Camp Hosting Positions - Fabulous? ...or... Farce?

We know the dream:  The idealized view of a camp host.  Can you see it?  The cute carved sign with your name on it, the Christmas lights hung and the potted plants blooming all around your shiny rig.  And there's probably a cute pet or two in your vision of the perfect hosting site.  Fantasy?  We found more than one such site at California's Carlsbad State Beach.  Hosts had been delighting visitors by inviting them to decorate a rock.  Fun idea, since the beach was made up of wave-worn rocks...all of them natural beauties....wanting a bit of paint.  If you host in a national park or forest, then you will be asked to leave your host site "natural" looking.  This Forest Service "rule" is often ignored...especially by returning camp hosts who have become much-loved by their managers.   Besides, it's always some kind of holiday....isn't it?  And we must do a bit of celebratory decorating.

We were just offered what I thought was a fabulous dream job in Everglades National Park.  We got an email from Environmental Ranger Greg Litton asking if we were interested in working at their Hidden Lake Environmental Education Center.  He included a brief description of duties:  "Provide logistical support to rangers leading 5th grade curriculum-based environmental education programs.  Two people needed who want to be a part of a nationally recognized environmental education program.  Lots of opportunities for making a difference in urban kids’ lives – this can be hard work too."

This was like candy to a former science teacher who likes working hard and misses working with kids a GREAT DEAL .  I read everything I could about the program.  Greg seemed like a super-star keeper of the Earth.

Ranger Greg passes out periphyton to 5th grade students at Long Pine Key.

 Then the "Fabulous" job started its decline. Here's a bit of sad news we received on Dec 15, 2011, from Greg:  "The only real concern I have is that you don't have a vehicle to get you to camp and back.  It is 10 miles round trip across paved and unpaved roads in a variety of environmental conditions.  That may end up being a real sticking point since some of the VIP duties involve hauling bags of recycling and garbage from camp.   I'll be talking to my supervisor today to see if there is really any other solution."

The Everglades is a Sea of Saw Grass filled with life.

I was thinking we'd just ride our bikes to the camp each day, but it was clear we were supposed to provide a "garbage truck" of some type 5 days a week.  I seriously thought of renting a car.  I wanted to do this!  But thoughts of "farce" started to sneak into my mind.  The previous volunteers quit this job....that's why it was open.  I already knew it was a big commitment.   The work schedule is Mon-Fri with hours as short as a half day to as long as 10 hours.  I started to read the fine print about our duties.  They included: 

Duties include python checks under tents.

Pressure wash, mow grounds, “take care” of unwanted rodents, cockroaches, snakes and ants in tents, care for activity boxes and touch tables, split all of the wood, clean fire pits nightly, cut out poisonwood and poison ivy (it’s around the bathrooms where you have to do string trimming) launder kids’ sleeping bags, spray structures with bleach to control mildew, repaint surfaces damaged by bleach...on and on....

Slough Slogging - a kid favorite!

A big job is being “dock master” for the kids, getting them set up in their canoes, hauling, maintaining and locking up the canoes, camp and trail maintenance, cleaning camp and restrooms, helping students to follow the rules (behave)…and lending a hand to the park staff. You are warned it may be humid, buggy, sweaty work with no showers, and as said...you have to haul the garbage away in your own vehicle.   But you get the weekends off! And we’ve heard the staff is wonderful to work with. They are much younger (and stronger) than we are and tend to wonder why volunteers struggle with the work load. 
Greg put a stop to my trepidation over this "volunteer opportunity" with this Dec 20th email:

Bob and Eileen,
Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm for volunteering at the Everglades next month. The January - April Hidden Lake camp caretaker VIP positions have now been filled. I will keep your applications and info close by since you both were in the running for these positions. [If we only had an extra vehicle to offer in addition to our labor.]

Will work for Badge on Hat

So what do you think?  Fabulous job or a Farce??   I'll give you a hint:  I have heard many volunteer coordinators and managers exclaim:  "I cannot believe what volunteers will do for us and the time commitments they will make to one location."  They say it with appreciative wonder, but also with an incomprehensible gasp or two thrown in.   

Ranger Linda at Bahia Honda State Park gave me this insight:  "They [the bosses] think you volunteers walk on water."

Camp Hosting isn't All Work

The job of camp hosting in state parks usually only requires 3 or 4  days of duty....for a total of 20 hours a week...maybe 24 max.  So the obviously nice benefit is your freedom to roam.  We took advantage and explored Juniper Springs for a day.   The Chateau has claimed site #9 in the "Tropical Loop".  It's a mystical and foggy morning.  We can't remember Florida being more humid or more still.

A wondrous trail starts at our site.

There are small springs everywhere, so this jungly path soon crosses a bridge.

The signs warn that you are about to become gator bait, and you'd better not fight back...because this is a national reserve and everything in it is protected.

Who can resist a boardwalk into the wilds?  Just ahead, under the bridge, is a large pool of green water.  What's that about?

A peek into the pool from the bridge shows "boiling" sand that looks very much like the mud pots that bubble away in Yellowstone Park. 

I turned around and about lost my breath....  What an unusual series of dreamy pools.  They were riddled with sand boils.  How fascinating! 

 The oak branches growing over one pool were almost too tempting.  They were plenty big enough to walk on...and perfect as a platform to jump from into the warm water.  How exotic! 

I just kept taking pictures because it was so surreal...isolated...peaceful.  There was no one else around...no sound but that of moving water and wildlife.

I decided to follow the boardwalk along the spring run to its source.

And here it is...Juniper Springs!  Bob jumped in with his clothes on.  That's how irresistable it was.  He was floating face down looking into the spring just like he was a glass-bottomed boat.  I knew he was harkening back to his childhood, which was filled with joyful days splashing, diving, and exploring in the stream behind his home in State College, Pennsylvania. 

Bob swam around and around, so I went to explore the rest of the area.  He was totally alone in his own "Blue Lagoon".  I returned after the sun had set...and he was still paddling around, marveling at his "best experience of the year so far".  So what's so special about perfectly clear, warm water surrounded by bright green ferns and well-done CCC rock work?  Come see for yourself!

A REAL Job Offer on Nov 10, 2011

I wanted to share what an actual job offer looks like.  This is a great example, as it gives the expected duties you would perform.   A pitfall to avoid is jumping into a job without knowing what you are going to be asked to do!  We received the following offer via email:

Highlands Hammock Catwalk - a Favorite!

Thank you for requesting information about the camp host program at Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring, Florida via the online system. I currently have three positions available.  [If you like what you see in an offer, you just have to shoot an email back...but make sure to make a phone contact first to get full job details.]


Our camp hosts primarily clean restrooms, [The fact that she bolded this item makes me think it has been a problem getting camp hosts to do this chore.  Bob and I don't mind it at all...which was a surprise to us.]   mow & trim grass, clean BBQ grills, pick up trash, trim trails, patrol the parks, perform minor maintenance (carpentry/plumbing/electrical), use a gas-powered log splitter for firewood, operate park vehicles (current driver's license required) and other campground-related duties.

Our hosts work five hours a day, four days a week (Sun/Mon/Tues/Weds or Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat). Special events, heavy day use or camping attendance may require additional volunteer hours from our camp hosts, particularly on holiday weekends or during our high season (Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar). During high season, we also have ranger station support positions that are typically filled by the wives.

[Count on working weekends and holidays because, naturally, that's when you have almost all of your campground business.]


CCC Masonry Masterpiece at Highlands Hammock

Camp host positions can be strenuous at times, requiring the ability to walk over uneven terrain for several hours in duration as well as bend, stoop and twist to clean, mop large floor areas, pick up debris, etc. Moderate lifting of boxed materials, shoveling of heavy cinders from campfire rings, emptying of trash cans and loading firewood will require the ability to lift and carry. Several hours of work each day will expose hosts to high heat & humidity during the summer months and chilly, damp weather during winter cold snaps. Hosts work independently most days and thus these positions are best for self-starters and those that can identify and problem-solve situations. [This is a well-written disclosure.  You can't be sensitive to smoke and ash or temperature changes, or the job will be intolerable.]

We offer a free campsite with water & 30 amp power hookup for our camp hosts. We do not have sewer connections, but have a dump station on site. Hosts camp in the family campground with the general public and our campsites are very close together with little or no buffer between sites. Our lettered sites (A/B/C/D/E/F) are our camp host sites. We are pet-friendly and remain nearly full to capacity from November through May and then experience our low season June through September.

Our campground has 158 campsites and four large restroom buildings. Most campsites are shaded and have a dirt base. Our park is located four miles west of US Highway 27 in Sebring, Florida. Major shopping/dining facilities (Walmart/Publix/CVS/Walgreens/Lakeshore Mall) are within ten miles of the park as are two hospitals. [This is a BIG factor for me...what's close by?...especially whether there is a church.] 

If you are interested in serving as a camp host, please download the attached form and fill it out for both you and Bob and forward any letters of recommendation highlighting your previous host/campground experience with your application.

Please keep in mind that the months of January, February and March are most in demand and that I am holding a waiting list for possible openings for 2012. Any possible openings will be filled from this waiting list so if you are interested in that, please let me know. Our web address is listed below in the event that you would like to browse our site for additional information/photos.
Dorothy L. HarrisPark Services Specialist
Highlands Hammock State Park 5931 Hammock Road, Sebring, Florida 33872
(863) 471-5324 Office





Job Duties of a Camp Host

First, saturate yourself with the beauty.  This is the entrance view for Redman Campground.

  
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Keep a clean host site.  It's so tempting to pile up your "tools

of the trade" under and around your RV or trailer.  Don't do it!

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Learn all you can about your inventory--know which sites would match a given camper's specific needs.  This site is a double (for groups of up to 16 people) with an extensive trail system behind it....leading to magical forest, stream and meadow adventures.  You also need to know it has great parking for a large RV or trailer.

  

Taking photos of Camp Sites

Site 25 - All-time favorite, by the Creek



You also will probably paint tables, clean out fire pits, remove ashes and garbage from stoves and/or grills and pick up all trash (anything not "natural")...oh, and of course clean the Potties.

A fun job is taking photos for Recreation.com and ReserveAmerica.com so they can post them online to inform campers of what they are reserving.  The best duty, though is to meet and greet campers.  They are so very enjoyable!  In the above picture I'm sharing some of my favorite necklaces with our wonderful campers.  We're grateful for every visitor!  Please stop by our host site and chat.    :]

Finally, no matter how trashed someone leaves their camp site....don't forget to smell the roses. 

(These are at our entrance gate....totally natural, of course.)