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Escapees RV club spirit?


Kirk W

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3 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

Escapees Co-Ops are really different than general Escapees parks/Escapades.   A lot of the Co-Ops are darn right hostile to those who are traveling - even though they NEED Escapees who travel to at some point buy into the co-op.  I've never been able to figure out why.   It isn't just you, it is the nature of the co-op lifestyle I guess, where they become so isolated they forget what it was like to travel and be the new kid in town.   Also, almost all Co-Ops are 55+ and a lot of older people aren't very tolerant especially when it comes to people who represent change.   One of the most welcoming to us has been Timber Valley, in Sutherlin, Oregon, which is why we usually stop.  But I have noticed a definite chill this past year.

 

I agree. We've stayed at almost all the co-ops and are on the list at two of them. The median age at several of them seems to be about 84, so your observation rings true. I don't understand the disconnect between needing Escapees to buy in as people die or age out and being clique-ish or unwelcoming. I also agree with you about Sutherlin - nice bunch of folks there... just wish they took reservations!

Rob

2012 F350 CC LB DRW 6.7
2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
Full-time since 8/2015

 

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The key thing with co-op parks is that they tend to change over time because they are run by the membership and so management practices change when there is a significant turnover of memberships. Our first Escapee park stay was 6 weeks at Evergreen-Coho park and we were made very welcome when we joined in with activities there. We took part when they did a trash walk for the highway nearby as they were the "adopt-a-highway" folks and announced their monthly trash walk at a dinner in the community center. That was in 2000 and we later heard that it became somewhat unfriendly but then a few years ago there was a significant turnover of members so it may be different again now. When the parks began they sold all of the lots in a pretty short period of time so the average age rose steadily for the first 10 years or so until members began to leave age and infirmity. That tends to happen in any retired community and it takes many years for that cycle to smooth out with a wider mix of ages of resident. that same thing tends to happen in any senior community but with a co-op it also means management attitudes change with the members. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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I realize co-ops are different than Rainbow Parks, but because we have the 3rd adult (our son with Down syndrome), I either read the "rules and regulations" if online or called the co-ops (2 that didn't have info readily available online.  Both of them danced around it never really saying "yes" or "no",  kind of coming up with other issues we might have that would prevent us from joining the co-op.  It didn't give me the best feeling, and I understand the choice is entirely theirs.   I am arrogant enough to write it off as their loss and not ours!   I wish they would have just come out and said "no".  Obviously, I'm not going to choose a co-op over our son.  

We are looking hard at whether we will continue our membership which is due next month.  We have looked at activities with the different groups.  We, like some others, aren't into potluck and alcohol which can leave one on the "side lines".  We often don't "fit" which is fine.  

I sort of fell in love with the original idea of the Escapees.  Many things up close aren't the way they appear from a distance.  We have met a handful of really nice people that belong to the Escapees, and really appreciate those like Kirk that work diligently to keep this forum afloat.

We were considering attending the Escapade in Wyoming, but it a lot of money to sit on the side lines, so..................  We don't fit in a group which is fine, probably better than fine.

 

 

Cathy

 

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