NOVEMBER, 2020

Campfire Chronicles

We are so excited to bring you the November newsletter filled with stories, pictures, helpful tips, and so much more. Travel Resorts of America wants to put you first, making sure you’re up to date on all of the awesome things going on at our resorts. We look  forward to sharing some of our favorite parts of our resorts with our amazing members. This is also a chance for you, one of our incredible members to engage with TRA. We will announce contests, member spotlights, and plenty more. Look out for our newsletter every month in your inbox!

Resort Content

Employee & Member Spotlights

Contest Winner

Contest Entries

Employee and Member Spotlight

Lori Edmonds

I have travelled many places and have found that what I love most is bringing others joy. My arrival at the Ranch was more happenstance than planning but I have to say I couldn't have landed in a better place to start my career with TRA. Shortly after my journey began as the Recreation Director I fell in love with the work and our members! Creating excitement, happiness, adventure & memories are the core of my workflow; and I get a lot of my creativity from my surroundings. There are a few things that come to mind when I think about why I have devoted so much time and effort to this position, and company. I get the opportunity to create a space in time where campers can step away from the stressors of life; live in the moment, and remember what it's like to 'dance like no one's watching'. Whether it's encouraging a kiddo to sing their heart out at karaoke to pulling back that bow and aiming their arrow with the calm breath. From hosting guided meditation for adults who need a little 'me time' and revamping their kid-free space to crowning the Redneck pageant "Kang & Kween" and organizing a camper crawl. The list goes on! It goes without saying the staff here at the Ranch and beyond have become a rock for me to grow from and I couldn't be where I am today without them.
I have too many great memories so it's hard to pick a favorite, honestly. The unveiling of our renovated paintball arena last year hits pretty high on the list. We turned it into an old western town we now call Gunslinger Corral, we had a big open flame meal, a target competition, and ribbon cutting ceremony on one of the hottest days of the summer. One of my favorite things about being on the job is everyday doesn't feel like a job. I work hard to create an atmosphere that is enjoyed by guests of all ages, to do that I have to push myself mentally & creatively, but when you do something you love it's never just a job.
If I am ever in a position to give advice I try to come from a place of inspiration and laughter. I'll give you two. "Never be content to forever stay in one place. I'm too madly in love with all the places I haven't been, all the people I haven't met, and all the streets I haven't danced on." -Brooke Hampton & "The idea is to die young... as late as possible." -Tao Porchon Lynch

Sherryl Church

Member

We had the pleasure to talk to one of our members, Sherryl Church. She has been a member for almost 2 years! Along with sharing her love for camping with her husband, she has also found a passion making lanterns. She hangs them up at her campsite for the other members to see and even purchase for their own use.

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Resort Updates

Updates from North Shore Landing

Kat Golucke - Program director
November is starting off with a fireside chat with marshmallow roast. Lots of fall crafts are planned for the kids including crafts with nature involving leaves and talks about what we are thankful for this season. I love to get the kids talking and thinking about the seasons changing so I really use the things around us in the fall, such as pinecones and different colored leaves.

This weekend we are doing a nature board involving pinecones, sticks, different colored puffballs and a Styrofoam base, also a fall luminary with popsicle sticks, wax paper, and leaf rubbings for next weekend. We have an adult craft with glass balls and glitter. We will use the cri-cut purchased last year to put Thankful on it.We also have a fall wreath planned for adult craft.Bingo is a big hit here where they bring a gift and get a gift when they win. Tables are always socially distanced.We do bingo every week or every other week. Movies are shown every week or other week if we have a game on the big screen or bonfire. Outside is always a good choice with Covid. We have some ping pong games planned in the clubhouse and some horseshoe tournaments. A wine swap is planned for the 20th with a wine share to follow. We have an 80s night planned for the 27th of November. This will be inside/outside with masks worn inside.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

  • We will not be offering Recreation until the spring.
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  • We have an engineering company in the process of doing the plan and permitting for 16 new large full hook up stes at NSL.

Updates from Rocky Fork Ranch

Sharie Yarber - Resorts Operations Manager








Happy Fall Y’all from the entire team here at Rocky Fork Ranch!

A big shout out to our members and staff who helped with Member Build this year. We now have a beautiful gas fire pit and seating wall. It’s wonderful to see our members enjoying the warmth of the fire during our karaoke on these cool evenings. We couldn’t have done it without you! October was a month filled with costumes, contests, and candy! I love the creative ways we made this October a fun-filled month and your candy donations were a very large part of those smiling ghost and goblins faces! As you make plans to visit please note our clubhouse is still closed. Just because we can’t all come together for our annual Thanksgiving Feast don’t allow that to spoil your fun. We are always happier when you’re here.

We are staying busy and preparing for the winter season so water shut off will begin November 3rd. We are also getting some much-needed cabin siding replaced to continue to strive to make the ranch better. The point bathhouse is still under construction and we will unveil via Facebook once it’s completed. In closing stay healthy and get outdoors every chance you get because it’s just good for your body, soul, and spirit.

Updates from Bass Lake Resort

Lizette Bradley - Resorts Operations Manager

We ended our season on Columbus Day weekend with our second Halloween Celebration, and even though it was different, we were able to have a safe trick or treat and Halloween Trail. Many NY members couldn’t leave the state as planned, and the resort was full every weekend with members enjoying the outdoors in a safe manner. Needless to say, it was a strange summer, as we continued to operate under very strict Health Department COVID guidance. On Columbus Day, Bass Lake went into a “limited” winter operation. The “Limited” winter operation is listed as:

Anyone arriving between now and mid-November will need to fill your water tanks before going to a designated campsite.

We have designated one area for all camping until Mid-November as that area is closest to available water for filling your tanks, and also closest to the Lower Clubhouse for your bath-room availability.

Campsites are not plowed so campsites are not available once the snow flies.

Cedar lodges are available, but we have specific arrival and departure directions for anyone wanting to use them.

No organized activities

The upper clubhouse is totally closed

Lower clubhouse bath-rooms are open all winter, and the lower clubhouse may be open daily until 4 pm.

We have very limited staff during the winter limited season operation, so if anyone out there is looking for reservations between November 1st and April 15th, you may end up calling the resort directly for instructions on camping during that time period. Continue to call our Reservation System phone number at 855-432-8457 for your reservations, they will advise you if you need to contact the resort directly for your reservation.

There are several projects still going on at Bass Lake. We received 5 new cabins that are being set up for the 2021 Spring opening season; there is a second well that was drilled this summer and, the completion of hooking that well up is underway; a transformer is being replaced; Tree removal and trimming was done in July and completed in mid-October; Laundry room ceiling is begin replaced; the siding on the upper club house is being repaired; as winter blows in, Carl and Dan will keep the main road and entrances to both clubhouses plowed and shoveled for fire safety. We wish everyone a joyful and safe Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday season.

From Lizette, Heather, Carl, Dan, Nikki, and Marlo

Updates from Gettysburg Battle Field Resort

Richard Kellerman - Resorts Operations Manager

Autumn is such a wonderful time to be camping here at Gettysburg Battlefield Resort! The air is a little crisper, the trees are flaunting the latest fall fashion hues of red and gold, and there is just enough chill at night to make sitting around the campfire the perfect end to a perfect day! To top it off, one of our favorite holidays happens here in a big, big way! While most people think of Gettysburg in a historical context, Gettysburg could rightly be crowned the unofficial Halloweentown! With a plethora of paranormal walks, talks and sightings, and the largest nighttime Halloween parade in the Northeast, Halloween happens in a big way here in Gettysburg … in a normal year. Just like everywhere else, Gettysburg has had to adjust to COVID, so it was no surprise when we received the following letter: (With apologies to the Editorial Staff of the NY Sun …) 

“Dear GBR Staff

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there will be no Halloween at GBR. Papa says, "If you see it in the Activity Guide, it's so." Please tell me the truth, will there be Halloween?”

To which we responded:

“Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they hear. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. Yes, Jackie, there will be Halloween. There will be trick or treating, costume judging and site judging for alas, how dreary would be the world if there were no Halloween! It would be as dreary as if there were no Jackies! There would be no witches or goblins or mummies then, no monsters hiding under the bed, no doling out of chocolates and taffies to make tolerable this existence.

Not have Halloween! You might as well not believe in ghosts! Halloween will come to GBR as scheduled, for not even the great COVID Gremlin could prevent the Spirit of Halloween from coming to GBR. It may look different from previous years, but it will be packed with just as much fun and sugar as it always has:

Instead of tirelessly traipsing from site to site, there will be one amazing Great Pumpkin Run! Trick or treaters will visit 5 stations packed with scares and sweets for all. Costumes will be judged, and prizes awarded – while even the doggos will get a chance to strut their Halloween finery before a panel of judges. There will even be a night time here parade of ghosty golf carts here!”

And so it was … and always will be. Nothing can dampen the Spirit of Halloween here at GBR!

Decorated Campsite October Contest Winner

Bobbie Walters

“My husband Kevin and I go camping at Wally World weekend. We love the river and we love to go kayaking. We have only been at Rocky Fork a few times. We enjoy meeting new people every time we camp."