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OWNERS NEWS - KOA Owners Association
Owners News OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE KAMPGROUND OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Volume 29 Issue 3 July/August/September 2009 • Contents • President’s Corner...............................................................2 2009 Owners Association Board.........................................4 2009 Disaster Relief Board..................................................6 2009 State/Provincial Association Presidents.....................7 Fall 2009 State/Provincial Association Meeting Calendar............................................................. 7A Letter to the President from Ralph Newell “We Blew It.”.....8 Are You Buying Green.........................................................9 Insurance Tip Corner.........................................................10 Press Release...................................................................11 End of the Season Contemplation.....................................12 Workamper Corner............................................................14 The Right Staff .................................................................16 Campground Education Corner.........................................18 Funnies..............................................................................20 Reacting to Climate Change, Floods and Uncertainty.......22 2009 Associate Members..................................................24 Care Camps......................................................................26 Care Camps Auction Reminder.........................................26 Owners Association Convention Schedule........................28 Criteria for We Are Family.................................................29 New Award Announcement ..............................................29 Announcement for the Disaster Relief Raffle....................30 Form for Purchasing Disaster Relief Reverse Raffle Ticket........................................................31 www.koaowners.org www.koaowners.org 1 Volume 29, Issue 3 President’s Message for OA Newsletter Issue 3, 2009 Hello again everyone! It’s hoped that you have all had a very busy season and good weather. But it’s now winding down for many of you and it’s time to switch our thoughts from our campgrounds and campers to the KOA Convention in Houston, TX. Your Owners Association has had a very busy summer and our Mentoring Program has been moving right along. We’ve had over 40 owners sign up who are willing to be mentors. We’d love more of you to sign up and above all, we need a topic list of what you believe to be your best skills to share with newer owners. We have been promising a new Owners Association Website since March; by the time this is in print that website will be active. Go out and see about posting a video of your campground or a photo. Check out the News and Events pages and be sure and sign your campground up with your own password. You will also have the option of paying your dues on line. So get involved and contribute an article, concern or just post a thought. Your Board is eager to hear from you and understand your concerns. a workamper (both husband and wife could be entered as one unit) that you hire who is a real asset to your campground and to your campers. Be sure to go over the criteria carefully and again, the nominations go into our main office at [email protected] to be evaluated by the Awards Committee. The 2009 Convention is fast approaching and your board is planning a variety of things for you to look over. After you register with KOA be sure and stop by the Owners Association table to get your membership ribbon and handouts. It’s a good place to introduce yourself and meet some of your board members and our OA staff. This is also where your items for the auction can be dropped off. Just a little further on down will be the Care Camp table. You can stop by there and get your 2009 Auction Pin while looking at the photos of some of the children who attended a camp, read some of the letters, and get a copy of our supply list. Don’t forget to pick up your “I Care” pins. That table will be staffed by members of the Care Camp Board and they are very enthusiastic in talking about this program. This is going to be a great convention and I encourage you to make every effort to attend. Don’t forget to allow time to attend your area meetings and the general session of the association. See you in Houston! Tina Haith, Owners Association, President Don’t forget that now is the time to be thinking of nominations for the “We Are Family” award. The criterion for that award is listed further on in this newsletter and on the website. Just email your nomination into the Owners Association Office at [email protected]. Be sure and list why you are nominating them and some background on it. Your nomination must be received by October 15th. We are introducing a new award this year called the “Workamper of the Year.” You should have received an email about this award. The criterion for this award are also listed in this newsletter as well as on the OA website. Nominations must be received by October 15th for this award as well. This award is for 2 Owners News Partner with the ONLY ENDORSED KOA OA INSURANCE AGENCY Outdoor Insurance Group and Benefit with Exclusive KOA OA Coverage Enhancements • Special on-line access for KOA OA customers including risk management safety videos, KOA OA Quarterly Newsletter, live interactive forms and claims reporting • Highly trained, experienced, and friendly staff ~ all of which are campers! • Direct Bill Plans available (NO Finance charges or fees). • OIG attendance at annual conventions and many regional meetings. • SUPPORT - OIG is here to committed to the KOA Owners Association 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Call Today! 1-888-683-7808 Call Today! 1-888-683-7808 www.oigcorp.com OUTDOOR INSURANCE GROUP IS THE ONLY ENDORSED KOA OA INSURANCE AGENCY CA License #OC24080 www.koaowners.org July/August/September 2009 www.oigcorp.com 3 Volume 29, Issue 3 KOA Owners Association Board of Directors 2009 4 AREA 1 AREA 2 Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia Ohio, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island Danny Goad 17139 Bowling Green KOA 1960 Three Springs Rd Bowling Green, KY 42104 Phone: (270) 843-1919 Fax: (270) 843-1909 [email protected] Vicki Cole 3-164 Shelby/Mansfield KOA 6787 Baker 47 Shelby, OH 44875-9103 Phone: (419) 347-1392 Fax: (419) 342-5353 [email protected] Jerry Dale 42102 Manchester TN KOA 586 Kampground Rd Manchester, TN 37355 Phone: (931) 728-9750 Fax: (931) 728-9777 [email protected] AREA 3 AREA 4 Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Minnesota, Texas, Arkansas Wisconsin, Iowa Carrol Murray 27104 Carol Preble 43233 Treasurer West Omaha KOA 14601 Hwy 6 Gretna, NE 68028 Phone: (402) 332-3010 Fax: (402) 332-0246 [email protected] Rusk KOA PO BOX 691 Rusk, TX 75785 Phone:(903) 683-6641 [email protected] Karl Schmidt 38181 Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA 1980 Turnpike Rd Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Phone: (717) 367-7718 Fax: (717) 367-3412 [email protected] Hope Perkins 14-133 Elkhart/Middlebury KOA 52867 State Rd 13 Middlebury, IN 46540 Phone: (574) 825-5932 Fax: (574) 825-1080 [email protected] Tina Haith 36133 AREA 5 AREA 6 AREA 7 Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Hawaii, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico CANADA David Witt 47103 Leavenworth KOA 11401 River Bend Dr. US 2 Leavenworth, WA 98826 Phone: (509) 548-7709 Fax: (509) 548-7709 [email protected] Pamela Mendala 5275 Michael Kuper 55120 Cloverdale KOA 1166 ASTI Ridge Rd, PO BOX 600 Cloverdale, CA 95425 Phone: (707) 894-3337 Fax: (707) 894-9206 [email protected] V. President Thunder Bay KOA 162 Spruce River Rd. Thunder Bay, ON P7B5E4 Phone: (807) 683-6221 Fax(: (807) 683-6222 [email protected] Steve Linde 26-122 Sarah Martin 61-03 Secretary Yellowstone Park KOA PO BOX 348 Westyellowstone, MT 59758 Phone: (406) 646-7606 Fax: (406) 896-8449 [email protected] Buena Vista KOA 27700 County Rd 303 Buena Vista, CO 81211 Phone: (719) 395-8313 Fax: w(719) 395-3103 [email protected] Jeff Stovold 55-252 Toronto North/Cookstown 139 Reive Blvd Cookstown, ON L0L 1L0 Phone:(705) 456-2120 Fax: (705) 458-1389 [email protected] President Oklahoma City East KOA 6200 South Choctaw Rd Choctaw, OK 73020 Phone: (405) 391-5000 Fax: (405) 391-5004 [email protected] KOA INC. LIAISON Jeff Sutherland VP of Franchisee Service PO BOX 3055 Billings, MT 59114 Phone: (800) 548-7104 [email protected] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR William Ranieri 3416 Primm Lane Birmingham, AL 35216 Phone: (800) 678- 9976 Fax: (205) 823-2760 [email protected] Owners News www.koaowners.org 5 July/August/September 2009 Volume 29, Issue 3 6 KOA Disaster Relief Board 2009 Area 1 Tennessee, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Virgnian, W. Virginia Danny Goad 17-139 Bowling Green KOA 1960 Three Springs Rd Bowling Green, KY 42104 Phone: (270) 843-1919 Fax: (270) 843-1909 [email protected] Area 3 Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa Howard Stein 22-220 Port Huron KOA 5151 Lapeer Rd Kimball, MI 48074 Phone: (810) 987-7075 Fax: (810) 987-7073 [email protected] Area 6 Hawaii, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico Tommy Martin 61-03 Buena Vista KOA 27700 County Rd 303 Buena Vista, CO 81211 Phone: (719) 395-8313 Fax: (719) 395-3103 [email protected] Area 2 Ohio, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Main, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island Rick Dillon 38-117 Bellefonte State College KOA 2481 Jacksonville Rd. Bellefonte, PA 16823 Phone: (814) 355-7912 Fax: (814) 353-8207 [email protected] Area 4 Louisiana, Mississippi, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas Area 7 Canada Jeff Stovold 55-252 Toronto North/Cookstown KOA 139 Reive Blvd Cookstown, ON L0L 1L0 Phone: (705) 456-2120 Fax: (705) 458-1389 [email protected] (VACANCY) Area 5 Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Steve Linde 26-122 Yellowstone Park KOA PO Box 348 W. Yellowstone, MT 59758 Phone: (406) 646-7606 Fax: (406) 896-8449 [email protected] Owners News 2009 State & Provincial Presidents Darol Blunt 5-180 Visalia/Fresno South KOA 7480 Avenue 308 Visalia, CA 93291 John Downing 13-156 Rock Island KOA 2311 78th Ave. W. Rock Island, IL 61201 Rhonda Landis 35-102 Dayton KOA 7796 Wellbaum Rd Brookville, OH 45309 Diane King 25-137 Springfield /Rte 66 KOA 5775 W. Farm Rd 140 Springfield, MO 65802 Louise Bacot 18-105 Baton Rouge East KOA 7628 Vincent Rd Denham Springs, LA 70726 Richard Marcoux 55-208 1000 Island/Mallorytown KOA PO Box 29 Mallorytown, ON K0E 1R0 CANADA Cathleen Kuebler 22-225 Traverse City KOA 9700 M37 Buckley, MI 49620 Gary Levesque 38-104 Philadelphia/West Chester KOA PO Box 920 Unionville, PA 19375 John Dillon 38-117 Bellefonte/State College KOA 2481 Jacksonville Rd Bellefonte, PA 16823 Homer Staves 26-161 Whitefish/Kalispell KOA 5121 Highway 935 Whitefish, MT 59937 Michael Greig 37-176 Corvallis/Albany KOA 33775 Oakville Rd. SW Albany, OR 37321 Georgette Jones 38-179 Madison/Pittsburgh KOA Road 2, Box 560 Rfuusdale, PA 15679 Victor Arsenault 32-140 Cananpaigua/Rochester KOA Bill Olendorf 40-113 5374 Farmington Town Line Rd Point South KOA Farmington, NY 14425 14 Kampground Rd Yemassee, SC 29945 Kevin Wright 44-103 Brigham City KOA 1040 W. 3600 South Brigham City, UT 84302 Jeff Irwin 49-106 Madison KOA 4859 Cty Rd V DeForest, WI 53532 Susan Hart 46-105 Fredericksburg/Washington DC S KOA 7400 Brookside Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22408-8856 Carey Keith 47-161 Seattle Tacoma KOA 5801 South 212th St. Kent, WA 98032 James Brown 51-124 Hinton Jasper KOA 4720 Vegas Rd NW Calgary, AB T3A 1W3 (CANADA) Jim Turner 6-113 Estes Park KOA 2051 Big Thompson Rd Estes Park, CO 80517 Marshal Gray 43-111 Concho Valley KOA 6699 Knickerbocker Rd San Angelo, TX 76904 Danny Goad (2009) 17-139 Bowling Green KOA 1960 Three Springs Rd Bowling Green, KY 42104 Frank Christianson 23-148 Jackson KOA 2035 Highway 71 North Jackson, MN 56143 Elliott Smith 9-205 St. Augustine Beach KOA 525 W. Pope Rd St. Augustine, FL 32080 Hope Perkins 14-133 Elkhart/Middlebury KOA 52867 State Rd. 13 Middlebury, IN 46540 Pattie Gray-Miller 41-108 Deadwood KOA PO Box 451 Deadwood, SD 57732 2009 State/Provincial Presidents News Association Location Date New England State Association Woodstock KOA September 9, 2009 Colorado State Association Estes Park KOA September 15, 2009 Ohio State Association Sandusky KOA September 20, 2009 Florida State Association Ft Summit KOA September 29, 2009 Virginia State Association Williamsburg KOA September 30, 2009 Texas State Association San Antonio KOA October 6, 2009 California/Nevada State Association Cloverdale KOA October 6, 2009 South Dakota State Association Kennebeck KOA October 6, 2009 Oregon State Association Waldport KOA October 13, 2009 Washington State Association To be announced October 13, 2009 Wisconsin State Association Fond du Lac KOA October 14, 2009 Illinois State Association Rock Island KOA October 20, 2009 Canadian Provincial Meeting Montreal S. KOA October 24, 2009 Heartland States Association Salisaw KOA October 27, 2009 Utah State Association Fillmore KOA November 7, 2009 www.koaowners.org July/August/September 2009 At this time we are listing the places and dates for your State/Provincial meetings:. 7 Volume 29, Issue 3 LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT: From Ralph Newell, “We Blew It” Did we just experience a setback on our journey from Good to Great or was the goal of the words just an internal marketing program? Over the last several years we have heard about the journey from good to great and we have spent considerable time, energy and effort to put in place the tools for our franchisor and franchisee’s to make that journey. KOA has spent millions on marketing in order to differentiate our brand from our competitors. We publish, produce, and distribute the KOA Directory to our best customers. We measure the progress of the journey by spending considerable money on customer satisfaction surveys. We have staff in Billings and on many of our campgrounds that work to insure the journey is valuable and achievable. We developed the VKR (Value Card Rewards) program as part of that journey. Our GREAT program reminds us daily of that journey. As part of the Marketing Committee I have been active and committed to that journey. I have been committed because I believe the journey from good to great is a lofty goal worth the risk, work and reward. The journey is one that I believe lives in many KOA Owners and employees. I believe it is a never ending process of improvement but also a never ending profitable process. With the goal of going from good to great each of us commit to improving the many aspects of campground ownership such as facilities, services, employee training and customer service. Improvement sets us apart from our competition and allows us to make more profit by attracting more campers more often at more profit than those that are satisfied with what they are doing now. The KOA franchise system is a fragmented franchise system with a variety of campgrounds each offering different services and amenities. Our franchise system is probably one of the easiest and least costly franchises available for an entrepreneur. Our owners come from many different backgrounds with many different skill sets. Yet we share customers, challenges and a name. Our franchisee spends millions of dollars in education, training, and quality assurance to bring this fragmented group together for purpose of marketing that name and attracting customers. In an effort to bring some marketable consistency we have developed system standards and use a system wide computer software program. We produce and distribute the KOA Directory and other literature. We measure customer satisfaction and have developed the VKR program to change customer behavior. Two recent developments have caused me to question whether the journey from good to great is more of a marketing program than a true process of improvement. First KOA Corp (not the Marketing Partners) initiated the process of including an award icon in each campgrounds listing. I was in favor of this because I believed this would highlight those campgrounds that have made a commitment to the journey. It would give our customers increased satisfaction by developing some expectation of experience. It would provide an incentive for campgrounds to join the journey. Any of these outcomes would improve our franchise system. KOA has now rescinded this as some campgrounds felt the Awards were unobtainable. Secondly, until recently KOA has worked to improve the quality of campgrounds. Many campgrounds no longer fly the KOA flag due to an increased commitment by KOA to enforce system standards. Over the last several months I have had many calls, seen pictures, and personally visited new KOA campgrounds that in my and other owners opinions are not up to the quality of our system. I believe we need more KOA Campgrounds and I personally worked to get a quality owner as a neighbor and competitor in Topeka, KS over a campground that in my opinion would not meet our high standards. I know most KOA owners are committed to providing quality facilities and services. I know how hard they work to achieve a level of customer satisfaction that qualifies them for awards and I believe an award is achievable for all committed owners. I believe keeping our systems standards high and rewarding high achievers sets us apart from our competitors. If you believe like I do please call KOA, call your Area Representative and call other owners and voice your opinion so we can get back to achieving our goal of “Making it Great.” Ralph E Newell This is a letter to the OA president and does not necessarily represent the views of the president or the Owners Association. All members are invited to submit their comments to the OA president for publication in this section of the newsletter. 8 Owners News Are you really buying Green? You want to do your part in supporting the Green effort so you check the labels and buy the products promoting eco-friendly, non-toxic, made of recycled materials and feel good. But, are they truly Green?!! Are the products this company is selling truly certified as “eco-friendly?” There is a process in place that requires a company to get certification on the product as being safe for people. But there is no products industry standard for classifying and certifying eco-friendly products, but companies do have opportunities to be certified by other organization’s standards. These certifications are available for everything from product materials to energy consumption and construction process to fair labor and wages. So ask yourself, what do you look for in a company and their product and is what they say about their product true? How do you know what that certification label means if the product has one? There are several organizations out there that have put together the procedures by which a company may become certified as “Green.” The issue is finding out who has received the certification and where they are. If you are looking for products that are Chlorine Free in the manufacturing, water purification and recycled products you just go to www.chlorinefreeproducts.org and find a list of accepted companies that have passed the third party certification audit. You might check out the Fair Trade Certification (TransFair USA). They track products from harvesting to their inclusion in a finished product. That web site is www.transfairusa.org. For organic production and handling operations that meet the USDA standards on farming, wild crop harvesting, handling or selling as organically produced. Go to the US Government website: www.usda.gov. 'ET#OMFORTABLE %POUCFBOYJPVTBCPVUOFX FMFDUSJDBMTUBOEBSET 8FMMmUBMMZPVSOFFETQFSGFDUMZ 6QHSBEFBOESFOPWBUFXJUIMPXDPTU FMFDUSJDBMQSPEVDUTGSPN##&MFDUSJDBM 1FEFTUBMT4VSGBDF.PVOU#PYFT BOE"DDFTTPSJFT ■ ■ 1PXFS%JTUSJCVUJPO1BOFMT $PQQFSBOE"MVNJOVN 8JSF$BCMF 5BLFBEWBOUBHFPGPVS'3&&'"45 &MFDUSJDBM-BZPVU4FSWJDF 4QFDJBMJTUTJOTFSWJOH375SBWFM1BSLT OBUJPOXJEFGPSZFBST ■ ■ &MFDUSJD8BUFS(BT.FUFST ■ -JHIUJOH'JYUVSFTBOE1PMFT www.koaowners.org 5PMMGSFF GBY XXXCCFMFDDPN July/August/September 2009 These are just three areas where you are able to verify that what you are buying is for “real.” So, with just a little effort and some time on a computer you are now able to identify what “green” is and who has taken the time to go through certification and present the “green” label on their products. 9 Volume 29, Issue 3 INSURANCE TIPS Report your Claims in a Timely Matter In case of an emergency in your campground, knowing what to do and when can prevent a minor aggravation from becoming a major financial and legal nightmare. There are three major areas of concern: 1. Damage to your property. 2. Bodily injury, minor or serious. 3. Damage to the property of others. It is essential that you report the situation immediately, don’t wait and above all keep a folder for all of the paperwork on that situation. Make any temporary repairs if necessary to prevent further damage, but the replacement of major items cannot be done until after the insurance adjusters have had a look. If they can’t see the damage they may be reluctant to pay you for the damage. And some damages don’t show up until well after the fact. This is why you need to keep an incident folder for the repair, replacement and service call bills that detail the reason for them. Obviously, if serious bodily injury is involved, take care of the injury first, but let your agent know as soon as possible. Be sure and show concern and that you are genuinely sorry for what happened with those minor injuries, such as scratches and scrapes. By showing that you care a lot you may keep the injured person from filing a lawsuit later. And don’t forget to do a follow up call to check up on the injured person all the while expressing your personal concern for their personal pain. BUT DO NOT ADMIT GUILT and don’t PAY ANYTHING. In the event that the injury looks serious or is serious, be sure and obtain help from any medical personnel you may have camping on site and call 911 if necessary. Only administer life-sustaining first aid, nothing more. As soon as possible get photos and or a detailed description of the conditions surrounding the accident, the personal information on the victim and witness statements. Then call your insurance company. If a camper’s property is damaged, don’t admit guilt or pay anything but give them a lot of TLC and call your insurance company as soon as possible When or if there is damage to your property, try to leave it as is for the insurance adjuster to see. If it’s sensible, put up a tarp or make a TEMPORARY repair if the rain is pouring into your office or kabin and there is danger of doing more damage. But don’t put on the new roof until the adjuster sees and appraises it. Be sure to take photos as soon as possible after the damage occurred, especially if you need to do any temporary repairs. Reporting incidents to your insurance company in a timely manner is the key for quick and accurate settlement. 10 Owners News PRESS RELEASE Renovated Branson KOA Has Ribbon Cutting Ceremony July 1, 2009 The owners of the Branson KOA, Ralph and Kim Newell have just completed more than $500,000 worth of renovations to their campground. On July 1st they hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the members of the Branson Chamber of Commerce. After which tours of the renovated campground were given via golf carts and a hayride. The Chamber of Commerce members got a chance to see the new lodging options, jumping pillow and pet playground as well as sampling new treats and refreshments available at the campground, including pizza, ice cream treats and homemade fudge. The new upgraded accommodations include the addition of 30 landscaped concrete deluxe patio sites with patio furniture and personal fireplaces, along with 30-50 amp service at every site plus Wi-Fi throughout the park. With the additional 10 Kamping Kabins and three KOA lodges everyone should find an accommodation to fit their personal needs. The new services for campers include pontoon boat and golf cart rentals, daily breakfast in season and shuttle service to area shows and attractions. Branson KOA has the distinction of being the first campground in Missouri to have the Jumping Pillow as well as offering a new Kamp K-9 pet playground for the 4 legged campers. The many amenities that are offered to the group/reunion campers are the result of considerable research by the Newels’. They aim to offer a wide range of services for the group/reunion campers from a 7,000 –squarefoot convention center, a meeting room and pavilion along with an event planner. The planner will assist your group with catering, entertainment and transportation needs to make your group, rally or family reunion a memorable event. Congratulations to the Newel’s and their campground, may this be the best season yet for Branson KOA. Courtesy of Campers News www.koaowners.org July/August/September 2009 The Newell’s added many unique amenities to their KOA Kafé, such as an ornate gazebo, elegant patio, upscale bathrooms and various energy-efficient items. The menu which is tailored to their camper’s tastes includes pizza, ice cream, homemade fudge and a large selection of gifts and souvenirs. Their RV parts and accessories will appeal to any RV traveler. Campers at Branson KOA are able to take advantage of the “All-Summer Special”: kids stay free June 15 through August 31. The facilities include more than 150 full-hookup, 50-amp sites, cable TV and Wi-Fi, and rental units featuring Kamping Kabins, Kottages and lodges, many with air-conditioned bathrooms. 11 Volume 29, Issue 3 “End of Season –What To Do?” Loren Smith, Prairie Kraft Specialties & Great Falls KOA We are coming to the end of our 32nd camping season at the Great Falls, Montana KOA Kampground and 27th year at Prairie Kraft Specialties. So with this experience, what will we be doing in the upcoming months? This KOA camping business has proved to be relatively “recession proof”. At the Great Falls KOA, like many of my fellow franchisees, we are coming off a strong camping season with plenty of Camper Nights. Yes, some of you (our customers) have not had a great season but most of you are like the Great Falls KOA and are pleased and surprised. This winter and early spring many of you, like us in Great Falls, were bemoaning the fact that reservations were way down. Having done this for 32 years, I have the following observation: • The lower the reservations, the higher year-end Camper Nights. • The higher the reservations - average or slightly down in Camper Nights. That’s right; “many reservations” don’t always translate into a record year. In fact, the opposite is generally true. So, we are coming off a good year and we have some cash in our checking account. What do we do? In my opinion, pre-pay some long-term debt and build yourself a nice short-term cash reserve (savings). Put this cash in a secure instrument such as a short-term CD, Municipal Bond, or Mile’s program at Independence Bank in Havre, MT. In simple words, save it…don’t spend it. I don’t know what the future brings, but I believe it is prudent to have cash reserves over the next two to three years. As most of you know, my friend and banking partner, Chuck Celania, endorses this as well. Is Loren saying, “Don’t make improvements to add or fix up your campground”? No. In fact, this is the time. However, I will only be doing things that increase my Camper Nights, make me money, and pay off in less than five years. Yes, I could pay for these things with the savings I previously spoke about, but I won’t and I don’t recommend you do either. Let this cash earn you some interest and improve your credit rating. If the things you want to do make sense, borrow some short-term money. I use Go-With-The-Flow Loans at the Great Falls KOA just like the rest of you. We will be building a few large sites for the big RVs, however, do not misread this. The Great Falls KOA is in need of a few large RV sites as we currently have none. Knowing the direction government is moving, environmental concerns (think green), and knowing that the United States is a nation of fads, a large RV is not currently “in style,” nor are they likely to become so. There is very little doubt in my mind that large RVs 12 Owners News will diminish but they won’t disappear. We are building these large RV sites because we don’t have any. That puts a whole different perspective on it than if we were “adding more.” Smaller RVs such as pop-up tent trailers, Teardrop Travel Trailers, etc. are on the rise and we saw that dramatically in Great Falls. Our eighteen Tent Village® sites were paid for years ago and they made a lot of money this year and will again next year. As such, we’ll be adding 12 to18 more Tent Village® sites over the next couple of years. The reason? They make money, they add camper nights, and they pay off in less than five years. Years ago, KOA stated: “The consumer is king…give him what he wants.” That is still true today, even more so. Today’s customer has a strong desire to do business with “those they trust.” The key word is “trust.” Return customers are on the rise as well as those that arrive via word of mouth from other people they “trust.” One- and two-room log Kamping Kabins are positively not on the decline. We have strong demand for them and will probably add one or two more. Yes, there are customers who desire cabins with bathrooms, and if you don’t have any, you are hearing “I need something with a bathroom in it.” However, those campgrounds that have lots of units with bathrooms generally have seen a decline in their rental due to price. In simple words, you need both, and if you don’t have a Kottage or a Lodge, you should definitely add it as it will increase your Kabin Nights as well. Although this may sound self-serving, the log KOA Kamping Kabin is still king in the customer’s eyes. Rental RV units (particularly those a few years old) are starting to see wear and tear and losing their luster with the customers. At the Great Falls KOA, we take a long-term look at investments and the “lifetime cost” of the product. There is no doubt that the log Kamping Kabin is king in this respect. It may cost more initially but, in the end, it is cheaper. I know many of you reading this are echoing these thoughts with a “Yes.” The reality is we owners have a lot of pride in our campgrounds. A log kabin is still a great investment and makes lots of money. We are not only going to add Kabins, a Kottage and, yes, big RV sites to increase our Camper Nights, but we are also improving and adding more activities for the customers when they are here. Our most important project is an indoor shooting target game (such as you see at Cabela’s). We will add that adjacent our water playground and hopefully work toward a miniature golf course as well. All of these items will pay for themselves in less than one to two years and will be financed using Go-With-The-Flow financing. As the photograph shows, Loren’s hobby is airplanes. Prairie Kraft could not exist without the airplane. We enjoy working with all of you and, I believe, we enjoy the trust of all of you. If you would like us to come visit and work on projects to make you money, give Jane or Linda a call and we’ll be there. Oh, and don’t forget to go on vacation with your partner this winter! Your friends and partners in Great Falls, Loren Smith, Great Falls KOA and Prairie Kraft Specialties www.koaowners.org July/August/September 2009 Fall is the time to be working on (not thinking about) next year. We will be fixing cabins, planting spruce trees, painting our water playground, etc. After years in this business, I have found that you absolutely have to begin these efforts (both improvements and repairs) immediately following the Labor Day weekend. If you don’t, they never get done. In the spring you are too busy getting the store stocked, the sites cleaned, etc. Fall is the time to improve the campground to make more money the following year. 13 Volume 29, Issue 3 “WORKAMPER’S KORNER” Submitted by Sarah Martin, Owner Buena Vista KOA, Colorado Wow, it is hard to believe that another summer season has gone by! Most of us are in that period of winding down. The staff at this point should be at the “norming” stage of team development, which is a very enjoyable time. Tales of various activities and the exploration of our mountain region are shared among our workampers; there is still enough time to get in one more adventure. Stories of challenging events created by challenging campers can now be laughed at. It is a time to reflect on the good memories of the summer, while the negative times should automatically fade. As celebration for the staff, we usually have a cook-out for the staff before everyone leaves for home/or their next destination. This is our time as Owners to show appreciation to our staff for their attitudes as a “team” and for their “commitment” of completing the season. It also serves as a time for them to have closure for their season experience. At this time we hand out appreciation gifts to each one with verbal comments made by Tommy. Examples of such gifts are: gift certificates to restaurants, local bed n’ breakfasts, local events such as a rafting trip; cash bonuses; special KOA items; and gift certificates for KOA campgrounds. The latter is especially appreciated by the workampers who only work during the summer and do not qualify for Vouchers, as it helps with their expense of returning home. Going the extra mile of rewarding the staff when they are not expecting it is extremely meaningful to them. It is the same business philosophy that we instill in our “camper relations” of exceeding the customer’s expectations. Workampers are our “internal” customers. From the aspect of management activities, this is the time to study personnel issues; evaluate events and analyze causes. The “why, what, when, and how” of situations. This is the cycle of constant quality improvement; to avoid becoming stagnant and prevent repeating mistakes. I highly recommend going back and reviewing the resume of each workcamper that worked this past season. By rereading the resumes and reflecting on the interviews---I ask myself what was it that I missed- if the workcamper was either fired or quit? By the same token, with the workcamper that became outstanding, I review his/her hiring process to detect the outstanding traits. This is a great time to revise your future interview/hiring process: questions that were or were not asked, body language or voice tones, interaction between the couple during interview, assessing the topics that were not stated or were avoided, and how to distinguish personality types. (Generally certain occupations and hobbies will indicate personality types). Conducting “Exit interviews” is a method that we have found to be very helpful as owners/managers to assist in our evaluation of the past season. This is a written set of questions that we ask each workcamper couple to complete prior to their departure, and is given to them a few days prior a face-to-face conference. The goal is to obtain objective feedback to improve our operations, but not to be a gripe session. It is conducted in a structured setting, but also with an open atmosphere so the staff feels safe in being honest. Respect for each other as employee and as employer is verbally established. I have to admit to have a successful exit interview, you as the owner/manager must be willing to listen to statements without becoming defensive. Each year, we have gained valuable insight, and have implemented activities which have greatly improved our campground: all from suggestions by our workampers. At the same time, there have been occasions when we have stated to the workcamper “we agree to disagree,” and that there are reasons, their recommendations cannot be implemented due to factors we choose not to share with them as the employer. Throughout this interview it is so important to show respect for each other and the perspective each comes from. 14 Owners News One last fun activity we do for the season end---is to honor our “Outstanding Workamper of the Season” which is “Dusty.” He sits at various locations always greeting our campers with a happy smile; often in the rocking chair in front of the office, or on the wagon at the entry. Actually Dusty came to us 2 summers ago via a garage sale. One of our workampers was an avid fan of garage sales. One Saturday she happened upon Dusty hanging from the rafter of a garage dressed as a 5 ft stuffed clown with the cheap price tag of 25 cents. Being the creative person she was, she brought Dusty home; changed his outfit to one Bonnaroo Limo with workampers. of a yellow KOA shirt and jeans. He even has his own KOA name tag. Dusty has brought immeasurable fun to our campground for both staff and our campers. Often he plays the game of hide-n-seek with the children, and is moved from one location to another all over the campground. They have the most fun trying to find where Dusty has moved to. Even the adults get into the fun: this past summer one of our regular campers kidnapped poor Dusty, and then left a ransom note demanding a bowl of ice cream in exchange for Dusty’s return. This has been an inexpensive way to create added fun for workers and campers with just some creativeness. As we do the honor, we discuss that Dusty exemplifies outstanding traits which include: always has a smile and positive attitude, is dependable, willing to be flexible wherever assigned, never has a bad word to say about anyone or anything, and displays humor. These are traits that we ALL should strive for when working in the campground environment. “Best Practices” “Comments “ Most workampers enjoy your friendship but you need to be the boss too. Sell your area when searching for workampers, promote the things to see and do when not working. Give a bonus up to $1.00 per hour worked during the season paid at the end based on work performance and staying their committed time. We have paid less than $1.00 per hour for workampers that did not perform like they should have. We provide special discounts for workampers who have family camp with us to see their relatives (example: free cabins and sites during the week, 10% off on the weekend). We provide propane at cost, 10% discount in the store, free laundry, and breakfast 50% off. Have a daily staff meeting in the morning, and offer coffee and 2x a week donuts. Everybody is attending, and the staff tells me what they do that day. I then can decide if anything else needs attention. It makes the individual responsible for what they do without me telling them. We have had success with workampers by treating them well… including a gift certificate to a local restaurant once a month or so. Getting to know as many other owners/managers as possible increases your network base to check on Workamper references. Just because they have a star after their name does not mean they are a good workamper. With the laws I know we have to be very careful as to what we say to another campground owner about the workamper. The commitment isn’t everything. We have given out stars that we felt they did not deserve but they finished the commitment. Personally I like to hire first time workampers. They are much easier to train to our particular style of operations. It would be good if we could establish some kind of volume categorizing so that the workampers know how busy a particular campground might be- if a 120 site campground without any seasonal turns over every 2-3 days then it is probably going to be a whole lot busier (more work) than a 250 site campground that has seasonals and does mostly weekend business. If a workamper finds that the 250 site campground was too much work, then they might think the 120 site campground would be easier! If campgrounds knew more about each other’s area we could promote a likable location for the workampers next stint or if we knew who was looking and when, we could help promote them to the workampers. Getting qualified and kampsight trained workampers takes some of the strain away from training. Getting a crew to come together as a good team takes more than one season. www.koaowners.org July/August/September 2009 We would love to hear from you all, about your end-of-season activities! It would be fantastic to share more ideas of Rewards for workampers. I stress that one of our most valuable resources is our own network of owners/managers! My greatest source of learning has come from KOA peers; and the learning process is an ever-continuing one. The upcoming Convention is a great opportunity to become acquainted with more KOA folks. See you there! 15 Volume 29, Issue 3 The Right Staff for the Right Position by Vicki Cole Hiring the right staff is one of the most important jobs we can do. It reflects on the Kampground, the Owners, and the experience that our customers have at your campground. We hire a lot of high school kids and have very good success with them. They work hard, have a smile on their face, and treat our customers as if they are the most important person on our campground. Not that hiring high school kids doesn’t come without working with their limitations and their school schedules; they are involved with a lot of school activities and some are in the early part of the learning curve. However, they normally try to do the very best they can, and we just have to realize their strengths and weaknesses. Periodic evaluations are made on them on what they are doing correctly and what needs to be improved. They are willing to work on their weaknesses, as compared to many adults who do not really like to be evaluated, or corrected in what they are doing. When we hire, we ask interview questions that do not have a yes or no answer. They are thought provoking questions that requires them to explain how they would handle a situation and what they would do to change the situation. We stress to them that this is a team effort and everyone has to be a part of our team. Some examples are: 1) Everyone has problems getting along with certain people. Describe the hardest person you know to get along with and explain how you reacted. 2) Say your supervisor left an assignment for you and then left town and can’t be reached. You don’t fully understand the assignment. What do you do? 3) Name a situation that did not go the way you wanted and how did you handle it? 4) Tell me about a time your team members had a conflict – how was it resolved? 5) You are working with another employee and they are not carrying their share of the work load, what would you do? What we look for is an employee that has a smile on their face, looks you in the eye, and handles themselves well answering the question. We look to see that they have filled out their application completely, cover letters are properly completed, references given with phone numbers (and we do check references), and their body language. Staff incentives that we use are: ■■ Shining Star Award – given by a camper that recommends an employee for going above and beyond what they expect. ■■ Employee of the Week – we pick two employees randomly and feature them with their picture and a brief comment about them. They do not have to do anything outstanding to receive this recognition; that way everybody has an equal opportunity and no favoritism is shown. ■■ Staff Escort – all of our campers are escorted to their site by an employee and then checked on within a half hour by the same employee. At that time, the employee gives them a card with their name and when the family brings the card to our Kafe, they receive one free soft serve cone. The name of the employee is on the card turned in, and then we pick one employee each week to receive a gift certificate. ■■ Perfect Kabin Award – Cleaning of Kamping Kabins, Deluxe Kottages, and Lodges is tough. If there is a problem with a kabin, the front staff takes all of the heat. Our kabins are checked for problems by the front staff after they are cleaned. We have a check list of what needs to be cleaned and they initial what they have cleaned. Usually our cleaning staff is 2 people. If the front staff does not find any problems with the kabins, the cleaners name(s) is entered in a drawing every week for a gift certificate. 16 Owners News Some of our staff receive tips, which is placed in a “tip” jar. Tips are earned by the Kafe, cleaning personnel, and those that deliver ice and wood to the camper’s site. All of the tips are kept until the end of the year at our End of the Year Staff Party. Our Staff Party is for employees and their parents, as without the parents making sure they are at work and they make the extra effort to have them at work the kids would not be able to perform their duties. At this time we buy gift certificates of $10.00 each to many local stores; the employee’s names are entered once in the drawing for every 50 hours they worked that year. They may win more than once. We feel that those that clean the restrooms, weed the flowers, mow the grass, etc. are just as important as those that wait on the people in the Kafe or front desk. Everyone contributes to the environment of the campground and all jobs are equally important. Our staff is complimented numerous times on their friendliness and willingness to help the campers. We have been blessed with our staff and feel very lucky to have them. It gives faith to our campers that there are young people that are willing to work and have great work ethics. KOA Premier Savings Account From Independence Bank •Designed specifically for KOA Kampground Owners •Premium savings account rewards balances with higher interest rates of return • Includes Internet Banking & Meet our On-Line Bill Pay KOA Team • Offers a tiered rate of interest, Todd secure and easy access to your money and is FDIC insured. Miles Chuck Mym Don’t forget to ask us about our KOA Go-With-The-Flow loan program as well! Havre, Montana (406) 265-1241 • (800) 823-2274 www.ibyourbank.com www.koaowners.org July/August/September 2009 17 Volume 29, Issue 3 Continuing Educational Opportunities by Karl Schmidt, ElizabethTown/Hershey KOA Did you just buy a campground? Have you been running one for a while? Either way you’ve got questions. KOA-U is a great place to start your career as a kampground owner. It lays a solid foundation for what you need as a KOA. But you still have questions. After 13 years I still had questions. My gut told me I was doing it right, but there was never anyway to know if my gut was right. Maybe there was a better way to do it. Maybe there was a way to verify what I thought was right. Is my new idea on the right track? Will my banker agree? What do I have to support my idea? Will it really benefit my business now or should I do it later? Questions. So many questions. So few answers. Worse yet, so few places to find those answers. Our industry is so specialized that “typical” business models and analysis doesn’t always work. Try finding a definition of a camper night. Google it. Nothing. It’s likely that you had to educate your banker before he/she understood what you were talking about when you (re) financed your campground. Even the tourism industry as a whole fails to provide much assistance. The kamping industry seems to often be considered a second class member of the tourism sector. More questions. Fewer answers. Tired of winging it. Tired of experimenting. Tired of wondering if a positive result was the best result possible. How about a place whose mission is to “enhance the skills of its students through a high-quality educational program focusing on the best business management principles and practices as applied to the RV Park & Campground industry. This is accomplished in a professional, educational setting providing formal and informal student contact with an experienced, interdisciplinary faculty and park operators.” There is such a place. The National School of RV Park and Campground Management at Oglebay, WV. Started by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) in 1992, the school program was modeled after Oglebay’s other successful professional development schools. The first class had 61 students from 27 states. Over 400 students have since graduated from the two year school. A graduate program has been added to further enhance the experience. Many industry related companies and state campground associations sponsor the school and/or offer scholarships. After 13 years we attended the National School of RV Park and Campground Management. After 13 years we found answers. We found answers among the new and the experienced. Most importantly we found answers among the dedicated. The school doesn’t just have instructors. They have tenured professionals of the campground industry. Tenured in their experience in the industry. Dedicated to sharing, teaching and leading the new and the experienced. The formalized classroom programming offers in depth discussion and examination of a wide range of topics. The first year starts with the basics. Classes include service standards, managerial accounting, personnel management, safety, finances, marketing and more. The second year builds on the first. It offers you the chance to begin to drill down into your own campground. Classes for the second year include business planning, managing maintenance, construction project management and much more. We learned more than a few things vital to our business. Comparative information was made available for us to see just how we match up to other campgrounds AND how to use this information to determine appropriate planning for our future. We learned when we would be ready to add more campsites. At what point we should add amenities. How to balance amenities with income production. All with real hard facts to support our position. No more guesswork. Answers. Finally some answers. But there’s more. Evenings set aside for fireside chats. Informal, organized sharing from all who choose to attend. The networking and sharing throughout the entire school made it invaluable and different than any other educational experience. Now why in the world would a campground owner with 13 years experience, a recent KOA conversion and graduate of KOA-U, need to go to such a school? Not only did I want to go to school, I felt I really needed it. I had those nagging questions. It is my nature to search for accurate answers. To eliminate those nagging questions. I needed to find the answers and I did. Hard core reality, not just anecdotes of what might work or fail. Sure, our business was doing good. But, was it doing its best? From some of the biggest names in the kamping industry (KOA’s included) to some of the smallest kampgrounds around, the school is well attended. Public sector parks are just as well represented as private parks. You can even share time with a Yogi park. After all, much of your time is about sharing at the school. You will find certain topics are well covered by KOA already. Discussions about reservation software produced silence from us at the school. I intently listened to all of the problems others were having with their system. From setup disasters to operating in a real time, online environment for reservations, a smile slowly crept across my face. The smile that simply said, 18 Owners News “we got that.” Real time online reservations, always a big discussion point, always crossed over to which vendor to use and which one works with which software. Bigger smile. What about credit card processing? Smile keeps growing. Some Good Sam parks wanted to integrate a system to allow reservations between parks. I’m all but busting out by now. Discussions about merchandising, marketing, site expansion and a few others also brought home another fact of KOA life. We were no longer alone, out there, floundering about hoping to find someone who actually knew how set up a store, plan a campsite and be big enough and integrated enough to provide necessary services to its parks. In the end I learned there were answers out there. Other parks have the same problems and questions that I did and our decision to become a KOA was the right one. July/August/September 2009 Finally, in combining the educational process at the National School of RV Park and Campground Management with the opportunities offered by KOA, both corporate and as a system, Good to Great may be more of a reality than many think. It’s not just about the questions and answers, it’s about asking the right questions at the right time and getting the right answers. www.koaowners.org 19 Volume 29, Issue 3 Funnies The Italian Tomato Garden Forget Rednecks, here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Alabama... An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t work there, you may live in Alabama. very difficult work, as the ground was hard. If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Alabama. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament: If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Alabama. Dear Vincent, I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over.. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days. Love, Papa If “Vacation” means going anywhere south of Huntsville for the weekend, you may live in Alabama. A few days later he received a letter from his son. If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Alabama. Dear Pop, Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried. Love, Vinnie At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son. Dear Pop, Goaheadandplantthetomatoesnow.That’s thebestIcoulddounderthecircumstances. Love you, Vinnie 20 If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Alabama. If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Alabama. If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Alabama. If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you’re going 80 and Everybody is passing you, you may live in Alabama. If you find 60 degrees “a little chilly”, you may live in Alabama. If everyone you meet waves at you even if they don’t know you, you may live in Alabama. Owners News NATIONWIDE DISTRIBUTORS A N D S U P P L I E R S T O R V PA R K S & C A M P G R O U N D S Plan-IT Green P R OD U C TS TO R E D U C E USAGE OF RESOURCES � � � � � High Efficiency Hand Dryers Electric Meter Kits Water Meters Timer Boxes Photocell Controllers 800-800-2811 (8am EASTERN to 5pm PACIFIC) www.koaowners.org XLERATOR HAND DRYER GREENSPEC APPROVED. Qualified for LEED CREDIT www.go-usg.com July/August/September 2009 8 /200 2007 nal Natio C ARV of lier Supp ear the Y 21 Volume 29, Issue 3 Part 1 Reacting to Climate Change, Floods, and Uncertainty by Gerald E Galloway, University of Maryland Shortly after the president commented on the Red River flooding, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu told Western Hemisphere environmental ministers assembled in Trinidad and Tobago, “Caribbean countries face rising oceans and they face increases in the severity of hurricanes. This is something that is very, very scary to all of us… Lots of area in Florida will go under. New Orleans at three-meter height is in great peril.” These messages are not new. Scientists have been addressing the potential impacts of climate change on riverine and coastal flooding for decades, emphasizing the threat posed by increased precipitation and sea level rise. At the same time, some other scientists report little evidence of climate-related increases in flooding. How does the floodplain manager, the first responder, the elected official, and the average citizen decide how to address these predictions? Should they let people build in low-lying areas? Should they invest their retirement savings in property along the coast? Should the government slow down potentially hazardous development? If they know for certain what sea level might be along our coasts in 2050, understood the potential changes in hurricane intensity and resultant storm surges, and had sufficient tools available to allow us to identify the changes in frequency and magnitude of major riverine floods, these decisions might be easier to make. But there is a good deal of uncertainty. New Climate and New Impacts? Reports in 2008 and 2007 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change spoke to continued or accelerated global warming in the 21st century. The IPCC has directly addressed the potential for increased flooding and sea level rise in the years ahead. In 2008, the IPCC said, “Increased precipitation intensity and variability are projected to increase the risks of flooding and drought in many areas. The frequency of heavy precipitation events will be very likely to increase over most areas in the 21st century.” (Emphasis in original) Global mean sea level has continued to rise. The rate of rise is also increasing (Bates 2008). The March 2009 United Nations Third World Water Assessment Report finds that the “hydrologic cycle will intensify and that extremes will become more common. The moisture-holding capacity of the atmosphere has been increasing…creating the potential for heavier precipitation.” Data gathered on a monthly river flow indicates “seven of [every] eight 100-year floods occurred in the more recent half of the records.” The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development finds that the growth in emissions of greenhouse gases and the resultant increase in global temperatures is leading to increased heat waves, droughts, storms, and floods. The OECD says sea level rise will result in significant exposure of major world port cities-including most major U.S. ports- to catastrophic flood losses (OECD 2009). In April, the European Commission issued a white paper indicating the impacts of climate change will be “swifter and more severe” than suggested by the IPCC (CEC 2009). In 2002, as part of its “Forsight” studies, the British government commissioned chief science adviser Sir David King to examine, under several scenarios, the impact of climate change on flood defenses throughout the United Kingdom (King 2002). His team found that “a combination of sea level rise and increased storminess will allow storm surges to reach much further inland, so that Britain’s coastal defenses will be subjected both to higher water levels and to more energetic wave attack…these combined effects have the potential to increase risk of floods in 2080 by up to 30 times present levels.” The study also identified the less studied threat of flooding that could be caused by the inability of urban sewer and drainage systems to deal with the expected intense rainfall events. The report expressed concern for the impact of this future flooding on disadvantaged elements of society. The risk to this group would increase by factors of three to 20-“significant sections of the population could be blighted” King and Thomas 2004; Foresight 2004). Scientists in the United States have pointed out these threats for decades. In 1987, a committee of the National Research Council identified the challenges to be faced with potential climate-induced sea level rise. In 2000, a National Assessment Synthesis team reported, “Droughts and flash floods are likely to become more frequent and intense.” In 2002, P.C.D. Milly and colleagues reported that during the twentieth century, “The frequency of great floods had increased substantially and…the recent emergence of a statistically significant positive trend in risk of great floods is consistent with results from the climate model, and the model suggests that the trend will continue. To be continued in the next issue Courtesy of ” National Hazards Observer” 22 Owners News www.koaowners.org 23 July/August/September 2009 Volume 29, Issue 3 2009 Associate Members List These companies pay $200 a year to support our association. Please remember to purchase their products and patronize their businesses. AGS Publishing Christine Distl PO Box 8650 Ventura,CA 93002 Phone 800-245-9666 Fax 805-667-4122 [email protected] www.agspub.com Guest Services Guides and promotional printing products, brochures and rack cards Anderson’s Brochure Distributor Skip & Judy Deegans PO Drawer 467 Lewisburg, WV 24901 Phone 304-497-3238 [email protected] Athens Park Homes Dick Gaymonprez PO Box 1270 Athens, TX 75751 Phone (903) 677-0108 Fax (903) 677-0118 [email protected] B & B Electrical Margaret Linnell 2737 Browning Drive Lake Orion, MI 48360 Phone 248-391-3800 Fax 248-391-0207 [email protected] www.bbelec.com Electrical products for RV parks Campbell Insurance Agency Craig and Kirk Campbell PO Box 1695 Harrison, AR 72602 Phone 870-741-5423 Fax 870-741-4714 [email protected] www.insuretheoutdoors.com Insurance 24 Camper Reservation Center Billie Getman PO Box 295 Hill City, SD 57745 Phone 605-574-3405 [email protected] An inbound reservation center providing telephone support to campground vacation support for your guests. Chadwick Mfg. Co. Allen Smith 224 N. Main St. PO Box 85 Chadwick, IL 61014 Phone 800-732-4602 Fax 815-684-5160 [email protected] www.chadwickmfg.com Picnic Tables & Grills Chariot Eagle, Inc Robert Holliday 931 NW 37th Ave Ocala, FL 34475 Phone 352-629-7007 Fax 352-732-0026 [email protected] Checkbox System LLC Jim Ganley PO Box 113 Gray, ME 04039 Phone 866-345-9434 x 211 [email protected] Commercial Recreation Specialists Ron Romens/ Rich Wills 415 Investment Court Verona, WI 53593 Phone (608) 848-8781 Fax (608) 848-8782 [email protected] www.crs4rec.com Provider of water-based and land-based recreation and safety solutions. Lightning detection, dock systems, pool slides, pedal boats, waterfront inflatables, playgrounds, splashpads, mini golf and more Darrell Hess & Associates Mr. Darrel Hess 367 Dellwood Rd. Bldg E Suite 2 Waynesville, NC 28786 Phone 828-452-1535 Fax 828-452-3180 [email protected] www.CampgroundsForSale.com Real Estate - RV parks & campgrounds Eaton Corporation-RV Park Hook Ups Kathleen Kullberg; Greg Storck 149 Warwick Court Williamsburg, VA 23185 Phone 800-723-8009; 757-258-8800 Fax 757-258-8805 [email protected] www.marinapower.com Electrical power hookups, digital electronic meters, and light bollards. We also custom build power substations and we sell transformers, wire, and panels. Complementary electrical layout design is also available. Gattuso Distributing, Inc. Denise & Pat Gattuso 1576 Wald Rd New Braunfels, TX 78132 Phone 830-620-1618 Fax 830-620-1642 [email protected] www.gattusodistributing.com Summer/Water Items Gerber Manufacturing Chuck Gerber 2917 Latham Drive Madison, WI 53713-3232 Phone 800-393-9923 Fax 608-271-1920 [email protected] www.gerbertables.com Picnic Tables, Benches, Grills Owners News Independence Bank Miles Hamilton, Mym Cichosz PO Box 2090 Havre, MT 59501 Phone 800-823-2274 Fax 406-262-2173 [email protected] www.ibyourbank.com Loan Development Program Jax LTD., Inc. Cindy Levine 141 Chesire Land Minneapolis, MN55441 Phone 763-449-9699 Fax 763-449-9695 [email protected] www.jaxgames.com The fun and games people. Exceptional family games including the long-time favorite, SEQUENCE game. Designed for providing entertainment for family and friends Kwik-Covers Joe Puglisi 5110 Velasko Rd, Suite 1100 Syracuse, NY 13215 Phone 866-586-9620 585-787-9666 jpuglisi@KwiKcovers Picnic table covers of all types Leavitt Recreation & Hospitality Insurance Stacy Torneten 1001 Lazelle Street Sturgis, SD 57785 Phone 800-525-2060 Fax 605-347-0296 [email protected] www.lrhinsurance.com Property and casualty insurance for RV parks & campgrounds www.koaowners.org Pacific Yurts Inc. Pete Dolan 77456 Hwy 99 South Cottage Grove, OR 97427 Phone 800-944-0240 Fax 541-942-0508 [email protected] www.yurts.com The original designer & manufacturer of the modern yurt, offers a unique alternative to cabins & meeting halls for generating revenue. The highest quality design, materials & customer service backed by the industry leader. Phelps Honey Wagon Jaylene Shannon 158 Whiskey Spring Rd Dillsburg, PA 17019 Phone 800-463-3707 Fax 717-502-1090 [email protected] www.phelpshoneywagon.com Make full service sites available without the expense of an in-ground sewage system. Pump your own portapotties or holding tanks Popcorn Movie Poster Company David Graveen PO Box 1121 Glastonbury, CT 06033 Phone 860-610-0000 [email protected] R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co. Inc. Customer Service Dept. PO Box 946 5648 Hwy 59 South Cherokee, IA 51012-0946 Phone 800-762-5002 Fax 712-225-5796 [email protected] www.pilotrock.com Picnic Tables, Benches, Charcoal Grills, Campfire Rings, Trash and Recycling Receptacles and Lids, Lantern Poles, Flag Poles, Bike Racks, Pet Waste Stations, Picnic Table Covers, Fire Starters, More. Since 1959. Southeast Publications USA, Inc. Peter Warrick 4360 Peters Road Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317 Phone 800-832-3292 Fax 954-583-4109 [email protected] www.sepub.com site maps, publishing, printing Tengo Internet, Inc. Eric Stumberg 106 E 6th Street, Ste 900 Austin, TX 78701 Phone 512-469-7660 Fax 512-233-1783 [email protected] www.tengointernet.com A preferred Wi-FI provider for KOA Texas Meter & Device Co. Mr. Steve Swenke PO Box 154099 Waco, TX 76715 Phone 800-247-5116 Fax 254-799-0266 [email protected] www.texasmeter.com Remanufactured and new electric meters and metering equipment Utility Supply Group Wade Elliott, President PO BOX 267 Preston, WA 98050 Phone 800-800-2811 425-222-7845 [email protected] www.go-usg.com Distribution Panels July/August/September 2009 HUB International Mountain States LTD Aaron Linden PO Box 6006 Sheridan, WY 82801 Phone 800-300-4370 Fax 307-674-8012 [email protected] Offering a myriad of insurance products on a national scale. 25 Volume 29, Issue 3 REMINDER OF CARE CAMPS AUCTION I would like to welcome you all to the KOA OA auction blasting off in Houston this year. Again all proceeds will be going to KOA Care Camps. We are starting to count down to this exciting event. Don’t forget to pack your blue jeans and bring some great auction items for this worthy cause. Your Owners Association will initiate take off with two free drink tickets to get you started. See Y’all There EH! Michael Kuper Chairman KOA Care Camps Workampers work for KOA Care Camps I would like to share a story about an Ontario couple that enjoys their winter at the St. Petersburg KOA. Over the past three years Chuck & Terese McGaughey have raised and donated close to $20,000.00 to the KOA Care Camps. At the farmers market they buy fresh fruits and vegetables, bring them back to the KOA, then set up a table or two and sell all their goods with all the profits going to KOA Care Camps. Chuck knows the vendors quite well so they give him a break on the cost, making the profits even greater! Chuck & Terese take donations of just about anything and turn it into cash for the Care Camps. On bingo nights they help out, again all proceeds to KOA Care Camps. Chucks hint: make sure to have a five gallon water jug at each event to collect donations for the KOA Care Camps. 26 Owners News Some thoughts on our Presentation of Care Camps Check to Camp Horizon by Jerry and Barbara I was privileged to go and meet with Suzanne Manning who is in charge of Camp Horizon through the American Cancer society in Nashville, TN. It was a good day because I had a check for $10,000.00 to give her that was raised by all you nice people at KOA. Camp Horizon was one of the 43 Care Camps that we donated to this year. I asked Fred & Jen Stott, my good friends from Nashville KOA, to come with me to deliver the check. Suzanne was so thrilled that we at KOA donated this money through the KOA Care Camps Trust. She said that donations are really down this year because of the current economy and this is going to be a big help for them to meet their budget. Camp Horizon is held on two different weeks in June. One is for kids with cancer with a doctor’s ok and the other one is really unique. It is for the kids and their siblings. When families have one child with cancer they tend to spend all consuming time on them and the siblings can be left with feeling unloved. Suzanne said that some of the brothers and sisters even made comments that they wish they had cancer too so they can get the attention they crave. We know that when someone has cancer the whole family suffers so this is a unique way to bring them all together for fun and love. I have included pictures from Camp Horizon from 2008. I thought instead of writing a long article, the pictures will tell the story better. These were my favorite ones from over 1200 pictures taken. The kids want to thank you for all of the work you put in to raise this money. As you can see, it does make a difference and is important! Thanks, Jerry Dale, Manchester KOA In the past, I’ve been known to get carried away when telling people about Care Camps. Last year at one of the get-togethers with some of my high school friends, one of them decided that she would like to donate an item for the yearly auction. Her avocation (among other things) is sewing and she sent a handmade quilt along to Myrtle Beach. She was so overwhelmed that it brought almost $300 that her creativity went into overdrive. She has spent the winter (literally) sewing outfits for a doll. This doll, which is NOT an American Girl, but is the same size now, has approximately thirteen outfits... a gown in which she is dressed as “Miss KOA 2009” and then a theme outfit for each month of the year. These include Valentine’s day, St. Patrick’s day, a workout suit, camping outfit (complete with sleeping bag, pillow and backpack), back to school dress and her Halloween costume, which is Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” (Toto and basket included). All need to be seen to be appreciated. Any little girl who became the proud owner of this truly awesome collection would have hours of fun playing with this doll. Let’s make my friend, Joyce, proud. And we want to do it for the kids. See you at the auction. July/August/September 2009 SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO….. Audrey Eberhart/Richmond IN KOA www.koaowners.org 27 Volume 29, Issue 3 d d KOA OWNERS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION SCHEDULE Houston, TX November 17-21, 2009 Tuesday, November 17 Registration 4:00PM-5:00PM Owner’s Association Board Meeting Waterway 5, 6, & 7 Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center 6:00PM-8:00PM Welcome KOA Mixer Montgomery Ballroom Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center Wednesday, November 18 7:00AM-8:00PM Owner’s Association Auction Drop-off Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center 6:00PM – 7:00PM Owner’s Association Care Camps Board Meeting Waterway 8 Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center Thursday, November 19 7:00AM – 6:00PM Owner’s Association Auction Drop-off Waterway 4 Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center AREA MEETINGS 9:00AM -10:00AM 9:00AM-10:00AM 10:00AM – 11:00AM 10:00AM – 11:00AM 1:00PM – 2:00PM 1:00PM – 2:00PM 1:00PM – 2:00PM Area 1 Meeting Area II Meeting Area III Meeting Area IV Meeting Area V Meeting Area VI Meeting Area VII Meeting Waterway 6 Waterway 7 Waterway 6 Waterway 7 Waterway 6 Waterway 7 Waterway 8 3:30PM-4:30PM Owner’s Association Annual Meeting Waterway 6-7 Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center 4:30PM – 6:00PM Owner’s Association New/Old Board Meeting Waterway 6 Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center Friday, November 20 6:00PM - Care Camps Dinner/Auction Waterway 1-5 Marriott Woodlands & Convention Center PLEASE NOTE SOME SCHEDULE CHANGES MAY TAKE PLACE AT THE MEETING SO PLEASE CHECK YOUR PROGRAM ON ARRIVAL FOR THE CORRECT MEETING TIMES AND PLACES 28 Owners News d “We are Family Award” Nominations 2009 The KOA Owners Association is looking to receive nominations for this year’s recipient of the” We Are Family Award” that will be presented at the Houston, TX annual meeting. Wree a ily m a F The nominees should be a match for one or all of the following criteria, and it is not limited to the KOA Owners Association membership. The KOA Owners Association family member(s) who help other family members beyond the call of duty as well as/or to those who consistently show special qualities that contribute to the whole KOA system. The KOA Owners Association created and first presented this award at the convention in November 2000. At which time there were three recipients: 1) Judy Whiting 2) Pat Hittmeier 3) Carol & Walt Preble d The following years were limited to one outstanding KOA family member/contributor 2001-Jim & Jane Rose 2002- Mike & Rowena Bell 2003-Marv & Carol Linde 2004-Loren Smith 2005-no nominations 2006-Jim & Audrey Eberhart 2007-Jim Finch 2008-Jerry & Barbara Dale If you wish to nominate someone please call the KOA Owners Association office at 800-678-9976 or email us at [email protected] and please include the specific reasons you are nominating someone for this award. Nominations should be received by October 15, 2009. Bill Ranieri Executive Director We are pleased to announce a new award that will be presented to the WORKAMPER OF THE YEAR 1. The workamper nominee must have an active membership in the Work@KOA program. Their resume may be inactive only if currently working at a KOA campground. Also must allow for workampers that are not full-timers, but work only in the summer months. 2. Demonstrate loyalty to the KOA Organization by choice of campgrounds to work at. 3. Demonstrate outstanding customer skills per the “Making it Great” program. The workcamper nominee is an employee who goes above and beyond on the campground, is a team player and gets along well with peers. Demonstrates positive energy and attitude proving to be an asset to the campground atmosphere. 4. Implements the Code of Conduct for Workampers as developed at the Workamper University. Points to consider: competence, friendliness & high customer satisfaction. Willingness to take on projects and implementing them to their solutions Positive comments from customers about the extra effort & treatment they receive from the workamper KOA Owners Association PO Box 361064 Birmingham, AL 35236 www.koaowners.org Phone: 800/678-9976 Fax: 205/823-2760 Email: [email protected] July/August/September 2009 This award will be presented for the first time at the upcoming convention. The award will include limited travel expenses and a cash award to the winning workamper. The criteria for selecting this person(s) is listed below. If you would like to nominate a workcamper from your campground please submit the information to the OA office by October 15, 2009. More complete information on this award will be sent by email to all campgrounds in the system. Watch for it. 29 30 Owners News Volume 29, Issue 3 RAFFLE TICKETS ARE $50 EACH I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE _____________# TICKETS AT $50 EACH All tickets drawn – 60 winners $15,000 in cash prizes (based on sale of 600 tickets). I understand that I need only fill out one form and the Owners Association will make multiple copies and insert them in the raffle drawing container. REMEMBER ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM Name: ________________________________________________________________ Campground Name: _____________________________________________________ Franchise Number: ______________________________________________________ Street Address: __________________________________________________________ Telephone Number(s): __________________________________________ Credit Card Number: ______________________________ Exp Date:________ (Payment by check would be preferred) Mail this form with check to (or fax if paying by credit card to 205-823-2760) KOA Disaster Relief Program 3416 Primm Ln. Birmingham, AL, 35216 1-800-678-9976 www.koaowners.org July/August/September 2009 City: _______________________________ State/Province___________ Zip_________ 31 Volume 29, Issue 3 KOA Owners Association 3416 Primm Lane Birmingham, AL 35216 KOA Owners Association Owners News 3416 Primm Lane Birmingham, AL 35216 To submit articles or request advertising information, write to the above address or use the following contact information: c/o Jim Ranieri Telephone: 800-678-9976 or 205-824-0022 Fax: 205-823-2760 Email: [email protected] Email other than newsletter information: [email protected] Publication: Owners News is published six times per year by the KOA Owners Association. Printing services are donated by Southeast Publications USA, Inc. Telephone: 800-832-3292 32 Owners News
