Let the fight begin.... After getting yelled at for having our kids collect twigs for the campfires, I've decided to take it to a State level and have sent the following to the state parks commissioner.
I think it's just one disgruntled person interpreting the rules to suit their demeanor, but it has got to stop. Zabko is at Killens this weekend and their kids were scolded for collecting twigs as well...
I'll post any reply when I receive it...
Letter follows:
-------------------------------------------- Greetings,
I have been trying to get an issue cleared up at local levels, but have been met with a brick wall. Perhaps you could help me.
While camping at Killens Pond, a group of friends and I took up almost the entire C-loop for a gathering on June 20-22, 2008.
During that time, the camp host and officials scolded and threatened our children when they were found to be picking up twigs for kindling to start our evening campfires.
I’m honestly at a loss. Logic would dictate that removing downed twigs would only help the appearance of the campsites and save the hosts the effort of cleaning the site for future occupants. What harm or tragedy they would cause the environment, the state, or the campground by collecting twigs is beyond me.
I had initially considered this an isolated incident from a misinformed maintainer, but a month later I had friends staying there and they too were threatened with violation of some obscure rule against picking up twigs.
I understand (as most responsible campers do), that cutting a living tree is forbidden, and using a freshly downed limb would cause more smoke than fire, but the quote given to us as justification for not collecting twigs was:
“burning of cut or fallen branches, limbs, or shrubbery is now illegal”
Personally, I consider a downed limb something living that would have broken off a tree because of high wind or other act of nature. Dead twigs fall all the time and we are NOT ruining the pristine state of the park by collecting them for responsible disposal.
In order to maintain consistency throughout DNREC parks, would you kindly reinforce to the support personnel at Killens Pond that their interpretation of the rules laid down by the state may have been over-zealously misinterpreted and only serving to add to their daily upkeep of the park?
I welcome your interpretation of this rule and would like feedback on how the situation has been corrected.
Many thanks,
Chris Behrens
(contact info included)
Cheers!
Chris http://www.choxnpinz.com 2006 Nissan Titan SE 2009 Rockwood Signature Ultralite 8315BSS 2 part-time teenage daughters (17 and 20)
Thanks Chris!! It is silly that we have to write letters like this-but some people take the word power to a whole new level. Thanks for taking the time to send off the letter.
2008 Freedom Lite 297
2007 Dodge Ram 1500(grrrrr-manly!)
Gary-the husband of 28 years
Me-the wife
Nick the grandchild dog
sometimes my mother
sometimes the children and their spouses
You rock Chris...fight the establishment, and if you want to have a "camp-in" we can take c loop again, drink jello shooters and sing Kum ba yah until they see the error of their ways!!!
2008 Keystone Passport 240QS
2002 Chevy Tahoe LT, 5.3 V8. likes gas
Equalizer Sway Control
Killens was an okay campground in my book. Don't like how the sites behind us were so close. We came back into the campground one day and I took the tag off my rear view mirror and held it out the window so the lady to could that we were allowed in and she kind of rudely said "You aren't supposed to take that off your mirror". I was so caught off guard that I didn't say that I was just trying to help her because there is no way she could have seen it with my GPS being in the window below my mirror. Only thing I could get out was "ok"
While checking in, there were 2 ladies there at the desk, one was checking us in and doing her thing so I was talking to my father and friend that came camping with us and the other lady rudely interupted us and said, "There will be no picking up of sticks or anything else in this campground". We kinda just looked at her and said ok. That was all the words that came out of that lady's mouth. Not, hi, hows the weather, how's life. Just about the sticks.
The state fair was alot of fun and not very busy on Sunday. Just HOT. So we went in the morning and then went back to the camper (5-10 mins away) to cool off and went back at night. And still, my kids did not have to wait in any lines to get on the rides. Longest line was getting water.
So, all in all, we will probably be back next year for the fair.
That was my main concern. Honestly, I don't mind the rules if they are clearly posted and consistantly enforced or not enforced. But it was the manner in which the camp host spoke to our kids that disturbed me. It's not so much the actual words, as the ton of voice and demeanor of the person delivering the words.
Rules suck at times, but come on...do you have to be rude when you remind people of them?
Hugsfamily
(DH-Phil, DW-Mindy, DD-Amanda, DS-Spencer and our Shelties-Polly and Spirit)
hugsfamily wrote: Rules suck at times, but come on...do you have to be rude when you remind people of them?
Hmmmm.
Good thing you don't speed in White Marsh. However my motto is fair and firm. Consistent interpretation and application. Whether you are clueless or chronic.
I would agree that communications with kids should be different than that with adults.
The hanging tag thing is a bit off. But on the other hand consider the firewood ban from time to time. How many of us sneak stuff in and justify how we do that? The employees at the gates don't sweep our vehicles like TSA types at airports.
Kinda sounds like some of the issues which changed the way folks thought about Drummer Boy too.
I often wonder which CG is more problematic, private or a government run one.
* This post was
edited 07/22/08 08:39am by Robocop *
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