed the growth and credibility that we have been fortunate enough to have received. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
Lucas Hartford of Evergreen proudly accepting the "C.A.M.P Impact Award" at National ARVC in Las Vegas. C.A.M.P. is the Campground Association Management Professionals and it was a real surprise to win the award and a true honor. Lucas.
By Pamela Wright As a final step in setting up your group marketing program, you need to create an agreement form between the group and the park/resort. Trust me, this is a step that you don’t want to skip. Without some type of formal agreement you are going to find yourself going back and forth with a “he said/she said” argument. Once it is down in writing and both parties have signed on the bottom line, the biggest items for disagreement are taken
away. This should be a “living” document that gets changed and refined as you get closer to the arrival date. The number of units that are planned for at the beginning of the negotiations always changes by the time you are 30 days away from arrival. You may sell the group on having you cater a meal for them; any number of items may be added or subtracted. So what does a group/park agreement look like?
You can make it as fancy or as simple as you like, just make sure that the following are in it. 1.) Identify the contact person. This may or may not be the person that you talk to originally. The contact person should be the one who assumes responsibility for the group. You may even need two contact names: the Wagonmaster and the financial person. Make sure that you have cell phone numbers for your Wagonmaster. As the day gets closer, you will probably have a number of items that need to be refined and without that cell phone number you may have to jump through hoops to contact the group. 2.) How many units is the group reserving for and what are their lengths. This
number will fluctuate somewhat as the group collects their participant’s information but it will at least give you a starting point. The lengths just need to say the smallest unit is x feet long with a tow and the largest unit is x feet long with a tow. This will allow you to lay out the sites that you are setting aside for the group. 3.) How long is the group going to stay? Make a line for the number of nights that the group plans to stay with you followed by an arrival date and a departure date. This should be only for the group as a whole. It is not unusual to have group members who want to stay with you longer than the group; however, their extended stay is not a part of the dates of stay for the group. Continued
Continued 4.) What is the rate you are agreeing to? List the rate per RV, per night, for x number of people per RV. Add a line for tax and total the individual rate up. You may need two lines for this item if the group is staying over a period when a special event in your area takes place. (I.e. Balloon Fiesta, State Fair, etc.) 5.) List any additional requests the group may have such as entertainment, catering, sound system, etc. You may want to set up separate agreements for each of those items. Also add a line for any additional information. 6.) Identify the deposit required and when the deposit is due. You may need to list more than one deposit and date if the group is very large or if the group thinks that the number of units will fluctuate greatly. Also add a line for the final payment and the due date for it. As I stated in the earlier articles, I believe you should ask for final payment 30 days prior to the arrival. 7.) If the group wants to use your clubhouse/pavilion facilities be sure to note what the dates are, what times for each date and what your policies are regarding cleaning, key return, etc. 8.) Be very specific regarding your cancellation policy. State a date that the cancellation for the entire group must be made by.
Note here if your policy is to retain any portion of the deposit and how much would be retained. State a date that cancellation of individual units must be made by. I would require that the final list of individuals and their rig size would be provided by this date. 9.) Make sure you have a line for both the group leader and yourself to sign. There are a number of other items that you can include in your agreement, but make sure that you at least cover these. This will save you a lot of headaches during the group stay. Pamela has now made her database of Group contacts available to you. For more information, email her at pwright@FocusedWords.com.
FocusedWords is a company dedicated to helping you promote and market your campground to Rver’s everywhere. Be sure to follow Pamela on Twitter: @rvstops and @FocusedWords. Check out her blogs at RvTripKits.blogspot.com and at FocusedWords.com/blog1.
Pamela Wright
Charlie and Lucille Strub, owners of Dogwood Acres Campground, in Newville, Pennsylvania. They and their park were honored as "Small Park of the Year" in award ceremonies at the National ARVC Conference. Photo courtesy of Pelland Advertising.
Linda Profaizer's retirement from the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds will open the door to a new broom in the form of an experienced marketer, Mr Paul Bambei.
to listen to what members have to say. Of course, that in itself is a minefield of various theories, each with their own agendas but which will ultimately lead to
The ARVC board was unanimous in his appointment with Chairman David L. Berg clearly setting his sights on formalizing a business and marketing plan to "revitalize" ARVC in the minds of the membership. One clear message to Mr Bambei hopefully would be
David L. Berg
sound business judgement culminating with ARVC moving forward. Paul needs support and encouragement at this time and I for one through Campground and RV Park E News will offer our pages to get his message to ALL campground owners, not just ARVC members. After all, membership will grow if a bottom line impact is seen by the owners. The old saying "Bums on seats" is what it should be about. Dennis Macready: Editor
Incoming ARVC CEO Paul Bambei
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Transformation is nearly complete on a new ocean-view campground that used to be the site of a former mobile home park. Officials said $12 million has gone into making the El Moro Campground at Crystal Cove State Park a tourist destination. With every nail and every picnic table moved into place, this coastal development--35 acres between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach--moves closer to completion. "There's an incredible amount of activity going on. Our contractors are working at a furious pace," said Todd Lewis, Crystal Cove State Park superintendant. Work is well under way at El Moro Campground after delays last year when construction stopped due to the budget crisis. The area will offer 60 camp sites, each with an ocean view. The area is right next to miles of trails. Down below, across Pacific Coast Highway, crews worked on a lifeguard station, where the beach will be returning to its natural state.
Just four years ago, mobile homes sat in what used to be El Morro Village. Nearly 300 families were forced to move when the state, which owns the land, started transforming the space into something everyone can share. "I remember when everyone had to leave and it was a big controversy. It was unfortunate for all of them, but now the public will get to use this beautiful area," said Frank Glas of Aliso Viejo. Parts of the past remain, such as pathways made from recycled road material. Workers are planting up to 18,000 native plants. Most of the plants came from seeds that were collected from within the park. Park officials expect about 1000 people will use the area each day. There will be 200 extra parking spots, access to the beach and structures that can be reserved for special events. Opening day is scheduled for the summer of 2011. http://abclocal.go.com
With shipments rising and consumer demand remaining strong, RVIA's 48th Annual National RV Trade Show showcased 2011 product lines and brought together an industry optimistic about prospects for continued growth. The show featured 70 RV manufacturers and 251 suppliers exhibiting in 766,000 square feet of show space — 27% more than the 604,000 in 2009. Attendance was 8,696 in 2010, compared to 8,323 in 2009, an increase of 5%. Dealer attendance was
3,173, up 11%. A total of 1,294 dealerships attended the Louisville show, an increase of 10%. With 2010 shipments projected to improve 43% from 2009, the mood on the show floor had a similar upswing, according to attendees. “The general mood of the show, with the increase in show space, is terrific and encouraging,” said Bob Olson, president and CEO of Winnebago. “It points to the fact that we’re on the road to recovery.”
“Traffic has been very good,” said Northern Lite General Manager Keith Donkin. “There are definitely more dealers here than last year, and the attitude is more upbeat.”
“We found that optimism was much higher on the floor this year,” said Michael Santillo, director of marketing at Flexsteel. “This is an excellent show for us to be in front of our Continued
ARTWORK | LOGO DESIGN | WEBSITES | PRINTING SERVICES Contact Dennis Macready 865 387 5667 | 865 429 8344 E: dennis@voircreative.com W: www.voircreative.com
Continued customers to establish and maintain our relationships. This is definitely the pinnacle show for us.”
been very responsive and we’ve written a lot of orders.”
“This is the best new dealer show in my six years of coming to Louisville,” said Kevin McMahon, a Sunnybrook RV sales representative. “There’s more confidence among dealers this year than last year.”
“The positive energy in Louisville shows the strength of the industry’s recovery,” said RVIA President Richard Coon. “It gives us a great opportunity to build on this year’s growth and to have a prosperous 2011 and beyond.”
“This is the best diesel show we’ve had in the past eight years I’ve been coming,” said Matt Thompson, vice president of diesel for Thor Motor Coach. “Dealers have
Next year’s show — the 49th Annual National RV Trade Show — will take place Nov. 29 through Dec.1 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.
Panama City Beach Hundreds of Panama City Beach residents are relieved, if only for the time being, knowing an RV resort will not be built in their backyards. The project engineer withdrew the application at the city's planning board meeting.
plan, allowing it to build what it calls a high-end motor coach resort. Neighbors are afraid of what that could bring to their quiet, family neighborhood.
Hundreds of people filled City Hall Monday afternoon, filling all the seats, standing against the walls, even lining the hallway nearly half-an-hour before the meeting even started. Nashyork, which owns the property just off of Highway 98 was scheduled to ask the Planning Board to approve a change to the master
Luby Woroch said, "They would be pulling in morning, noon and middle of the night, making noise, beeping, flashing lights with surrounding sing family residential homes. Now that makes absolutely no sense." People at the meeting are worried Nashyork will reapply with the board every three months until it gets what it wants. Full Article: www.wjhg.com
By Art Lieberman For years the Credit Card industry has touted the use of “Smart Cards” to replace the swipe technology now used to read credit cards. A tiny battery is placed on a credit card embedded in an image which contains all the ID credit card information of the cardholder. Smart cards use Radio Frequency technology and reading smart cards is faster and more efficient that the present technology. What’s more the RFID is contactless and the card need only to “waved” near a reader to be read. The idea was sold to credit card issuers and even to the US Government which has placed an RFID image on Passports to speed up the passage of people at airports and other entry points into the US. Of course the very thought of waving around a method to pluck credit card info out of the air has appealed to thieves anxious to get their hands on that info and with identity theft accounting for 63% OF ALL CRIME IN America, RFID is raising eyebrows. It’s being called
the “Johnny Carson attack” based upon Carson’s old “Carnak the Magnificent” sketch that Johnny used on the Tonight Show where he could read a question in an envelope without opening it. There are RFID readers available for under $200 which, when attached to a laptop, will allow a criminal to walk into a crowded venue, such as an airport, sporting event or a mall, press the reader to a pocket book or a wallet and extract the credit card information without actually contacting the individual. How scary is that? Only missing from the data stream are printed verification numbers on the card, however many
merchants do not require that information for their transactions. Recently I received a video from a friend, which was apparently a news show on Channel 3, WREG in Memphis, TN. The station apparently hired a tech to go out and attempt to steal credit card info by utilizing an inexpensive reader and a laptop. The results are there on the video: http://www.wreg.com/videob eta/?watchId=8ba6f8fc90a2-4711-90ea1884ec348310 It seems it’s not enough that merchants have to be aware of credit/debit card theft at their facility but now the RFID technology means that the general
public has something else to worry about. Visa has stated that they would remove the name of the cardholder and the verification ID from the RFID broadcast in future RFID cards – but millions of cards are already out there. Art Lieberman is President of MCPS for Campgrounds, a credit card processor sponsored by Woodforest Bank NA. Art has been in the Credit Card industry for nearly 13 years. Art has been conducting webinars online and seminars on credit cards in many State and Regional Association Conventions
If there’s one thing we’ve learned as credit/debit card providers it’s that when a processor discovers the monthly volume that many campgrounds do in transactions, their mouth’s water. They start saying anything to try to get a campground owner to switch their processing to them. Usually 50% of their offerings are not true- either exaggerations or complete lies. Some examples follow: We are direct processors for Visa, MasterCard and Discover! This statement might be true. Direct processors are also called ACQUIRERS or ACQUIRING BANKS. But this is easy for campground owners to check. The easiest way is to go to www.visa.com, search for the word “Acquirer” and you will find a list of Acquirers and the States they service. If the processor is not there, they
are not direct processors and may only be Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) or even Independent Sales Agents (ISAs) and therefore there is an extra step between you and the source of your rates. We can lower your rates! The question, of course, is which rates? Your qualified or swipe rates? Your nonqualified or non-swipe rates? Your debit card rates? Your overall rates? Or maybe it’s your fees? Then there are additional question with these rates. Do they protect you from PCI violations and how? Do they charge MONTHLY MINIMUMS if you are a seasonal campground? We can give you free equipment. This is a frequent misconception. As the old saying goes, “there is no free lunch”. The provider will build into your
rates an up charge which during the term of the service agreement will easily pay them back for providing the equipment. Usually in the service agreement there is a statement that should the term of the agreement be breached, the equipment will have to be returned to the provider. We’re your local bank and can easily process for you and get your processing money the next day. Most “local banks” do not actually process credit cards but are, in reality, AGENT BANKS of a true processor. They actually can get you processing money the next day, but there is a cost built into the rates for doing so. When Heartland Payment Solutions had a data breach nearly 2 years ago, hundreds of Agent Banks were affected and were sued by their customers.
There are instances when we are told, by prospective customers, that they love their local bank and that they’ll stay with them for their processing. We assure these customers that their local banks love them even more because, not only are they earning extra fees on their credit card processing, but they have the “float” on their funds for a short period of time. It’s the nature of banking! Art Lieberman is President of MCPS for Campgrounds, a credit card processor sponsored by Woodforest Bank NA. Art has been in the Credit Card industry for nearly 13 years. Art has been conducting webinars online and seminars on credit cards in many State and Regional Association Conventions
Mary Emily Platt Jackson, the co-founder of Ocean Lakes Family Campground with her husband, Nelson Jackson, died Saturday morning at home. She was 89. She married Nelson Jackson in 1942, and the two moved to Myrtle Beach from Conway in 1970. Nelson Jackson died in
February just shy of his 90th birthday. The Jacksons started the campground, which was honored by the state with the Governor's Cup as one of South Carolina's top tourist attractions, in 1971. It quickly grew to more than 300 acres of campsites and amenities
hosting various local celebrations, events and conventions. The campground is one of the largest properties in The Jackson Cos. portfolio, which includes the Prestwick Country Club and Sayebrook. The Jackson family is also known locally for their philanthropy. The couple's five daughters gave money to Coastal Carolina University in 2004 to help establish the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values in honor of their parents. The center hosts public forums for discussions on ethical issues and offers an afterschool ethics program for middle school children. The same year, the couple were honored with the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor, for their charitable work. "You inspire others to serve because you lead not by word but by example," Gov. Mark Sanford wrote in the letter accompanying the award. Addressing the crowd gathered at Prestwick Country Club in 2004, Mary Jackson was optimistic about the future. "It's been a privilege to watch this area grow up for 82 years," she said. "I think
we should keep on going. There's no telling where this place will be in another 82 years." Rep. Alan Clemmons asked in 2007 that the legislature honor the Jacksons for their community involvement and generosity by declaring June 2 "Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson Day." The Jacksons opened Ocean Lakes with 30 campsites and one bath house. It has grown to 3,447 sites and has about 450 employees in the peak season, 150 in the offseason. In February, long-time employee Barb Krumm described the Jacksons' marriage as "unbelievably close," with the two rarely going somewhere without the other. "The charitable mindedness of Mr. and Mrs. Jackson was amazing," she said. "They encouraged others do the same. They led by example." www.wmbfnews.com
By Larry
http://issuu.com/industryenews/docs/getawayusamediakit1 The good news is that the earth didn’t melt and the ice caps are still there. Global warming statistics turned out to be rigged, casting a credibility cloud over warnings of impending atmospheric doom. The great oil spill is over and it did not destroy the Gulf of Mexico, thanks in part to the ocean’s recuperative capacity itself. On the bad news side of things the world experienced volcanic disruptions, earthquakes and devastating flooding. The population continues to expand and industrialize at a rate threatening the resources necessary for to sustaining human life. The oceans have larger dead zones. Supplies of usable water continue to diminish in the face of growing consumption. Water quality and air quality continue to decline. The rain forests continue to be cut down. Usage and growing demand continue
to outstrip the capacity for providing clean energy. Climate change made life miserable for millions: droughts, excessive heat, savage storms, flooding and now an early brutal winter. There is no reason to despair, however. Maybe that is the truly good news: new ways of managing resources and everexpanding awareness about what is and is not good for the environment are gaining momentum worldwide. The Green movement appears to have taken hold in the building industry. Advances in energy production as well as energy management are in the news every day, both at home and abroad. As always, we each need to do our part, however small: a few less hours of Christmas lighting this year, a little less use of salt on the ice up north and a little less use of air conditioning in snow bird land would help. Have a blessed Christmas and may 2011 be a very good year for you and yours!
ASHBURN, Va., Dec. 13, 2010 – Public park employees now have greater opportunities for specialized education in campground management than ever before. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has partnered with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) and the National Training Center (NTC) for Public Facility Managers at Oglebay to offer government employees and the public park and recreation community the School of RV Park & Campground Management—a two-year professional development program designed to equip individuals with the tools they need to develop and manage successful RV parks and campgrounds.
The first two-year program under the new partnership will launch at the Oglebay Resort & Conference Center in Wheeling, W.Va., Feb. 2227, 2011. The School of RV Park & Campground Management has been offered annually since its inception in 1994 by NTC for ARVC, and is the premier education and training opportunity in the management of recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds. The school offers educational sessions in a wide variety of topics, including Finance and Administration, Marketing and Promotion, Customer Service and Recreation Management. “We are excited that a new collaboration is now in place
with NRPA to offer the longsuccessful Campground Management School,” said Bill Koegler, director of the National Training Center at Oglebay. “This partnership will provide NRPA’s members with a new, high-level management training opportunity to develop effective and sustainable campground operations.” “Camping is an affordable and accessible way for millions of Americans to vacation with their families and friends, and enjoy the outdoors,” said Barbara Tulipane, CEO of NRPA. “With the new School of RV Park & Campground Management, our members have the opportunity to
receive training at the highest standards in order to provide their local communities quality camping and outdoor recreational services.” ARVC President and CEO Linda Profaizer added, “This is a great partnership that will provide an additional audience for the National School of RV Park & Campground Management while exposing our existing students to the programs offered by NRPA. Our goal is to provide training to help attendees provide the best in camping facilities for all of their guests.” For more information, go to http://campgroundschool.org/.
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- If you get a chance to pass Bozeman's Main Street Exit on Interstate-90, you will probably notice a bright array of lights below you off to the side. Chances are, it's the Christmas display at the Sunrise Campground on the Frontage Road. Each Christmas Marty Stanek, and his wife Maryjo set up their annual display of thousands of lights, and dozens of large decorations. "We just put it up, until I
think it looks okay, and call it good for the year," Marty said. The tradition began about 13 years ago, shortly after the Stanek's bought the campground. Marty said before moving to the area, he used to put up a similar display for neighborhood kids. Even then, without so many lights, he would get a reaction from kids that would stick with him, and inspire him to continue to add to his collection of decorations.
"That's why I started doing it. Every year I turned my lights on, and the three year old kids would bring me cookies. Just a little 'thank you'," Marty said.
But come the spring months, when it all begins to melt away, and the Stanek's will be left with a yard full of cords once again.
Setting up the lights takes months, Maryjo said. It begins when it is a little warmer. Taking them down takes just as long.
Maryjo said each year after clean-up, the cord pile is a couple of feet high.
"It's quite a lengthy process," Maryjo said. Hundreds of cords line the lawn, which is, for now, covered by at least a foot of snow.
But every year, the reactions they get from passers-by is worth all of the hard work. Marty said he always looks forward to putting a smile on the faces of kids. Article: www.nbcmontana.com
longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton next April. DESIGNERS are hard at work revamping the interior of Airstream Europe's iconic 'silver bullet' single-axle 534 touring caravan. It will be on sale next year. BAILEY Caravans in Britain will fit anti-theft tracking systems to 11 of its models. Buyers will receive a year's free subscription under a new agreement with TRACKER Caravan Monitors. POLICE in Berlin, Germany, discovered 52kg of
cannabis hidden inside a caravan's gas bottles as it was about to begin an overland trip to England. CARAVAN parks near London have been flooded with inquiries about accommodation following the announcement of Prince William's marriage to
CARAVAN buyers in the UK are flocking to place their orders in a bid to beat a VAT (GST) increase to 20 percent from January 4 next year. The recent West Midlands Caravan and Motorhome Show reported record sales. THE owner of England's
Silent Woman caravan park in Wareham has been ordered to pay fines and costs of $12,000 after residents were left shivering in minus five degree temperatures overnight following a power cut. Ian Stainer, 53, appeared before Bournemouth magistrates and denied failing to call either an electrician or Scottish and Southern Electricity to the site, instead waiting until morning. A woman in her late 80s was taken to hospital with suspected hypothermia, the court heard. And the name of the town where the caravan park is located? Coldharbour!
A Very Merry Christmas