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It's been another busy week here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL. The weather has been beautiful and cool enough during the nights for people to sit around the campfire ring. Many people have begun to arrive for stays over the winter months and the campfire ring has become a regular gathering spot during the early evenings. It is very close to where we are parked, so we are spending a lot time around the fires meeting new people and enjoying the aromas of wood smoke in the crisp evening air.
Both Deb & I have been busy with work. Over the past month we have moved into work camping positions here at Kelly's. I've assisted the staff with instillation of the new WiFi system and Deb has begun helping out with general cleaning of the public buildings around the park on the weekends. Now that the WiFi system is working the way it should, I'll be moving on to assist the owners with updating their web page. Aside from her regular duties, Deb will also be picking up some extra work once the park is full next month helping people who want their RV's cleaned on a regular basis. As if that isn't enough to keep us busy, I have also been able to gain some work helping people with computer problems. It's good to be so busy and involved here.
As with most work camping positions, the owners have been very generous by compensating us for our time through discounts on our site fees and other small payments. We did not come here looking for a work camping position, but the opportunities have arisen. We feel blessed to be able to enjoy this opportunity in a place we love.
If you do a general web search about full-time RV living, one of the biggest topic areas that will emerge will be information about work camping. It is highly touted as a way to make the full-time RV lifestyle affordable. Most of the sites that arise are just links to other sites that offer work camping positions; especially Federal and State parks. The majority of the information makes it appear that there are thousands of work camping positions available across the nation and that all one needs to do is be willing to offer twenty hours or more per week in general work to receive a free site and utilities. Since beginning our journey, we have research and applied for several work camping positions because it is a good way to make RV living more affordable and enjoyable. In doing so we have also learned that the realities of obtaining a work camping position are much different than the general information presented in most web sites on the topic.
The first reality learned was that while there are many open work camping positions available, most are in very remote areas like BLM Federal lands in the western States where no one else is willing to stay. Positions in popular parks during peak seasons are filled years in advance, usually by the same people. For example, here in Florida there is a three year waiting list for work camping positions during the winter months. There were a few positions we came across that offered no utility hook-ups because the park was so far off the grid and the closest shopping area was over 200 miles away.
The second reality learned was that the application process is very slow and laborious. In most cases, you are dealing with governmental agencies who treat applications for work camping positions the same they would any other job position. A lot of the information on web sites make it appear that all on needs to do is pull an RV into a park and be willing to work a few hours a wee to qualify. That's just not the case. All work camping applicants go through the same vetting process as other employees including background and reference checks, interviews and verification of past employment. As is usually the case with most governmental agencies, this process can take months with very little contact about the status of the application as it is cleared through all the necessary channels. As with most jobs, it is also true that the people with the most background experience related to the job are ones most qualified for the position. Deb and I were contacted by several different parks after submitting our applications based solely upon the fact that we managed a resort for three years and because I worked for a country park for ten years.
Last November we were offered a work camping position in the middle of nowhere Southwest Georgia. It was in a remote natural area that was in transition from being a State park to a State nature preserve. No camping was allowed on the site and we would have been the only people staying there to provide security and general cleaning. The position did include a free site with utilities, but was in a very remote area with the nearest shopping area almost an hour away. The total time between the submission of our application to the time we were offered the position was over three months. During that time we were interviewed over the phone by two different people, our background and references were checked, numerous e-mails were exchanged and it was not uncommon to have weeks pass with no feedback on the status of when a final decision would be made. On the very day we left Tennessee to head to Greenville, SC to help out my parents, we received a phone message saying that we obtained the position and they would like us there is two days. Given the cold conditions even in Georgia last winter, it worked out for the best that we could not accept the offer. But if for no other reason, the process taught us a great deal about what it really takes to obtain a work camping position.
As happened to us here at Kelly's, one of the best ways to find work in a full-time RV lifestyle is to stay at a place for an extended period and get to know people. It pays off in the long-run.
Until next time, Happy Trails everyone!
Copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer
Photo by Deb
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