Issue 126 Campground

Gene H. Zanger, partowner and a general manager of the historic Casa de Fruta tourism complex and its 300space RV Orchard Resort in Hollister, Calif., has received the campground industry’s highest honor for an individual: the Stan Martin Memorial Award.

Presented by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds during the recent InSites Convention and Tradeshow in Las Vegas, the Stan Martin Memorial Award recognizes campground, RV park

and resort operators who serve as role models for their peers in the industry through their exceptional volunteerism and commitment to help strengthen the campground segment of the tourism business.

“This is a big deal,” said Debbie Sipe, executive director of the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.

Continued Page 2

Continued from Page 1 Zanger, 48, the son of Casa de Fruta co-founder Eugene Zanger and his wife, Pauline Zanger, served on the board of directors of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds from 2003 to 2009, ultimately serving as vice chairman of the association, during which time he helped launch the campground industry’s GuestRated online consumer satisfaction survey program.

Some 30,200 camping and RV enthusiasts participated in the online survey in 2010, which evaluated guest experiences at 2,400 independent campgrounds and RV resorts affiliated with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.

Guest feedback is used to assign letter grade ratings to campgrounds, while also provide private park operators with feedback they can use to focus their attention on the specific improvements guests would most like to see at their parks.

Zanger was also deeply involved in efforts to encourage the national association to make much

needed improvements to its GoCampingAmerica website, while also stepping up its media outreach efforts to inform consumers of the growing array of activities, entertainment, amenities and rental accommodations that are available in America’s privately owned campgrounds, RV parks and resorts.

brothers to develop the Tahoe Valley Campground in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., and later served on the boards of both the California and National Associations of RV Parks and Campgrounds. Martin was poised to become president of both associations when he died of a massive heart attack in 1992.

Zanger has also been deeply involving in promoting tourism in California, serving on the boards of directors of the California Travel and Tourism Commission from 1998 to 2002 and on the board of the California Travel Parks Association, the predecessor to today’s California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, from 1991 to 1992.

“Stan Martin was as good as they come,” said Tug Miller, former co-executive director of the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds who, wife his wife, Judy, is a former recipient of the national Stan Martin Memorial Award. “Through his selflessness, his honesty, his not cutting corners and by doing everything properly and right, he was an inspiration.”

Zanger said it means a great deal to him, personally, to receive the Stan Martin Memorial Award because of the significance the award has in the campground industry.

Initially dedicating his time to land development and to running two water utility companies in the Lake Tahoe area, Stan Martin later worked with his

Miller said Martin and longtime campground industry consultant John Imler spent several years working together to convince the California Public Utilities Commission to allow RV parks to meter their own electricity. They were ultimately successful in their efforts, he said.

Bob Ludwig of Bakersfield

Gene Zanger RV Resort, who received the California version of the Stan Martin Memorial Award, served alongside Martin on the state board.

He remembers Martin having a great personality and a big heart. “If there was something that needed funding, he was the first to pull out his checkbook. If there was a committee being set up, he was the first to volunteer. He exuded such positive feelings,” he said.

David Gorin, a longtime campground industry consultant who was president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds when Martin served on the national board, remembers Martin as a champion of Continued

Continued the campground industry at both state and national levels.

“Stan was an advocate, a very strong advocate, for ARVC because he understood the need to have a national association for the campground industry,” Gorin said. “He also felt that the state associations needed to work together with the national association.”

Beyond this, Gorin said, “Stan really understood what volunteerism was about. He realized that volunteerism is how we pay our dues to the industry that makes our living for us. And when he died very suddenly in his 50s, it was a shock to

everybody. So we decided the best way to honor him was to create the award.”

While Zanger has been heavily involved in promoting camping in recent years, he also has a long history of involvement promoting recreation, tourism, growth and development, serving on the San Benito County Fish and Game Commission (1995 to 1997); the Gilroy Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee (1995-2001); and St. Benedict’s Steering Committee (1994 to 2000).

He has also been a member of Community Vision San Benito County since 2009.

A life long resident of Hollister, Zanger has spent

most of his life working at Casa de Fruta, which was co-founded by his parents, Eugene and Pauline, and brothers, George and Joseph. In his younger days, Gene Zanger spent his summers cutting apricots to be packaged as dried fruit. He also picked cherries, pears, prunes and walnuts at the Casa de Fruta Orchards. During his high school years, he worked alongside his father at the Casa de Fruta Restaurant.

After undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley, Zanger entered Santa Clara University to pursue an M.B.A. During his tenure at SCU, Zanger worked at Levi Strauss Company in San

Francisco. Upon graduation from SCU Gene was hired as a Food Service Product Manager for Oscar Mayer Foods in Madison, Wis., where he worked for three years before returning to the family business at Casa de Fruta.

Zanger’s term on the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds board ended in late 2009.

While he did not seek another term because of his desire to spend more time with his wife, Anni, and children, Lukas, 5, and Caitlin, 2, he continues to mentor campground operators and industry officials.

is efficient, productive and RV consumer-grounded.

As many of you attending the InSites Conference heard me say during the opening luncheon, I will rely on three guiding principles in my general approach to things:

The Year 2011 marks the beginning of a new era for ARVC and with it, the promise of an exciting future that I am delighted to serve as your new President and CEO. I don’t take this responsibility lightly, for as we all learned during the ARVC convention in Las Vegas this past month, much work lies ahead.

Coming into the convention as the “new guy”, I wasn’t really sure what I was inheriting and whether the many factions within ARVC would be capable of joining hands in order to set a new strategic course.

However, after witnessing first hand the monumental progress that was made during the first-of-its-kind, half day group session to better understand and define the roles and responsibilities between our national organization and the individual states, I was greatly encouraged. In a very spontaneous and perhaps symbolic way, this common bond was sealed

the following day with a hand shake and bear hug among some of our most caring and devoted leaders who hadn’t always seen eye to eye.

To me, it marked a new, positive beginning and said loudly and clearly… This train is now heading down the right track.

My career in the private business sector as a Marketing/Operations executive will certainly bring many new methods to the way ARVC approaches its business.

And make no mistake about it, ARVC is a business, complete with all the competitive, fiscal, and political factors that punctuate any business, large or small. Coupled with my extensive thirty year experience is my love and enthusiasm of RV camping, which my family and I have enjoyed for many years.

You should feel comfortable knowing this background will combine to form a leadership style that

First, we at National HQ will always strive to provide a level of customer service and communication to our membership that is exemplary. While I know our staff has tried very hard to deliver top performance in the past, the performance metric itself has not been clearly defined. Beginning first quarter, we will begin to measure phone answering statistics and other communication metrics, so that a baseline can always be monitored and over time, continuously improved.

CAMP made an excellent suggestion to me that State Executives can and should represent the sales/marketing arm of ARVC. I couldn’t agree more and am anxious to put this concept to the test.

Lastly, I’ve learned through life that anything worth accomplishing is best done through teamwork. I know this isn’t a novel concept, but my observation is that many organizations speak these words and few actually live by them. My goal is to seek team partners everywhere: inside the industry, outside the industry, and everywhere in between, to build some great collaboration and consensus.

The future is bright ARVC members and together, we’ll make it happen.

Regards,

Secondly, we at National HQ should continuously strive to help our members obtain a profit. Yes, our Association is a non profit organization, however our members are largely made up of small to medium size businesses that struggle every day to sustain and improve their bottom lines.

At ARVC, we are in a position to steer new revenue your way through innovative marketing, as well as create ways to reduce expenses through the power of volume purchasing. With regards to revenue, a member of

Paul Bambei President/CEO, ARVC

Arizona, Texas, Florida and Louisiana were featured in the recent release of the online magazine GetawayUSA , now in it's third issue.

The magazine promotes camping to a data base of 66 million email addresses across the United States and also features various campgrounds in those states.

"Our aim is to reach out to the public and get them to go camping. There is not a lot of marketing to the

general public and this is one way to promote the industry with a focus on teaching family values, getting the kids away from computer games and into the great outdoors" said Publisher Dennis Macready.

With stunning photography and editorial promoting each state the magazine "sells" the region and then suggests lodging in private campgrounds and state parks.

Campgrounds, State Associations, Tourism

bodies and State Parks are being encouraged to participate in promoting to a new, younger audience.

Latest figures show a major upward trend in the use and easy availability of online magazines.

The latest issue can be read by clicking on the GetawayUSA cover.

Louisiana, Texas, Arizona and Florida feature in Issue 3 of GetawayUSA promoting the great outdoors encouraging camping with features on lodging options.

By Pamela Wright There are a number of Social Media sites out there and each one has a slightly different approach. Twitter, unlike Facebook, Myspace or other SM sites, is an instant messaging system that allows for only 140 characters per message.

The advantage here is that messages are picked up in short bursts and are acted on in that time. The disadvantage is that the messages are picked up in short bursts. If your intended recipient isn’t looking at your message when it is published,

chances are it can get lost in the glut of messages that are received. There are, however, very good reasons to use Twitter to identify your business and build on your one-to-one relationships. Here are my top ten: 1.) Twitter is one of the easiest ways to spread the word about your business.

Once you begin building your followers, you expand your reach exponentially.

As an example, let’s assume you have 10 followers. You tweet to those 10 about your business. Let’s further

assume that just 2 of those followers retweet your message to their followers and let’s assume that they each have 10 followers.

You have now reached 30 people with your message and it has cost you only the amount of time you needed to type the original message. The major lesson to be learned here is to NOT be selling but rather to be informing your followers of important information. You want to treat your followers as if they were sitting down to have a cup of coffee with you not like you were the door to door salesman knocking on their door and shouting look what a great deal I have for you.

2.) Twitter allows you to listen to the everyday conversations of your followers. You have the opportunity to get to know people on a much deeper level than with any other contact method. You will learn what kind of humor they have, what services they really want and need and what they think of your services in general. What an easy way to understand who your customer is.

3.) There are a number of experts that are using Twitter. By following those experts that you feel have the most to offer you, you also get a real education in the basics of their area of

expertise. You will find any number of marketers, PR people, search engine experts, etc. They each give away a lot of information for free…how to write a press release, how to get the attention of the media, ideas for new ways of marketing your business.

4.) Not everybody who follows you or who you follow will be a current customer. The advantage here is that you can begin to develop an idea of where your potential customers are heading and what they are expecting from your type of business. You can pay a lot of money to listen to the industry leaders tell you where they think you are headed, or you can have the person who is going to be buying your services tell you where they want you to go. This is better than poring over an extensive survey where one person has decided what questions to ask. This is hearing the answers to the questions you didn’t know to ask.

5.) Twitter will give you a quick and easy way to network with other business owners in your industry.

Even better, you can network with not only other park owners/managers but also with RV dealers, manufacturers, software developers and anyone else you want to stay in touch with. Once again, you are going to get Continued

Continued information in a real time situation.

6.) Using Twitter you can begin to build a community with your park at the center.

Your customers/guests will be communicating with you on a regular basis, finding out what you have planned that they may be interested in. You can get quick input to questions about how you should approach the media to get coverage for your big event. You can recommend people you know and trust to your followers and you can be sure that they will recommend you in turn.

7.) Your profile on Twitter will encourage traffic to your website. People will not only take a look at your Twitter profile, they will also check out your website to see who and what you are before they decide that they want to follow you. Now your website will become a part of your community and will make you a “friend” rather than just the park owner/manager.

8.) By listening to what your followers tweet about, you will get lots of new ideas for activities and events for your park. Something as simple as a game they played while at a park will spark your creativity for new and different activities.

9.) The major events that you decide to host will benefit from the free publicity that Twitter provides. You might even be able to get sponsors for your event from your

followers. The possibilities are endless.

10.) Twitter is a great way to get feedback on changes that you are considering making. There is a trick in getting the feedback without letting the person on the other end feel like they have the last say on the change, but it is well worth the effort to find out if the change is going to be received as positive rather than negative.

There you have my take on why Twitter is worth the time it takes to manage your account. I’m not sure that you will ever be able to reliably measure the benefits in terms of ROI dollars, but I am sure that it is well worth the effort in terms of ROI goodwill.

My last reason for encouraging you to get on board with Twitter is this.

According to a survey by GoRving, the second largest group of people who are RV owners are in the 35-50 age range. At the lower end of this age range you will find people who are Twitter users. In fact, they probably own a smart phone and have an app where they can Twitter at will. These are the future RVer’s; you should be marketing to them as actively as you market to the older RVer.

Pamela Wright

The new travel planning website also includes information about upcoming sporting and entertainment events at more than half a dozen prominent venues throughout the DFW area CROWLEY, Texas, Jan. 18, 2011 – Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) typically spends the winter months marketing campgrounds, RV parks and resorts to snowbirds and other travelers seeking a sunny refuge from cold weather up North.

But sensing a marketing opportunity with the upcoming SuperBowl, TACO has launched a new website called DFWEventsAndCampgroun ds.com, which helps RV enthusiasts pinpoint campgrounds that are located near Dallas

Cowboy Stadium and other popular special event venues.

“Our visitor traffic has already tripled since we launched the website last fall,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of the statewide campground association, which is best known for its TexasCampgrounds.com and TexasCabinRentals.net websites.

While campgrounds and RV parks have yet to book up for SuperBowl weekend, park operators expect campsites to book up quickly once the final teams are selected for the SuperBowl.

Schaeffer added that if DFWEventsAndCampgroun ds.com proves to be as successful with the

SuperBowl and other sporting and entertainment events as campground operators hope, TACO may develop similar event planning websites for other major cities across the Lone Star State.

In addition to Dallas Cowboy Stadium, the website includes calendar information about a wide range of special events and links to American Airlines Center, the State

Fairgrounds in Dallas; The Ballpark in Arlington; Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie; Fort Worth Stockyards and Texas Motor Speedway.

The website also includes links to Dallas/Forth Worth area RV dealers that rent RVs. “We think this website will become an increasingly important travel and activity planning tool for RVers and even residents who live in the greater Dallas/Forth Worth area,” Schaeffer said.

Woodall’s has awarded 15 Jellystone Park™ Campgrounds their coveted 5W/5W rating.

This dual rating system is based on the development of the park’s facilities and its recreation. In general, the more W’s a campground is awarded, means the camper will find a more resort-like experience. Another vital consideration is a park’s overall maintenance. No matter the park’s amenities, a park can only receive 5W if it achieves a certain standard of up-keep and cleanliness.

Offering park owners and operators a wide array of management and operations courses that have been developed specifically for the school by industry experts.

The school is a 50-hour, intensive two-year program conducted for one week each year. After completing the second year, students earn a Campground

Those parks are: Amboy, IL; Fremont, IN; Lawrence, KS; Williamsport, MD; Frankenmuth, MI; Austin, MN; Pelahatchie, MS; Woodridge, NY; Gardiner, NY; North Hudson, NY; Aurora, OH; Mill Run, PA; Caledonia, WI; Wisconsin Dells, WI; Niagara Falls, ON.

Management Certificate. In addition, for each year of school attended, students earn 25 CPO credits.

Register Today - Space is limited.

For more information contact Barb Youmans, Education Director at 303.681.0401 x18or by email at byoumans@arvc.org.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. Coming this February, Catherine’s Landing, an RVC Outdoor Destination will be open for business.

The resort is located in Hot Springs, AR, on one mile of water frontage on Lake Catherine and is the only outdoor property of its kind in the state and region. After a year of planning and construction, the anticipated Catherine’s Landing will be “your ideal natural environment mixed with your favorite hotel experience,” setting it apart from anything of its kind.

“This is possibly the most extensive destination that we have built,” said Andy Cates, President of RVC Outdoor Destinations. “It was a blank canvas when we started, but we’ve been continually enhancing and adding to it to give people the ultimate outdoor vacation experience,” he added.

Guests can start to make their reservations for Catherine’s Landing, which is open for business February 1st. This is an ideal place for race season visitors to stay because

Oaklawn is only ten minutes away. Catherine’s Landing has a variety of accommodations for guests to choose from, something that differentiates it from resorts or hotels that follow

a simple single-option style of lodging. One option is an RV site with full hook-ups, 50 amp service, and cable.

Or, guests can be treated to a “home away from home” with one of the furnished Continued

Continued RVC Resort Cottages, all of which include a loft, washer/dryer, dishwasher, and flat screen TV. If a guest chooses to go with a more unique and uncommon option, they can stay in a yurt – a modern, round, tent-like structure with wooden floors, windows, skylights, beds with fresh linens, and heating and air conditioning. Rates start at $39 for RV sites, $119 for Resort Cottages, and $36 for yurts per night.

Catherine’s Landing encompasses an already beautiful environment and will offer uncommon amenities, most of which are found at a five star hotel. It is not to be confused with a campground, RV Park, or state park. Amenities at Catherine’s Landing include community lodge with coffee, beer and wine bar, convenience store, fitness center, concierge service, hiking and nature trails, game room, water

access and boat rentals, and much more.

Catherine’s Landing is located on the Humphreys Dairy property and is the first hospitality development that Hot Springs has seen for many years. The main reason for choosing to build a resort in this area is Lake Catherine, which is already a destination in itself. There will be a boat ramp and dock at Catherine’s Landing as well as available pontoon boats. In addition, the location to surrounding attractions such as Garvan Gardens, the Bath House Row in the historic district of Hot Springs, and the horse races at Oaklawn were other reasons for choosing this location.

In the springtime, the resort will host an “open for celebration” event. More details will come later.

For more information on Catherine’s Landing, an RVC Outdoor Destination, visit http://www.catherineslandin g.rvcoutdoors.com/.

Norwich, Conn. — Buried in debt with a scheduled foreclosure sale nearing, the future of Strawberry Park campground will be the focus of a hearing in federal Bankruptcy Court this week.

Lawyers for Preston Strawberry Funding Associates of Norwalk are asking a judge to dismiss motions recently filed on park owner Hyman Biber’s behalf — including involuntary claims totaling more than $900,000 from Biber’s brother, Joseph Biber, Citizens National Bank of Putnam and Richard Rothstein of Norwich.

Mark Stern, attorney for Preston Strawberry Funding Associates, said the recent motions are an attempt to derail the foreclosure sale.

“Now there’s an amorphous investor that’s unnamed and unknown to anybody,” Stern said. “What this is about is delay. We’re not getting any closer to a resolution, we’re just digging a bigger hole.”

Stern said every new motion from Biber adds new debt to a property already $20 million in the red, including a state court judgment saying Strawberry Park and

related companies owe Preston Strawberry Funding Associates $3.4 million on a defaulted loan.

“Resetting the clock at this point is a waste of funds and efforts made on behalf of the creditors to resolve this matter and will only add another layer of expense and fat to the resolution,” Stern wrote in a recent motion to the court.

Biber and his attorney, Carl T. Gulliver, could not be reached for comment for this report, but Gulliver has said Biber is looking to get the most return to his investors as possible.

The park off Pierce Road, with an estimated value of $10 million, is currently under state court-appointed receivership. The park includes 77 acres with more than 500 campsites, an RV park with units sold to individual owners and 80 additional acres with equestrian, volleyball and other park-related activities, according to a disclosure filed by TD Bank, which won an $8 million judgment for default of a loan last year.

Biber filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October.

Article: www.norwichbulletin.com

ARTWORK | LOGO DESIGN | WEBSITES | PRINTING SERVICES Contact Dennis Macready 865 387 5667 | 865 429 8344 E: dennis@voircreative.com W: www.voircreative.com

New Berlin, PA - The results are in from the 2010 version of the Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo, produced by Campground Expo. The expo centered on the campground industry with just a smattering of exhibitors and attendees from marinas, golf resorts, paddleboat and canoeing facilities and dude ranches. There were 473 total unique attendees at the Expo, 256 of which were campground owners.

The educational sessions were extremely well attended with 730 total views of the webinars.

Derrick Crandall’s “Let’s Move” keynote webinar drew 216 attendees.

The results of a survey taken from attendees indicate that 76% of them said that they favored the virtual concept, but, as reported earlier, 62% of them did not like the software for the expo.

Producers Art Lieberman and Deanne Bower have spent the last several months examining other software alternatives and have found 4 that might be suitable. After meeting with the Advisory Board and demonstrations of the various software later this month and in early February, the Producers will decide on their choice of the software provider and announce dates of the 2011 (and perhaps even the 2012) version(s) of the Virtual Outdoor Hospitality

Expo. No timing conflicts are expected with physical events being run in the outdoor hospitality industry.

Apparently, the virtual expo didn’t go unnoticed by the RV industry. On March 15th - 17th, the RVDA will be producing their own virtual expo and the show will remain in an “on demand” status for one additional month until April 15th. Whether or not the Association heard about the Outdoor Hospitality Expo and decided to try it, or they have been planning a virtual show for some time is unknown at this writing.

The RV industry show, does differ in several aspects from the show produced by Lieberman and Bower for the campground industry. The RVDA is selling booths based on virtual space called “nodes”, with prices starting at $1,595 for a standard 2-node booth and increasing $500 per node.

Their event will also be in the “on demand” status for one month, while the outdoor hospitality event is still running and will be until the end of January at http://live.outdoorhospitality expo.com.

Their expo, however, also has free admission for attendees and all of the benefits of a virtual show still pertain to the RVDA’s expo.

With the weak economy, a lot of people are looking for vacations closer to home. Even the super-rich are looking for local pleasures and what better way to do it that in the world's most expensive RV. $2.5 million allows you visit campgrounds while still enjoying all the comforts of your mansion. Allow us to introduce the Platinum Plus RV! Need to take a quick day trip? Easy ... use the sports car stored underneath.

Need gas? No, you don't. The tank hold 235 gallons (that's bascially a $1000 fill-up)

The free directory, which can be ordered through Camp-California.com, provides information on more than 700 privately owned campgrounds as well as campgrounds in county, state and national parks.

Page 3 of the directory also includes a 2011 RVing Rewards card, which enables the cardholder to obtain a variety of discounts and special offers at participating campgrounds throughout California.

The directory also includes an RVing Rewards card, which enables the cardholder to obtain a variety of discounts and special offers at participating campgrounds throughout California

The directory is free and can be picked up at most campgrounds that are affiliated with the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds as well as California Welcome Centers, Camping World and Bass Pro Shop stores throughout California. It can also be ordered online through CampCalifornia.com. However, there is a small fee to cover the cost of postage.

AUBURN, Calif., Jan. 13, 2011 – The California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds this week is distributing 225,000 copies of the 2011 Camp-California! The Camper’s Guide to California, a free, four-color glossy magazine that lists more than 700 campgrounds and RV resorts throughout the Golden State.

“This directory is unique because it includes listings of privately owned campgrounds as well as campgrounds in county, state and national parks, which you typically won’t find in the same directory, either in print or online,” said Debbie Sipe, executive director of the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.

“The only California campgrounds that are not listed in this directory are campgrounds on Forest Service and BLM land, which are too numerous to include in the 104-page directory,” she said. Even with those exceptions, the California RV Travel & Camping Guide has the greatest diversity of campground listings in the state.

And unlike most campground guides, which merely list facts involving each park, the California RV Travel & Camping Guide features detailed descriptions of privately

owned campgrounds that are written by the park’s owners to better describe the experience campers are likely to have at their park.

hot tubs or spas, playgrounds, convenience stores and laundry service.

The informational grid also indicates if the park charges a fee for Wi-Fi service.

The guide also includes locator maps that feature multiple campgrounds on the same page so you can see where the campgrounds are located in relation to places you might like to visit.

Campground listings also include information on fun things to see and do nearby, such as fishing, kayaking, hiking, wine tasting, etc.

Informational grids are also provided that indicate if the campground is big rig friendly or offers pullthrough sites, tent sites, rental accommodations, swimming pools, showers,

Camp-California.com includes a searchable database of more than 350 private campgrounds and RV resorts throughout California, and new parks are added to the website each month.

By Larry

http://issuu.com/industryenews/docs/getawayusamediakit1 Most of North America and Europe are experiencing an unusually brutal winter: violent wind, strong storms, very cold temperatures and huge blizzards. At the moment there is no dispute that we are cooling, not warming. Just ask the farmers in Florida!

It's back! The MARVAC Battle Creek Camper & RV Show When: January 27-30, 2011 Hours: Weekdays 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Kellogg Arena, One McCamly Square, Battle Creek, MI 49017.

Located just east of M-66 in downtown Battle Creek.

Display: All types of new recreation vehicles—over 50 units and over 15 brands displayed; folding campers, motor homes, travel trailers and fifth wheel travel trailers, ranging in price from $5,000 to more than

$100,000.

Booths featuring parts and accessories, campground information, RV financing and RV rentals make this the complete RV show experience. Consumers can pick up the new 2011 RV & Campsite. This guide to camping and RV dealers in Michigan now includes coupons.

Admission: Adult admission (ages 13 and up) is $5; senior admission (ages 55 and older) is $4; children 12 and under get in free!

For more information: Please visit www.marvac.org.

The best explanation this writer has heard relates to El Nina, the cooling of the Pacific Ocean. The south Pacific is heated most by sunlight falling near the equator. In this less active sun cycle the south Pacific cools, changing the wind currents. They now allow cold arctic air to drain down. The North Pole warms a little while the rest of North America cools a lot. Cold air drains down into warmer moist air, causing larger and more violent storms.

Climate change cycles play out in years and decades, making the effects of climate change only slightly noticeable until they become extreme.

“Extreme” involves drought where it has rained for

years such as Georgia and Florida. Another would be the east coast and New England, where the ample moisture, sets the stage for winter blizzards and flooding rains.

There is a saying in places like Oklahoma where the weather changes with the wind: “If you do not like the weather, wait a few hours.”

One constant about climate is that it will change. When it will change is not certain knowledge. Climate prediction falls between science and guesswork.

The best advice: be prepared for all possible extremes. If you are getting rain and snow prepare drought and water rationing.

If you are experiencing drought do not assume there will never be floods.

Many floods occur on drought-stricken earth that cannot absorb water very rapidly because the ground is baked and the vegetation is too weak to soak up moisture.

Never let your guard down.

On November 4, 2010, Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort received the 2010 Marketing Award for Best Mailer Piece during the 47th Annual Conference and Trade Show of Campground Owners of New York (CONY), held at the Holiday Inn Syracuse /Liverpool Airport Hotel.This is the third year in a row Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort has won this award. The campground is located in Bath, NY, in the Finger Lakes region.

Rosemary Curtis, CPO, operations manager for Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort accepts the CONY marketing award for Best Mailer Piece, from Board Chairman Scott Sherwood.

The winning design, entitled “2010 Vacation Guide: Memories that Last a Lifetime,” was chosen as the top mailer piece by an independent panel of judges.

All members of CONY were invited to submit their mailer pieces for judging.

Other marketing award categories recognized during the CONY Conference included Website Design and Simple Brochure Design.

Bill and Anita Perry, owners of Chautauqua Heights Family Camping Resort, Dewittville, NY, accept the CONY marketing award for Best Simple Brochure.

The winning website at www.ledgeview.com, designed by Bryden Corporation, was chosen as the top website by an independent panel of judges.

All members of CONY were invited to submit their websites for judging.

According to Donald G. Bennett, Jr., CONY President and CEO, the marketing awards honor members for their selfpromotion activities, and encourage improvements in marketing efforts among the CONY membership.

Chautauqua Heights Family Camping Resort received the 2010 Marketing Award for Best Simple Brochure Design.

“The effort that our campgrounds and RV parks put into the design work on their brochures and websites continues to

On behalf of Ledgeview RV Park, Bryan Hickman of Brydan Corporation (left), accepts the CONY marketing award for Best Website, from Board Chairman Scott Sherwood. amaze me year after year,” said Mr. Bennett. “This competition is an opportunity for our members and their designers to show off a little in front of their peers, and maybe encourage others to re-think their own marketing pieces.”

Photos by Campground Owners of New York.

Going into 2011 Southeast Publications USA, Inc. is celebrating its 25th year as a site map publishing company. It’s already turning out to be a great year. For the past 18 years Southeast Publications has held an auction at it’s annual Fall Meeting to raise money for the KOA Care Camps Program. The auction is usually a small, fun affair for the staff and Sales Reps within the company. Through the 18 years, Southeast Publications has raised almost $300,000 to donate to the Care Camps Program. This year Southeast Publications had

two auctions, one at the annual Spring Meeting and again at the Fall Meeting.

The auctions raised $30,000, it’s largest donation to date.

In May of 2010, the owner and founder of Southeast Publications, Peter Warrick passed away. In late September we lost another pioneer in the industry, rep #4, Sales Manager and 20 year veteran with Southeast Publications, Ron Pfeifer. In lieu of flowers, both families asked that donations be given to the Care Camps Program. Being Peter Warrick was such a big Vespa enthusiast,

Southeast Publications also donated a Vespa scooter to KOA for their Care Camps auction held at the Savannah Convention Center in November. The scooter brought in another $3,500. In a year that had taken so much away from the company, Southeast Publications overcame and gave back almost $40,000 to a very important and worthwhile cause.

Now under the guidance of Wally Warrick, Peter’s son, Southeast Publications is moving into the New Year with a lot of enthusiasm.

Some small tweaks are being made to an already,

Welcome Back! We missed you.

You can’t imagine how much of the success of our business relies on the ENews.

The ads we run announcing our webinars have not only promoted MCPS for Campgrounds, but the webinars themselves have made us somewhat of an authority on the Processing Card Industry’s regulations. In theory, our combined efforts have saved campgrounds tens of thousands of dollars.

We also enjoy serving as a reporter and columnist for

well established organization, that will allow for further growth as a company. In 2011 we will meet and exceed the needs put in front of us. In 2011 we are continuing the legend that separates us from the rest and allows us to be “The BEST” in the site map industry.

the publication. It helps us spread information to your readers about credit and debit cards which constitute an average of 79% of all revenues of campgrounds.

Finally, we like reporting on the industry conventions we attend for the publication.

We hope you and your readers had a great holiday season and look forward to an exciting 2011 season – if it ever stops snowing.

Art Lieberman President MCPS for Campgrounds and Producer Campground Expositions.

commemorate its history, relationships and triumphs.

January 17, 2010, Myrtle Beach, S.C. – Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is celebrating its 40th birthday during 2011.

The oceanfront campground is planning great events, contests, prizes and activities to

The yearlong celebration will center around Ocean Lakes’ loyal guests and teammates. Highlights include a cake gala and contest featuring $3,000 in grand prizes; random prize giveaways; a “Picture This!

Calendar Photo Contest”; the unveiling of a new mascot costume to attend events; and the dedication of a town clock. In addition, Ocean Lakes' goal is to reach 40,000 fans on

Facebook by its birthday on July 2, 2011; there are now more than 22,000 fans.

“Our founders have always said that we are in the 'family business,'” said Barb Krumm, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Ocean Lakes Family Campground. “Our goal has always been customer service and to create a place for family fun. In 2011, we are celebrating 40 years of creating family memories that last a lifetime.”

The East Coast's largest campground will kick off its birthday celebration by hosting its 11th Annual Beach n' Boogie Weekend Feb. 18 through Feb. 19. It will feature great beach music by The Fantastic Shakers and The Embers, shag lessons, prizes, food and fun for all ages.

Facebook fans from all over the country will gather at Ocean Lakes for its 2nd Annual Facebook Fan Appreciation Weekend April 1 through April 2. Last year, more than 100 fans participated in the fun-filled weekend. This event is fun for those who attend in person as well as those tuning in remotely on Facebook for photos, prizes, video and games.

On April 15, the campground will host its premier event of the season, the exclusive Cake Gala. To attend the gala, guests must win one of 400 elusive “Golden

Tickets” online or in park. At the gala, Ocean Lakes’ guests and teammates will create cake masterpieces that embody the 40 years of great memories and fun at Ocean Lakes Family Campground. There are three categories in this contest and each grand prize winner will receive $1,000.

More than 30,000 guests will be in the park for Ocean Lakes' official birthday on July 2. Plans include many prizes and birthday activities. The campground wants to recognize guests with the same birth date, and especially those who turn 40 on that day.

Other highlights throughout the year include the 2nd Annual Salute to the Troops on Independence Day, the 13th Annual Premier Bluegrass Weekend, Gospel Weekend, 7th Annual All Star Golf Car Show, Halloween Weekend and the South Carolina Fossil Fair.

“Our campground has a rich history of drawing families from all over the United States for a premier camping experience,” Krumm said. “Millions have vacationed at Ocean Lakes – many families for three and four generations. It’s an honor to be part of their families' traditions. Plus, we have several teammates who have worked here for 20 to 30 years. Many of our guests and teammates know each other by name.”

By Nichole PoissonEvergreenUSA Insurance.

Director’s and Officer’s Liability Insurance (D&O) provides financial protection for the directors and officers of your company in the event they are sued in conjunction with the performance of their duties as they relate to the company. Frequently, the plaintiffs are stockholders of the corporation, who may feel they have been harmed financially by negligent management of the corporation. In other cases the suit may be brought by employees, customers, competitors, regulators or clients.

Anytime you assemble a board of directors, claims can be made against the company and against the directors of the company.

Since a director can be held personally responsible for acts of the company, most directors and officers will actually demand to be protected rather than put their personal assets at stake.

There is no single standard form for D & O coverage and they vary from insurance company to insurance company. The typical D & O insurance policy is subject to a deductible and a percentage-based insured’s participation in each loss, however the Evergreen policy does not impose such deductibles.

Covered persons under the Evergreen D & O policy include the named insured, present and past employees, officers, directors, trustees, volunteers, or staff members of the organization or any “subsidiaries, those acting on behalf of the organization and any legal representatives of deceased directors and officers.”

Evergreen will pay on behalf of the insured, up to the policy limits, for losses that the insured becomes legally liable for as a result of a claim arising out of the wrongful acts committed by the insured during the conduct of the insured business. Evergreen will also provide supplementary payments in respect to any claim we investigate, settle or defend for the insured which includes: All the expenses we incur, up to $500 for the cost of bonds and up to $200 per day for loss of earnings due to time off from work for depositions or trials.

Some of the exclusions present in the Evergreen D & O policy include: dishonest, fraudulent, criminal or malicious acts, assault or battery; libel and slander, failure to maintain insurance, pollution incidents, responsibilities under ERISA, any claim arising out of any lawsuits between the insured, willful violations of law, bodily injury, sickness, disease,

death, emotional distress and loss of use of tangible property or property damage.

It is important to review your organization’s D & O policy in its entirety to understand

who is an insured, the coverage provided, the conditions present for the insured and the insurer and the exclusions that apply