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Volume 34, Issue 4 Sept / Oct 2011
See more conference news and highlights starting on page 5
In this issue: Chairman’s Report 2 President/CEO’s Report
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Ruby Speaks! At Exposition
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“1-on-1” Marketing 6 Consultation Exposition Happen- 7 ings—At a Glance Chairperson Candidates
Randy Lehman to be inducted into CONY Hall of Fame
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Our VISION: Campground Owners of New York (CONY) will be the model campground association by providing professionalism and diversity in our programs, education, services, advocacy and support for continued growth and collaboration within the outdoor hospitality industry.
Our MISSION: Campground Owners of New York (CONY) is an association dedicated to the promotion, growth, improvement and development of privately owned campgrounds in New York State.
nycampgrounds.com campcony.com
Randy S. Lehman, owner of Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort in Bath, NY (Region 3), will be inducted into the CONY Hall of Fame during the awards banquet on Saturday, November 5, 2011, at the 48th Annual CONY Exposition for the Outdoor Hospitality Industry. Randy and his wife Janet have developed and managed Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort for 33 years, but he was introduced to the camping industry at an early age, as his parents owned Distelfink Campground in Manheim, PA. There he acted as a general ―go-to‖ guy for the daily maintenance tasks of emptying the garbage cans and holding tanks, cleaning bathrooms and working in the store. Randy is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and has been CONY’s accountant for more than 25 years. His other activities and accomplishments include serving as a member of ARVC’s 20 Group 2 since 1993, past service as Vice President and Treasurer to the CONY Board, a founding board member of the Steuben County Conference & Visitors Bureau, and board service for the Finger Lakes Wine Country, Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, Bath Rotary Club, Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital and Arnot Ogden Hospital.
Randy S. Lehman
cated on the property is the Finger Lakes Wellness Center and Spa, providing massage, nail care, facials, and other therapies. In addition, Hickory Hill annually hosts three retreats for families who have children with developmental disabilities, through the Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Program. Randy’s future plans for the campground include adding another swimming pool with splash pad, adding 20 pull-thru sewer sites and 6 rental units, and connecting to municipal sewer. Randy and Janet have started a new chapter in their lives, moving to Seattle, WA where Janet is attending graduate school for natural medicine. The campground will continue to operate under Randy’s guidance via Skype, e-mail, texts and JetBlue! The couple are parents and inspirations to their three children—Brendon, Alan and Maria.
Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort has Join us on November 5th to honor Randy 220 sites, including 24 rental units, and Lehman as CONY inducts him into the many amenities and activities. Also lo- Hall of Fame.
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Chairman’s Report Greetings CONY members,
Board of Directors at its September 12th board meeting voted to de-affiliate with ARVC. What does this mean exactly? Simply this, the CONY office will no longer collect your ARVC dues and send them on to ARVC. You are still welcomed and encouraged to join ARVC on an individual basis. This decision has been years in the making, this was not a decision that was taken lightly or hastily. The CONY board of directors believes very strongly about our mission statement: “An association dedicated the promotion, growth, improvement, and development of privately owned campgrounds”. We will not spend any time or promote any initiatives that do not align completely with that mission statement. This was also a driving factor in our decision to de-affiliate with ARVC because it appears much of what ARVC has been doing or proposing lately does not fall within the parameters of our mission statement.
As I write this, Columbus Day has just passed and many of our parks are closing or soon to close. We are saying so long to all of our camping friends for the winter and look forward to their return Scott Sherwood next spring. It will be here before we know it. The camping season across the state seemed to be a successful one. I have not heard of too many that weren’t ahead of last year. Although the season started out very rainy and ended with some of the most severe flooding and damage areas of this state has ever seen, the main part of the season was very warm and dry which helped promote lots of great camping!!! By now you all should be well aware that the CONY
(Chairman’s Report continued on page 15)
From the Desk of the President and CEO While 2011 seemed to be a roller coaster in many respects this year in the RV Park and Campground business, in New York I can personally say that Columbus Day has come and gone which means that the 2011 camping season is all but a memory at this point. Mother Donald G. Bennett, Jr. Nature has really thrown the full gambit at us this year and it has been very challenging to say the least.
keynote speaker. Ruby Newell-Legner is a nationally recognized training expert in the Leisure and Hospitality Industry. We are extremely pleased to announce that Clyde Taylor of Taylor Communications is offering ―1-on-1‖ consulting by appointment to help your business with any marketing issue for continued growth. Please see Clyde’s article for further more on this very valuable program. The conference will also feature exhibitors with products and services to help us save money and make sure that we can run our campground businesses as efficiently as possible while maximizing profits. The CONY kids club returns with a very exciting agenda to keep the children stimulated while parents & grandparents keep abreast and learn where our industry is heading. A tour of Niagara Falls is even on the agenda.
I hope that you come out to Niagara Falls for the 48th Annual CONY Exposition for the Outdoor Hospitality Industry. I am really looking forward to exchanging stories and finding out how everyone fared for 2011. Our exposition chairperson Rosemary Curtis (of Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort in Bath, NY) and her committee has worked very hard to assemble a great lineup of conference speakers including our
We know cost is always a factor that is why we have secured a great overnight rate of just $99, that is 50% of the regular room rate at a truly beautiful facility. We even have an introduction to a new CONY mar(President and CEO Report continued on page 11)
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Salvatore Bonetti, CRPS速 Financial Advisor 100 Middle Street, East Tower Portland, Maine 04101 800-326-5763 Salvatore.Bonetti@MSSB.com
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Quality Sunrooms, Awnings & Enclosures
H. Peter Burkert Senior Vice President
Silver-Top Manufacturing Co., Inc. PO Box 225, White Marsh, MD 21162-0225 Toll Free: (800) 638-6960 Local: (410) 335-5500
www.silver-top.com
Fax: (410) 335-664
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RubySpeaks! at CONY Exposition Keynote address and seminar focus on customer service
why customers complain
For business operators in the outdoor hospitality industry, customer service is an important component that, depending on how it is rendered, can either positively or negatively impact the bottom line.
Improve customer loyalty and retention
Use listening as a skill to enhance relationships
Use telephone skills to enhance perceptions
Handle concerns with diplomacy and tact
Use the S-O-F-T-E-N Technique to win over angry customers
Choose your words carefully to leave a positive, professional impression
A nationally recognized training expert in the Leisure and Hospitality Industry, Ruby Newell-Legner, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), founded RubySpeaks, Inc. In 1994 with a singular mission: To provide hands-on training employees need to create a more productive work environment where everyone can excel on the job. Over the last decade, she has presented more than 1800 programs in nine countries and has shown tens of thousands of participants how to quickly improve workplace performance.
That’s why CONY is welcoming a nationally recognized training expert, Ruby NewellLegner, CSP, to help its members build strong teams between front line staff and management, and make exceptional customer service a way of life. Certified Speaking Professional Ruby NewellLegner, founder of RubySpeaks, Inc.
On Friday, Nov. 4th, Ruby will give the Keynote Address, “Seven Star Customer Service: starting at the top to impact the bottom line.”
More on Ruby: rubyspeaks.com
As customers expect more and more from us, the demand on our frontline employees becomes more intense. How can we help them develop the tools to excel in their job of representing our campgrounds so we can grow our business? This address will help you explore management’s role in promoting a positive guest experience at all levels of the organization, and discover how to make wellintegrated service delivery a reality. Ruby will also conduct an additional seminar on Friday morning entitled, “Secrets to Keeping Our Customers Happy.” This seminar will help you develop skills to consistently promote and deliver positive service with every customer encounter. What you will learn:
Respect what customers want and understand 5
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Take advantage of CONY’s “1-on-1” Marketing Consulting Program An incredible value offered by CONY strategic partner, Taylor Communications
sult of their consulting sessions to improve existing programs and services, or implement new ones.” Clyde also notes, ―I have received e-mails throughout the year from customers who told me that their session helped them generate significant additional revenue / sales. I’m hoping we can do the same for CONY members during the upcoming Exposition.‖
The “1-on-1” Marketing Consulting Program is a new conference program designed just for you—our valued CONY members. Wouldn’t you love to hire a marketing consultant to help you with your business, but can’t afford to? Well, now you can.
The service includes:
Clyde Taylor
CONY, in collaboration with Taylor Communications, on of its strategic partners, will provide marketing consulting services during this year’s exposition for a fraction of what it would normally cost—just $100 for 2.5 hours of consulting time. And, half of this amount is going to CONY to support our future Exposition expense! Clyde Taylor, president of Taylor Communications, is offering this service because of the relationship he enjoys with CONY and its members. The idea is based on a similar project he did with Eastman Kodak Company for their photo and electronic specialty retail customers. According to Clyde, ―Many customers used the suggestions that were presented as a re-
A one-hour pre-consulting service review—Clyde will spend an hour reviewing your specific ―area of need‖ from information you send him prior to your consulting session at the Exposition. Information will be collected on an input form.
A 30-minute ―1-on-1‖ consulting session at the Exposition, to review your ―area of need.‖ Clyde will present comments and recommendations during this session.
A one-hour post-consulting service follow-up. Clyde will develop a summary and recommendations report.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE is October 28th. Call CONY at 585-586-4360 for more information and to book your session time. SPACE LIMITED.
CONY looks forward to our trade show with these exhibitors and sponsors: Anderson's Brochure Dist. Aurora Snax, Inc. Ber-National Controls Berg USA Durabilt Gerber Manufacturing Hinman & Associates LLC Nexu Innovations, Inc. Jamestown Advanced Products Corp Jones and Doldo General Insurance McNeil Adven-Sure
Prime Karts Shades Under the Sun, Inc. Silver-Top Mfg. Co. Suburban Propane Tees Plus Telamode Todd Harris Company Wilcor International W.S. Emerson Watch your weekly CONY E-news for updates on sponsors and exhibitors coming to the Exposition.
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Lodging at the Sheraton on the Falls. $99 per night, per room. Type in the complete address below for our exclusive reservation web page (address is case sensitive, no spaces.) The link is also available via our E-newsletters. www.starwoodmeeting.com/ StarGroupsWeb/res? id=1107291011&key=8FEFD
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Exposition Happenings— at a glance
Hot Amenities, Themes & Activities Accounting for Campgrounds ADA & Your Park E-Blast Marketing—Tools & Techniques Partners & Packages Secrets to Keeping Our Customers Happy Luncheon w/ Vendor Introductions & Keynote Speaker Ruby Newell Exhibitors Wine & Cheese Reception Dinner and auction Saturday, November 5, 2011 Breakfast Zumba & Yoga Classes (morning) Trade Show (morning) Lunch on your own Annual Business Meeting (afternoon) & Cracker Barrel Session Chairman’s Reception & Awards Banquet with Hall of Fame Induction Sunday, November 6, 2011 CONY Board Meeting
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 Taste of Niagara Tour (afternoon; $) Thursday, November 3, 2011 CONY Board Meeting Seminars (afternoon): First Aid Standard Certification($) Employment Practices Adventure Systems Online Reservation System Microsoft Office Basics Opening Remarks at 5:30pm Outing to Seneca Niagara Casino Friday, November 4, 2011 Continental Breakfast Trade Show Set-Up (morning); Trade Show (afternoon) Seminars & Sessions: Zumba & Yoga Classes Man Cave Topics
Keep fit during the Exposition with Zumba® and Yoga Exposition committee chairperson Rosemary Curtis is excited to announce that our very own Laurie Bullock from Rainbow Shores Campsites will be leading Zumba® classes at the conference! ―After coming out of her shell at last years convention with our Hoedown Dance, Laurie started taking Zumba® classes,‖ Rosemary shares. ―Now, she’s going to share what she’s learn with us at 8:00 am each morning, as a part of our day’s activities. What is Zumba®? Are you ready to party yourself into shape? That’s exactly what the Zumba® program is all about. It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-tofollow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitnessparty™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health. To learn more about Zumba® you can go to www.zumba.com. The conference committee is also developing a yoga program for those interested, with details on that to follow when complete.
An instructor leads a class through a Zumba® routine. Photo credit: Brittany Carlson (USAG Stuttgart). 7
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CONY de-affiliates from ARVC; campgrounds can still belong to both ARVC membership no longer a mandatory inclusion to CONY dues.
a campground owner we make business decisions every day. By this action the board is allowing you to make a much requested choice.
New York campgrounds can now choose affiliations for themselves.
The ARVC membership year runs from January 1 December 31. Your membership dues paid last year provides ARVC membership through December 31, 2011.
In a memo dated September 14, 2011, and mailed to all current CONY campground members, Scott Sherwood, CONY Chairman of the Board of Directors, explained CONY’s de-affiliation from the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (known as ARVC).
The CONY board and staff is committed to aspire to realizing the CONY vision statement: CONY will be the model campground association by providing professionalism and diversity in our programs, education, services, advocacy and support for continued growth and collaboration within the outdoor hospitality industry.
Here is the memo in its entirety: On Monday September 12, 2011 the CONY board of directors met and had a very full agenda. One of the agenda items was the ARVC affiliation. With much discussion, consideration and deliberation the CONY board voted to de-affiliate with ARVC at this time.
More information will be forthcoming in the upcoming CONY newsletter. If you should have any questions please let me or your President Don Bennett know.
ARVC's new initiatives of offering State and municipal owned campgrounds a 6 month free trial program introduced by ARVC were deemed by the CONY board of directors to be in direct conflict with the mission statement of CONY: An association dedicated to the growth promotion improvement and development of privately owned campgrounds in New York State.
Best Regards, Scott Sherwood CONY Chairman CONY board members comment on the de-affiliation from ARVC Mike Papp, 3rd Vice President
As you are all aware the CONY board has recently completed many Long Range and Strategic planning sessions. Many new concepts were learned and have been implemented to help improve the organization. One of the most fundamental concepts that the board has adopted and embraced to increase production is that we will not spend time and resources on something that doesn't support the organization's mission statement.
The Campground Owner of New York is an association dedicated to the promotion, growth, improvement and development of privately owner campgrounds. Over the past few years, ARVC has done things that in my opinion have gone away from working to aid the private and smaller campgrounds (which is the larger portion of who they are supposed to represent). The CONY Board has discussed this issue for numerous years and only through the intercession of the Chairman has this action been put off. This past meeting required hours of heated discussion as to why ARVC was doing the things they were doing and how this did NOT fit with our mission statement. Below are some reasons why I felt compelled to vote for the motion:
Over the past several years many CONY members have requested a choice of membership instead of a requirement. In the near future the membership dues that CONY would have paid on your behalf to ARVC will be refunded to you. Near the end of the year ARVC will be sending an invoice directly to you. At that point you will have the option of paying the invoice to retain your ARVC membership or not. As
The ARVC Conference (or Expo) is a GREAT event, but quite frankly it is priced so high that it is a financial challenge for parks under 100 sites to attend. Sandy and I attended one year in Orlando and our costs were well over $2500 including travel, child care and conference registration fees. The Public Parks issue is, in my opinion, one of the final 8
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straws…giving them a 6 month free trial with all the benefits of the ―paid‖ membership. The private parks already support the public parks through our taxes. We FUND them. Private parks have to generate revenue to stay viable and open, public parks have no such concern. Public parks have state supported advertising, are self insured and are not required to comply with State Department of Health Regulations as are Private Parks. If ARVC wants to aid private parks, its main membership and revenue stream, then they should be lobbying and concerned with equaling the playing field.
ground Owners) end its association with ARVC, all of us watched and hoped for a change in ARVC's attitude but to no avail. We have endured a substantial raise in rates, and many outdated programs that don't meet the needs of members. For years we have asked ARVC for help with packaging SESAC/BMI/ASCAP for a substantial discount as many other national associations currently receive, but it hasn’t happened yet. We currently get to deal with the aftermath of ARVC's ill fated decision to add state parks as members of ARVC. This is unbelievably bad on two levels: First that ARVC has the belief that tax payer funded parks are equivalent to a privately owned and operated business. On the second level that ARVC did this without even discussing it with its own board members.
My final point of contention with recent ARVC policies is giving multi-park owners (corporations) discounts and allowing their dues to be set for a three year period of time. These corporations should be encouraged to join and maintain their affiliation with national and state organizations, but why penalize single park owners with higher dues?
We could not support ARVC’s decision (to add state parks as members) as this directly goes against our mission statement CONY's fundamental purpose is to help private campgrounds, and we thought that was ARVC's position as well. At this point we felt it was best to end our association.
I want a strong national association. This is key to federal regulations and helping smaller state organizations to grow and prosper. I want CONY to be affiliated with ARVC, but recent activity at ARVC has forced me to review our (CONY) mission statement and using this as my guide, act and support the recent Board action until ARVC decides who they are trying to serve – private or public.
If ARVC changes its direction at some point in the future, we can look at them again. I also want to make one more point, by de-affiliating with ARVC we have not taken anything away from our members, actually we have given them a choice. For the first time in the eight years I have owned a campground (actually two now), I can make my own choice whether I wish to be a member of ARVC or not. I know that as a board we have now given all of our members that same choice, and I have done my job in representing my members in New York.
Joe Leto, Region 12 Director To be honest I would not know where to begin I've been defeated so many times about ARVC I just dismissed it all because I felt we would never leave and then (on September 5th) it happened. After a long and hard discussion, and I mean long & hard, most of the board voted to de-affiliate ourselves from ARVC ( with 1 abstained & 1 no, the rest yes).
Edward Marden, Treasurer I am writing today to provide my point of view concerning the vote to disaffiliate CONY from ARVC. I have mixed feelings. First, from my point of view as an individual Campground Owner, I have found ARVC to be very beneficial to me through three main areas.
I think you know how I feel about ARVC dues, we can put that money to better use in bringing more biz to NY. For 2 years I have been trying to get CONY to disconnect because I feel the money we give ARVC can be better used to keep our dues flat & promote bringing campers to New York & to our campgrounds. We have a great marketing person and to able to turn her loose to explore different marketing avenues would be great.
1.
Education programs (CPO & seminars): I benefited from the knowledge that I gained which has helped me make my Campground the best it can be. Also, the CPO designation has shown others in the industry and campers (when they learn what CPO is) my commitment to excellence.
2.
Trade shows: I have found many vendors that sell everything I could ever want, desire or need. Many of these vendors offer their expertise as well as great products, ideas and/or solutions.
I'll be asking my campgrounds to let CONY keep the ARVC dues to help support our efforts (as that is what I'll be doing ).
Rob Kaiser, Region 2 Director For the last few years ARVC has been increasingly interested in serving its own agenda, than taking care of its own members. When we watched TACO (Texas Association of Camp-
(Continued on page 10)
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CONY de-affiliates from ARVC, continued persons, organization or corporation, is eligible for membership.‖
(Continued from page 9)
3.
Networking: I have friends (fellow campground owners, vendors, industry professionals) all across the USA that I can ask questions of to get help, to offer help, or to just be a sounding board for me.
For these reasons, I plan on joining ARVC as an individual member when my membership through CONY stops. Without the ARVC membership the CONY organization provides ALL of the above benefits and many more. CONY has developed member benefits that go far beyond what ARVC has done that I feel are more useful for my campground. The conference and trade shows that provide education and vendors are on a smaller scale than ARVC, but are equally valuable to me. The camaraderie is better due to the fact that CONY is made up of New York Campgrounds. But, here is the rub. CONY has a very clear mission statement: CONY is ―an association dedicated to the promotion, growth, improvement and development of privately owned campgrounds.‖ In fact, in the CONY by-laws, Article IV, section 2A talks about a regular Member and is defined as ―any privately owned Campground or private concession providing camping facilities, owned or operated by a person or
As a member of CONY’s Board of Directors my duty is to serve the organization that the Campground is a member of, and to serve to the best of my ability the members that elected me. I found it hard to accept the current membership drive (really push) from ARVC to allow public-owned campgrounds (state and federally owned parks) to join the State and National Campground organizations. For us at CONY there is no foreseeable benefit to this (especially when they receive the first six months free). In fact, as stated above, it is contradictory to the CONY mission statement. There is, in my viewpoint, nothing that prohibits a campground from New York State from joining ARVC as a member. The only thing they will lose is a small discount on membership that ARVC gives CONY, who in turn passes it on to the individual campgrounds. In my case, to follow my convictions as a board member, I will spend the extra $55 to join ARVC. It is my hope that at some point in the future, ARVC and CONY can start walking down the same path again and CONY can choose to become an affiliate member again. ***
Every effort is made to print accurate information. CONY, along with contractors and advertisers will assume no liability for errors or omissions. We will gladly reprint any corrections. Please write or call us. The CONY Newsletter is published by the CONY office, providing its members with industry related information. For information, article suggestions or advertising inquiries, call: 800-497-2669 or 585-586-4360. Or e-mail us at: info@nycampgrounds.com Campground Owners of New York, 1 Grove Street, Suite 200, Pittsford, New York 14534 nycampgrounds.com (consumer website) campcony.com (corporate website) 10
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Industry News
NEWS
vember 30 to December 2, 2011, at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa and the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia.
ARVC has links to registration pages and their attendee registraStill time to register for ARVC’s tion brochure on their website at 2011 Outdoor Hospitality www.arvc.org. They also have a Conference & Expo farefinder link to determine airfare The entire outdoor hospitality in- costs from your city to Savannah. dustry is invited to attend and ex- For the first time ARVC, in parthibit at this event, slated for No- nership with Leisure Systems, Inc.,
will host a ―Kids Camp‖ at the Expo, with arts & crafts, journaling, homework support and other activities for your kids. Campground attendee education opportunities include: S.P.O.T. Successful Park Operations Tour; Technology for Better Business; Developing Your Hedgehog Concept; Making the Most of Your Leadership Style; Building High Performance Teams, and more. ***
From the Desk of the President and CEO (Continued from page 2)
keting initiative that you will be really impressed with. Don’t miss the banquet either as Randy Lehman of Hickory Hill Family camping resort is inducted into CONY’s distinguished Hall of Fame. If you haven’t made your reservations yet what are you waiting for? As we wrap up the 2011 camping season, preparations for 2012 have long been underway. The 2012 CONY directory is being put together, if you haven’t finalized your ad contract I urge you to do so today. With 175,000 copies distributed at over 50 RV shows, information centers and AAA offices in the northeast, CONY campgrounds, RV Dealers, and other venues you’ll want to make sure your park is included. Other opportunities include CONY’s show program and mail coop program highlighting your park by including your rack card.
I want to thank the 2010-2011 board of directors and officers for their time and dedication making sure CONY realizes and adheres to the its mission statement: Campground Owners of New York (CONY) is an association dedicated to the promotion, growth, improvement and development of privately owned campgrounds in New York State. I am very excited for the future of CONY; with such a great membership we have accomplished a great deal but we have much more to do. Several member benefit programs are being examined by the CONY board and I am pleased to announce a brand new member benefit program with Suburban Propane. CONY members can enjoy a terrific savings on propane with this great program. With our upcoming annual meeting in a few short weeks notice has been sent to all members that we have two very strong candidates 11
running for Chairman. I am excited for what they might bring to CONY but I also want to reminisce a little and thank current Chairman Scott Sherwood for all he has done to advance the organization in so many ways. Some of the advances are very apparent to all members and many only a select few have been able to see. Under Scott’s leadership we have gone through quite a transformation at CONY. With renewed direction after completing a grueling longrange and strategic planning sessions, CONY is poised to grow in the future and serve its members very well. All of Scott’s hard work did not go unnoticed either as he was awarded the State President of the year from ARVC last year in Las Vegas. I wish Scott well in what the future will hold for him. He will still be serving CONY in the capacity of the Past Chairman. Best Regards, Donald G. Bennett, Jr.
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CONY Candidate for Board Chairperson—MIKE PAPP Island. In 2004 we sold our beautiful beach home and used the proceeds to purchase our campground – West Canada Creek Campsites. I have served on the CONY Board since 2007 as a Director for Region 6 and 3rd Vice Chair. I have been the Chair for the Long Range Committee which spent 18 months working on the goals and direction that CONY is heading, the Governance Committee which maintains the By Laws, Policies and Procedures and Membership and the Ways and Means Committee. These committees have been very active trying to ensure that the members of CONY finds VALUE in their membership – this is very important to me. If I am elected Chairperson of the Board I will continue to work to ensure that the value members get is increased through better membership programs, conferences, zone meetings and that we, the Board, do a better job of communicating with you. This coming year promises to be more challenging because of the issues with ARVC and the economy, I will work hard to ensure that your best interest are looked after and that you will find your membership My wife Sandy and I along with our children Hunter to be very valuable and worthwhile. and Jarrett own West Canada Creek Campsites. We are completing our 7th season and enjoy the business I would like to see each and every one of you to attend the Annual Conference – It is a GREAT opporand the friendships we have made. tunity to get together and learn new things. If you I have over 30 years of experience working in the ser- are unable to attend you can still vote via the Absenvice and hospitality industry. My past experience in- tee Ballot and I encourage you to exercise this right cludes over 17 years in the Restaurant Industry start- and VOTE. ing as a dish washer and working my way up to a multi-unit supervisor overseeing 10 restaurants. My name is Mike Papp and I would like your vote for Sandy and I then decided we might want to own a Chairman of the Board of Campground Owners of campground so we became full time RV’ers and New York. Workamped for 2 years to investigate the business and be sure we worked well together. After these two From the editor: Voting will great years on the road we settled back down on the take place at the Annual Outer Banks of North Carolina to start our family and Membership meeting to be held there I changed careers and began working in the Vaduring the Exposition. If you are cation Rental business on Hatteras Island. I started as unable to attend, please look in the Director of Maintenance we had 210 homes and your postal mailbox for a when I left after 6 years I was the Vice President of Marketing and General Manager of Surf or Sound voting ballot. One vote per Realty and we had grown to 450 homes on Hatteras campground. 12
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CONY Candidate for Board Chairperson—BILL PERRY came camping. We married a year and ½ later in fall of 1996. Over the years we have made improvements to our campground. We have had three expansions, with the last one being completed in 2011. Now we are proud to say we have a total of 250 campsites. After much thought and consideration whether or not we should join the KOA Franchise, we made that decision to join in December of 2010. Now our campground is renamed and we are Chautauqua Lake KOA. I have become very active member of CONY through these years of owning a campground. I sat on the CONY board for about 13 years. I began first as Region 1 director, then 3rd vice president, and the last few years I was 1st vice chairman. Over the years I have seen many changes. One thing that I have always kept in mind, and that is the membership. I have always voted with you ―the members‖ as my main concern. I have been told and totally understand how CONY got started, dating back to Merle Bull ( the father of CONY) who got campground owners together and started this great organization along with the Yaniszewski, Van Hasset, Eddy, Anderson and My name is Bill Perry, and I am running for Chairman other great members. of CONY. My goal for CONY is to increase CONY’s memberI was raised on a dairy farm in Dewittville, New York ship. To continue to improve membership benefits. in Chautauqua County. After graduation of High To enlighten and help to have members really and School I continued working on the farm until March truly understand why CONY is an important asset for of 1988 when my brother and I sold the business. I all privately owned campgrounds in New York. became the manager of Bayberry Landing, a Condo- I would like to use my expertise to be able to work minium Complex in Dewittville, New York on Chau- with the CONY board in fulfilling the goals that the tauqua Lake. board has already begun working on and to continue I was able to purchase Chautauqua Heights Camp- to improve and make this the best organization possiground in 1993, which was a closed park and needed ble. lots of work. I resigned as manager of the condo I hope that all our members will come out to the complex, and devoted my full time attention to the CONY Annual Meeting, on Saturday during the 48th campground. I opened the park in April of 1994 with Annual CONY Convention and make your vote 100 sites and no customers. I joined Campground count. I promise to do my best to represent all memOwners of New York that same month because, I bers, serving you in this great organization. believe that I needed to belong to the state organizaPlease come and vote for me Bill Perry, as your new tion to help our new business venture grow. Chairperson. In the spring of 1994 I met my wife Anita when she 13
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Chairman’s Report Most of all I must thank my very good friend Don Bennett. I became Chairman the same year he officially took over for Bob Klos as Executive Director. We have worked side by side, watched each others back, stumbled, tripped, succeeded, and worked through everything together. We have traveled together, sat in countless meetings together, and spent many, many hours on the phone together. I could not think of a better person to have done this with the last four years. Don works extremely hard for this organization and he is such an asset to us all. I can’t thank him enough for making this past four years a very memorable experience for me.
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It is also important to understand that the board would not jeopardize any member benefits you may have had as a result of belonging to ARVC. The majority of them will remain in place as they always were. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact myself or the CONY office. In less than a month we will all be convening in beautiful Niagara Falls for what was formally known as the Annual Convention and Trade show. Now called ―CONY’s Exposition for the Outdoor Hospitality Industry‖, this is sure to be an educational and fun experience. Committee Chair Rosemary Curtis has been working extremely hard on this along with the CONY staff to put together a very worthwhile show. I truly hope that you will do your best to attend.
I wish you all the best of luck and look forward to continued service to you on the Board of Directors as Past Chairman. Again, please make every effort to attend the CONY’s 48th Exposition for the Outdoor th Finally, this is a bitter sweet message from me. It is Hospitality Industry in Niagara Falls November 3-6 . the last message I write as your CONY Chairman. I Warmest Regards, have spent the last four years as the CONY Chairman Scott Sherwood and it has been an experience I will never forget. It has allowed me the opportunity to meet a majority of our membership as I traveled across this great state. I have had the extreme pleasure of representing CONY at Regional and National conventions. But most importantly I have made friends that will be with me for a lifetime. One thing about this industry is that we are friends with our competitors. We are willing to share whatever we can to help our campground owner friends. I would like to extend a huge debt of gratitude to the CONY board of directors. I have always said ―if you surround yourself with good people, great things will happen‖. This has never been truer than the time I have spent with this board. We have accomplished so much in the past four years. It is not because of me or any one individual, it is because of this board as a whole. You are truly a great bunch of people. I would like to thank the entire CONY membership for all of your positive comments and support over the past four years. I would like to thank the CONY office staff; they work so hard on your behalf. I hope you all extend a thank you every time you see them.
Providing Quality Protection for your Campgrounds 800-836-7860 www.calbranch.com Jane Peers Jenelle Ademovic 15
1 Grove Street, Suite 200 Pittsford, New York 14534
Membership News MEMBER BENEFIT UPDATE:
Suburban Propane Discount Through CONY CONY announces it has negotiated a Suburban Propane Pricing Program for its campgrounds, administered directory through the CONY association. This program provides discounting for bulk delivery of propane and on equipment for CONY campgrounds in areas serviced by Suburban Propane. The program is the same as any group discounting program that Suburban Program offers throughout the United States. We’re pleased and excited to offer you this great discount program in which, depending on your volume of usage, the dollars saved could equal the cost of your CONY dues several times over. ***
MEMBER BENEFIT UPDATE: Workers Compensation Program Take advantage of a cost-saving dividend paying program for Workers Compensation, made possible by your group buying power through Campground Owners of New York. The program is administered by associate member Jones & Doldo Insurance Agency, Watertown, NY. 315-782-8181. *** CONY is always working to provide value for your membership, including a wide range of member programs, discounts and benefits—we’ll be sending you an update soon with a comprehensive list of your current benefits and services. But, we’re always adding more, so keep up to date on www.campcony.com. CONY also has a great group of associate members looking to serve you. Be sure to consult your Handy Reference Guide of Associate Members included with your newsletter, or again, visit www.campcony.com.