Issue 136 campground & RV Park E News

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) plans to retain one of the most reputable law firms in the country to handle its government relations work.

ARVC’s Public Affairs Committee, which reviewed

the proposals, gave unanimous support of the recommendation on Wednesday to retain the Washington D.C. law firm of McDermott Will & Emery after concluding an extensive two-month RFP process that generated several proposals from

government affairs firms across the country. “The Committee was impressed with both the depth and caliber of the proposals we received.

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affecting ARVC and the outdoor hospitality industry, as well as strategically reestablishing a National Issues Conference involving key face to face meetings between ARVC members and their elected officials on the Hill.

Paul Bambei But after reviewing each of the proposals, McDermott Will & Emery clearly stood out as the firm that would best meet ARVC’s needs,” said Paul Bambei, ARVC’s President and CEO. McDermott Will & Emery will replace McLean, Va. based King & Gorin, which has worked as ARVC’s government affairs lobbyist for the past decade.

Bambei said McDermott Will & Emery, which is both an established lobby and legal concern with deep research and analytical resources, will begin working for ARVC on May 1st. Its initial assignments will include assessment of key national issues

Additionally, because of its 6 regional offices throughout the U.S., the firm will be asked to closely monitor and assist ARVC in assessing the many state issues that affect the Association.

Initially founded as a tax practice in Chicago in 1934, McDermott Will & Emery has grown to become the 33rd largest law firm in the world, with more than 1,000 lawyers in the United States and Europe. Its client base includes more than 82 percent of Fortune 100 firms and 33 percent of the Forbes 100 Largest Private Companies. The firm has been recognized as a leader in 25 practice areas.

Its specialties include environmental law,

government strategies, labor and employment, employee benefits and pensions, corporate law, antitrust and competition, safety and health, as well as state and local tax issues. More information about the firm is available at www.mwe.com.

Headquartered in Denver, the National Association of RV Parks and

Campgrounds is the national voice of the outdoor hospitality industry, providing educational, legislative, marketing and media relations services to privately owned campgrounds, RV parks and resorts across the United States. For more information, please visit its websites at www.arvc.org and www.gocampingamerica.com.

By Art Lieberman New Berlin, PA – David Gorin, who is perhaps the guru of the RV campground industry, has decided to make the ultimate commitment to the Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo II by becoming its first Platinum Sponsor.

Gorin, whose experience encompasses 24 years in the industry, is the owner of David Gorin & Associates and the creator of Best Parks In America, both of which will be represented in the most prominent booths in the virtual exhibit hall.

From 1987 to 2001, Gorin served as the President and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC). He created the National School of RV Park and Campground Management and served on its Board of Regents from 2001-2007, formalized the Certified Park Owner Program (CPO), created the website www.GoCampingAmerica.com, has managed and built the Virginia Campground Association for 9 years and has received many awards and laurels from inside and outside the industry. There are few individuals in the campground industry that have the knowledge that David has, and none with the vast experience.

Founded in 2002, after David stepped down from

David Gorin ARVC, utilizing the expertise he had developed from his 14 years experience there, he formed David Gorin & Associates, the premiere consulting firm on RV Parks and Campgrounds.

David has teamed with: strategic partner, Donald O. Westphal an experienced site planner, zoning, landscaping and design expert; Tom Zuidema, senior consulting associate, who has owned and operated parks in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Arizona; Douglas Campbell, senior consulting architect and Jack May, CFP, who provides DGA with financial planning for their clients. An impressive array of talented individuals!

From 2002 until April 2011, Gorin and his partner Aubrey King provided government relations consulting and representation to ARVC through their King & Gorin government relations firm.

ARVC has just announced that it is terminating that relationship at the end of April of this year and moving ARVC’s government relations business to an international law firm based in Washington, DC. This change by ARVC will end Gorin’s 24 years of continuous service to ARVC. His service and work in the park industry will continue through David Gorin & Associates, Best Parks In American and the Virginia association.

concept last year and was one of the earliest members of the Virtual show’s Advisory Board. Many of his ideas were incorporated into the marketing and development of the first Expo.

The 2011 Expo is now been renamed “David Gorin & Associates Presents - The Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo II”.

DGA can be contacted at info@davidgorinassociates.com,

by phone at 703-448-6863 or by fax at 703-991-4065. In addition to his main office in McLean, VA, DGA also has a satellite office in Sarasota, FL that serves clients throughout Southeastern US. David is still “hands on”, however when it comes to campground operations.

He was a developer and coowner of Holiday Cove RV Resort in Florida from 20072010 and is actively seeking partnership opportunities.

David was one of the first to sign on to the virtual

Art Lieberman The Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo II is scheduled to take place on 11-11-11 for 2 days and another 60 days in an ondemand status. The producers may be contacted by calling 877-901-EXPO (3976) or by e-mail at campvirtualshow@yahoo.com.

Their website (currently being updated) is www.outdoorhospitalityexpo.com.

Pelland Advertising maintains the Expo’s Webpage.

Paul, Kings Supply explains the paper towel dispenser.

Brian making a sale at the Gerber stand.

Cyndy Zbierski Executive Assistant Northeast Campground Assn. thanks Paul Bambei for speaking about ARVC's new marketing initiatives.

Lori Severson of Severson & Associates in Wisconsin was a keynote speaker at the Northeast convention and was a big hit with her dynamic presentation of "Owning Your Personal Motivation" Dave Tetrault Executive Director Northeast Campground Association now in his 43rd year in the Campground industry speaks at the NCA Awards Luncheon to a packed gathering of Campground owners and Suppliers to the industry.

Paul Bambei ARVC CEO and David L Berg ARVC Chairman at the Northeast Convention.

Dean Crawford Leisure System's Executive Vice President mans the Jellystone stand.

WASHINGTON -- Tom Tidwell, chief of the USDA Forest Service, was the special guest speaker at the Recreation Exchange hosted by the American Recreation Coalition March 24 in Washington.

The near-monthly exchanges have featured guests who are influencing recreation public policy in America since 1979.

As chief of the Forest Service, Tidwell leads the agency responsible for the management of 193 million acres of national forests and national grasslands.

These lands provide an amazing diversity of outdoor recreation opportunities, connecting people with nature in an unmatched variety of settings and activities and hosting some 200 million recreation visits to national forests annually, said Tracey Simmons, with the American Recreation Coalition.

Chief Tidwell emphasized the value of recreation in the national forests to the nation in terms of health, jobs and the economy -- at least $14.5 billion, or more than half of the total contribution of the Forest Service to GDP. “Recreation is a major part of our role in managing the 193 million acres of forests and grasslands," said Tidwell. "We recognize the full value of recreation to

the nation and communities, such as economic and employment opportunities, and healthy lifestyles.”

Tidwell told the group that the White House’s AGO Initiative was an incredible opportunity, saying the report released Feb. 16 offers a platform for expanding recreation and “an opportunity to highlight the benefits of the outdoors on health and well being.”

He emphasized the importance of recreation to our recovering economy.

“The recreation industry is the economic driver for much of America, and especially rural communities, perhaps much more than people know," Tidwell explained.

“The more we talk about the economic benefits, the better.”

The chief talked next about the Forest Service Planning Rule draft, which was released Feb. 10 and is now in public comment stage. To comment, click here.

Tidwell emphasized the importance of planning for the future – that people will want and need different ways to access and enjoy public lands 10 or 40 years from now.

“We need to look at visitor needs and how we invest and plan for what's best long range," he said. "We must be adaptable.”

Subscriber list growth should be near the top of your email marketing program’s priority list.

Here are five online-specific tactics to help you accomplish your acquisition goals and identify opportunities that you may be missing: 1. Enhance your website.

• Conduct a touchpoint review of your website, documenting the places you currently collect email addresses. Also, identify places to add permissionbased, opt-in language. For example, if you have a customer service-oriented “Contact Us” form, include a check box to give visitors the chance to receive future marketing emails.

• In the e-commerce funnel, capture email addresses at the point of purchase and position your opt-in box near the regular address fields. If you have the box checked by default you'll get more opt-ins, but this may hurt you in the long run since some people won't remember giving permission.

2. Create or optimize a stand-alone email sign-up page.

• Add a global call-out in the navigation on every page of your website that directs visitors to the email sign-up page. Don’t make them hunt for it.

• Having a stand-alone email sign-up page (as

opposed to a global, oneclick capture) will give you more opportunity to direct traffic from other places, such as social media status updates, online ads and pay-per-click ads.

• Simplify your sign-up form to reduce abandonment. Keep form fields to a minimum, while still collecting relevant information for segmentation. You can always request that your subscribers update their profile at a later time.

• Communicate the value propositions and benefits of being an email subscriber. State why the visitor should sign up for your emails.

• Include a screenshot of a sample email so they know what to expect.

• Set frequency expectations.

• Include a link to your privacy statement.

3. Don’t stop there … test your page.

• Test variables such as imagery, content, messaging and form fields.

Test one thing at a time so you can tell what element is making the difference.

• Set up analytics on your email sign-up page to track conversions and form field abandonment.

• Use a testing tool such as

Google Website Optimizer , which is free and fairly easy to set up and track results.

4. Create a mobile-friendly email sign-up page.

• If you have or are planning to have a mobile site or app, make sure that one of the pages is an email sign-up page.

• More and more people are browsing online via their mobile device; this is a big opportunity to capture their information at the point of interest.

• Send an immediate, mobile-friendly welcome email with an offer to encourage even more engagement and interaction.

5. Integrate online and social media into email.

• There are vendors and rich media providers that can design online media ads to collect email addresses directly in the ad. This works well for coupon offers or contests.

Red Door Interactive recently ran a campaign that resulted in 48 percent of consumers opting in for

future messaging when they entered their email address to download coupons.

Cross-promote your email program in social media status updates and link to your sign-up page. Also, include an email sign-up tab or widget on your Facebook page.

After the acquisition.

Whatever acquisition tactics you use, track the source and send a welcome email immediately upon sign up.

Design this welcome email in HTML (as opposed to a simple text confirmation) to highlight your brand and value propositions. If you have the resources, customize different versions of your welcome email to coincide with where and how the subscriber opted in.

This will most likely be your highest open rate email ever; it engages your subscriber from the beginning.

Pilar Bower is the senior email marketing strategist at Red Door Interactive, an internet marketing agency.

Pilar can be reached at pbower@reddoor.biz.

Millions of Americans may be disabled and not even know it, according to some legal experts.

That's because sweeping new regulations from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission offer new guidelines on the issue of how to define "disability" under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA, originally passed in 1990 and updated by Congress in 2008, originally defined disability as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity."

When a worker satisfies the definition, employers must provide reasonable accommodations. For years, employers and employees have clashed over who truly qualifies for the sometimes-costly modifications to workplace duties and schedules.

Attorney Condon McGlothlen says the new regulations could have a profound impact on that debate.

"Before, perhaps 40 million people were covered by the ADA. That number will increase significantly," McGlothlen told Fox News.

"Some people might even say that a majority of Americans are covered as disabled under the law."

EEOC Commissioner Chai

Felblum said the agency worked hard to find compromise between the business and disability communities, and she's optimistic the new regulations provide the right balance. "These are workable guidelines that will help people with disabilities, and it will be workable for employers," Feldblum said.

Although the new regulations cannot classify any condition as a disability per se, there is a list of maladies that will be viewed that way "in virtually all cases." The list includes: autism, diabetes, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Overall, lawyers for employers say the regulations shift the burden of proof in disability claims.

They say that employers will now have to show why a worker doesn't require special accommodations, rather than employees proving that the measures are merited.

"It's going to be very difficult for employers to argue in just about any case that an employee is exaggerating their disability or that the person isn't genuinely disabled," McGlothlen said.

While both sides acknowledge it is only a

matter of time until a legal challenge to the regulations is filed, Feldblum believes they will provide courts with plenty of clarity. She's also urging employers to stop focusing on defining disability, and spend more time on accommodations.

"I am hopeful that employers will now move to the next question which is,

MARSHALL - A Denton business is facing a lawsuit for more than $75,000 after a restroom stall door fell and broke a customer's toe.

Linda Clark filed suit against Affinity Holding Group Inc., doing business as Camping World RV Rental, on March 24 in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division.

According to the lawsuit, Clark was injured on Nov. 4, 2009, while she was a customer on the premises owned by defendant Camping World. Clark states she entered the customers' restroom and attempted to hang her purse on the hanger on the back of the bathroom stall door, when the door to the stall fell to the floor hitting the big toe on her left foot.

'How do we make sure our workplace is welcoming to people with a range of health conditions?'" she told Fox News.

Barring congressional intervention, the new regulations will take effect May 24.

Article: www.foxnews.com

The defendant is accused of failing to correct the condition and of negligence for failing to warn customers of the unreasonably dangerous condition presented by the bathroom stall.

The plaintiff is seeking damages for medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, physical scarring and disfigurement, court costs and interest.

Clark is represented by Melissa Richards Smith of Gillam & Smith in Marshall.

A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge T. John Ward is assigned to the case.

Article: www.setexasrecord.com

An Invitation to Stakeholders in the California RV Park & Campground Industry ...

Bring your walking shoes and enjoy Sacramento in the spring!

We’re meeting April 25th at 5:30 pm in the lobby of the Embassy Suites, Sacramento Riverfront Promenade, adjacent to Old Sacramento. Stay at the Embassy Suites for the great negotiated price of $119 and enjoy a manager’s reception with complimentary cocktails and buffet while Debbie Sipe, CalARVC Executive Director, shares early

results from the Project 85 Drive Market Survey. The Survey was conducted by Mandala Research, LLC and CalARVC partnered to ensure the RV camping industry was represented.

You'll certainly want to engage with fellow vested stakeholders in this informal discussion.

Following this special Crackerbarrel, you’re invited to attend the RecPac Annual Business Meeting and Social from 7:00 – 8:00 pm. The next morning, guests of the hotel will enjoy a complimentary cooked to order breakfast before the Day in Sac sessions begin.

The morning sessions are going to include a two-hour SOPA Update and Review

by Brad Harward of the Housing and Community Development (HCD), followed by legislative training on How to Lobby

by Trent Smith of Edelstein, Gilbert, Robson & Smith. Over lunch Trent will have a legislative update to share with us before we head over to the Capitol for optional legislative visits and a tour.

needed... At 3:00 pm we’ll walk another 3 blocks to the Sacramento Convention Center where we will join the California Travel & Tourism Commission for their opening sessions of the California Tourism Outlook Forum.

It’s only 8 blocks from the Embassy Suites to the Capitol, a lovely stroll late in April. City & hotel parking is available if

This is a Day in Sac you will not want to miss.

Seating is limited and preregistration is required

Finally, it’s back to the Capitol to participate in the impressive Partners in Hospitality & Tourism Legislative Reception!

The Rust family, owners of the Jellystone Park™ Campground in Luray, Virginia, have been recognized with the CampResort of the Year award by the Jellystone Park franchise system.

The award – the highest honor that can be earned by a Jellystone Park CampResort – recognizes a campground and operators who exceed all standards

of operation, show a strong growth in business, implement sustained improvements to the facility and are viewed as leaders in the campground industry.

The picturesque Luray Jellystone Park is found on Lee Highway at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Luray Caverns, world-famous Skyline Drive

and the main entrance to Shenandoah National Park are just a few miles away.

The park boasts beautiful tent and RV sites, ranging from full hookup (water, electric and sewer) Red Carpet sites to rustic tenting. Nine new camping cabins will be added this year for a total of 59 cabins.

For bigger groups, the Three Bears Lodge sleeps 10 and includes a gas fireplace. And activities abound for every member of the family – a twisting, turning tornado of a waterslide; Laser Tag; pedal boats; Old Faceful gem mining; two swimming pools, including one with a spray feature; kiddie pool; miniature golf; fishing; a game room; and a Jumping Pillow.

Planned activities and themed weekends kick off

March 26 with Wake Up the Bears/Two for One Weekend, when guests can camp two nights for the price of one (not valid on cabins and cottages.)

Other great themed weekends include Pirate Adventure Weekend (May 14-15) and the campground’s popular Halloween Weekends (October 14-16, 22-23, and 29-30.) During midsummer themes are extended for a full week; examples include Christmas in July Week (July 5-10); Kids’ Revenge Week (August 1-7); and Yogi Bear’s Birthday Celebration (August 22-28).

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Luray is located at 2250 Lee Highway. The campground is open yearround.

the sayers who said it would never work - how would you enforce such a fee and how would you collect the funds from the Campground Owners?

Great questions, I think it is way past time to answer those questions.

Finally someone brings up an issue our industry has had forever on how do we have a National Marketing campaigh.

I feel the only way is to have it Consumer driven, I hope someone from ARVC reads this article and will react to it.

I served on the ARVC board from 1999-2005 and back then a few of the

Board members got together and did a test marketing on this very issue.

We were surprised how well it worked. We charged I believe, 10 cents per camper nite and it worked very well. We called it an Industry Promotion Fee and not one camper at my park complained, the campers who asked about it understood what we were doing. Oh but then we had

ARVC being our National Assoc. should start looking at this and answer those questions.

I hope other park owners realize the impact this fee would have on our industry, just think about how many camper nites there are Nationally.

That would make a huge impact and ARVC needs to look into this as we have to start somewhere.

Randy Jenkins CPO Statesville East I40 KOA

Admirable thoughts on an industry wide promotion campaign.

If the RV industry can do it via Go RVing, then you'd think the park industry could do it as well.

There have been proposals to fund ARVC, the state associations, public relations and everything else through an industry per camper night assessment of maybe $ .10/nite.

Over the years, that's been considered too much of a reach, that many parks would not participate and how would it be enforced and collected.

I applaud you for bringing up the discussion once again.

David Gorin

Last week we ran an article on "Who should Pay?" and we will continue the dialog on how this can be achieved. If the Hotel/Motels can charge a "Destination fee" then this industry can as well.

Editor

“We’re in the conversion process right now,” said park owner Eileen Gedicke, adding that Jellystone’s name recognition, marketing and reputation for fun family activities will help increase revenues and occupancies at the 230-site park, which is located less than a half hour from Williamsburg.

“We’re putting in a splashpark for the 2011 season,” Gedicke said. “It’s going to have two slides that come off of a 12-foot

HAYES, Va., March 24, 2011 – Gloucester Point Family Campground has become the fifth campground in Virginia to join the Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts chain.

high platform as well as six water features and a zeroentry swimming pool.”

new park model cabins that include full size bathrooms and kitchens.

The park, which is located on the Severn River, a tributary to Chesapeake Bay, is also a popular destination for kayaking and boating enthusiasts.

“From our docks they can get out into open water,” Gedicke said.

Jellystone Parks are widely known for having unique activities and special themed weekends, which is something Gloucester Point Family Campground has offered for years.

The campground is also upgrading some its rental accommodations, replacing several travel trailers with

This year’s events will include a carnival, numerous competitive games, parades, Karaoke and game nights and a “Chocolate Extravaganza” as well as Halloween themed events.

Of course, all these activities will have an extra element of fun with Yogi Bear participating. Yogi will be on site daily to greet campers, pose for photo ops and take part in events.

On March 25, 100 KOA Workampers gathered at the Nashville KOA for the first Workamper Boot Kamp training.

Both new and experienced Workampers participated in a full day of KOA training to prepare them to be great campground employees.

Training topics included: KOA history, Rate Your Stay survey/Net Promoter Score, quality, facilities,

Making it Great service initiative and recreation.

The day concluded with a Virtual Job Fair, where Workampers learned about work opportunities from campground managers, asked questions and learned how to apply.

Workampers participated in the training from as far away as California and Ontario. Due to the large response to this Boot Kamp, KOA plans to host

other regional trainings throughout the year.

Fred and Jenn Stott, managers of the Nashville KOA, hosted the Boot Kamp. Wendy Jensen, manager of the Las Vegas KOA at Circus Circus, and Mo Vandesteene, manager of theMyrtle Beach KOA, helped put on the Virtual Job Fair.

Business Development Consultant Russ French

provided a session on “Rate Your Stay Survey/Net Promoter Score” and “KampSight Reports to the Workampers.”

To learn how to participate in the next KOA Work Kamper Boot Kamp, or for further information, contact Jenny McCullough at jmccullough@koa.net or (800) 548-7104, ext. 7478.

Friends From Around The Country Will Help Myrtle Beach's Ocean Lakes Family Campground Celebrate 2-Year Anniversary On Facebook March 30, 2011, Myrtle Beach, S.C. — Ocean Lakes Family Campground (www.oceanlakes.com) in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is holding its second annual Facebook Fan Appreciation Weekend on April 1 and April 2.

Hundreds of people who 'like' Ocean Lakes on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/o ceanlakesFB?v=app_4949 752878) will attend the event virtually and dozens more are gathering on site to celebrate the campground's 2-year anniversary on the social networking website.

“We're thrilled that so many people are coming to celebrate this social media milestone with us during Facebook Fan Appreciation Weekend,” said Barb Krumm, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Ocean Lakes Family Campground.

“There's still a few more days for guests to register, so we're eager to hear from more of our Facebook families who want to join in on the fun.”

People who 'like' the campground and who want to attend the event in person must register on

the campground's website (http://oceanlakes.thundertix .com). The registration fee is $10 for adults, $5 for children between the ages of 6 and 12 without paid parent admission, and free for children between 6 and 12 with paid parent admission. Attendees will get a T-shirt, 40th birthday souvenir cups, snacks, breakfast and dinner on Saturday as well as other goodies.

Those who can’t attend in person are asked to RSVP on Facebook and can participate in drawings for prizes and in the contest for the “Best Virtual Ocean Lakes Experience.” They will be asked to create a snapshot of their virtual weekend at Ocean Lakes.

Due to Facebook’s contest rules, Ocean Lakes uses the social networking app Wildfire to conduct its contests through Facebook.

“If you can’t be with us physically, we hope you join us in our virtual world and have fun creating your virtual Ocean Lakes camping experience and you have a chance to win too,” Krumm said. “Fans can use photos, their computers, whatever, to create a snapshot of their experiences.”

There will also be a prize given to the person on site at the event who is most interactive on Facebook throughout the weekend's

festivities through wall posts and photo and video uploads, Krumm said. One of the newest additions this year to Ocean Lakes is free Wi-Fi on all campsites.

In-person attendees at Ocean Lakes' Facebook Fan Appreciation Weekend—who hail from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia—will be invited to participate in social-media themed mixers, or “Social Meetcha’s.” They can also compete for prizes in an event called “Win It In A Minute,” based on the hit NBC show, “Minute To Win It,” as well as other contests including a mini golf

Holland, MI — Michigan’s new system for collecting state park fees through recreation passports is entering its first summer season.

Instead of buying a $24 annual pass at the gate like last summer, Michigan residents can purchase a $10 passport while renewing their license plates.

A passport is needed to enter a park, but parks staff will scan cars for the passports in parking lots

tournament. Also in the lineup are the Facebook Masters mini-golf tournament, Ocean Lakes Golf Car Rodeo and an awards ceremony and weenie roast at dinner on Saturday.

Since joining Facebook in April 2009, Ocean Lakes Family Campground has gained nearly 24,000 'likes.' It was verified as an authentic Facebook page in February 2010 after passing the 10,000-fan mark. On average, nearly 9,000 people visit the campground's Facebook page each week with daily posts generating around 16,000 daily impressions.

instead of checking for them at the gate.

Car owners do have a little leeway during the transition. Visitors who don’t renew their plates until August, for example, won’t need a passport until that month.

But in April, everyone with renewals from October 2010 to April 2011 will need a passport.

By Larry

The news about Japan has been like something out of a horror movie: earthquakes demolishing buildings, the ocean swallowing whole towns, thousands of people washed out to sea along with houses. All of this followed by meltdowns and explosions at nuclear plants.

Adults can absorb shocking news like this with some degree of perspective. Scientific commentary helps. We are able to realize that even vast catastrophes still only involve a small speck of the earth’s surface and people. We do not instantly expect tsunami waves to be crashing over our backyard fences or washing away our high rise buildings and apartments.

We know fairly well where the earthquakes are most likely to occur on earth.

The fault lines are mapped out. There are periodic reports of where the plates are moving. This allows us to figure out where the earthquakes are not likely to occur and where there are not fault lines or moving plates. The same is true for volcanoes: we know where they are, so we also know where they are not.

Those who remember the Cuban missile crisis know what I am driving at. We went to bed each night having been warned that by the time we awoke, if we were still alive, the world might be experiencing nuclear war. We hide under our desks at school, doing drills for the nuclear blasts that could momentarily.

Many children grew up with the assumption that they would not live long enough to get old but would be vaporized.

Some things do not change all that much. Then it was nukes. Now it is earthquakes, tsunamis and radiation. So long as our earth is fragile and nations are hostile it will likely always be something.

The least we can do is interpret for our children enough perspective so that they do not grow up taking it as a certainty that they will be destroyed . Although the environmental movement is primarily about the forces of nature, the plain fact is that our media have also become part of our environment.

At the moment one might say this is a mixed blessing, one that could easily be toxic to the core.

Westlake Village, CA. March 27, 2011 – Randy Hendrickson, founder and President of Horizon RV Resorts and David Simms, President of Leisure Concepts Management, announced that they are combining their skills in the co-branding of Leisure Horizons. As a result of this alliance Leisure Horizons is able to offer a full suite of services, including RV Park sales, due diligence services, resort development and feasibility studies, consulting services, and third-party management.

RV Park Sales: Both David and Randy are sales associates with Parks and Places, Inc. www.ParksandPlaces.com , a leading sales firm specializing in RV Park, RV Resort and Campground sales nationwide. In conjunction with Parks and Places, Leisure Horizons will be offering an expanded level of services to buyers and sellers by offering targeted solutions to aid the sales process. David Simms observes: “Parks and Places has a substantial footprint in the industry, and the goal has always been to offer expanded services to buyers and sellers. Rather than just listing a property for sale, we are able to go a few steps further by consulting with the seller to maximize

their marketing presence and therefore, increase their chances of selling.

On the buyer’s side, the same logic applies. By offering consulting services to the buyer we are able to really help them understand how to determine which investment makes the most sense and help them make the right choices’.

Randy Hendrickson adds ‘One of the hurdles new owners run across is what to do after they buy a park.

By being able to offer consultation after the sale, we can help new owners get off to a fast start by advising them on a number of issues they will run across. And of course if needed, we can offer third-party management services to further assist them during the critical start-up phase’.

Due Diligence Services: When buying an RV Park, the due diligence process can be daunting. David Simms has 8 years of experience with this process and now offers his services on-site to assist new buyers in understanding the importance of the process, and to help make sure buyers are looking at all aspects of the sale.

Feasibility Studies/Site Layout/Construction Management: David Simms can assist

developers through the entire process as a go-to resource, from detailed feasibility reports, to site layout and construction management. Whereas previously developers may have had to engage multiple vendors, the opportunity now exists to utilize Leisure Horizons for virtually every aspect of development.

Places, we truly feel we can offer a full range of services for almost anyone.

Buying, selling, developing, managing, marketing, consulting; it’s all tied together under one entity and we’re just elated at the response thus far, and that’s before we even created our web site. Word of mouth has been very strong’’ says Hendrickson.

Management and Consulting: These services are available to every segment of the industry; whether a client is considering owning a park, or already owns one but would like to turn over operations to a management company, or just needs to discuss the options, Leisure Horizons can provide comprehensive solutions based on the need of the client.

Adds David: “It was clear early on in discussions with Randy that our combined vision and skills were very complimentary, and that we shared the same passion for the industry. We feel that by joining forces we have the ability to add value to clients on many levels, and that in the end everybody benefits from such an alliance. We’re committed first and foremost to a quality product that exceeds expectations in all cases, and ultimately the end product benefits the RVer by creating and sustaining a terrific camping experience’’

“We have a great track record at Horizon RV Resorts over the last 7 years providing Consulting and Turn-Key management solutions, but over the years there has been a strong need to provide feasibility, site design and park sales into the mix. By aligning with David in this new endeavor, in conjunction with our relationship with Parks and

Learn more about Leisure Horizons by visiting them online at www.LeisureHorizons.com David Simms is founder and president of Leisure Continued

Continued Concepts Management, an RV resort development and management company. In his 9 years of experience in the RV resort industry, David has been instrumental in the evaluation and acquisition of 8 RV Resort properties and has evaluated the feasibility of close to 100 properties. In addition to acquisitions, David’s core duties have included operational management and oversight of sales and marketing.

Randy Hendrickson is founder and president of Horizon RV Resorts, a thirdparty Campground & RV Park Management and Consulting group

exclusively serving the Outdoor Hospitality industry. Randy has been involved in the industry for 16 years, providing management services for parks in California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, New York, Florida, Colorado and Utah.

From 2003 to 2006 Randall served as Vice President on the Board of Directors for CTPA Inc. (California Travel Parks Association, now CalARVC) where he chaired the Public Relations/Communications committee and was a Director on the CTPA Services Board. Randall also served on the AZ ARVC (formerly ATPA) Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008.

New London, Conn. — TD Bank is rethinking the $8 million bid to purchase Preston’s Strawberry Park it entered last month.

Amid legal wrangling surrounding the ongoing bankruptcy case of park founder and owner Hyman Biber, TD Bank, the campground’s biggest creditor, has filed objections that could serve to halt the final approval of the sale and, in the long run, could lead to another auction.A hearing is scheduled for April 4 in New London Superior Court to consider the bank’s contention that there was no legal notice for the auction, financial disclosures are outstanding and the auction was tainted by ongoing news coverage of the bankruptcy case.

The new hurdle is likely to further confuse and frustrate the 189 members of the cooperative who own sites at the campground and RV resort. Earlier this month, TD Bank had agreed to release funding for the continued operation of the campground, which is already taking reservations for an April 1 opening.

“If you came to the park now you would never know anything was going on,” site owner David Schmitt said.

“So far, it looks like any other year.”

Enjoying the park again But Schmitt admits that cooperative members, many now represented by an attorney, are anxious to get the legal mess behind them and get back to enjoying the park.

In their objection to the final sale, TD Bank lawyer Scott C. DeLaura also claims the bank’s $8 million bid was an effort to “stimulate bidding.” There was just one other registered bidder at the Feb. 26 auction, a Bozrah group that submitted a $10,000 bid that DeLaura said “could not be considered a serious bid.”

“A buyer is probably a tad leery to spend money until some of these murky legal issues are resolved,” Schmitt said. “We love the place. Our anticipation is eventually they’ll sort it out, they’ll sell it and someone will buy it and run it. It’s to everybody’s best interest to sit down at the table and work out a solution to keep this place running.”

There were hundreds of people at the auction and TD Bank characterized the crowd as “hostile,” with at least one person making disparaging remarks about the park.

Mark Stern, attorney for the park’s second largest creditor, Preston Strawberry Funding, said the bottom line for creditors is getting back some of their investment.

“The game has not changed. It’s still about everybody getting paid,” Stern said. “We have a very fractured situation that needs to be put back together, and if it’s not by the court, TD Bank or us, ultimately it will be from a new buyer.”

Stern said he understands that, despite the fact the park is a proven moneymaker, potential buyers “are afraid of what happens when you peel back the onion.”

TD Bank is not the only one with an objection.

JACKSON CENTER, Ohio -- Thor Industries, Inc., yesterday announced the appointment of Mark Hatley to the position of vice president of procurement for the Thor Purchasing Alliance.

Hatley brings a wide range of experience to his new position having worked most recently as the vice president of strategic sourcing for All American Group. Mark also has experience in finance and general management roles within companies such as McCoy-Miller Ambulance, Foamex International and Owens Corning.

ABCO Realty Inc., owed $650,000 from a third mortgage, has filed an objection bemoaning the fact the $8 million purchase price leaves them without a means to recover losses, according to a motion filed by attorney Mark E. Block.

Elite Resorts Management Inc. continues to run the campground. In a report filed Thursday, Elite said it expects 2011 revenues to reach $2.6 million versus the $3.3 million the previous year.

Article: www.norwichbulletin.com

In this new role Hatley will be charged with driving the Thor Purchasing Alliance to greater levels of savings by better leveraging the combined purchasing power of its member companies. Those companies include Airstream, Breckenridge, Crossroads, Dutchmen, Heartland and Thor Motor Coach.

Hatley will be working directly with the heads of purchasing within each of the member companies as well as our industry’s supplier network to accomplish these goals.

It’s a year for Yogi Bear™ growth in 2011, as we welcome another top-notch campground into the Jellystone Park Campground™ family!

The former Kozy Rest Kampground in Harrisville, PA (just one hour north of renaissance city Pittsburgh with its sports, dining and entertainment) is set in some of the prettiest countryside in western Pennsylvania.

The campground, which is among the highest rated campgrounds in the country by Woodalls and Trailer Life, caters to the needs of everyone from big rig drivers to laid-back tenters.

For those new to camping, they offer comfy cabins and the ever-popular yurts.

There’s also a special group area with 23 campsites surrounding a picnic pavilion – perfect for family reunions or church youth groups.

Amenities include a sparkling pool, horseshoes, half-court basketball, sand volleyball, playground with sandbox, 18-hole miniature golf course, a winding, wooded nature trail, and fourwheeled rental bikes.

The daily activities schedule might feature bingo, ceramics, crafts, scavenger hunts, and rides on a fire truck, train or wagon. Our new Jellystone Park is also a great home base for exploring western PA; whether you enjoy activities like fishing and boating on Lake Arthur, hiking in the Clear Creek State Forest, or exploring the national natural landmark of McConnell’s Mill State Park, where you’ll find fantastic hiking, rock climbing and kayaking.

Jellystone Park Campground in Harrisville opens April 15 with free coffee, donuts and mini golf, and a 25% discount for all military personnel and firefighters. Other fun themed weekends include Slumber Party Weekend (May 13-15); Casino Fun Weekend (June 24-26); and Kids’ Survivor Weekend (August 12-14).

Jellystone Park CampResort in Harrisville is located at 449 Campground Road.

RESTON, Va. -- Wholesale shipments to dealers of all RVs were reported at 19,800 units in the RV Industry Association's February survey of manufacturers.

That represents a 1.5 percent decline over 2011.

Only fifth wheels and Type A motorhomes posted increases in February.

For the first two months of 2011, shipments of all RVs were 37,600 units, a gain of 4.7 percent compared to the first two months last year, RVIA reported. On a seasonally adjusted basis, all RV shipments in February this year were at an annualized rate of 227,600 units, up slightly from last month.

Allen Beavers Jr., 81, of West Hartford will be the first official rider on the new Wooden Warrior roller coaster at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury when the park opens for its 103rd season on April 23. Beavers was surprised to learn of the honor after the Connecticut Campground Owners Association placed a high bid in his name during an auction for the first ride on the coaster. Credit: Ron Gustafson The first official rider on the new Wooden Warrior roller coaster at Middlebury's Quassy Amusement Park is a warrior in his own right.

Allen Beavers, Jr., 81, of West Hartford will be at the front of the line when the park stages its first official public ride on the new marquee attraction in April.

Beavers was afforded this unique opportunity thanks to the Connecticut Campground Owners Association, which bid more than $600 in hopes of

landing him in the top spot among what Quassy is calling the "terrific 12" — the inaugural group of 12 riders on the new thrill machine.

Beavers recently retired from the association after servicing more than 25 years as the organization's president.

"I don't believe this! I'm very excited," Beavers said in a recent news release issued

by Quassy. "CCOA put the money up and it came as a complete surprise to me."

Article & Photo: www.rep-am.com