S P E C IA L S U M M E R D O U B L E IS S U E
“Retirement Living at its Best!”
VO L. 1
NO . 4
MAY/ JUNE 2007
$4.99 US $5.99 CAN
VO L. 1
NO . 4
MA Y /JU NE 2 0 0 7
Features Cover Story
Summer Stories
9
People share Park Model memories from days gone by
Dealer Review
7
Lake Effect A look at Clare-Mar Lakes Campground & Park Model Sales
Manufacturer Review
Cabin Fever Park Models Manufacturing - a manufacturer with history
17
Cover photos courtesy of Park Models Manufacturing
magazine Features(cont’d) Park Review
The Maine Event
18
All about Maine’s most spectacular family outdoor resort
Show Us Your Park Model
21
Park People Our newest feature is designed to show off all our great readers!
Departments Notes From The Boss
3
The Model Life
13
Notes From The Bigger Boss
4
Techno Babble
15
Letters to the Editor
5
Classifieds
19
Featured Resources
6
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We love being part of this dynamic and rapidly growing Park Model lifestyle. Park Models were the hit of the day in the New York Times Thursday, June 14. Park Model Living Magazine was mentioned with a quote from me. It was exciting to be interviewed by Kate Murphy, a reporter with the NY Times and fabulous to appear in a renowned newspaper with a distribution of one million. The article has been reprinted in numerous newspapers including The San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune. Our web site was swamped with more than 1,000 hits in the first day, and more than 12,000 since the article appeared. The original article has now been linked to more than 20,000 other sites. Visitors have come from most continents. Some of our visitors have been from: Wales, Australia, Greece, UK, Canada, South Africa, Brazil, New Zealand, Iraq, Switzerland, China and an Inuit village near the Artic Circle. Wow! Bill Garpow (Executive Director RPTIA) and many manufacturers keep telling us how this industry is growing and they’re right. People love the concept of small, contained, easy to keep up structures that don’t stress their bottom line. Frank and I were also featured this month in Woodall’s Campground Management newspaper in an article headlined “Ohio Couple Launches First National Park Model Living Lifestyle Magazine.” Yep, that would be us. This is definitely a learning experience and I apologize to all of our readers that we are lagging a bit behind. Our distribution went from 3,000 to 10,000 and I’m running to keep up. Some days I feel like I’m on a gerbil wheel and other days are a wonderful roller coaster ride. We will catch up and keep you informed. Readers have sent us great suggestions and we’re listening. Keep those calls and letters coming.
Kaeth S. Gauthier Editor in Chief 3 Park Model Living Magazine
www.ParkModelLiving.com
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What an interesting journey it has been this past year. It seems like only yesterday that I left my Park Model in Arizona to come to Ohio to work on a project. I met my wonderful wife, Kaeth. We fell in love and married this past January and published the first issue of the magazine in the same week. Since that time we have had a chance to meet many interesting people associated with the Park Model life style. Manufacturers, dealers, RV park owners, and individuals enjoy the simple pleasures afforded them with these little cottages. At trade shows and park open house events, they have told us fun stories about Park Models. With this, our fourth issue, many changes have taken place. This includes new digs on the second floor of an old fire house in Akron Ohio (with high ceilings and no elevator). Our huge digital press allows us to produce the magazine completely in-house. It has been wonderful to be interviewed and featured in several newspapers and trade journals. One of the best benefits is the e-mail and letters from you, our readers telling us how much you enjoy our new magazine. We look forward to bringing you more interesting articles and information about the Park Model lifestyle in the coming months.
Peter F. Gauthier Publisher
www.ParkModelLiving.com
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Letters to the Editor We’re both amazed at how little information there is about these units so feel your publication is filling a huge gap. Last week I went through Woodalls’ page by page to locate parks where PM’s are allowed and it was really sketchy. I wound up calling interesting looking developments and just asking. Most said yes. My marketing background keeps me thinking these people are really missing a big upcoming market by not positioning themselves for people like us (late 50’s looking at retirement options). Do any of the manufacturers make lofts that adults may comfortably stand in? Juliet F., FL
Response: I agree that it’s hard to get information (see the next letter). I don’t know about any lofts that are higher than the norm and have sent a request to all the manufacturers. When we have answers, we will print them on the website and in the magazine.
similar questions and plan to call parks and ask. PMLM wants to be a complete resource for consumers like you. As we get these answers we will share them.
Have a suggestion? We need to hear from you! So… E-mail us your letters to the editor at: suggestions@parkmodelliving.com
A magazine covering Park Model living will be a winner if you have articles covering these types I’m a 48 year old of subjects: professional male How do you sumand have lots of diffi- merize /winterize? culty finding inforWhat is an Arimation from parks zona / Florida room? that have Park ModHow do you els. Some of my make decisions about questions are: appliances and feaCan I live there tures? How do year round? you install the skirtAre there age re- ing? It [the magastrictions? zine] should be a Do you have causeful tool. ble / high speed internet connections? Bob C., Idaho Do you allow storage sheds? Response: These are great ideas and you Stan H. (via email) will see most of them covered upcoming isResponse: We have sues.
Or Send us a letter by mail at: Park Model Living Letters Dept. P.O. Box 13571 Fairlawn, OH 44334
PUBLISHER
Peter F. Gauthier EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kaeth S. Gauthier PRODUCTION MANAGER
T. M. Brown ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Carol Hering DISTRIBUTION CO-ORDINATOR
Martha Shaughnessy STAFF WRITERS
Pete Franks K. Shaughnessy Lillian Mason CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mission Statement
If you have a question or are interested in a subscription, please visit our website at
Bill Garpow, RPTIA ED
Park Model Living is a website and monthly magazine designed to provide information and resources for people who enjoy the Park Model Lifestyle. Park Models are recreational homes for seasonal living. They are factory built on a single chassis and are no more than 400 square feet for the essential building (approximately 34’ x 12’). Park Models are licensed and taxed as recreational vehicles, although they are not designed to be towed. Park Models are placed on private property, in recreational parks and campgrounds.
www.parkmodelliving.com
FRENCH LANGUAGE EDITOR
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E-mail us at info@parkmodelliving.com Or you can write or call at Park Model Living Magazine P.O. Box 13571 Fairlawn, OH 44334 1-866-766-0564 Park Model Living Magazine is an independently owned and produced magazine. Magazine and all original design copyrighted 2007, PML Publishing, LLC.
Marie Rotondo OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
Sarah Shaughnessy TECHNICAL SPECIALIST
Daniel Shaughnessy INTERNS
Carlie Shaughnessy Emily Shaughnessy SECURITY
Lucy Liu IX www.ParkModelLiving.com
Featured Resources If you would like to know more about the parks, dealers, & manufacturers featured in this month’s magazine, you’ve found the right place. Featured Resources is a brand new addition to our magazine and we hope it helps you to connect with the Park Model resources that you need.
This Month’s Resources:
2051 Industrial Drive Cairo GA 39828 800-319-5427 www.parkmodelsmfg.c om
Park Review(p.17)
Point Sebago Resort 261 Point Sebago Road Casco ME 04015 Dealer Review(p.7) 800-530-1555 www.pointsebago.com Clare-Mar Lakes Campground and Park Show Us Your Model Sales 47571 New London Park Model (p.21) Eastern Road Wellington OH 44090 Superstition Sunrise 800-589-5789 702 S. Meridian www.claremar.com Apache Junction, AZ 85220-6482 (800) 624-7027 Manufacturer Re- www.superstitionsunris view(p.17) e.com
BeckysSoyCandles.com Clean Burning Candles with virtually NO SOOT! Hand-Poured - Triple Scented Fun scents include: Clean Cotton Angel Wings Green Tea Sweet Orange Chili Pepper
Peach Papaya Strawberry Kiwi Blackberry Sage And many more!
“I am astonished at how long these candles last and it’s fun to experiment with the variety of scents!” - Laura G.
Call for more info: 330-773-3050 Or See us on the web at: BeckysSoyCandles.com
Park Models Manufacturing
www. www.G GOBSOFKNOBS.net
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By K. Shaughnessy PML Staff Writer
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sion of the Country Manor has accordion doors that separate the living room from the dining area to create a second bedroom. The Breckenridge models at Clare-Mar had many options. The 1240-SE-CB has a galley kitchen that seemed especially functional. A 1238 FLR without the loft has a tub and skylight in the bathroom. Kevin Wells, a representative from Canterbury, attended the event and helped answer customer’s questions. When asked about trends in the industry, Wells told us that 90% of their sales have lofts. “The Park Models have more curb appeal and better resale with lofts. We also see more contemporary designs and lots of windows.” Canterbury is based in Indiana and sells only through dealers such as Don Sears. Wells said, “We’re experts in building, the dealers are experts in delivery and service.” While baby boomers are major purchasers of Park Models, these experts tell us that they are seeing another trend. Today younger people (with kids in strollers) are purchasing the Park Models as vacation homes. They install them in parks closer to home where Mom and the children may stay there all summer and Dad joins them on weekends. PHOTO - www.ClareMar.com There were more than 10,000 Park Models sold (from all manufacturers combined) in 2006. Wells and Sears both see a very strong growth market in parks that open up to Park Models. The website, www.claremar.com, provides very appealing shopping. Some dealer web sites send you directly to manufacturer web sites. Clare-Mar allows you to “window shop” with all their manufacturers while you stay at Clare-Mar. Because Clare-Mar is also a campground, it’s possible to purchase your vacation home and select a site at the same time. The aerial view on the web site gives a great perspective of the 220 acre park with it’s 75 acre lake. The park has 500 sites and all accommodate Park Models. Because of the growth in this industry, Sears has set aside 18-20 acres for development for Park Models and this area will have larger lots. The lots are rented seasonally and are not deeded. The park is open May 1 – October 15. We were invited to return in early October for the fabulous Halloween party.
We were invited to the spring opening event for this delightful dealership in Northeastern Ohio. Owner Don Sears was a terrific host. He gave us a tour of the dealership and the campground and introduced us to his mother, Barbara Sears. Barbara and Len Sears purchased the campground in 1970 from Clarence and Marvin who had combined their names for Clare-Mar. Len, who is deceased, was a pioneer of the national and state campground associations. There is a lovely bench on the grounds dedicated to his memory. Len Sears began to sell Park Models in the mid 70’s, which was a unique concept. ClareMar was one of the first campground in the nation with an RV dealership. This combination of sales and camping has worked extremely well for the Sears family. Don tells us, “Last year was a recordbreaking spring season. Park Models are going to be the way to go in the future. Gas prices are getting some RV’ers off the road.” In the Park Model industry, A spectacular aerial view of Clare-Mar Lake the dealer does the set up and warranty. According to Don, “Some of the street dealers (in RV’s) don’t understand Park Model’s and won’t sell them. I sell and warranty units that are delivered to many locations in Ohio as well as several adjoining states. I believe it’s important for people to understand the very strong resale value on Park Models. They depreciate about $2,000 the first year and only $200 per year after that. They hold their value much longer than RV’s.” The dealership sells Park Models built by Fairmont, Breckenridge and Canterbury. There were lovely models on site including the Country Manor by Fairmont. We’re always searching for Park Models with good internet planning and this model has a CAT-5 connection in the living room and two network cables in the loft. The attractive and functional kitchen center island has both open and closed storage. There is light oak trim throughout and a buffet in the eating area with decorated frosted glass panels. The kitchen has a deep double sink and space above the kitchen cupboards for decorative items. The double loft has a carpeted bench and a built in entertainment center. A different ver- K. Shaughnessy can be reached at: kaeth@parkmodelliving.com 7 Park Model Living Magazine
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ur friends Sally and Joe (all names in this story have been changed) owned a lovely Park Model in Arizona and were not able to stay in it for the entire season as they had a family wedding to attend. They offered to let us stay in their place for two weeks in February. We live in Northern Michigan where, as you probably know, it snows and is wicked cold in February. Fred and I had not been to Arizona but he was confident that we could rent a car in Phoenix and locate our vacation cottage. We hadn’t understood that this park had hundreds of Park Models and we arrived after dark. The description of the “multicolored mobile hanging by the front door” was not helpful to us at 1 AM. Fred’s handwriting isn’t so great and we thought the address was 507 Maple Lane. After driving through Birch Alley and Redwood Grove and other
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woody streets, we were not so certain of the address. Finally we found 507 Walnut Lane which did, indeed have a multicolored mobile. Fred was then certain that he had mis-read his handwriting and we had found the right place. We got all the suitcases from the car and put them on the deck and fussed at each other as only people who have been married 30+ years can fuss. I told Fred he was never writing directions again and fumbled to get the key in the lock. As our fussing got louder, the inside light turned on and a man yelled, “I’ve got a gun and I’m willing to use it so get the *&%$ off my porch.” I ran to the car and refused to help remove suitcases from the deck. Fred, whose bravery rates higher than his handwriting, explained our dilemma to the frightened homeowner who, luckily, knew Sally and Joe and directed
www.ParkModelLiving.com
us to their house, at 507 Pine. The next time we travel to a new place we’ll arrive before sunset and I’ll write the directions.
Ronda C., Michigan
dad still wanted to camp and bought property an hour from our home in Pennsylvania. Grandpa, Dad and I cleared a space in the pine trees about ¼ mile from the lake. We purchased a Park Model and permanently sat it in the woods. Sometimes friends or cousins would join us for loud, fun weekends. When Sophie and Alice got older I taught them to swim and fish and we had spitting contests which Alice always won. The Park Model gave us a terrific place to play and be safe and grow up. My family now has three Park Models on the property that we share. Alice still wins the spitting contest.
When I was ten, my mother had twins. I found this embarrassing and difficult to explain to my friends. I was an independent and probably spoiled boy and had no reason to change that. Plus, both babies were girls. If asked, I would have preferred a new bicycle. Each summer before Sophie and Alice arrived, my dad had driven us in our large comfortable car, towing a trailer and we had camped. I liked to swim and fish Richard H., Pennsylvania in new places. Now, these annoying babies changed my life. Not only did I have to share the back seat, both In the summer of 1970 we had girls got car sick. My mom and four children who were 13, 11, 7,
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and 5. I grew up in New York City and had moved with my husband and children to different military bases. Jack retired from the Army that year and we settled in Nebraska where Jack had family. We wanted to give the kids some camping adventures, however, I refused to struggle with tents or sleep on the ground. We had tried that a few times and I’m too much of a big city person to think that’s a good idea. A friend told us about a small trailer he bought that could be left on a rented space. We could be in an area with trails to hike and have campfires and still have inside plumbing. This seemed ideal to me. We did some research and purchased a Park Model with real beds and a bathroom. We enjoyed our cottage for 20 years until Jack retired again. We now have a Park Model near our children and a condo in Arizona.
would not let Paul clean fish.
Jane V., Connecticut
Our Park Model in the Smoky Mountains is the final resting place for many of my sister, Nancy’s unfortunate pets. I don’t want you to think that Nancy led to their demise. She just liked odd pets like frogs or lightning bugs, none of which had long life spans. Nancy is a bit of a drama queen and I think what she really liked was the ceremony of putting these little Jewel L., Nebraska creatures to rest. Unknown to our parents (unless they read this article), My family has owned campers, trailers and lots of tents. We Nancy considered the space unbought our first Park Model five der the skirting of our Park Model to be an ideal burial spot. years ago and I love it. Dad had designed the skirting We still have a fifth wheel and so it could be easily unhooked to do some traveling but the Park store things out of sight. Nancy Model is a restful, lovely home. would carefully wrap the deWe lease a lot in New Hampshire ceased dragonfly or frog in leaves close to a river because my husand gently tie it with twine. band, Paul, loves to fish. She would dig a small hole When we bought it I told him that had to be six inches deep the rule is, “No cleaning fish in (she measured) write a poem and the house.” He added a small sing a sad song. This may be the shed about 30 feet away with a only Park Model that is also a fish cleaning station. We purchased a wireless connection so I cemetery. can email or surf the net while he Heather W., North Carolina fishes. I don’t think I could find a hotel room as comfortable as our Park Model and a hotel certainly I associate wonderful food 11 Park Model Living Magazine
with vacation time at our cabin. My dad and his brother both purchased Park Models in the early 90’s. My grandma Belle arrived for family picnics with battered Styrofoam coolers full of “grandma food.” My favorites were strawberries and pineapple in a Jello mold, barbecued ribs and the best potato salad in the world. My family loved to make desserts. Three of the aunts showed up one year with the same dessert that was featured in a recent edition of a popular magazine. This annoyed Aunt Chloe who liked to be different. The next year she went to the library and checked out a ten year old copy of the same magazine and made a dessert featured in that old issue so no one else would copy her. Our Park Models were always crowded. The bedroom had a double bed and a set of bunk beds. Sometimes six of us slept in that room. Grandma Belle always got the luxury of the sleeper sofa in the living room. www.ParkModelLiving.com
The kitchen seemed to grow larger as more people arrived with food to chill or keep warm. For holiday weekends it seemed like there were dozens of people in each room, laughing, singing and eating. I think that camp still echoes with our ghost stories and songs around the campfire.
Gussie M., Tennessee
it?” and he saw something small, black and fuzzy moving in the top bunk. He took aim and fired. The black fuzzy creature continued to move and Todd noticed that it was singing. Todd was not completely sober but certainly sober enough to know that raccoons don’t sing. Confused, he moved closer and realized the resident of the bunk bed was a battery-operated stuffed-toy leopard that wiggled
and sang. This has been a favorite family story for years. Todd was confirmed as the official “worst shot” because he missed the toy leopard at close range and put a hole through the wall in the cabin.
Suzanna G., Indiana Information/stories were compiled and edited by Golda Wellbaum Golda Wellbaum can be reached at: info@parkmodelliving.com
Vacation time with my husband Tim’s family is a mixed blessing. He has five brothers and they are all large, loud, energetic guys who like to play jokes on each other. The family owns property on Lake Michigan and we have a mixed bag of trailers, fifth wheels and Park Models along with a large picnic pavilion. Most weekends in the summer we have 30-40 people there including kids, family and friends. One Saturday night in July the boys were all shooting targets and bragging about who was the best shot. Ann, the newest sister-inlaw, came running up crying that a raccoon was in the top bunk bed in the Park Model and had terrified some of the children. All six brothers went racing to the cabin although some of them slowed down a bit and let Todd, the youngest, go in first. One of them asked, “Are all the children outside?” and Ann told them the children were all in the tent and too afraid to come in. Even outside, six large men take up a lot of space and they certainly crowded the cabin. They were egging Todd on, saying things like, “You’re gonna have to shoot it Todd.” “We don’t want it to bite the kids.” Todd stopped at the door of the bedroom asking, “Where is www.ParkModelLiving.com
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News & Notes on the Park Model Lifestyle from RPTIA Executive Director W.R. “Bill” Garpow Why can’t I live full-time in my Recreational Park Trailer or Park Model in this RV Park? Recreational Park Trailers are wonderful dwellings for seasonal and vacation use and are often referred to as “the best kept secret in the RV business.” They provide all the comforts of home for RV enthusiasts to “get away from it all”, so “Why can’t I live full-time in my Recreational Park Trailer or Park Model in this RV Park?” Perhaps you can, if no one rocks the boat. However, you should be aware that your park might be subject to a local ordinance or some binding zoning regulations that were made before the park was originally built. If you do make your primary home in an RV Park, you may be taking a risk that the zoning and planning authority would one day determine that they are required to enforce the laws and regulations that apply to RV Parks and could require you to vacate your RV residence. The RV park owner may one day determine that the park’s return on investment would be better if the property was cleared and sold to a high-rise or a shopping center developer. Since the park is an RV park, the owner has the right to move everyone out immediately and sell the land for this other purpose. Some states have laws that require Manufactured Housing (MH) park owners to provide tenants with a specific advance notice of their intent to close the park. Some state laws also require that the park owner must monetarily assist tenants with the expense of moving their manufactured home to another park. If another site cannot be located, the MH park owner may be required to provide the former tenant with money to assist them in locating other forms of housing. These laws, however, do not apply to tenants residing in an RV Park, because an RV Park was never intended to provide a place for full-time housing. Let’s take a look at a traditional destination campground and understand the process that was followed to bring that park into existence. The park usually has a very desirable location near a water feature like a lake, stream or perhaps close to the ocean. Many of these parks will be located in areas where the weather is warm and comfortable, and the camping season remains in operation for the entire year. If the park is within 13 Park Model Living Magazine
a two-hour drive of a major metropolitan area, the park will also enjoy a local client base made up of families ready for camping when school is out. Add the RV snowbirds coming from the North to stay from December through mid- April, and you have a year-round park population. The park most likely has 200 sites and is located on a 20-acre plot of land, with an additional ten acres or so being held for expansion. Before the campground was developed, permission to create this RV Park or RV Resort needed to be obtained from the local jurisdictional authority (township, town, city or county). The developer agreed to certain requirements and restrictions and promised adherence to local ordinances dealing with welfare, safety and public health. Other issues like quality of life, impact upon the others in the community, the cost of governmental services, and the contribution to the tax base were also discussed. The local zoning ordinance may have required or the developer may have promised that the park would only be used as a vacation and seasonal development, and that full-time housing would never be allowed. Landscaping, noise limitations and entrance/exit requirements and other things may have also been imposed by the zoning authority. After all of the promises and commitments were made, the entire proposal was submitted to elected officials for approval in a public meeting. Advance notification was given to any property holders who might have been impacted by the proposed development. Now let us assume that the original developer operates the park for several years. He sells the park. The new owner now commences to operate the park with a full time manager and a hired staff. Neither the new owner nor his manager is aware of the previous promises, commitments, and/ or ordinances imposed upon the property. The local unit of government may not have informed them of these requirements and they are not required to do that. However, the agreement between the original owner and government remains in force as long as the park is in operation. Shortly after the park is built it was discovered by Ted and Sally, who come from New England on an extended vacation. They are in their 60s and are just starting retirement. They fall in love with the park, the RV lifestyle, and the really great winter weather. They buy a travel trailer or a www.ParkModelLiving.com
park model and lease a site in the park on a long-term basis. They intend to leave the unit on the site and come down each year to escape from the winter back home. Some years pass and they follow through with their plans. They become first class RV snowbirds and great tenants for the park. How is it then that an RV Park becomes a location with many of the residences providing a place of primary residence instead of remaining an exclusive vacation and seasonal dwelling location? This occurrence can come to pass in many different ways but the following story is one that I have heard on more than one occasion. Then one sad day, Ted passes away. Sally now is forced to make some changes, because her financial picture has suddenly worsened. Ted’s pension only provided income as long as he was alive, and Sally must now make do with only a small monthly check for survivor’s benefits from Social Security. Something needs to be done, so she sells the big family home in New England, moves into the RV Park, and sets up housekeeping in the RV. She doesn’t tell anyone that she was going to do this; after all, the trailer is hers and the lease is already paid for the entire year. She’s all set. To make matters worse, Sally was never informed that her RV was strictly for vacation and/or seasonal use because Ted was in charge of all of the details of their lease and she never needed or wanted to be involved in that business. Now the park has a problem, and today’s manager might not even be aware of the fact that he has a problem. If Sally remains as a full time resident in the RV Park, others will as-
sume that this is an acceptable use for them also. Next year the number of full timers will reach five or ten and the year after that – well, you get the picture. Next some of the full timers start to pass away, and the family members who inherit these units want only to turn them into cash. The units are sold to other families. Children start to board a school bus that now stops in front of the park, and then things start to happen. Neighbors start to complain that the RV Park is being used as low cost housing, something that was never supposed to happen. County Commissioners put the pressure on the zoning and planning staff, and pressure is applied to the RV Park owner with fines and other forms of punishment. The park owner decides that the problem is way out of control and sells the property to another developer to become a shopping center, or an apartment complex or something else. Those folks living in their RVs are then forced to move. Some communities allow full time living in RV Parks, but the practice is not common, nor is it encouraged for the reasons in our example above. The Recreational Park Trailer Industry Association advises that Park Trailers are designed for seasonal and/or vacation use only. Bill “The Answer Guy” Garpow can be reached at: AnswerGuy@parkmodelliving.com To be considered as a Question to the Answer Guy, your request must be accompanied by an e-mail and telephone number as well as the full name and City/State. Requests for confidentiality will be honored with the disclosure only of the correspondents first name and state.
299 N. Smith Ave. Corona, CA 92880 1-800-382-0709 info@silvercrest.com www.silvercrest-rv.com Silvercrest is proud of the quality built into every Luxury Park Model, and we back it up in writing with our EXCLUSIVE, “SILVERSHIELD” 7 YEAR WARANTY. Covering all originally installed, or Dealer included systems, and appliances.
“Computer advice that you can use...and understand!” Part 4 of a 4-Part Series
By Dr. Computerist
Many of us have found that the advent of comThis unique little service is called FlipDrive.com. puters in our daily lives has been a mixed blessing. It allows you to upload your pictures and important The things that they allow us to accomplish have documents. Keep track of your schedule and task made our lives simpler and more enjoyable. lists. Store your videos and photo albums as well as Well, most of the time. They can also be a source music files. Keep track of your favorite web sites and of great aggravation and frustration. We take digital much more. pictures and e-mail them to our friends and family. Once your data is uploaded to the site you can Store our favorite recipes. Read the home town send invitations to your friends and relatives and alnewspaper and more. low them to view your photos and videos online Along will all the good things comes trouble in without having to download them to their computer. paradise. As higher quality cameras are introduced This saves everyone time and disk space on their with 2, 3 and 4 mega pixels, the size of each picture computer. They will love you for it. greatly increases. This has caused problems sending The service starts out with a free version that althese pictures to our friends and family. These days a lows you to store up to 25 Meg of information. dozen pictures could be 10 Meg or even more. When you need more space you get a whopping 20 Our intended recipients spend a great deal of time GIG of space for $49.95 per year. downloading these large items. These files and picIf you’re a major data user like me, you’ll want tures we store on our computer consume vast the Platinum account for $199.00 per year which gets amounts of disk space. you 100 GIG of space. I give it 5 stars. This leads to unwanted side effects. What happens when your system crashes, and, like most of us, you neglected to make frequent and up to date backups? Send any comments or questions to: DRComputerist@parkmodelliving.com Well, cheer up. There is a solution out there for both these prob- Questions must include an e-mail address, telephone number, your full name, city and state. Requests for confidentiality will be honlems, that allows you to store these large files on a ored with the disclosure only of the correspondent’s first name and site other than your personal computer. state
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GoTagSale.com is an easy, inexpensive way to sell items locally (from your RV park or from home) when you post them on-line. Pay $8 per month to post an unlimited number of items to sell. There is no fee to purchase items posted on
GoTagSale.com
CLARE-MAR LAKES CAMPGROUND & PARK MODEL SALES 47571 New London Eastern Road • Wellington, OH 44090 • 1-800-589-5789 • 440-6473318 • E-mail: bj1claremr@aol.com
w w w . C l a r e M a r. c o m
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of on the Kenai River [in Alaska]. We don’t own PML Contributing Writer them but we’ve built two that you can find there.” Park Models Manufacturing now has cabins coast to “Our delivery drivers tell us stories about people coast. They have a new 40,000 square foot manufacwho want to see inside our Park Models when they’re turing facility. Son Brian has joined the business and in transit. The drivers pull over at a gas station and Brad will be a part of the business after he graduates people flock around them.” Owner Mike Fannon from Florida State University. knows he builds a great product and welcomes people KOA arrived unannounced about a year ago and who want to see his models. His company, Park Mod- toured the factory. They were looking for a manufacels Manufacturing in Cairo, Georgia, is a family busi- turer they could refer to as a preferred vendor. After ness that has a dedication their tour and research, they seto excellence. lected Park Models ManufacturPark Models Manufacing. Mike is pleased that, “They turing builds a product told us we build an excellent with residential building structure. They know what they details such as 2 x 4’s on want and the quality they exthe bottom plate and 16” pect.” The photos on our cover on center construction. are pictures of a KOA model Mike tells us, “We build a being built by Park Models quality product that we Manufacturing. This model is expect to be there 30 years also available to other customwithout a problem with ers. ordinary upkeep. When Web sites are a significant you maintain it – it will snapshot of a business and Park look the same in 30 Models Manufacturing has great An exterior shot of the Park Models Manufacturing Denali model years.” depth to theirs. The photos of When I interview manufacturers, I love to hear the staff are especially inviting. Look at this page for what led them to build Park Models. The Fannon’s a very special member of their team. The options pathway led from camping in Alaska to a cabin in pages are a lot of fun and I enjoyed the detailed and Florida. close-up photos of windows, doors, stained glass and Mike and Jody met and married in Alaska and had other options. three children - Mary Beth, Brian and Brad. They When you call the company, you’re likely to speak spent many weekends in Alaska on the shores of the with an actual shareholder because this company is Kenai River. Mike grew up in Florida and the family 100% employee owned. I’ve received timely and helprelocated to Tallahassee about 20 years ago. ful information from them. A family member had been a Park Model dealer These Park Models are built with engineered who was frustrated with the poor quality product trusses rated up to 140 mph winds. If the location reavailable to him. Rather than accept a job transfer to quires a higher rating, they will build it. The staff will Seattle, Mike and Jody persuaded Mary Beth and her draw custom plans and go the extra mile to build what husband Chris, an experienced builder, to join them in people want. Mike says, “We are very proud of the a new business. cabins we build and invite people to visit us in Cairo In 2003 the company planned and opened a 12,000 and see us hard at work making your dreams come square foot facility in Cairo, Georgia. Says Jody, true.” “We were finally building the cabins we had dreamed Lillian Mason can be reached at: info@parkmodelliving.com PHOTO - www.ParkModelsManufacturing.com
By Lillian Mason
17 Park Model Living Magazine
www.ParkModelLiving.com
- P a r k
by K. Shaughnessy PML Staff Writer
For many years I have vacationed in Southern Maine near Portland. The moment I cross the state line I’m certain I can smell pine trees and ocean. At Port Sebago Resort in Casco, Maine you can certainly smell pine trees and are less than an hour from the ocean. Point Sebago is located on the shores of Sebago Lake which is the largest lake in Southern Maine. This 775 acre location has been nationally recognized as the Northeast’s premier family outdoor resort. Park Models are a lovely presence here and there are many rental options. One option is basic and lets you pack as you would for camping. You provide your own kitchen utensils and bedding. Another option has cable TV, air conditioning and an equipped kitchen. The web site includes very inviting photos of the Park Model options and many are situated on the lake. The entertainment offerings here are quite lively and remind me of a cruise ship. I recommend you review the activity lists before you arrive so you can set aside time for some favorites. Bocce ball, golf and tennis are available and I’m quite curious about the “washer toss.” I have visions of GE’s being hefted across the playing field but I suspect it’s the smaller version of washers that are used for this event. The food options are more varied than most parks. Be sure to check the evening specials for lobster or ribs. There are family dining options and fabulous gourmet food. The Upper Deck Sunset Lounge has acoustic music 8-10 PM each Friday for adults only. From the Beach Pavilion you can enjoy a game room, meals and www.ParkModelLiving.com
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lovely views of the lake. On Tuesday evenings the Sebago comedy show brings you some of the best stand up comedians from Boston. Each Saturday there is a “sizzling” dance party. This resort includes a professional summer PHOTO - www.PointSebago.com Point Sebago’s beautiful beach pavilion stock theatre. This summer’s offering is “A Funny Thing fishing championships. Happened on the Way to the Forum,” A delighted guest sent the following with music and classic vaudeville. This comments to RVParkReviews.com in is a light-hearted witty musical that is June of 2006: “This was a fabulous vairreverent and a perfect escape. cation for my family and I. There are Families are very important at Point activities organized for kids all day by Sebago and they have great entertainage group and camps for younger chilment for children. Chippy and the dren. The huge and delicious breakfast Kampamania Kids provide song and buffet was also a plus and we all had a dance during the Sunday pizza buffet. great time on kayaks canoes and paddleAt the Grove Pavilion there is a chilboats. The mini golf course and tennis dren’s theatre presentation of “The Jun- courts were a great way to play as a gle Book.” Free supervised evening pro- family. The beach is large and beautiful grams are available for children ages 3-8 with a great playground on it. The golf so parents may enjoy other activities. course is highly rated and for golfers There are programs for children 9-11 there is an all day program for children and different teen group activities that that includes lunch. There are coupon include karaoke, comedy and dance books with coupons for mini golf cruises. games, kayak and canoe use and much Sebago Lake is over 40 square miles more. At the end of our stay, we always and you can take advantage of this go to the gift shop which is very fairly space by renting a canoe, kayak, sailpriced. The best part of our trip here is boat, or powerboat. There are 16’ exthat we spend time together as a family cursion boats available as well as ponwith sand castle contests, shows and toon boats. The “Princess” is a 95 pas- games. I would very highly recommend senger cruise boat and there are many this campground as long as you are options to enjoy cruises on this custom ready for one of the most fun weeks/ built boat. The lake offers some of the weekends of your life!” best landlocked salmon fishing in the K. Shaughnessy can be reached at: country and Point Sebago hosts bass info@parkmodelliving.com Park Model Living Magazine 18
www.PML Key:
1 - Models for Rent 2 - Models for Sale 3 - Pads/Space for Rent 4 - Pads/Space for Sale
5 - Furniture/Housewares 6 - Vehicles 7 - Park Model Time Shares 8 - Dealers
3|Pads/Space For Rent OREGON - Space for 3 Park Models in small, picturesque park. Set amid the Oregon Pines, 20 miles inland from the Oregon Coast/Dune Country, close to great fishing on the Umpqua River. 541-587-4406
2|Models for Sale ARIZONA - Located in Mesa, AZ $46,700 2006 Laurel Creek #209, all electric, close to courtyard, cherrywood cabinets. Available through www.towerpointresort.com 800-444-4996 ARIZONA - Located in Mesa, AZ $11,900 1988 Casa Real, #214, original owner, all electric, nice corner lot, $11,900. Available through www.towerpointresort.com 800-444-4996
Tiger Run Resort
9 - Parks 10 - Services 11 - Insurance 12 - Mortgages
CALIFORNIA - Located at Sands RV and Golf Resort , Desert Hot Springs, CA. 1989 Seaview, large deck, fully furnished, hot tub. Great Views! Space #480, $32,900, Call 760-251-3400 www.sandsrvresort.com CALIFORNIA - Located at Sands RV and Golf Resort , Desert Hot Springs, CA. 1995 Fleetwood, fully furnished, central air, many upgrades. Great View! Must see. Space #486, $52,000. Call 760-251-3400 www.sandsrvresort.com CALIFORNIA - Located at Sands RV and Golf Resort , Desert Hot Springs, CA. 1986 Casa Real. Great Location, fully furnished. Space #382 Great value at $22,500. Call 760-251-3400 www.sandsrvresort.com CALIFORNIA - Located at Sands RV and Golf Resort , Desert Hot Springs, CA. 1987 Elite Park Model.
Mountain Chalet & RV Site Sales Breckenridge, CO Ten Peaks Sotheby’s International Realty (888) 596-5559 www.TigerRunSales.com
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Classifieds.com 13 - Movers 14 - Awnings & Attached Rooms 15 - Miscellaneous 16 - Help Wanted
Fully furnished, central air, covered patio along the side and rear of the home. Space #243, $31,000. Call 760251-3400 www.sandsrvresort.com FLORIDA - Located at Three Lakes RV Resort in Hudson, FL $99,000 2003 Skyline Park Model, Site #186. Loaded with upgrades. Two LR, two BR, DR, kitchen w granite tops, ceramic tile floor. 1 ½ lot space, deck, sunroom, furnished. Available through www.parkmodelsplus.com 800-603-7889 NEW HAMPSHIRE - Located at Sandy Beach RV Resort, Contoocook, NH $64,900 2004 Woodland Park, Suite #A8 – Waterfront. Front and rear bedroom. Beautifully furnished and clean. Central AC, 10’ x 33’ deck and three season room. Available through www.parkmodelsplus.com 800-603-7889
Pheasant Ridge Resort L a r g e, P r i v a t e Si t e s Black River Falls, WI (715) 662-4040 www.PheasantRidgeResort.com
www.ParkModelLiving.com
www.PML Key:
1 - Models for Rent 2 - Models for Sale 3 - Pads/Space for Rent 4 - Pads/Space for Sale
Classifieds.com
5 - Furniture/Housewares 6 - Vehicles 7 - Park Model Time Shares 8 - Dealers
2|Models for Sale OHIO - 2005 Quailridge Custom Park Model 12 x 33. Top of the line. One bedroom, sleeping couch, oak furniture. Not lived in. Gazebo, metal shed, attached porch, landscaped lot. Asking $22,500. Uniontown OH 330-6445678 WISCONSIN - 1987 Holiday House Park Model 12x38, Front living room, hide-a-bed sofa, microwave, breakfast bar, lots of storage, very clean, new shingles, house type appliances and more. $15,995 www.sirencountrycampers. com, Siren WI 715-3498784 WISCONSIN - 1992 Canterbury, Front den, hide-abed couches, privacy cur-
9 - Parks 10 - Services 11 - Insurance 12 - Mortgages
tain, house type appliances, microwave, storage closets, ceiling fans, bay window and more.
10|Services RvTagSale.com This is the space to go when you want to buy or sell an RV.
DRTrainingOnLine.com We will train you online in basic and advanced computer skills. Our skilled technicians can take over your computer for training and also have real-time interactive instruction. Microsoft product training available.
13 - Movers 14 - Awnings & Attached Rooms 15 - Miscellaneous 16 - Help Wanted
15|Miscellaneous ParkModelTimeShare.com Do you want to visit a different part of the country? Post you Park Model here and trade spaces.
RVLotListings.com Buy, sell or rent RV spaces for your Park Model Home or RV.
RVStorageLocator.com Find a local place to store your RV.
OurSeniorSpace.com A place for seniors to connect and communicate.
MobileAdSpace.com The advertising that pays you! www.ParkModelLiving.com
Park Model Living Magazine 20
Ron and Mary Ann Surface return to their home in Ohio after warm winters in Arizona
Pat Loga n Washing and her husband ton. Ray
(not pictu
red) are f ro
m
Enthusiastic subscriber Pat Logan is our first volunteer photographer. Pat called to say how much she enjoyed our premier issue that featured the park where she spends the winter, Superstition Sunrise in Arizona. We invited her to share pictures and she got her neighbors involved.
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Bill Uhrig, relaxing in the shade, is from Missouri
Ken and Ruth Stewart are from British Columbia and have a fun & colorful sign for their Park Model.
Thanks for sharing! We love to have pictures from readers. Make sure you identify people and pets in the pictures. Tell us where the Park Model is and the other state where you live. For information on where to send your pictures, please see the Letters to the Editor page at the front of this magazine. www.ParkModelLiving.com
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