RV DEALERS & CAMPGROUND OWNERS PRESENT $500 OF FREE CAMPING TO CONTEST WINNER!

(Shown in photo above from front left is B&R staff Kathi Wahl and Sam Edwards and owner Bob Wolf II, kneeling are happy winners John & LuAnn Vantine of Butler, and from right to left are campground owners Denny & Kathy Quigley of Yogi Bear at Kozy Rest Kampground in Harrisville, Tim Chilson of Meadville KOA (Formally Brookdale Campground), Rick & Deb Yeager from Rose Point Park in New Castle, Ed Tanski of Buttercup Woodlands Campground in Renfrew, and Chuck Rupp of Nautical Mile Campground and Marina.)

Butler, PA: The $500.00 winner of the 2011 Very Special Camper Contest drawing was John & LuAnn Vantine of Butler, PA!  John and his wife, Luann were presented $500.00 in free camping gift certificates on Thursday at B& R RV in Butler! 

This year’s winner, LuAnn Vantine said, “This is amazing!  We’ve never won anything before!  Why wouldn’t everyone buy an RV from these dealers?  They should.  We camped all summer at half price because we bought a new RV from B&R because of the VSC program coupon!  We’re just thrilled that we won another $500.00 of camping for this next year!  In addition, B&R presented us with another $100.00 gift certificate.  This is just unbelievable and wonderful!” 

Campgrounds and RV dealers from Western PA partnered together to provide potential new RV owners over $500.00 of free camping when they bought a new RV from one of the 7 participating dealers in 2011!   

The participating Western PA RV dealers for 2011: Hufnagel & Majors in Harmony, Fame RV Center in Saegertown, Clem’s Trailer Sales in Ellwood City, Starr’s Trailer Sales Brockway, Boyer RV Center in Erie, Brooks Camper Sales Connellsville, B & R Campers Sales in Butler.

The participating Western PA campgrounds were Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest Kampground Harrisville, Kalyumet Camping & Cabins in Cook Forest, Rose Point Park Cabins & Camping in New Castle, Meadville KOA at Brookdale Family Campground in Meadville, Vacationland Campground in Sandy Lake, Farma Family Campground in Greenville, Shenango Valley RV Park in Transfer, Pineview Campground in Linesville, Nautical Mile Campground & Marina in Templeton, Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Mill Run, Buttercup Woodlands Campground in Renfrew, Campers Paradise Campground in Sigel, Sparrow Pond Family Campground in Waterford, Bear Run Campground in Portersville, Peaceful Valley Campground in                       West Sunbury, River’s Edge Camping & Cabins in Connellsville, Harts Content Campground in Beaver Falls, Harecreek Campground in Corry, and Friendship Village Campground in Bedford.

The program, according to the program organizer Denny Quigley of Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest Kampground, is continuing for its fourth consecutive year in 2012.  Quigley stated, “We’ve added even more campgrounds to the offer!  If you are planning to purchase an RV in 2012, you can get more information from any of the participating dealers who will be proudly displaying the VSC Contest Flyer for 2012, or any of the PCOA participating campgrounds from Regions 1 and 2 which can be found at www.PACamping.com.” 

In 2012, each purchase of a new RV from one of the participating RV dealers entitles the new RV owner to one free night of camping for their family of four, from all of the 23 participating Western Pennsylvania Campgrounds and RV Parks.  That’s an over $600 value in free camping being offered! 

In addition, any camper who stays at 8 or more of the 23 participating Campgrounds and RV parks and submits their entry, will be entered in a drawing to receive an additional $500.00 in Pennsylvania Campground Owner’s Association (PCOA) Gift Certificates, which can be used at any www.PACamping.com campground across the state! 

Next year’s winner’s photo could be your family if you buy an RV in 2012 from one of the participating dealers listed above, camp at least 8 of the 23 participating campgrounds, and then submit your completed entry form for the drawing!  It could be your family that wins another $500 in free camping for 2013! 

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251 or at www.MeadvilleKOA.com. 

RV Shows & RV Dealers Report Continued Growth for Third Year!

In a September 2009, Marketplace radio show transcribed in The Daily RV Industry article, "Experts Look to RVing as Economic Indicator”, Mac Bryan, Vice President of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association stated, “When you look at traditional leading economic indicators such as housing starts, money supply, that’s about where you find the recreation vehicle sales begin to turn. And that’s both going into and out of recession.”   

RV Shows have posted record attendance increases over the last three years.  Could this be an indication that the economy has turned the corner and improvement in on the horizon?

According to the Ohio RV Super Show Terry Messersmith, the January show attendance in 2011 was up over 32% from 2010!  2012 was up another 6% again from 2011!  Making 2012 the third year in a row that the show has posted increases in attendance.    

The Original Pittsburgh RV Show posted record attendance numbers it’s opening weekend of the RV Show according to promoter Rob Young.  “The Pittsburgh RV Show set opening weekend attendance records!”  Rob stated, “We had over a 36% increase in attendance over last year’s opening weekend, which also makes it a record-setting first weekend's attendance!  Overall, the RV Show attendance was the best in years!”  

According to the owner of Anderson’s Brochure Distributions Joe Tice, “Reported attendance is up again and sales of RV's seem to be brisk, according to dealers. The camping public still seems to be concerned about gas prices - the enthusiasm is still there, but the ability/desire to travel longer distances is tempered by the price of gas. We are getting more questions about Seasonal Campsite prices this year.  Distribution is again very strong and all shows have been excellent in regard to distribution.  New to the schedule was Toronto and Atlanta - and both were fantastic. We did Atlanta for free because it was new (to Anderson's) and somewhat experimental - the result was attendance at roughly 17,000 and distribution above expectations.  Another new show for Anderson's is Boston and I received a text this morning that said the line to enter the show is stretching around the block with an estimate of 30,000 expected in 4 days.  In my opinion, the light at the end of the recession tunnel can be seen, which bodes well for the campground community.”

According to Tom Shearer of Erie Promotions reported that like the other reports, the Erie RV Show at the Bayfront convention Center posted an increase in attendance in 2011 as well.  2012 was even with 2011, despite a snow storm that crippled travel with multiple accidents that closed I79 North and other highways on Saturday.  Shearer said, “We believe that this show continues to grow because the setting is perfect for families.  Parking is free, and the low entrance fee makes it affordable for people to attend and bring their children with them.” 

Randy Giancola of Clem’s RV & Trailer Sales in Ellwood City, RV reported in 2010 that his sales had increased 45% from 2009.  In 2011 Giancola reported another increase of 30% from 2010.  2012 sales were up 20% too or more! 

We also asked Dick Bidwell of Fame RV Sales in Saegertown, PA if they had any similar experiences.  Bidwell reported, “Our demographics in the last couple of years shows an increase of younger families purchasing RVs.  It appears to be a growing trend.  People are buying smaller, lighter weight RVs that affordable to buy and tow.” 

Both Bidwell and Gianola reported that they were seeing good results from the free camping offer that resulted from the Western PCOA Campgrounds partnering with RV Dealerships to provide new RV buyers up to $800.00 value of free camping when they purchase a new RV from one of the participating dealerships in 2012!  Bidwell went on to add that when they review the details of the free camping offer to the buyers, that they are thrilled with the added benefit of the program. 

According to Dennis Quigley, Owner of Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest Kampground and VSC Contest Organizer, “The program has worked very well at both promoting sales at the participating dealerships and at bringing campers to the participating campgrounds!  It’s a great way for us to introduce our parks to new RV buyers or to thank our existing campers for their continued patronage of our campgrounds!”  (Details of the free camping giveaway offer can be found at: http://www.meadvillekoa.com/Discounts.html).

When asked about why the attendance at RV Shows and sales of RV’s appearing to be up over the last couple of years, Tim Chilson, PCOA Region 1 Director and Owner of Meadville KOA stated, “People are getting the message that family camping experiences are both fun and affordable.  Camping provides a fun family experience that families don’t get with their hectic work, school, and sports schedules.  Chilson went on to add, “Families are increasingly trying cabin camping.  As the number of people camping in cabins increases, they quickly realize how much fun and how affordable camping is, and that it doesn’t require “roughing it”.  Many campgrounds are now offering full service cabins which provide luxury vacations at family affordable prices!  Cabins sell people on owning an RV of their own.”

Whatever the reason may be, RV sales were up in 2010, 2011, and it appears that they are  even better in 2012!  That continues to be a good sign for the economy, RV dealers, Campgrounds, and the families we serve.          

By Robyn Chilson
Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251 or at www.MeadvilleKOA.com.

It’s RV Show Season!

RV Shows are a great place to begin your search for local reputable RV dealers.  RV Shows in this area are scheduled for January & February when dealerships are slow. 

RV Shows provide you the opportunity to see newest models and talk to dealerships that you may not have heard of, and reduce your expenses and time by not having to drive to different dealerships.  As a customer you can see and compare prices, brands, layouts, and more with one stop shopping.  However, there is always a huge range of quality & prices.  So when comparing units, make sure you’re comparing the prices of like models of differing brands.  One RV may look like another one, but you need to compare the options, construction, equipment, and features they both have to offer. See who offers the best deal but remember if the dealer isn’t reputable or isn’t equipped to work on the RV, or is located too far away to conveniently return the RV for service, your purchase may not turn out to be the best deal.  Don’t be afraid to talk with other RVers at the show. Many of these people have years of RV experience and knowledge of different products and dealerships.  Most will be honest and tell you when and where they’ve gotten the best deals & service.        

Buying an RV from a local reputable dealer insures you the best possible service, convenience, and shortest distance to travel for maintenance, repairs, & warranty work. 

It is always a good idea to visit the dealership’s physical location before you buy, check out their service department, service hours, etc.  In addition, many RV dealers offer show discounts and sometimes manufacturer rebates are available.  So not only do you save money with the one stop shopping, but there are huge savings in the purchase prices!

Show specials also sometimes include discounts or coupons from campgrounds.  So, your new RV sometimes comes with savings to use it, too!

For more information about local RV Dealers who have partnered with campgrounds in Western PA who offer $500.00 in free Camping and a chance to win another $500 of free camping with the purchase of a new RV in a Very Special Camper (VSC) Contest, visit our website at:  http://www.meadvillekoa.com/Discounts.html

RV shows aren’t just for RV dealers to showcase new and used RVs.  RV shows offer a wealth of information on the whole RVing industry.  Most campgrounds & RV resorts are slow or closed for the winter.  RV shows allow campgrounds to showcase new activities, special events, new amenities & long-term (sometimes called seasonal camping) availability to potential campers.  Make sure you stop by their booths and find new places to explore and exciting things to do with your family this summer!   

You can also find information for aftermarket RV products, RV accessories, RVing insurance, Camping or RVing Clubs, Discount Clubs, pick up brochures, camping directories for your state and more! 

Even if you don’t intend to by an RV, you can learn about cabin camping!  Many people think of camping as ‘roughing it” with a tent, the ground, the rain, and a less than pleasurable “vacation”.  This is no longer the case.  For the price of a motel room, most campgrounds are now supplying cabins.  Prices vary by campground and the amenities offered.  Camping cabins are generally the least expensive.  They are generally one room with beds and a table.  Cottage Cabins may offer kitchenettes, or a few more amenities, and camping lodges are deluxe facilities with full kitchens and bathrooms.  So, there is no need to own an RV!  You can enjoy the luxury of RVing with a camping vacation in a cabin and not miss any of the campground recreation programs and planned activities! 

Why not pack up the family for a fun winter-day activity and attend one of the local RV shows in your area.  Invite a friend to come along, and enjoy a day of looking forward to a summer camping season filled with friends & fun at these RV Shows: 

Ohio RV Super Show, January 4 – 8, at the I-X Center, Cleveland, OH.  Show Hours: Wed. – Fri. 1 pm to 10 pm, Sat. 10 am to 10 pm, and Sunday 10 am to 6 pm.  Ticket Pricing: Admission is $12.50/person.  Children 12 & under are free, and you can get a 2-Day pass for $20.00.  $2.00 discounts coupons for admission are available on their website at:  http://www.ohiorvshow.com/!

Pittsburgh RV Show January 14 - 22  At David Lawrence Convention

Center, Pittsburgh, PA!  Show Hours: Saturdays: 10 am - 9 pm, Sundays: 10 am - 5 pm, Monday through Friday: 5 pm - 9 pm.  Ticket Pricing: $10.00 for Adults, $9.00 Senior (55+), $8.00 Children under 13,  One dollar off Discount Coupons are available online at http://www.pittrvshow.com/pages/home.php!  For More Information Call (724) 446-1046.  We're raffling off FREE Tickets on our facebook Page!  "Like" us at www.facebook.com/MeadvilleKOA 

Erie RV Show Feb 9-12 At the Bayfront Convention Center, Erie, PA!  Show Hours: Thursday 2 pm to 8 pm, Friday Noon to 8 pm, Saturday 10 am to 7pm, and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.  General Admission: Adults $4.00, Children 10 & Under Free, and FREE PARKING!  More info online at: http://www.sportandtravelexpo.com/rv/homepage.aspx

 

We invite you to attend any and all of these RV Shows!  Stop by the Meadville KOA Campground booth and tell us hello, and that you received your invitation from my blog!  We hope to see you there!    

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA Campground.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  Kampgrounds of America, celebrating its 50^th Anniversary in 2012, is now the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public family campgrounds.

     

Thank you for Camping at Meadville KOA and for your vote of confidence!

In case you haven't seen it in the paper, on the web, on our website, Facebook or Twitter acounts, we had a great time at the National Outdoor Hospitality Convention in Savannah Georgia, and at the Pennsylvania Campground Owners Convention in Erie, PA!

These conventions are opportunities for us to see other parks, adopt best practices, take continuing educational classes, and of course spend time with other campground owners and discuss the state of the industry.

At the National Convention, we were presented our first "A" Rated Award!  We are very proud to have been rated by our customers on Guests Reviews as an "A" Rated Park!  Of the 2,000 campgrounds who participate in the program, only 44 earned an "A" from their customers.   This places Meadville KOA in the top 2% of campgrounds nationally!  You can read more about this award on our Announcements Page!

We were recognized at both the ARVC Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo held in Savannah Georgia & at the Pennsylvania Campground Owners (PCOA) Convention Held this week in Erie PA for acheiving our initial CPO Certification from the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).  What is a CPO Certification? It is a Certified Park Operator Certificate. It is part the 2nd stage of achieving an Outdoor Hospitality Executive Certification Education Program. The program is administrated by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), and we received credits for graduating from the National School of Campground Management Graduates Program at Oglebay, WV; attending KOA University; and attending Continuing Education Classes at ARVC & PCOA Conventions. 

At the KOA (Kampgrounds of America) Convention held in November in Las Vegas, Meadville KOA was presented the KOA President's Award.  The Preseident's Award is based upon a combined score from KOA's inspection of our campground and our customer's satisfaction survey responses.  This was our first year with KOA, and we're very proud that we've achieved the President's Award our first season with KOA.

At the Pennsylvania Campground Owners Convention, we were again recognized for our "A" Rating Awards & CPO Certification.  We believe that our state organization is doing a great job at promoting education for campground owners in Pennsylvania.  As a matter of fact, of the 44 campgrounds with "A" Ratings nationally, 10 of them were PA Campgrounds!  That is a great acheivement!  It made us very proud of our state and fellow campground owners that so many of us have achieved these ratings!  What it means for our camping customers is that they have some great campgrounds to choose from in Pennsylvania! 

The most important part of all of these awards is that they are votes of confidence from you, our camping customers.  Those are the best ratings we'll ever receive!  Thank you for camping with us and for taking the time to respond to our Reviews and Customer Surveys. 

We cannot begin to tell you how very blessed we are to have so many great camping families who camp with us.  We greatly appreciate your partonage of our campground and sharing your family camping experiences with us.  The photos of your smiling children and families having fun, are treasured memories to us, as we hope they are to all of you!  Visit our photos page and see if we caught you having fun! We truly treasure taking and putting these photos & videos online!  We think that we enjoy them almost as much as the kids do! 

We've put together our Events Schedule for 2012 that we hope you'll find full of fun, family activities!  We sincerely hope we'll see you in 2012!  We thank you for camping with us at Meadville KOA!  And, we sincerely appreciate your taking the time to send us your "A" Rating!  Thank you! 

January starts the RV show season, and we sincerely hope you'll stop by the booth and say hello!  We look forward to seeing you then.  Don't forget, we'll be with the other KOA Campgrounds Booth!  We're looking forward to seeing you! 

Until then, from our home to yours, we wish each and every one of our camping families and friends a very happy & blessed holidays! 

Sincerely,

Tim & Robyn Chilson, Owners 

Tim & Robyn Chilson Own and operate Meadville KOA.  You can contact us at 814-789-3251.

 

  

  

Go Camping In October!

"The events and activities are winding down at Meadville KOA (Kampgrounds of America) by the time the month of October arrives," according to campground owner, Tim Chilson, “but there is still great camping weekends remaining this camping season."

"We're nearing the end of the season and October 8^th is our last event weekend of the camping season," Chilson said, "but we've discounted the camping prices, which makes it even more affordable for people to get out and enjoy the wonderful fall festivals like the the Pioneer Steam Show in Saegertown and Franklin Applefest on Oct. 8 Weekend, and Conneaut Lake Area Pumpkinfest on our last camping weekend of the season this year, Oct. 15.  If you’re into haunted attractions, Ghost Lake runs every weekend now through the end of October.  Not only can you enjoy those wonderful autumn festivals, haunted attractions, and the fall foliage, but the cool evenings provide wonderful opportunities to enjoy an autumn evening campfire and some warmed apple cider and s'mores!" Chilson went on to add, “There are autumn driving tours in the area that maximize your fall foliage viewing as well.  They are provided on the Crawford County Visitor’s Bureau website.” (http://www.visitcrawford.org/assets/pdf/fall_drivingtour.pdf.) 

Many RVers, according to Chilson, use October as a perfect time to travel and enjoy the foliage. "With gas prices lowered, fall festivals, and fall foliage at its’ prime, it's a perfect time to get outside, enjoy the beautiful autumn weather remaining, and do some camping," Chilson added.

Meadville KOA is rated in the top 5% of campgrounds nationally and hosts 165 camp sites, 4 camping cabins (which includes two, lake-front deluxe lodges), seven fishing ponds for catch and release fishing (no license required), a swimming pool, a creek for wading, a hiking trail, volleyball, basketball, soccer & ball field, horseshoe pits, jumping pillow (Saturdays only), pedal karts, paddle boats, mini golf (open to the public), planned activities, themed events, hay wagon rides, and more!

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA (Formally Brookdale Family Campground) in Meadville, PA. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.