[VAC] Wanted >> Campground Host

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Today (04/12/02), we were told of a job as Campground Hosts. Sandie and I
were interested but not this month. We're heading for Upstate NY in four
days. The vacancy exists right now. The Campground Park Managers are hoping
an Airstream family will volunteer to become their Campground Hosts for a
month or longer. The Park is open 12 months a year. Advance planning would
be easy to arrange.

The Park Managers are Margaret and Tony. Margaret was particularly helpful
to us. Of all the parks we've visited and done volunteer work, this is one
of the more attractive situations. We would not hesitate to volunteer at
this park. The Managers are delightful people, reasonable and competent.

The benefits include a campsite that's large, spacious, grassy, tree lined,
private and has a picnic table on a concrete platform and a pedestal type
grill or fireplace ring. There is a raised tent platform at one side. All RV
sites (including the Hosts) are on elevated macadam. Utilities include water
and electric. There's a dump station and pay phone. We were parked in this
campground four days ago during several hours of torrential rains and saw no
flooding.

The campground facilities include two loops with playgrounds and comfort
stations (buildings with public showers, bathrooms, washing machines and
dryers). All roads in the campground were paved in early April 2002 with
several inches of macadam. Many RV sites have trees and shrubs between them
and the next site. Privacy is available for anyone who wants it. There are
five handicap accessible campsites (more macadam for wheel chairs).

The Host's job description is to clean individual fireplaces after campers
leave and before the next campers arrive. A wheel barrow and shovel are
provided. Many families stay at the campground for a week which means some
mornings are busy while others are not. On weekends, it also includes
keeping bathrooms supplied with paper. Other than these two jobs, that's it.

Where is the campground? Bayou Segnette State Park is located in Louisiana
across the Mississippi River from New Orleans in the Westwego section. The
campground itself is about 30 minutes from New Orlean's French Quarter.

The park is in the middle of some of the best fishing in the country, i.e.
bass, catfish, bream, perch, redfish and trout. There are boat ramps in the
park for access to waterways and bayous by power boats or canoes.

Bird watching and identifying woodland animals is a favorite past time. We
have seen armadillos, racoons, red-tailed hawks, red-wing blackbirds,
cardinals and bald eagles. The Park's wave pool and swimming pool are
available to the Hosts.

What is it like in the campground? We've been in the park a week and have
seen every thing from three tents on a site to massive motor homes. We've
talked to campers with an old Bluebird Wanderlodge, a 1970s Silver Streak
trailer, a tent trailer from the 1960s, as well as folks with a brand new,
white travel trailer.

The campers are a cross section of Americana with nationalities and ethnic
groups galore. Additionally, more than 50% of them are here with younger
children. During the day, the playgrounds have kids on the slippery slide,
riding the bouncing animals, walking the suspended bridge and having a grand
time. Bicycles with training wheels seem to outnumber cars.

Each evening at supper time, the smell of seafood and cajun cooking
permeates the campground (steak, too). Later, we see families sitting around
campfires laughing, talking, cooking popcorn and doing what families do
before their kids turn in for the night. It's common place to see seniors
visiting with their younger neighbors.

Do we like this kind of campground? You bet. It's exciting, it's alive,
there's always something happening. Our neighbor takes his dog for a walk by
riding around the block on his scooter with his dog on his lap. The next
time around, he has his grandson on his lap. The father of the family with
the long, long vintage trailer (pulled by a stake truck) looks like Santa
with a pony tail. His truck was full of bicycles, a big gas grill and an
inflatable boat (already inflated). I didn't see a motor for the boat, but
it's probably there. The family with the three tents on the site beside the
comfort station is well behaved and enjoying themselves immensely.

All campers are very aware of a strong but friendly/fair Security presence
throughout the entire park, including the campground. Several very sociable
young men and women in their SECURITY ENFORCEMENT trucks make the rounds
regularly. They have two way radios and carry sidearms.

Staying at this campground has been a fun experience for us. If anyone would
like be a Campground Host, I suggest contacting Margaret or Tony Hall for an
interview. They encouraged me to sent this notice to owners of Airstreams
and is hoping to hear from a few families. Their phone number is
1.504.736.7140. Email is <.There"bayousegnette@crt.state.la.us>.There <mailto:bayousegnette@crt.state.la.us> is a state
park website with information on the campground host program and an
application for hosts. That website is www.lastateparks.com <http://www.lastateparks.com>.

Cheers,

Terry