Archive of Newsletters
All The News That’s Fit To Print—And Then Some
Greetings Eager Campers! May, 2009
Welcome back seasonal campers. It’s nice to have you home again. Be on the look out for a peacock roaming the forest. The other day I was working near the water and electric tent sites and could hear him carrying on across the waters of Beaver Creek. Raccoon season is upon us, too, so be keep food and garbage in a sealed container when it’s necessary to have those items outside of your RV. Better yet, don’t tempt wildlife. Leave all items indoors, or throw them immediately in the dumpster.
We’re open year round, but still we kick-off spring with Huck Finn Day, celebrated on 4/18/09. We provided brunch for seasonal family members who gathered on Saturday to clean their sites. A big thank you goes to Michelle Brown for pitching in, pouring coffee and mingling in the clubhouse, while the rest of us finished routine morning maintenance. We had a tree root problem that required us to unblock drains coming from the clubhouse, but all was well within a matter of hours.
If you are reading this newsletter online, then you know that you can access more under our “Archives” tab. If you have a hard copy, chances are you picked it up with your electric bill. A reminder for our new seasonals: whenever the flag is flying on the side deck, it’s our cue to you that the electric bills have been calculated for the month and are ready for pick up. As a seasonal camper you can charge other items to your account such as ice, firewood, visitor passes or even store purchases. We write such charges in your folio notebook. You, or a family member, signs for them and then we add these to your statement. Our preference is that you pay monthly bills incurred at Lock 30 Woodlands with a check, but cash or a credit card is acceptable.
Our “Schools Finally Out” weekend is in the final stages of preparation. It’s a good time for you to introduce your camping friends to free pony rides, a petting zoo, a scavenger hunt, decorated bicycle and fire truck parade and a magician. The activities will start at 10:00AM and will run until 3:00PM on June 13th. We’ll be busy holding down the fort, but we could certainly use a few amateur photographers capturing the day with photos. Talk to Mike or Karen if you enjoy taking fun photos that can be sent to our seasonal campers via the website.
It’s time for the Second Annual Campground Wide Yard Sale on June 27, 2009. Start cleaning your basements and garages, because this will be advertised long in advance as the premier camper sale of the season. Last year we traded golf clubs, framed prints, tools, furniture, clothes, radios, stereos and more. Already we’ve set aside a 30 ft 5th wheel cover, 5th wheel hitch receiver, reclining campfire chairs, power washer with 5 hp Honda engine, lots of Karen’s kitchen trinkets, etc. Last year we scrambled to get everyone on board, but this year, we expect every table in the pavilion to be covered with goodies.
One of the signs of the season is “spring clean up “evidence. We know that mice and rodents have had a hay day in some of your RVs over the winter. Our plan is to offer a free RV Winterization Workshop this fall. We’ll call on a dealer representative to show us ways to cut down on storage-over-the-winter problems. More later.
In the meantime, let’s help maintain our waste costs by breaking down or crushing cardboard containers before placing them into the dumpster. Also, be mindful of the sign prohibiting furniture disposal in the dumpster. If you no longer need these large items, tell us and we’ll put them out in the June Yard Sale. If they’re damaged, break them down or haul them to the dump, but if dumpsters fill with furniture, we call Waste Management and incur huge pick up fees. These are passed down to you, so let’s help each other by thinking of the consequences.
Lately we’ve had a rash of complaints about slow internet speeds. Time for some detailed explanation. Our satellite provider limits the amount of megabytes that can be downloaded in a 24 hour period. Once we exceed the 24 hour megabyte limit, our provider automatically slows ALL access to the internet for the next 24 hours. This interruption is called the “Fair Access Policy” to all internet users of the satellite provider. The WIFI service that is provided free of charge, was not designed to download music, movies, pictures and large documents or for the purpose of playing games. This $10,000 system, normally not typically offered free of charge in a forested setting, is open to all campers for their convenience. Lock 30 continues to pay sizable charges each month to continue this free service so that campers can conveniently check email and pay bills online, but we’re having “user/abuser” problems, typically during weekdays, when few overnight campers are with us.
When the internet is not used in a responsible manner, all of us, including office personnel who depend on internet access to conduct campground business, suffer. We have patiently reminded campers in the last two months that our WIFI is not for conducting home internet businesses or setting up EBay accounts accessed from Lock 30. If that is your need, there are three options. One is to let us know so that we can set up a separate account that you can pay for each month. The second is to use “pay for” Internet at area coffee shops and vendors who charge for high speed. The third is to use free services at public libraries. The public libraries in Lisbon, Columbiana, East Palestine and East Liverpool have convenient access to the internet for those who require larger downloads of information. Addresses of these locations are posted in the gatehouse and on the clubhouse bulletin board. Our fourth option—one we’d rather not exercise—is to charge a day fee for all users and offer a password into the system. We’ll be evaluating usage this month to determine what is fair for all.
Swimming season is merely weeks away. As promised, former lifeguard and Salem Area swim team coach Carolyn Mc Dermott is proposing several top- notch swimming options for your families. Carolyn has been a college level swim coach and taken many teams into competition. Here are the details of what she’s proposing:
Learn-To-Swim: Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The cost will be $30 for campers and $35 for the public, with a minimum of 4 and maximum of 8 swimmers per class. The session will be 8 classes long. The first session will start June 16. Saturdays are a possibility if we have enough interest, so get back to Karen if this is in the cards for your children or grandchildren.
Masters: Practices on T-Th AM's from 7-8 a.m. if we have at least four people interested. $60/summer for this adult exercise and swim-stroke improvement program The Masters Swim program is a nationally recognized, low-impact, aerobic and fitness program for all levels of swimmers who are serious about regular exercise.
Water Safety Seminar: A one-hour water safety class for parents/adults over Memorial Day Weekend is a possibility, if we have enough interested A minimum of 8 people are needed to run this class. The cost will be $10/person. The class would cover backyard pool safety, campground aquatic safety, and a little about the learn to swim program being offered and the benefits of competitive swimming (helps provide justification for learning to swim past "I can swim barely" level). Interested parties may contact Carolyn at her office at 234-567-4291 to schedule and for more information. Or you can call Karen on her cell (970-700-0680) and she, too, can answer questions for you, including what hour ought to be set aside that is convenient to all.
Finally, take a minute to visit our website at www.ohiorvcamp.com to review our new page titled “Pay it Forward”. It can be found in the “What Sets Us Apart” heading. Stay tuned for exciting news about our community.
We’re looking forward to a fun-filled summer!
Mike, Karen, Jim, John and Chris—Your Lock 30 Crew
Happy New Year From Lock 30 Woodlands, January 8, 2009
As the last of the tinsel and garland is being put away for the season, we have several exciting announcements to make to our Lock 30 seasonal families.
Wedding bells are in manager Stacie Oak’s immediate future. While she and her fiancée Denny French have not set the official date, they have purchased a home in the Calcutta area. Living in the duplex as I write this letter is our new manager and his wife, Mike and Michele Brown, who will be assuming the job officially on January 11th.
Many of you already have met the Browns because he and Michele are actually part of the Lock 30 seasonal pool of families, having camped with us for several seasons. When we learned in December that Stacie would be leaving the property, we were pleased and fortunate to receive Mike’s application for the position. He has a solid work history with the automotive parts industry and brings strong managerial and computer skills to the position. We’re expecting to do more electronically and hopefully streamline our reservation system and all operations for efficiency.
Until Karen returns to Lock 30 late next week, Stacie will be training our new manager and helping the Browns settle into their new year-round camping lifestyle. While things are not definite, look for Stacie’s smiling face to return this summer, when we’ll again be busy at the front desk. I know you join me in wishing Stacie, daughter Kali and son, Sam, the very best as they enter a wonderful, new chapter in their lives.
Finally, the last stone to be put back in place has to do with the real boss we all answer to: Mr. Blackjack. Thanks to the generosity of the Hillier family, Blackjack spent an extended holiday in the comfort of their lovely Niles home. Several of our Trumbull County families got together with the Hilliers over Christmas to further spoil our top dog. He, too, will resume his “campground patrol” duties mid-month and at the end of the day, retire to Karen’s place upstairs in the gatehouse. He’ll be under the Brown’s watchful eye.
As always, you are welcome to drop by at any time and check on your sites and your winterized RVs. If you want to conduct campground business, call first, so we can make arrangements to be at the gatehouse when you arrive. While we do not spend the same number of conventional hours in the office as we do from April to November, know that you can reach us at any hour of the day or night by calling 330-424-9197. Calls are being forwarded to Karen during this transition. We hear from campers year-round, eager to reserve when the weather is right. Already one family of Lock 30 weekend regulars has booked a family reunion for June 13th.
As to what you can expect upon returning April 15th, hopefully better and drier weather! Jim has completed siding of the pavilion and both bathrooms have been painted. Look for a facelift of the clubhouse exterior, too. Mike will be assisting Jim on the final stages of this project, which is not expected to be completed until late March.
Greetings Eager Campers! May, 2009
Welcome back seasonal campers. It’s nice to have you home again. Be on the look out for a peacock roaming the forest. The other day I was working near the water and electric tent sites and could hear him carrying on across the waters of Beaver Creek. Raccoon season is upon us, too, so be keep food and garbage in a sealed container when it’s necessary to have those items outside of your RV. Better yet, don’t tempt wildlife. Leave all items indoors, or throw them immediately in the dumpster.
We’re open year round, but still we kick-off spring with Huck Finn Day, celebrated on 4/18/09. We provided brunch for seasonal family members who gathered on Saturday to clean their sites. A big thank you goes to Michelle Brown for pitching in, pouring coffee and mingling in the clubhouse, while the rest of us finished routine morning maintenance. We had a tree root problem that required us to unblock drains coming from the clubhouse, but all was well within a matter of hours.
If you are reading this newsletter online, then you know that you can access more under our “Archives” tab. If you have a hard copy, chances are you picked it up with your electric bill. A reminder for our new seasonals: whenever the flag is flying on the side deck, it’s our cue to you that the electric bills have been calculated for the month and are ready for pick up. As a seasonal camper you can charge other items to your account such as ice, firewood, visitor passes or even store purchases. We write such charges in your folio notebook. You, or a family member, signs for them and then we add these to your statement. Our preference is that you pay monthly bills incurred at Lock 30 Woodlands with a check, but cash or a credit card is acceptable.
Our “Schools Finally Out” weekend is in the final stages of preparation. It’s a good time for you to introduce your camping friends to free pony rides, a petting zoo, a scavenger hunt, decorated bicycle and fire truck parade and a magician. The activities will start at 10:00AM and will run until 3:00PM on June 13th. We’ll be busy holding down the fort, but we could certainly use a few amateur photographers capturing the day with photos. Talk to Mike or Karen if you enjoy taking fun photos that can be sent to our seasonal campers via the website.
It’s time for the Second Annual Campground Wide Yard Sale on June 27, 2009. Start cleaning your basements and garages, because this will be advertised long in advance as the premier camper sale of the season. Last year we traded golf clubs, framed prints, tools, furniture, clothes, radios, stereos and more. Already we’ve set aside a 30 ft 5th wheel cover, 5th wheel hitch receiver, reclining campfire chairs, power washer with 5 hp Honda engine, lots of Karen’s kitchen trinkets, etc. Last year we scrambled to get everyone on board, but this year, we expect every table in the pavilion to be covered with goodies.
One of the signs of the season is “spring clean up “evidence. We know that mice and rodents have had a hay day in some of your RVs over the winter. Our plan is to offer a free RV Winterization Workshop this fall. We’ll call on a dealer representative to show us ways to cut down on storage-over-the-winter problems. More later.
In the meantime, let’s help maintain our waste costs by breaking down or crushing cardboard containers before placing them into the dumpster. Also, be mindful of the sign prohibiting furniture disposal in the dumpster. If you no longer need these large items, tell us and we’ll put them out in the June Yard Sale. If they’re damaged, break them down or haul them to the dump, but if dumpsters fill with furniture, we call Waste Management and incur huge pick up fees. These are passed down to you, so let’s help each other by thinking of the consequences.
Lately we’ve had a rash of complaints about slow internet speeds. Time for some detailed explanation. Our satellite provider limits the amount of megabytes that can be downloaded in a 24 hour period. Once we exceed the 24 hour megabyte limit, our provider automatically slows ALL access to the internet for the next 24 hours. This interruption is called the “Fair Access Policy” to all internet users of the satellite provider. The WIFI service that is provided free of charge, was not designed to download music, movies, pictures and large documents or for the purpose of playing games. This $10,000 system, normally not typically offered free of charge in a forested setting, is open to all campers for their convenience. Lock 30 continues to pay sizable charges each month to continue this free service so that campers can conveniently check email and pay bills online, but we’re having “user/abuser” problems, typically during weekdays, when few overnight campers are with us.
When the internet is not used in a responsible manner, all of us, including office personnel who depend on internet access to conduct campground business, suffer. We have patiently reminded campers in the last two months that our WIFI is not for conducting home internet businesses or setting up EBay accounts accessed from Lock 30. If that is your need, there are three options. One is to let us know so that we can set up a separate account that you can pay for each month. The second is to use “pay for” Internet at area coffee shops and vendors who charge for high speed. The third is to use free services at public libraries. The public libraries in Lisbon, Columbiana, East Palestine and East Liverpool have convenient access to the internet for those who require larger downloads of information. Addresses of these locations are posted in the gatehouse and on the clubhouse bulletin board. Our fourth option—one we’d rather not exercise—is to charge a day fee for all users and offer a password into the system. We’ll be evaluating usage this month to determine what is fair for all.
Swimming season is merely weeks away. As promised, former lifeguard and Salem Area swim team coach Carolyn Mc Dermott is proposing several top- notch swimming options for your families. Carolyn has been a college level swim coach and taken many teams into competition. Here are the details of what she’s proposing:
Learn-To-Swim: Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The cost will be $30 for campers and $35 for the public, with a minimum of 4 and maximum of 8 swimmers per class. The session will be 8 classes long. The first session will start June 16. Saturdays are a possibility if we have enough interest, so get back to Karen if this is in the cards for your children or grandchildren.
Masters: Practices on T-Th AM's from 7-8 a.m. if we have at least four people interested. $60/summer for this adult exercise and swim-stroke improvement program The Masters Swim program is a nationally recognized, low-impact, aerobic and fitness program for all levels of swimmers who are serious about regular exercise.
Water Safety Seminar: A one-hour water safety class for parents/adults over Memorial Day Weekend is a possibility, if we have enough interested A minimum of 8 people are needed to run this class. The cost will be $10/person. The class would cover backyard pool safety, campground aquatic safety, and a little about the learn to swim program being offered and the benefits of competitive swimming (helps provide justification for learning to swim past "I can swim barely" level). Interested parties may contact Carolyn at her office at 234-567-4291 to schedule and for more information. Or you can call Karen on her cell (970-700-0680) and she, too, can answer questions for you, including what hour ought to be set aside that is convenient to all.
Masters: Practices on T-Th AM's from 7-8 a.m. if we have at least four people interested. $60/summer for this adult exercise and swim-stroke improvement program The Masters Swim program is a nationally recognized, low-impact, aerobic and fitness program for all levels of swimmers who are serious about regular exercise.
Water Safety Seminar: A one-hour water safety class for parents/adults over Memorial Day Weekend is a possibility, if we have enough interested A minimum of 8 people are needed to run this class. The cost will be $10/person. The class would cover backyard pool safety, campground aquatic safety, and a little about the learn to swim program being offered and the benefits of competitive swimming (helps provide justification for learning to swim past "I can swim barely" level). Interested parties may contact Carolyn at her office at 234-567-4291 to schedule and for more information. Or you can call Karen on her cell (970-700-0680) and she, too, can answer questions for you, including what hour ought to be set aside that is convenient to all.
Finally, take a minute to visit our website at www.ohiorvcamp.com to review our new page titled “Pay it Forward”. It can be found in the “What Sets Us Apart” heading. Stay tuned for exciting news about our community.
We’re looking forward to a fun-filled summer!
Mike, Karen, Jim, John and Chris—Your Lock 30 Crew
Happy New Year From Lock 30 Woodlands, January 8, 2009
As the last of the tinsel and garland is being put away for the season, we have several exciting announcements to make to our Lock 30 seasonal families.
Wedding bells are in manager Stacie Oak’s immediate future. While she and her fiancée Denny French have not set the official date, they have purchased a home in the Calcutta area. Living in the duplex as I write this letter is our new manager and his wife, Mike and Michele Brown, who will be assuming the job officially on January 11th.
Many of you already have met the Browns because he and Michele are actually part of the Lock 30 seasonal pool of families, having camped with us for several seasons. When we learned in December that Stacie would be leaving the property, we were pleased and fortunate to receive Mike’s application for the position. He has a solid work history with the automotive parts industry and brings strong managerial and computer skills to the position. We’re expecting to do more electronically and hopefully streamline our reservation system and all operations for efficiency.
Until Karen returns to Lock 30 late next week, Stacie will be training our new manager and helping the Browns settle into their new year-round camping lifestyle. While things are not definite, look for Stacie’s smiling face to return this summer, when we’ll again be busy at the front desk. I know you join me in wishing Stacie, daughter Kali and son, Sam, the very best as they enter a wonderful, new chapter in their lives.
Finally, the last stone to be put back in place has to do with the real boss we all answer to: Mr. Blackjack. Thanks to the generosity of the Hillier family, Blackjack spent an extended holiday in the comfort of their lovely Niles home. Several of our Trumbull County families got together with the Hilliers over Christmas to further spoil our top dog. He, too, will resume his “campground patrol” duties mid-month and at the end of the day, retire to Karen’s place upstairs in the gatehouse. He’ll be under the Brown’s watchful eye.
As always, you are welcome to drop by at any time and check on your sites and your winterized RVs. If you want to conduct campground business, call first, so we can make arrangements to be at the gatehouse when you arrive. While we do not spend the same number of conventional hours in the office as we do from April to November, know that you can reach us at any hour of the day or night by calling 330-424-9197. Calls are being forwarded to Karen during this transition. We hear from campers year-round, eager to reserve when the weather is right. Already one family of Lock 30 weekend regulars has booked a family reunion for June 13th.
As to what you can expect upon returning April 15th, hopefully better and drier weather! Jim has completed siding of the pavilion and both bathrooms have been painted. Look for a facelift of the clubhouse exterior, too. Mike will be assisting Jim on the final stages of this project, which is not expected to be completed until late March.
Look for a new letter each month in this regular feature we’ve added to the web site. February’s letter promises news from Mike’s pen, as he assumes full managerial responsibility.
Stay Warm,
The Lock 30 Woodlands Gang
Lock 30 Families—All The News That’s Fit To Print—And Then Some
Look for a new letter each month in this regular feature we’ve added to the web site. February’s letter promises news from Mike’s pen, as he assumes full managerial responsibility.
Stay Warm,
The Lock 30 Woodlands Gang
Lock 30 Families—All The News That’s Fit To Print—And Then SomeWelcome to the inaugural issue of Lock 30 Families. We’re choosing this Thanksgiving holiday to launch this regular feature specifically designed for our seasonal campers, but open to all.
Manager, Stacie Oaks, suggested that Karen be the regular contributor and editor, but know that this is an information forum open to all of you—your pictures, your adventures, your recipes and most definitely your party invitations. As the title says, it’s “all the news that’s fit to print and then some.”
What happens in November each year? We scale back office hours and look to the great outdoors to complete projects while the weather holds out. Up until a few days ago we were moving along at a pretty good clip: firewood cut, split and stacked, and more than (800) canna lilies dug out from around the pool and “put up” in the storage area beneath the duplex. (These get planted in the late spring, after all danger of frost is gone.)
Jim is siding the pavilion this month. The siding he is placing on the concrete block comes from our own forest of white pine and spruce harvested annually at Lock 30.
When does this happen? At least once a season we employ a local arborist or a tree contractor to evaluate our forest of pines and hardwoods. His job is to determine if there are dangerous limbs that must be removed. Often we do this when seasonals’ trailers are out of the park, allowing easy access to these trees.
The tree pruner drops the trees and strips the branches. Healthy logs are set aside for another contractor to plane and saw the wood into lumber to be cured and used later for Lock 30 construction.
Once the lumber is cut, Jim loads it on the hydraulic trailer and it heads for the barn where he, my husband Frank, and frequently a younger and stronger “helper” stack it on shelves.
Scrappy branches that have not been made into mulch for the gardens at Lock 30 are thrown into the burn pile. Smaller logs are cut into firewood and hauled to the splitter located in the green area near the duplex. Staff splits and eventually stacks the wood behind the gatehouse, where it is kept dry. Occasionally Jim makes a “delivery” of a tractor bucket full of firewood for weekenders, but most of it is sold in milk crates for $5 a crate.
How long is the lumber “cured” before use? Many years. Folks who see the interior of the gatehouse frequently ask about lumber availability for their own family rooms, etc... We refer them down the road to the Elkton Tree Farm where they can buy knotty pine of a similar quality and style. We keep all of ours because there’s always a project on the back burner.
Now –a bit of Lock 30 Woodlands construction history: The first phase of the gatehouse interior was done about eight years ago when Karen, with the assistance of work campers converted the equipment barn to an office gatehouse. She applied the smoke white stain to the interior finish and learned a few things about barn remodels!
Years later when Jim came on board, he added to the insulation, making it more habitable in winter. We later employed a contractor to add the staff kitchen and storage area; we replaced the wood burning stove with a furnace, six years ago.
That same winter we erected the pavilion and its set of restrooms and showers. Those of you who have been with us many years recall that we placed a footer at one end, so that a huge outdoor “cooking fireplace” could eventually be erected. Once our wood was sufficiently cured, we knew we’d be covering the concrete block.
That brings us to the present. By the time you read this, Jim will be pounding in the last nail. We’ll paint the exterior in the spring. Question is, will it remain “au naturale” or will it fall into the barn red motive?
Enough about construction! Please join us in wishing work camper Judy King a fond farewell. She’ll be heading to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where she’ll be joining her husband who returns in three weeks from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Karen writes this from her desk in Durango, Colorado, where she works during winter months as a free-lance reporter and journalist for The Durango Herald and other publications. Occasionally her work appears on the Food and Nutrition page or under Arts and Entertainment. Next month she’ll have a story about local cooks gathering to make lefse—a Scandinavian Christmas treat. She’ll also be writing about a Hispanic family of three generations who gather for a day long tamale “workshop”. More information next month, if you want to access that newspaper online.
So that’s what we’re up to—now how about you? Drop us a submission at the email address above. And please, keep us updated on your email address, too.
I’ll close this month’s letter with a recipe from the Durango Elks Club Annual Meatloaf Throwdown. I judged the meatloaf- makers fund raiser last week. Stacie thought you might like to try it at home. It joins the ranks of Lock 30 potluck recipes we’ve published earlier: bar cookies, chili, potato salad and more. Try this winter comfort food once the turkey gets picked clean. Let us know how it stacks up to what your mom makes!
Meatloaf, Italian Style —Winter Comfort Food For Campers
3lbs lean ground chuck
1lb Italian sausage
1lb ground pork
4 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup v 8 juice
1 cup chopped onion
3 eggs
3 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley (fresh)
½ cup grated Italian cheese blend
Mix all ingredients. Form a loaf in a large loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1hr 20 min. (test temp to 150-160 degrees). Let stand in warm oven for 30 mins.
Warm up some marinara sauce and pour around the finished meat loaf. (The person who entered this meatloaf actually used Emeril’s Home-style Marinara, and it was mighty good!)
Happy Thanksgiving,
Karen and the Lock 30 Crew
Hello Lock 30 Family, February 1, 2009
I apologize for the delay of this month’s news letter, our internet service was down since January 27, 2009. Please read on.
February is here and hopefully the super cold days are behind us; keep the cabin fever at bay by remembering our seasonal “opening day” is only 74 short days away.
Let me introduce myself and family. My wife, Michele, and I have been seasonal campers on site 60 for the last 2 years. We have three daughters and sons-in 
law: Kim and Dave, Jennifer and Jay, Colleen and Kevin. Our youngest, is our son, Brian. We have been blessed with eight grandchildren: DJ, Meghan, Brendan, Jordan, Kyle, Tyler, Emma and Chelsea, ranging in age from 1 yr to 11 yrs.
law: Kim and Dave, Jennifer and Jay, Colleen and Kevin. Our youngest, is our son, Brian. We have been blessed with eight grandchildren: DJ, Meghan, Brendan, Jordan, Kyle, Tyler, Emma and Chelsea, ranging in age from 1 yr to 11 yrs. Michele will be assisting me occasionally and has current, local experience managing apartment complexes. I have worked in the automotive industry for the last 30 yrs, as a Quality Manager, with experience in machining; die casting, automotive and engine assembly and plastic injection molding. As a Quality Manager, I bring a strong background in management, having managed staff sizes of up to 25. Lock 30, of course, is much smaller, but the same management lessons apply here. Everyone at Lock 30 is expected to be a “hands- on” person, so I’ll be out splitting wood, too, once the snow melts. Look for positive change to be ongoing, change that will be beneficial to you.
My plan is to apply all of the knowledge I have from past positions to improve the delivery of service at Lock 30 Woodlands. Our team will receive year-round, ongoing training, so that procedures and policies will be professional and consistent. All of our guests at Lock 30 Woodlands will continue to receive the courtesy and respect that our guests deserve. Personally, I want to offer an “open door” at the gatehouse, where your input will be valued.
We are planning this year’s summer camping special events and welcome suggestions or concerns that should be addressed now. Please correspond to us at kbanesi@core.com When the planning is complete, we’ll give you advance notice on our website news letter at www.ohiorvcamp.com . For those who do not have computer access, we’ll mail the newsletter to you the first of each month. Questions? Call us at 330-424-9197.
So mark your calendars now: the first weekend of the “high” season: April 17 to the 19 we’ll reintroduce Huck Finn Day. After everyone sets up for summer, we’ll celebrate in the clubhouse with Karen’s cooking: a Saturday night spaghetti supper. Long-timers, like the Spadaforas on site 24 recall the days when spaghetti ushered in the springtime. We can even follow up with a dessert potluck, if you’d like. Let us know your thoughts.
Black Jack is sitting at my feet, enjoying his return. Thanks go to all of you, and especially to the Hillier family, who fostered him at their home through the Christmas season. The Lock 30 Woodlands team looks forward your April return. This year we’ll perform at 110% to make your stay safe, fun and enjoyable this season.
Michele’s recipe for Old Fashion Sugar Cookies, hope you enjoy.
3 ¼ cup flour 1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda 1 egg
½ tsp salt 1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ cup butter or margarine softened ½ cup sour cream
Cream butter, sugar ,egg, vanilla, and sour cream.
Add Mixture of flour, baking soda, salt and sugar to above (use mixer)
Roll out and cut into your favorite cookie shapes
Bake cookies at 400 degrees until they start to turn a little brown on bottom
Frost with Betty Crocker Creamy White Frosting
Your Lock 30 Team:
Karen, Jim, Michele and Mike
Hello Lock 30 Families March 2009
The freshly- painted red clubhouse now has a Western Reserve feel with the addition of white shutters. Jim spent many hours in his workshop this winter building these from lumber that once stood as pines at Lock 30 Woodlands.
Hello Lock 30 Families March 2009
The peak season is fast approaching with only 36 more days until seasonal campers return. I can see campfires burning and fish jumping. I can even smell barbeque on the grill.
Now back to reality. It’s either 18 degrees, windy with flurries and if the fish were jumping, they’d be frozen in mid air. Or it’s shirt sleeve weather. Welcome to spring in Ohio and take your pick!
We had a few trees come down during the February ice and wind storms, but there was no damage to RVs or buildings. Jim, John and I have been busy clearing trees and cleaning up branches throughout the campground in anticipation of your return.
The freshly- painted red clubhouse now has a Western Reserve feel with the addition of white shutters. Jim spent many hours in his workshop this winter building these from lumber that once stood as pines at Lock 30 Woodlands.We’re planning a School’s Finally Out day Saturday June 13, 2009 with pony rides, llamas, a children’s magician and a fire truck/decorated bicycle parade. We’re contracting these services with a Canfield company, so details are still in the works. Check the events on the website for times. Jim will be sharing the fire truck keys with me this season and I suspect I’ll be calling on some of you, too, who have so generously treated the kids to rides on our busier weekends.
The Huck Finn Day campground “seasonal opener” celebrated many years ago, will be revived April 17th through 19th. That’s when most of us clean up our sites and exchange war stories about surviving another Ohio winter. We’re hoping the April weather will cooperate. Karen will provide Saturday brunch—instead of spaghetti-- for all you eager campers sprucing up their lots. We’ve heard that many of you would rather start the work day off with a hearty meal than end it with pasta.
We like to brag about our “high camper return rate” at Lock 30, pointing out that once folks try us, they’re hooked. That occasionally happens, too, with our seasonal employees. One of those employees—the first high school aged lifeguard ever hired at Lock 30-- has gone a long way since she was ranked among the top 25 swimmers in Ohio in 2000 and the first to win a varsity letter in swimming at Salem High School.
Caroline McDermott is now the head coach /director and owner of the Salem Area Swim USA and Masters Team. Most recently she worked at the University of Texas Longhorn Swim Camp. Before that she was an assistant coach at Darton College in Georgia and a youth swim coach of the USA Team AquaDarts.
This nationally ranked swimmer in the United States Masters Swimming program has returned to be with family and to create a competitive league in the area. She called us several months ago to ask if we were interested in sponsoring a learn-to-swim program that could be offered in our pool Saturday mornings. (She also teaches a family water safety program.) These classes would be at an additional, nominal charge—paid directly to Caroline McDermott—but primarily offered to our seasonal families and their guests.
Consider this an invitation to ponder whether you are interested. Let us know ASAP and we’ll pound out the details including the calendar, duration of classes and cost. We’ll need a minimum of six to eight families for the classes to “make”, but as far as instruction goes, you won’t find a better teacher. She’s fun, vibrant and a terrific role model.
We’re hearing from seasonals that camper recipes are always a hit, so if you want to share yours, send them to us. During this season of transition from cold nights to wet days, comfort food hits the spot. Here are two of Karen’s economical recipes that convert easily to crock pot /slow cooking format. If you are working (or playing) long hours and do not have time to prepare something hearty at the end of the day, try these sure winners. Both are “skier specials”—meaning you can get these ready the night before, refrigerate and later finish in the oven at day’s end. Or, if you have a slow cooker, while you ski, the crock pot does the work.
Saucy Pork Chops
½ cup ketchup
1 ½ tsp of salt
½ tsp chili powder
½ cup—or more- water or red wine
½ Tablespoon of mustard
1 Tablespoon of brown sugar
4 pork chops—hearty, ½ inch thick work best, but any well-trimmed chops will do.
1 lemon
1 yellow onion
Mix first six ingredients together. You can either put these in a crock pot, or oven bake them for 2 ½ hours. If placing in a crock pot, brown chops on both sides in 1 Tbs oil, before placing in crock pot. Between/around chops place a slice of lemon and onion and pour sauce over top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 depending on degree of tenderness desired.
If you prefer to fix these in a traditional oven, mix the first 6 ingredients together, but add an additional ½ cup of water. Place chops in a flat, greased baking dish in one layer. Pour sauce over chops. Arrange one slice of lemon and one slice of onion on each chop. Refrigerate. (You can prepare these overnight up until this point). When ready to bake, place in 325 degree oven, covered, for 2 hours. Remove cover, baste well and continue baking uncovered for ½ hour more. Spoon sauce over chops again before serving.
Mama’s Short Ribs
4 to 6 meaty short ribs, well-trimmed
I beef bouillon dissolved in ½ cup of boiling water
1 can of tomato sauce—8 oz.can
½ cup red wine
2 Tbs vinegar
1 Tbs. dried parsley flakes—or use minced fresh if available
1 Tbs. mustard
1 tsp of prepared horseradish
1 large bay leaf
¼ to ½ cup chopped onion
1 small clove minced garlic—or ½ tsp dried garlic powder
1 tsp salt or seasoned salt
Mix together all ingredients and place in a plastic Zip-Loc bag. You can marinate these all day or for just several hours, but keep refrigerated until ready to bake. When ready to bake, place in a covered, oven proof dish, in a 350 degree oven and bake for one hour. Remove cover and turn ribs. Bake uncovered for ½ hour more.
Prefer the crock pot method? After having marinated ribs, pour contents of Zip Loc bag into crock pot and cook on high 6-8 hours. If sauce is thin, remove lid last hour and allow evaporation. Enjoy!
Looking forward to another great camping season,
The Lock 30 crew: Karen, Mike, Jim and John
Hello Campers, April 5, 2009
By the time this letter has been posted, you know that seasonal sites are ready to be enjoyed more than two weeks earlier than your lease allows. It’s our pleasure to be able to add this surprise to your contract with no added cost to you.
What can we say? Weather and circumstances cooperated. So come out and enjoy removing the remnants of old man winter from your site, but keep in mind that night temperatures can still drop dangerously low. We’ll be watching for water lines freezing and ask that you do the same. Expect all water to be on by April 14th, but we can provide the key for you to turn on individual taps earlier.
We heard a rumor that the Easter bunny is on the west to east bunny trail on April 11th. That could mean an Easter egg hunt on April 12 th, weather permitting. Easter bunnies prefer to hide eggs near the clubhouse, never before 10 AM and only after a cup or two of strong coffee. Before you tote your under ten year old to a Lock 30 Easter egg hunt, call Mike to make sure there’s no hitch in her get-a-long. Hopping that cross country bunny trail, given all the Easter Bunny look alikes can result in flight delays. Flying rabbits are fast, but not always reliable, especially when they are on the backs of big birds in the sky…
If you aren’t at Lock 30 for Easter Sunday, then the following Saturday, April 18th, expect a hearty breakfast in the clubhouse to inspire a Huck Finn Day clean-up. That one’s on us. Guests are welcome—especially if you’ll be putting them to work. So that we know the number of folks to serve, give Mike a call with the number joining us for brunch. No gate fee for visitors on Huck Finn clean up day.
Mike has posted the details for the School’s Finally Out Weekend. Pray for good weather because we have an action packed Saturday. This is our 1st year for this type of activity and are hoping to see lots of kids. Please let your friends and neighbors know about the School’s Finally Out Weekend. We plan on having a bicycle and fire truck parade. Lock 30 will supply crepe paper and scotch tape for the bike decorating, but bring plenty of your own, too, so we can see your creativity in action. Parents who want to assist with the decorating are welcome to “corral the action”. (Otherwise, we hang a sign on the door of the gatehouse.)
The parade will start at the clubhouse and make a loop around the park. Free pony rides and a petting zoo by “Ponytails” from Canfield, Ohio will be the early afternoon attraction. “Ponytails” is popular on the birthday party circuit and at numerous schools in the area. The 2 ponies and farm animals (Ducks, Chicks, Baby Goats and Baby Sheep) of the petting zoo will be located in the area across from site #1, near the entrance, unless they decide to divide the two attractions and position them elsewhere on the property.
Look for a ½ hour magic show, by “KEL” in the pavilion. “KEL” is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and has been performing for 40 yrs. “KEL” has performed at schools, churches, carnivals, company picnics and private parties and specializes in magic shows for children.
Here’s the tentative schedule. Pony rides and petting zoo is weather permitting, but know that we’ll reschedule if weather keeps the animals away.
10:00 AM – Decorate bicycles (pavilion)
11:00 AM – Fire Truck and Bicycle Parade (meet at the club house)
12:00 PM – Pony rides and Petting Zoo, weather permitting
2:30 PM – Magic Show by “KEL” (pavilion)
We have new monthly campers staying with us. Meet Will and Kelly Lytton, son, Travis and daughter, Madison, plus their dog Chloe, on site #66. The Lyttons are from Texas and Will works for Bechtel at the Sammis Plant. Steve and Sandy Cobb with their dog Maggie are on site 45. The Cobbs originate from Kalamazoo Michigan (GO Blue) and Steve also works for the Sammis plant. Lee and Barbara Hutchinson with their dog Ginger are on site #56. The Hutchinsons originate from northwest Ohio and have a son and daughter-in-law living in Austintown. Lee is working for the Air Force Reserve at the Pittsburgh Airport. Finally we have Paul and Laura Power, East Liverpool folks now on site 65.
Michele’s recipe for Pennsylvania Dutch Cabbage Salad
2 cups cabbage chopped
½ small onion
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 small stalk of celery chopped
1 ½ tablespoon sugar
¼ cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
Mix vegetables, sugar and vinegar in bowl. Let stand 5-6 hours in refrigerator. When ready to serve, fold in mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Serve very cold.
The wood is split, the kettle is on the brew and the fish are biting. So come on in and enjoy the outdoors.
Your Lock 30 Crew: Mike, Jim, John and Karen
"It's clean, quiet and friendly . . . we'll be back."
- Trevorr & JoAnne Jurgensen Willowwick, OH May, 10
- Trevorr & JoAnne Jurgensen Willowwick, OH May, 10
