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OWNERS NEWS - KOA Owners Association
Owners News OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE KAMPGROUND OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. Volume 30 Issue 4 October/November/December 2010 • Contents • Presidents Korner......................................................................... 2 OA Board of Directors 2011.......................................................... 4 Disaster Relief Board 2011........................................................... 5 Care Camps Board 2011.............................................................. 6 State/Provincial Presidents 2011.................................................. 8 State/Provincial Associations Spring Meeting Calendar............... 9 Wisconsin State Meeting Minutes.............................................. 10 From Your Accountant .............................................................. 12 We are Family 2010 Winners .................................................... 14 Work Kamper 2010 Award Winners .......................................... 15 Insurance Korner........................................................................ 16 Mentor Korner............................................................................ 17 Funnies Korner ......................................................................... 18 Some memories of the 2010 Convention .................................. 20 OA Associate Members.............................................................. 22 Some Recipes for the Holidays.................................................. 24 News From Care Camps............................................................ 26 OA 2011 Membership Form........................................................ 31 Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays from the OA Staff.................. 33 To Email or not to EmaiL............................................................ 34 www.koaowners.org www.koaowners.org 1 Volume 30, Issue 4 President’s Message for OA Newsletter Issue 4, 2010 I sincerely appreciate the partners who work with KOA, Inc. Often the work that opportunity of being your officers and board are doing is not talked about by able to serve as your us, but be assured; we are always out there discussing and President of the Owners critiquing ideas and suggestions coming from KOA Inc, Association (OA) for and our owners. As Jim Rogers said in his fireside chat the coming year. “We succeed individually together”. The OA has made some tremendous strides these past two years under Thanks to all of you for your support of the OA and I am the leadership of Tina Haith. She has helped your looking forward to serving you in the coming year. We board to come together and focus on some of the most have had a great finish to the year with our annual meeting important issues we have faced in recent years. Thank in Savannah. That meeting has also laid the foundation you Tina for the commitment to excellence and your for many new and exciting opportunities for next year. dedication. Two new area directors joined the board this year: Dusty Sullivan from the Junction N/Llano River KOA in Area 4 and Kim Carranza from the Twin Falls/Jerome KOA in With the many problems in our economy, and the Area 5 The outgoing directors: Carol Preble and David continuing high unemployment rate, our KOA Witt have made great contributions of time and effort on Owners are facing some very challenging times. Yet, our behalf and we thank them for their contribution to as I travel across the country and meet with so many the Owners Association and to our KOA system. KOA Owners there is a definite sense of growth in the coming year Our goal for the coming year is to continue the our ongoing efforts and to continue to Some of the highlights of the annual meeting are featured increase the value of your membership in the Owners in this newsletter, so please take a look and recapture some Association of the memories. And finally, on behalf of the entire OA board and staff, I would like to wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and holiday season, and great success It is most important that we continue to work closely with KOA, Inc. in enhancing our KOA system and achieving continued growth in camper nights and increase our market share of the camping industry. in 2011. Vicki Cole, Owners Association, President Many of the plans and programs implemented in the past few years have come with input from the OA board, complemented with the communications we have had through the marketing and technology 2 Owners News www.koaowners.org 3 October/November/December 2010 Volume 30, Issue 4 4 KOA Owners Association Board of Directors 2011 AREA 1 AREA 2 AREA 3 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 1040 Edgewater Lane (temp) Bowling Green, KY 42104 Phone: (270) 843-1919 Fax: (270) 843-1909 [email protected] Vicki Cole 35-164 Carrol Murray 27-104 President Shelby/Mansfield KOA 6787 Baker 47 Shelby, OH 44875-9103 Phone: (419) 347-1392 Fax: (419) 342-5353 [email protected] Treasurer West Omaha KOA 14601 Hwy 6 Gretna, NE 68028 Phone: (402) 332-3010 Fax: (402) 332-0246 [email protected] Jerry Dale 42102 Manchester, TN KOA 586 Kampground Rd Manchester, TN 37355 Phone: (931) 728-9750 Fax: (931) 728-9777 [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] AREA 5 AREA 6 AREA 7 Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Hawaii, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico CANADA Kim Carranza 12-109 Twin Falls/Jerome KOA 5431 Us Hwy 93 Jerome, ID 83338 Phone: (208) 324-4169 Fax: (208) 324-4376 [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, Secretary Sarah Martin 61-03 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: (719) 395-3103 [email protected] Dave Barton 55-203 1000 Island/Ivy Lea KOA 514 1000 Islands Pkwy Lansdowne, ON K0E 1L0 Phone (613) 659-2408 Fax: (613) 659-2992 [email protected] AREA 4 Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Minnesota, Texas, Arkansas Wisconsin, Iowa Dusty Sullivan 43-142 Junction N/Llamo River KOA 2145 Main Junction, TX 76849 Phone: (325) 446-62191 [email protected] Tina Haith 36-133 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 KOA Disaster Relief Board 2010-2011 Area 1 Tennessee, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Virgnian, W. Virginia Danny Goad 17-139 Area 3 Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa Howard Stein 22-220 Bowling Green KOA 1040 Edgewater Ln. Bowling Green, KY 42104 Phone: (270) 843-1919 Fax: (270) 843-1909 [email protected] Port Huron KOA 5151 Lapeer Rd Kimball, MI 48074 Phone: (810) 987-7075 Fax: (810) 987-7073 [email protected] Area 2 Ohio, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Main, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island Rick Dillon 38-117 Area 4 Louisiana, Mississippi, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas (VACANCY) Yellowstone Park KOA PO Box 348 W. Yellowstone, 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: (719) 395-3103 [email protected] 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] October/November/December 2010 Bellefonte State College KOA 2481 Jacksonville Rd. Bellefonte, PA 16823 Phone: (814) 355-7912 Fax: (814) 353-8207 [email protected] Area 5 Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Steve Linde 26-122 Area 6 Hawaii, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico Tommy Martin 61-03 www.koaowners.org 5 Volume 30, Issue 4 2011 KOA Care Camps Board Mike Kuper, Chairman Thunderbay KOA 55-120 162 Spruce River Rd Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E4 Phone: (807) 683-6221 Fax: (807) 683-6222 [email protected] Kim Carranza Twin Falls KOA 5431 US Hwy 93 Jerome, ID 83338 Phone: (208) 324-4169 Fax: (208) 324-4376 [email protected] Hope Perkins, OA Rep Elkhart/Middlebury KOA 52867 State Rd 13 Middlebury, IN 46540 Phone: (574) 825-5932 Fax: (574) 825-1080 [email protected] Owners Association Office Administrator: Bill Ranieri 3416 Primm Lane Birmingham, AL 35216 Phone: 208-324-4169 Fax: 208-324-4376 [email protected] Daniel Parent Cardinal KOA 609 Pittson Rd. RR 1 Cardinal, ON K0E 1E0 Phone: (613) 657-4536 Fax: (613) 657-8926 [email protected] KOA Inc. Representative Mike Gast P.O. Box 30558 Billings, MT 59114 Phone: (800) 548-7104 Fax: (406) 248-7414 [email protected] John Downing Rock Island KOA 2311 78th Ave West Rock Island, IL 61201 Phone: (309) 787-0665 Fax: (309) 787-1320 [email protected] Advisory Board Members Jim Rogers KOA, Inc. PO Box 30558 Billings, MT 59114 Phone: (800) 548- 7104 Fax; (406) 248-7414 [email protected] Wayne Morris SE Publications 4360 Peters Road Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. 33317 Phone: (800) 832-3292 Fax: (945) 583-4109 [email protected] Wade Elliott Utility Supply Group PO Box 267 Preston, WA 98050 Phone: (800) 800 2811 Fax: (425) 222-7845 [email protected] Jerry Dale, OA Rep Manchester TN KOA 42-102 586 Kampground Rd Manchester, TN 37355 Phone: (931) 728-9750 Fax: (931) 728-9777 [email protected] Audrey Eberhart Richmond In. KOA 3101 Cart Rd. Richmond, IN 47374 Phone: (765) 962-1219 Fax: (765) 935-0817-call first [email protected] Diane King Springfield/Rte 66 KOA 5775 W. Farm Rd 140 Springfield, MO 65802 Phone: (417) 831-3645 Fax: (417) 863-0295 [email protected] Mike Groseclose Buckeye Lake KOA 4460 Walnut Rd Buckeye Lake, OH 43008 Phone: (740) 928-0706 Fax: (740) 928-0462 [email protected] 6 AGS guiding the way to growing your business! AGS provides maximum industry exposure through our quality print and online services. In addition to the Guest Services Guides and targeted marketing that AGS offers, your site map will appear with your woodalls.com, trailerlifedirectory.com and goodsamclub.com –– a benefit you’ll only get with AGS! Call us at 800 245 9666 or visit our website at www.agspub.com. AGS G U I D I N G Y O U R W AY 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 October/November/December 2010 www.oigcorp.com 7 Volume 30, Issue 4 2011 State & Provincial Presidents CALIFORNIA/NEVADA Clint Bell San Diego KOA 111 North 2nd Ave Chula Vista, CA 91910 (619) 427-3601 [email protected] ILLINOIS John Downing 13-156 Rock Island KOA 2311 78th Ave. W. Rock Island, IL 61201 (309) 787-0665 [email protected] NEW ENGLAND Steve Jesseman Lisbon/Littleton KOA 2154 Route 302 Lisbon, NH 03585. (603) 838-5525 [email protected] MICHIGAN Cathleen Kuebler 22-225 Traverse City KOA 9700 M37 Buckley, MI 49620 (231) 269-3203 [email protected] MONTANA/WYOMING Homer Staves 26-161 Whitefish/Kalispell KOA 5121 Highway 935 Whitefish, MT 59937 (406) 862-8967 [email protected] OREGON Michael Greig 37-176 Corvallis/Albany KOA 33775 Oakville Rd. SW Albany, OR 37321 (541) 967-8521 [email protected] NEW YORK Wayne Hempel Saugerties/Woodstock KOA 882 Rte 212 Saugerties, NY 12477 (845) 246-4089 [email protected] EASTERN CANADIAN KOA’S Richard Marcoux 55-208 1000 Island/Mallorytown KOA 1477 CR 2 PO Box 29 Mallorytown, ON K0E 1R0 CANADA (613) 923-5339 [email protected] OHIO Garry Cole Shelby/Mansfield KOA 35-164 6787 Baker 47 Shelby, OH 44875-9103 (419) 347-1392 [email protected] PA-WEST Gary Levesque 38-104 Philadelphia/West Chester KOA PO Box 920 Unionville, PA 19375 (610) 486-0447 [email protected] OKLAHOMA/KANSAS/MISSOURI/ARKANSAS Lynn Barrett 4-106 Hot Springs AR KOA 838 McClendon Rd Hot Springs, AR 71901 (501) 624-5912 [email protected] PA CENTRAL John Dillon 38-117 Bellefonte/State College KOA 2481 Jacksonville Rd Bellefonte, PA 16823 (814) 355-7912 [email protected] INDIANA Hope Perkins 14133 Elkhart/Middlebury KOA 52867 State Rd. 13 Middlebury, IN 46540 (574) 825-5932 [email protected] SOUTH CAROLINA Bill Olendorf 40-113 Point South KOA 14 Kampground Rd Yemassee, SC 29945 (843) 726-5733 [email protected] UTAH Kevin Wright 44103 Brigham City KOA 1040 W. 3600 South Brigham City, UT 84302 (435) 723-5503 [email protected] VIRGINIA Denna Fout 46111 (2009) Williamsburg KOA 4000 Newman Rd Williamsburg, VA 23188 (757) 565-2907 [email protected] WASHINGTON Carey Keith 47-161 Seattle/Tacoma KOA 5801 S. 212th St. Kent, WA 98032 (253) 872-8652 [email protected] WESTERN CANADIAN KOA’S James Brown 51124 Hinton Jasper KOA 4720 Vegas Rd NW Calgary, AB T3A 1W3 CANADA (780) 865-5062 [email protected] MINNESOTA Kim Hornbrook Minneapolis SW KOA 3315 W. 166th St. Jordan, MN 55352 (952) 492-6440 [email protected] FLORIDA Elliott Smith 9205 St. Augustine Beach KOA 525 W. Pope Rd St. Augustine, FL 32080 (904) 806-1431 [email protected] WISCONSIN Jeff Irwin 49106 Madison KOA 4859 Cty Rd V DeForest, WI 53532 (608) 846-4528 [email protected] COLORADO Tracy Hastings 6-124 Denver East/Strasburg KOA 1312 Monroe St. Strasburg, CO 80136 (303) 622-9274 [email protected] TEXAS Marshal Gray 43111 Concho Valley KOA 6699 Knickerbocker Rd San Angelo, TX 76904 (325) 656-6446 [email protected] KENTUCKY Danny Goad (2009) Bowling Green KOA 17139 1040 Edgewater Ln Bowling Green, KY 42104 (270) 843-1919 [email protected] SOUTH DAKOTA Patty Gray-Miller 41-108 Deadwood KOA PO Box 451 Deadwood, SD 57732 (605) 578-3830 [email protected] 8 Owners News State/Provinicial Associations Spring Meeting Dates Association Location Date Wisconsin Association Stevens Point, WI Before the WACO convention Wednesday March 16, 2011 Illinois Association Granite City KOA March 21-22, 2011 Western Canadian KOA’s No Meeting Texas State Association Junction/ North Llano KOA Junction TX April 4th and 5th, 2011 Hosted by Dusty and Bebe Sullivan New England State Association Augusta KOA in Maine April 9,2011 Hosted by Nancy and Earl South Dakota State Association Kennebeck Fire Hall April 20, 2011 at 9AM New York Association Watkins Glen KOA June 1, 2011 Meet the newest addition To Our KOA Team Our goal is to provide campground financing expertise and great customer service to KOA Kampground Owners. Please meet ... Debbie Callahan Debbie brings over 15 years of lending experience at Independence Bank to her new position as Manager of our KOA Department and she is looking forward to working with you on all of your financial needs. Debbie joins the Independence Bank KOA Team of Chuck Celania, Miles Hamilton, Mym Cichosz, and Carol Murch. Don’t forget to ask us about our KOA Premier Savings Account & Go-With-The-Flow Loan Financing! Member FDIC Havre, Montana (406) 265-1241 • (800) 823-2274 www.ibyourbank.com www.koaowners.org October/November/December 2010 At Independence Bank, our KOA relationship continues to grow. 9 Volume 30, Issue 4 State/Provincial News Florida State Pine Island Wisconsin KOA Owners Association Minutes September 29, 2010 Wisconsin Dells, KOA The fall meeting of the Wisconsin KOA owners was called to order at 10:15 am. Members present were: Ed and Gill Brennen, Wisconsin Dells; Jeff and Linda Irwin, Madison; Denny and Kathy Marek, Oakdale; Steve and Chris Hennings, Hayward; Mike and Ella Tinstman, Chain O Lakes; Jim and Donna Rankin, Hixton. Guests, present were, Bob and Bev Bogart, Mackinaw City KOA, Michigan. Arriving late due to Chicago traffic, Gerald Clark, Business Development Consultant, KOA. Reading of minutes of last meeting suspended, motion, & second to approve minutes as emailed. Approved. Financial report by Ed, Fond du Lac KOA not current on advertising, Jeff will follow up on this. All owe $50 dues and share of WACO ad for next year (2011). Motion to accept financial report, second, approved. Ed announced he had withdrawn from WACO board. Discussion and agreement that all would honor their spring commitment to share costs of WACO directory ad. Jeff read letter from Colorado O.A. about the new KOA “U” contract. The discussion was: 1. Poor notice by KOA and National O.A. about new contract. 2. $500 convention charge in new contract, and 3. Unclear language in the contract requiring a special account for electronic royalty payments. Motion and Second to have Jeff write to Owners Association and to Pat Hittmeier with copy to Jim Rogers about the Wisconsin Owners Assn. concerns. Donna and Gill reported on Trade Shows, planning on attending the Green Bay show, will check on Madison and Milwaukee. Donna called KOA about doing a MN show but has not heard back from them. There will be a FMCA rally in Madison August 7-13, 2011 Election Motion and second to keep current Officers, Approved. President Jeff Irwin, Madison KOA Secretary Chris Hennings, Hayward KOA Treasurer Ed Brennen, Wisconsin Dells, KOA Next Meeting at WACO convention in Stevens Point, March 16, 2011 Motion and second to adjourn, approved. Lunch provided By Gill and Ed Program by Gerald Clark on Who is My Guest. Discussion on Bulls Eye Reports, Email Blasts, Lodging Updates, and explained Net Promoter Score. Jeff Re-opened the meeting to appoint Steve and Gill to put together Spring Email Blasts to promote our KOA’s and $50 weekend. Group consensus to try Email Blasts for 2011. Meeting Adjourned Chris Hennings, Secretary 10 Owners News October/November/December 2010 2008 FOR SOUTHEAST PUBLICATIONS – 1 PAGE 4 COLOR AT PRINTERS www.koaowners.org 11 Volume 30, Issue 4 ASK YOUR ACCOUNTANT by Joseph Serpico, C.P.A. This is a most difficult time to write a year end planning letter given the uncertainty of future tax proposals. It is now 1 week after the November election; and we are no more certain as to the direction which Congress will take in the weeks ahead as to our future tax breaks. Namely, the various Bush tax cuts which will expire this coming December 31 and the estate tax of the future. If anyone thought the Health Reform Bill was going to be overturned with the coming of the Republican take over of the House, and a more significant count in the Senate; be assured that will not happen. At best we could only hope that certain aspects of the Bill will be overturned or reduced. Only time will tell. The worse thing that can happen for all of us is that during the next two years the Congress and the President agree on nothing and no bills get passed. So let’s talk about the Bush tax cuts. You know the tax breaks that help the rich. Let me assure you that when you hear that such tax cuts only help the rich, those people have no ideal what they are talking about. The Bush tax cuts, if not reinstated, will mean significant tax increases for all of us, and the common Joe maybe hit the hardest. We can only hope that such cuts are reinstated and effective January 1, 2011; but there is no assurance that the expiring tax breaks will be passed; to what degree they will pass and when they will be effective. Unfortunately, for most people they won’t realize the effects of the expiring tax breaks until April 2012. So what do the Bush tax cuts mean to you: 1) Tax rates will increase – lowest rate will rise from 10% to 15%. The highest rate will increase from 35% to 39.6%; and two thirds of small businesses will be affected, too. Do you think such businesses will pass this increase to you and me? All rates will increase. 2) Child care credit will be cut from $1,000 to $500 for dependent children under 17. This means a loss of $500 per child directly out of your pocket. But they don’t count this as a tax increase. The way I see it, if your paying more taxes, it’ a tax increase. 3) Remember the “Marriage Penalty”. The Bush cuts helped narrow the tax bracket gap between differences for a married couple as opposed to 2 single individuals. Without the Bush cuts married couples will start with dollar 1 having a difference in tax as opposed to 2 single individuals. 4) The Dependent Care and Adoption tax credits will both be cut without the Bush tax breaks being reinstated. 5) The Standard deduction will no longer be double for married couples relative to the single person. This results in increased taxes for a married couple. But this doesn’t count as a tax increase for you and me; but we’re going to pay higher taxes on the same income level. Sounds like a tax increase in my book! 6) Capital gain tax will rise from 15% to 20%; of course only the rich have capital gains. 7) Dividend tax will increase from 15% to 39.6%. 8) Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses. Of course, most teachers make more than $250,000 a year. Sounds like a break for the rich? 9) Coverdell Education Savings accounts will be disallowed. 10)Student loan interest will no longer be deductible. Another item that surely only applies to the rich. What are these guys thinking, or are they just not thinking? Most of these tax breaks will help the working middle class. And just because an item does not directly increase our income taxes; there are a lot of items that will cause us all to pay more for the same level of income. 12 Owners News Although I have not mentioned or included the Estate (Death) Tax above, it too will expire in the New Year. I am fairly confident that you can bank on this issue being handled in some manner. We have been for the past 10 years heading for 2010, the only year in which you can die and pay NO estate tax. NONE –NOTHING. But without the Bush cuts, the estate tax will start back at $650,000, just like in 2000. And the tax rate on an estate will be as high as 55% for estates over $1 million dollars. What makes this such a unique situation is that this is not just a financial dilemma, but also could result in a moral, social and ethical problem. Consider if dad /mom are up in years, maybe sick, terminal, maybe the remaining years are limited. They spent their entire life working toward raising their wealth for their Bowling Green main road children and grandchildren. If their estate is $4-5 million; should they pass in 2010, their children will and a soccer field receive the entire estate. If the parents pass in 2011; it will cost their children $1.6 to $2.2 million dollars. Is there a price to life? Will people in this situation have a possible incentive to die, kill themselves? I think you can be assured, someone will. Not everyone, but there will be someone or some people who will bring the end to their life. Then, let us not forget that 2011 will bring the Obamacare tax effects. Again, subtle changes but all resulting in the same result- increased taxes. Starting in 2011 you can no longer use HSA accounts (pretax dollars) to pay for non prescription, over the counter medicines. Also, Flexible Spending Accounts will have a cap of $2,500 starting in 2011. This limitation maybe very difficult for families with special needs children. Special education for such kids can be very expensive ($10,000 or more); but starting next year this will not be an allowable use for flexible spending accounts. And they say this is not a tax increase! Really, nowyour income remains the same, but the amount you get to keep is less, is this not a tax increase? What is Congress thinking? CONVERTING TO A ROTH IRA Benefits of a conversion that should be considered: 1) you can have tax free income – if you expect tax rates to increase; your future withdrawals will be tax free; 2) Roth withdrawals do not have a minimum distribution withdrawal requirement, at 701/2 or ever; 3) Roth IRA left to heirs can be larger than traditional IRA. Beneficiaries will be subject to “required minimum distributions”, but their withdrawals will be tax free. October/November/December 2010 I just wanted to remind you that time is running out for the special tax treatment of converting your IRA to a Roth IRA. The deadline is December 31, 2010. There is no income limit for this year and the tax liability can be split over a 2 year period if you so desire. Also, if tax rates increase in the future, you could save by paying the tax liability based on lower 2010 rates. www.koaowners.org 13 Volume 30, Issue 4 “We are Family Award” This year’s recipient of the WE ARE FAMILY AWARD are Gary and Vicki Cole owners of the Shelby/Mansfield KOA in Shelby, Ohio. It’s hard to believe that Garry and Vicki have only been KOA franchisees since 2002! We don’t think there has ever been a new franchisee get so involved in our system and be so influential with both our Owners Association and with their fellow franchisees. They have taken a leadership role in the Owners Association, KOA and the larger camping system with their involvement in ARVC. Gary served two terms on the OA board and Vicki is currently serving on the OA board and has just been elected President of the OA for the coming year. They have demonstrated a unique blend of entrepreneurial drive coupled with the willingness to work within the established franchise system model, acting as a role model for their system partners. They have been very active in establishing their regional 20 group and are active participants in their group. Their beautiful campground has been around for quite a while, and was known as the Wagon Wheel Campground before it became the Shelby/Mansfield KOA. They are visionaries in our industry. Visit their campground, and you’ll be busy from dawn until dusk. They have something to keep everyone busy. A few years ago, they decided the campground should have a banquet facility, and this banquet hall is now in constant demand. You will not only find an incredible variety of crafts and activities on their campground, but they truly make their KOA camping experience unique for their campers. Garry and Vicki are visionaries in our business. They have been active participants in the OA mentoring program and have been more than willing to share their knowledge with their fellow members. They have not been afraid to stand up for what the believe to be right, and have taken more than their fair share of flack for doing so. They both have stood up for what they believed to be in the best interest of all KOA campground owners, and that is not always an easy thing to do. They are definitely a great example for all of us in the KOA system as well as all who serve or have served on the Owners Association as to the correct “purpose” of our role. It is with a great deal of pleasure that we present to you the recipients of the 2010 WE ARE FAMILY AWARD; Garry and Vicki Cole. 14 Owners News Work Kamper Award 2010 This is the second year that your Owners Association has selected a work kamper (s) to acknowledge for their fantastic customer service and assistance on a KOA campground. It wasn’t an easy decision this year; once more the awards committee had a number of excellent nominees’ to evaluate. We have listed the 7 work kampers who were nominated to receive this special recognition and want to let everyone know that all of them are very special folks who should be recognized. The following people were selected by their campgrounds and everyone is very proud of and for them. As campground owners we know that one of our most important assets is our Work Kampers. Without people like you our businesses would not be as successful. Thank you for all you do with us and for us! Lacy and Kathy Shawver - From Anderson/Lake Hartwell KOA Marvin Colbreth- West Omaha KOA Bob and Barbara Epstein – Crossville KOA Morgan and Jeannie Starrett- Oklahoma City East Janet & William “Smitty” Smith- Westfield/Lake Erie KOA Joe and Sharri Craig-Junction N/Llano KOA October/November/December 2010 And Rob Althoff and Marianne Bartels of Montpelier Creek KOA who were selected as this years winners, along with Stuart and Kathy Marshall Owners, Montpelier Creek KOA www.koaowners.org 15 Volume 30, Issue 4 Insurance Corner Vandalism-Every Campground Owners Headache Vandalism of your property during the off season is still an issue and we are including some tips here to help you cut down on this costly and time consuming problem The most visible signs of vandalism are broken windows, spray painting, fires and damaged furniture. Some of the remedies below can help prevent or at least deter some of the damage from happening. Broken Windows: If you have found yourself a victim of this type of vandalism ---1) Replace the broken glass with break resistant glazings. These types of glass include laminated glass, tempered glass and plastics 2) When glass breakage occurs make your repairs immediately as this will discourage a possible break in 3) Keep your grounds clear of rocks, bottles and other ready made missiles that can be used on your windows 4) Screens or grills might also be installed over the exposed glass Spray Painting Use shrubs, trees or bolt-on decorations to keep long plain walls from inviting spray-on graffiti. There are some chemical sealers available that allow the paint to be washed off your walls using common cleaners. Damaged Furniture, Fires By improving your security this type of vandalism can be reduced. 1) keep buildings occupied at night as much as possible 2) Flood Light the outside of your buildings, especially the sides and rear. Provide inside lighting for key rooms and corridors 3) Fences, jimmy-proof locks and break-resistant glass can help secure openings where someone might easily enter 4) Roving patrols by you and your employees- be openly visible on your property 5) Sprinklers, fire detectors and burglar alarms offer more protection and will alert you in time as well. On the left are photos of the check for $33,241.38 being presented to your OA board from OIG and Philadelphia Insurance. This check represents the royalties from the property and casualty policies that they have written for many of you. We appreciate all of the support that OIG and Philadelphia Insurance has given and continues to give to the Owners Association along with their sponsorship of the annual meeting at the convention. We also want to extend out thanks to South East Publication for their continued support of the OA convention. They also presented a check for $30,000 to the Owners Association Care Camps program. Please remember these sponsors and the great help they give to both the OA and the Care Camps program. 16 Owners News Mentor’s Korner As everyone is aware, a year ago your Owners Association Board developed a Mentoring program in an effort to develop quality, stronger leadership and strength to new owners in the KOA system. There are currently 31 owners who have volunteered to be a mentor contact to the newest KOA owners and we’ve had 14 new owners sign up to be matched with someone along with several new owners this year who have been assigned a mentor. The contact information for the new owners is sent on to the appropriate Board members and the State/Provincial President as soon as the national office is notified by corporate. They are contacting THE FIRST DOCK OF ITS KIND... THE LAST DOCK YOU WILL EVER NEED. the new owners to introduce themselves and offer a willing ear and support to them. EZ DOCK WORKS FOR YOU Patented •Exceptionalstabilityonwater •Virtuallynomaintenance •Strengthandflexibility •Versatileandexpandable modular design •Long-termvalue Plus, with our full line of slides, swim ladders, fishing piers, benches, and easy-to-use boat and PWC lifts, EZ Dock can help you create your ideal waterfront environment. Visit www.ez-dock.com or call 1-800-654-8168 to find the representative near you. 1-800-654-8168 www.koaowners.org •Greatinvestment •Universalaccessibility (meets ADA guidelines) •Environmentallyfriendly •Safe,slip-resistantsurface •Customdesignsavailable www.ez-dock.com October/November/December 2010 The effort to get information out to you on the topics of interest and importance has resulted in the OA office creating the Mentor Korner in the OA newsletter along with posting the articles on the OA website under the Mentor section. We have been very fortunate that several of the mentors have written articles for us focusing on better management practices. This is the voice of experience and their points are well thought out and explained. We are seeking new ways to help our new owners coming into the system for the first time. We will continue to seek more mentors from our membership to help these new owners by sharing their experiences to help them better prepare for handling problems that may come their way. 17 Volume 30, Issue 4 Funnies How to know if the winter will be cold It’s late fall and the Indians on a remote reservation in South Dakota asked their new chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he couldn’t tell what the winter was going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared. But, being a practical leader, after several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, ‘Is the coming winter going to be cold?’ ‘It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold,’ the meteorologist at the weather service responded. So the chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared. A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. ‘Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?’ ‘Yes,’ the man at National Weather Service again replied, ‘it’s going to be a very cold winter.’ The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find. Two weeks later, the chief called the National Weather Service again. ‘Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?’ ‘Absolutely,’ the man replied. ‘It’s looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters we’ve ever seen.’ ‘How can you be so sure?’ the chief asked. The weatherman replied, ‘The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy.’ Always remember this whenever you get advice from a government official! 18 Owners News Friendship is precious October/November/December 2010 Life with a Senior Driver www.koaowners.org 19 Volume 30, Issue 4 20 Some memories of the 2010 Convention Owners News October/November/December 2010 2008 for UTILITY SUPPLY---1/2 PAGE AD 4 COLOR AT PRINTERS www.koaowners.org 21 Volume 30, Issue 4 Owners Association Associate Members Call them first! These companies pay $200 a year to support our association. Please remember to purchase their products and patronize their businesses. Allied Specialty Insurance Rick D’Aprile 10451 Gulf Blvd Treasure Island, FL 33706 Phone: (727) 367-6900 [email protected] campground insurance Anderson’s Brochures Distributors Skip & Judy Deegans PO Drawer 467 Lweisburg, WV 24901 Phone: (866) 645-1897 [email protected] Campbell Insurance Agency Craig & Kirk Campbell PO Box 1695 Harrison, AR 72602 Phone: (870) 741-5423 Fax: (870) 741-4714 [email protected] www.insuretheoutdoors.com Insurance Chadwick Mft. Co Allen Smith 224 N Main St Chadwick, IL 61014 Phone: (800) 732-4602 Fax: (815) 684-5160 [email protected] www.chadwickmfg.com Picnic Tables & Grills Easton 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. 22 Ez-Dock Alissa Jones 878 E US Hwy 60 Monett, MO 65708 Phone: (417) 354-2650 Fax: (417) 235-2232 [email protected] www.ez-dock.com Provides modular floating dock systems for business and personal waterfront properties. Darrell Hess & Associates Darrel Hess 367 Dellwood Rd. Bldge E, Ste 2 Waynesville, SC 28786 Phone: (828) 452-1535 Fax: (828) 452-3180 [email protected] www.CampgroundsForSale.com Real Estate-RV parks & campgrounds 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 Dr. Madison, WI Phone: (800) 393-9923 Fax: (608) 271-1920 [email protected] www.gerbertables.com Picnic Tables, benches, grills H.U.B. International Aaron Linden PO Box 6006 Sheridan, WY 82801 (800) 300-4370 [email protected] Offering a myriad of insurance products on a national scale. Independence Bank Miles Hamilton/Mym Cichoz PO Box 2090 Havre, MT 59501 Phone: (800) 823-2274 Fax: (406) 262-2173 [email protected] www.ibyourbank.com Loan development programs Jax LTD., Inc. Cindy Levine 141 Cheshire Land Minneapolis, MN 55441 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. Leavitt Recreation & Hospitality Insurance Stacy Torneton 1001 Lazelle St Sturgis, SD 57785 Phone: (800) 525-2060 Fax: (605) 347-0296 [email protected] www.lrhinsurance.com Property and casualty insurance for RV parks & campgrounds McNeil & Company-Advensure Steve Gulini PO Box 5670 Cortland, NY Phone: (800) 822-3747 x 124 Fax: (607) 756-6225 [email protected] www.mcneilandcompany.com Provides insurance and risk management for RV parks and campgrounds Miracle Recreation Don Hemingway 878 E US Hwy 60 Monett, MO 65708 Phone: (417) 354-2640 Fax: (417) 235-2232 [email protected] Water sports/docks Owners News Pacific Yurts Pete Dolan 77456 Hwy 99 S. 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 7 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. R.J. Thomas Mfg Pilot Rock Robert Simonsen PO Box 946 Cherokee, IA 51012 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, latern poles, flag poles, bike racks, pet waste stations, picnic table covers, fire starters, more. Since 1959 Southeast Publishing USA., Inc. 4360 Peters Road Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33317 Phone: (800) 832-3292 Fax: (954) 583-4109 [email protected] www.sepub.com site maps, publishing, printing Texas Meter & Device Co 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 Wade Elliott PO Box 267 Preston, WA 98050 Phone: (800) 800-2811 Fax: (425) 222-7845 [email protected] www.go-usg.com Distribution Panels PACIFIC YURTS INC ARVC AD 09/10 H 4.75” W 7” Build your P roviding a unique experience can earn you more pr t. Enjoyed by people from all walks of life, the yurt experience happy guests who keep coming back for more. Join our many track record of success, innovation and outstanding customer service. www.koaowners.org Call today for a brochure: 1.800.944.0240 www.yurts.com Cottage Grove, Oregon October/November/December 2010 Bottom Line with 23 Volume 30, Issue 4 Some Recipes for the Holidays Caramel Crisp Marshmallows By Linda Larsen, About.com Guide This super easy recipe is a good one for kids to make for Christmas. Prep Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Ingredients: • • • Preparation: 24 large marshmallows 1 cup thick caramel ice cream topping 2-3 cups crisp rice cereal Pierce each marshmallow with a toothpick. Holding the marshmallows by the toothpick, spoon ice cream topping over each, then roll in the cereal to coat. Set on waxed paper and refrigerate to set. Makes 24 Chocolate Caramel-Corn Candy Cubes Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee Prep Time: 8 min Inactive Prep Time: Cook Time: 4 min Level: Easy Serves: 4 servings Ingredients • • • • • • • 4 (1.5-ounce) chocolate covered wafer candy bars (recommended: Kit Kat) 15 individually wrapped caramels 1 teaspoon butter 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 3 teaspoons shortening, divided 3 cups caramel corn with peanuts (recommended: Cracker Jack) Directions Unwrap candy bars and place face down on waxed or parchment paper; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels with butter. Heat in microwave on HIGH heat for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted. Combine white chocolate with 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening in a medium bowl and place over a pot of simmering water to form a double boiler. Repeat with chocolate chips and remaining shortening. Heat both chocolates until melted and smooth, making sure to stir frequently. Remove from heat and set aside. Drizzle half the melted caramel over the candy bars. Divide and mound caramel corn on top of each bar. Drizzle with half the melted milk chocolate and top with remaining caramel corn. Drizzle with remaining melted milk chocolate, white chocolate and remaining melted caramel. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to set. 24 Owners News Eggless Eggnogg Make Harvest Veggies and Dip Serve up a fresh snack in a bright bell pepper. • • • • • 8 cups milk 1 3 ounce package of French Vanilla instant pudding ½ cup sugar (optional-not really necessary 2 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp nutmeg Mix the pudding with 1 cup of milk till it’s formed, stir in the rest of the ingredients and chill before serving. About 8 cups MODULAR PLAY SYSTEMS • FREE-STANDING PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT Ingredients • 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise • 1 teaspoon curry powder • red bell pepper (or yellow if red isn’t available), thoroughly washed • washed fresh veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and grape tomatoes 1. Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, and curry powder in a small bowl. Stir until well blended. 2. Cut the raw veggies into bitesized pieces, and cut the top off the bell pepper. Clean the seeds out of the pepper. Stuff a mix of the raw veggies inside the pepper and serve with the dip. 3. One medium-sized pepper holds enough veggies for two to three servings. This recipe makes 1/2 cup of dip. Shaping the Future of Play Miracle Recreation is your single source for the most innovative and highest quality playground equipment available. Locate your nearest representative by calling 1-888-458-2752 or visiting www.miracle-recreation.com. TM www.miracle-recreation.com 1-888-458-2752 S P O RT S A N D O U T D O O R P L AY E Q U I P ME N T www.koaowners.org • S I T E A M ENITIES October/November/December 2010 Directions 25 Volume 30, Issue 4 2010 KOA Care Camps Auction Many who attended this year’s convention were concerned with the format of the auction. I admit I also was skeptical about the outcome; however I assured everyone to be positive and let us see how the numbers turn out. By the end of the night we had a record of approximately $71,000.00. The night was full of excitement and entertainment. To add to this total Wally Warrick (the late Peter Warrick’s son) of Southeast Publications had presented the Care Camps with a cheque for $30,000.00 along with two other cheques for a grand total of approximately $31,600.00 WOW!!! Thanks Wally! Another great surprise was the contribution from the Disaster Relief Board. Chair Steve Linde announced at the OA annual meeting that the proceeds of 50/50 elimination raffle was to be turned over to Care Camps and they want the auction night to be all Care Camps. A huge thanks to the Disaster Relief Board! Next year will be in exciting Las Vegas...Do plan to attend!!!! Sincerely, Mike Kuper Chairman KOA Care Camps Thank you for Your Contribution to Care Camps “Happiness is Camping” Ottawa/S. Cardinal KOA Port Angelis KOA Wisconsin Dells Thunderbay KOA Moab KOA Hayward KOA Philadelphia/Westchester KOA Manchester KOA 42-102 Cannonville KOA Wisconsin Dells Lubbock Otttawa/S Cardinal KOA Canton/East Sparta KOA Ouray KOA 6-154 Skowhegan/Canaan KOA Santa Cruz KOA 05-113 Stockton Delta KOA 054-422 Trinity KOA 05-445 Mystic KOA 7-119 St. Petersburg KOA 09-144 Okeechobee KOA 09-325 Bar Harbor KOA 19-133 Boston/Cape Cod KOA 21-109 Circus Circus KOA 28148 Albuquerque KOA 31-135 Niagara Falls NY 32-101 James R MacGilvray Jay & Carol Enterprises Cherokee KOA 33-173 Myrtle Beach KOA 40-139 South Padre Island KOA 43-238 Virginia Beach KOA 46-109 26 Niagara Falls ON KKOA 55-201 Townsend KOA 42-175 Santa Cruz KOA 05-113 Stockton Delta KOA 054-422 Trinity KOA 05-445 St. Petersburg KOA 09-144 Okeechobee KOA 09-325 Kissimmee/Orlando KOA 9-329 Louisville S KOA 17-131 Bar Harbor KOA 19-133 Boston/Cape Cod KOA 21-109 Circus Circus KOA 28148 Albuquerque KOA 31-135 Niagara Falls NY 32-101 Cherokee KOA 33-173 Myrtle Beach KOA 40-139 Townsend KOA 42-175 Virginia Beach KOA 46-109 Niagara Falls ON KKOA 55-201 South East Publications South East Publications South East Publications Ft. Smith/Alma KOA Pomona Fairplex KOA Moss Landing KOA Gunnison KOA Cartersville/Cassville KOA Lava Hot Springs KOA Chicago NW KOA Springfield KOA Southbend East KOA Hagerstown KOA Newberry KOA Mackinaw City KOA Port Huron KOA Moorhead/Fargo KOA Cloquet/Duluth KOA Missoula KOA Whitefish/Kalispell N KOA Unadilla KOA Niagra Falls N KOA Watkins Glen KOA Boone KOA New Bern KOA Toledo E/Stony Ridge KOA Tulsane/Will Rogers KOA Pendelton KOA Allentown KOA Pine Grove/Twin Park KOA Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA Williamsport S/KOA Mt. Pleasant/Charleston KOA Mancester KOA Lake Corpus Christi Leander/NW Austin KOA Salt Lake City KOA Charlottesville KOA Williamsburg KOA Seattle/Tacoma KOA Starbucks/Lyons Ferry KOA Cody KOA Barrie KOA 1000 Islands/Kingston KOA 1000 Islands/Ivy Lea KOA Brighton KOA Cavendish KOA Grand Canyon KOA Pomona Fairplex KOA Brannan Island/Isleton KOA Acton/Los Angeles KOA Durango East KOA Ft. Collins/Lakeside KOA Rock Island/Quad Cities KOA Topeka/Capital City KOA Petoskey KOA Billings KOA Woodstock KOA Smithfield KOA Madras/Culver KOA Oregon Dunes KOA Waldport/Newport KOA Erie KOA Washington KOA Fredericksburg/WashingtonDC KOA Lubbock KOA Fillmore KOA Laramie KOA Jackson S/Snake River KOA Renfrew KOA Susan Stevens Ashville East KOA Luxury Lodges of Texas Inc. Flaming Gorge KOA Chocorua KOA Eureka Springs KOA Oregon Dunes KOA Barrie KOA Saulte Ste Marie KOA Thank You Owners News In the last issue of our OA newsletter we introduced you to several traditions that our Care Camps hold for the children who attended. The goal of all of these traditions is to give the children hope and peace. Our office received so many of them that it is impossible to do just one article so for the next several issues of the OA newsletter we will be introducing you to a lot of Care Camp Traditions. Camp Hobe’ (Anita Coyle-assistant) Spirit Stick- The Spirit Stick is a tradition that allows us to carry the memories of campers, counselors and activities from one year to the next. Each year a large stick is designated at the beginning of the camp session. Throughout the week everybody in attendance is encouraged to sign their name and any thoughts on the stick. At the end of the camp session the stick is burned. However, a portion of this stick is unburned and it is saved until the next year. At the beginning of the next year, the Spirit Stick from the previous year is burned. The campers, volunteers and staff begin the year with memories from last year’s camp and end the session preparing those memories for the next year’s camp session. It is a way to ensure that the chain of memories is unbroken and each participant of Camp Hobe’ feels like they will be remembered for at least one more year if not forever. Camp Mak-A-Dream (Beth Jones-camp director) Breakfast Skits- One of our traditions is for each cabin to prepare and perform a skit just before breakfast in an attempt to woo the chef into letting them eat breakfast first. The competition is fierce and usually involves impersonations, cheers, songs and inevitably one of the boys’ cabins in dresses. We find that it’s a great way to start our day because the laughter sets the mood for everybody to get into the spirit of the day. Camp R.O.C.K. (Susan Bellomy-director) One of the favorite traditions at Camp R.O.C.K. is the “pats on the back”. This is a unique tradition that Camp R.O.C.K. in partnership with Camp Boggy Creek is done after each lunch. The camper’s line up after the meal and take turns thanking those who have helped them, done something nice that day or just wanting to say you are great. The camper goes up to the person that they want to give the ‘pat on the back” and gently taps them on the shoulder with a fuzzy paw. The closing ceremony “pat on the back” line typically lasts for about 1 to 2 hours long. The kids all listen and wait for their turn or to hear if their name will be called next. This tradition is so simple and means so much to our kids and everyone else who participates. By H. Gentry OA staff www.koaowners.org October/November/December 2010 u The Traditions held at our Care Camps 27 Volume 30, Issue 4 MONKEY FIST a TRADITION A symbol of friendship and love I’ve never heard of the Monkey Fist before, but the reasons and symbolism of making one are a part of what Care Camps represents. So we now introduce Camp Smile A Mile and the Monkey Fist. This tradition is unique and very touching and what it symbolizes is hope, love and lasting friendship. The Monkey Fist is an ancient nautical knot used by sailors and mariners for centuries. But over the centuries the Monkey Fist came to symbolize the bringing together of people in friendship. Camp Smile A Mile uses the process of learning to make the Monkey Fist as an interactive experience between teacher and student. The time taken during the knots construction and tightening provides an opportunity for the participants to develop a relationship, providing time to discover each others interests and views. At the completion of the “lesson” the Monkey Fist symbolism and story is told. Monkey Fist symbolism: Each completed fist is different in some way; just as friendships are. A Fist once completed will not be perfectly round and will possess imperfections; just as a developing friendship. Yet the Fist, as the friendship will become more round with time and attention. The imperfections, we all have them, will come to be appreciated or be less important with time. The Fist is attached to a circle neck loop. This reminds the wearer that the friendship represented by the Monkey Fist is one of many circle of friends At the top of the next loop is a square knot to join the ends. The square knot has also long represented friendship. Just as a handshake is the bringing of individuals in friendship, the square knot is two pieces of flexible and individual cord brought together to form a strong union. To many the knot even looks like hands shaking In the center of the Fist is a marble. Many Fist creators spend hours searching for marbles of unique and special character, beauty and hardness. Once a marble is chosen, the creator incases it with cord. This has double symbolism. The description of the incased marbles beauty and characteristics is shared by the creator with the recipient only, in itself a bond between the two. The marble also serves as a reminder to the recipient of the inner beauty and strength that they (and we all) possess. Lastly, tradition holds that the first Fist made by a student can be kept and worn by the student desired, but each Fist created after that has to be given to a friend, new or old, with the symbolism passed on. Monkey Fists are created by time, care, effort and thought. The results are a thing of beauty not to be kept or sold, just as friendships. Our staff at Camp Smile A Mile have heard and seen of campers that have relied on their Fist as a reminder of friends at camp. During difficult times or painful procedures, campers have held tight to their Monkey Fist, and received support and help from their “ever present’ friends. The staff is also proud to have known of camp friends being laid to rest wearing their Monkey Fist. A humble symbol of the love shared with friends. By H. Gentry OA staff 28 Owners News Make Nature Potpourri Potpourri can take many weeks to dry, but your kids still can have fun creating a mixture that smells good right now. Simply mix together bits of your favorite fragrant plants in a bowl. Ideas for Potpourri Ingredients: • the petals or the entire heads of flowers such as roses, geraniums, carnations, marigolds, lilies, or violets • herbs such as rosemary, thyme, lavender or sage • the lightly crushed needles and leaves from pine, sassafras or sweet gum • the cut peels from citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons • household spices such as broken cinnamon sticks or cloves Try different recipes to find your favorite. If you wait for it to dry, you can wrap up your potpourri in sachets. Simply cut old, lightweight fabric into squares, pile some potpourri in the middle, and tie up the corners with ribbon. YES…WE CARE TO SHARE We want to contribute to a Camper’s GREAT Camp Memory Let us help you get started? We have several simple support items to help you start fundraising for KOA Care Camps the moment your campground opens QTY Return this completed form to KOA Care Camps, by fax…or mail to: PO Box 361064 Birmingham, AL 35236 Fax:205-823-2760…….We thank you for giving the joy of summer camp to children with cancer.wwwkoacarecamps.org Campground Name:_____________________Franchise No:________________ Contact:______________________________Phone:______________________ Mailing Address:___________________________________________________ www.koaowners.org October/November/December 2010 ___KOA Care Camp Acrylic Canister 9 3/4 “ H x 5”Wx5 � L add another 1 �” for the base ___KOA Care Camp Brochures (50) ___KOA Camp Canister Labels ___KOA Care Camp Poster 9 x 12 ___KOA Care Camp Wall Poster ___KOA Care Camp “I Care” pins (25) 29 Volume 30, Issue 4 Thank you Gravenhurst/ Muskoka KOA Gravenhust/Muskoka KOA holds a Thanksgiving weekend for a final fund raising effort for Care Camps. This year the summer was great, good weather and a lot of happy campers. In the spring and fall they hold horseshoe tournaments and this year was their 30th Annual Golf Tournament. They did a night gulf tournament on Sept. 25th and then had their Thanksgiving Chili Dinner and Lot Draw. Thanks to their inventive efforts they were able to raise over $11,000.00 for the Care Camp kids. So to Paul Cook and his staff and of course those fantastic campers THANK YOU! You do an awesome job for these kids and we and they appreciate it. 30 Pet Policy and Care Camps People travel, and everyone has seen a rise in people who bring their pets along on vacation. All of you have a pet policy in place to protect your guests and the pet from any problems. One innovative campground went a step further with this policy. Flaming Gorge KOA in UT decided to add a line in their Pet Rules and information sheet for their guest who bring in their four footed friends. It’s a really sweet way to increase funds for the Care Camps program and the pet owners have been generous. Flaming Gorge KOA tells their guest that the $10.00 pet deposit is refundable if ALL PET RULES HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED. If the guest does not pick up their pet deposit upon departure the money is put into the Care Camp Fund. A great many guests donated their deposits to help kids with cancer go to camp. To Tina Bennington and her staff at Flaming Gorge KOA we and the kids of the Care Camps program say thank you for helping and wish you all Happy Holidays. Owners News KOA Owners Association 2011 Me mbership Form (The membership year is January 1 to December 31) Please com pl ete you r p er sonal information belo w The blank space is provided for your typed or printed corrections. Addressee: KOA Mailing Address: Contact Information: First Na me (s): Phone: Last Na me (s): Off season phone: Franc hise#: Fax: KOA Name: Email: Website: Area (1-7): ***PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL FOR OUR DATABASE: KOA du es ( pleas e ch e ck 1 of th e following 4 op tions): O New Franchise NO FEE (A new franchise is any campground or owner new to the KOA, Inc. franchise system) O New Member $50 (US Dollars) (The new member fee is not based on camper nights.) O O Renewal with 1 to 2,500 camper nights $50 (US Dollars) Renewal with 2,501 or more camper nights at $0.02 per camper nights: (Based on your prior calendar year camper night records, dues not to exceed $550 US Dollars) Camper nights x $0.02 = $ DISAST ER R ELI EF_________ ________ ______ ____________ ________ _________ ____ $___________ 1. To tal Du es A moun t: $ $ Metho d of pa ym en t: Check Credit card: (VISA, MasterCard) If paying by credit card complete the following: Account Number: Expiration Date: Print name as it appears on Card: Authorized Signature: Please make your payment to “KOA Owners Association” in U.S. currency (Canada may pay with local currency if paying by check) and return with this form with the envelope provided. For questions contact the KOA Owners Association at 1-800-678-9976, Canada 888-461-2062 KOA Owners Association • PO Box 361064 • Birmingham, AL 35236 www.koaowners.org October/November/December 2010 TOTAL A M OU NT ENCL OS ED: 31 Volume 30, Issue 4 Take Pride in Your KOA Campground Eaton RV Park Hookups Eaton has dedicated support to help KOA campground owners with technical help, replacement parts, warranty, and customer service. We also offer special discounts to KOA campground owners and will ensure you get the highest quality pedestals that Eaton has to offer - while staying within your budget! Proven Eaton technology is currently in use at many KOA locations throughout the country. In today’s market where competition is growing, being sure that you have a strong brand image and brand recognition is key to ensuring that your current customers will come back, and that new customers will come stay with you! We can customize pedestals which will provide a consistent look and make them standout in the campground industry. Eaton has the highest quality weatherproof equipment on the market. We can supply not only the pedestals, but also the distribution equipment and wire. A complimentary electrical design is provided so you can feel confident that the electrical layout of the park is efficient and safe. Call Today for More Information 32 1-800-723-8009 www.rvparkhookups.com Owners News Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Bill Ranieri Robert Ranieri Jim Ranieri Heidi Gentry Maureen Huseman www.koaowners.org October/November/December 2010 from the OA Staff: 33 Volume 30, Issue 4 TO EMAIL OR NOT EMAIL Well folks, it was only a matter of time and that time has come for the Owners Newsletter. Everyone these days has a choice to receive newsletters and announcements by email or through the Post Office (snail mail). Please let us know how you would like to receive future copies of the OA Newsletter. You can email OR mail your preference into the OA Office; but please include your campground name and address for tracking purposes. If you don’t want to make a change from hardcopy you don’t need to respond to this survey. I WOULD PREFER TO RECEIVE MY COPY OF THE OA NEWSLETTER BY: E-MAIL:______________________________________________________________________________ REGULAR MAIL:______________________________________________________________________ EMAIL & MAIL:_______________________________________________________________________ Campground Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Campground Address:___________________________________________________________________ Campground City:__________________________________State:____________Zip:________________ Contact Name:_________________________________________________________________________ Email to: [email protected] Mailing Address: KOA Owners Association 3416 Primm Ln Birmingham, AL 35216 Or Email response to [email protected] REMEMBER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO CHANGE FROM HARDCOPY YOU DON’T NEED TO RESPOND 34 Owners News www.koaowners.org 35 October/November/December 2010 Volume 30, Issue 4 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] Publication: Owners News is published four times per year by the KOA Owners Association. Printing services are donated by Southeast Publications USA, Inc. Telephone: 800-832-3292 36 Owners News
