Steve and I are working our first volunteer job. We are at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. 32 hours in exchange for our site and full hook ups. We are doing maintenance which consists pretty much of litter pick up and Oleander trimming. The hours we work are very flexible. Did I mention that we have the entire campground loop to ourselves? The only other site being used in the campground is another volunteer.
Volunteering here allows us plenty of time to get out and explore the area. We have met so many friendly and helpful people. Everyone is ready to give you their favorite hike or place to go. We even get to go boating on Lake Mead!
This summer we will be workamping in Colorado. Our goal is to work a few months and volunteer a few months. We like being in an area long enough that we don't feel rushed.
March will mark our first anniversary as fulltimers and so far we are very happy with the decisions we've made.
RVRon said
03:37 PM Feb 2, 2013
Same here! Joan and I are on our first volunteer gig at Koreshan State Historic Site between Fort Myers and Naples, FL. We're working as docents and tour guide at the historic site putting in 20 hours each per week in return for our FHU site and it's been a blast. The opposite of the solitary surroundings you guys are enjoying, we're in a volunteer RV park that is now full with about 16 RVs. We have met some great new friends, have had some awesome parties and have performed as actors in a reinactment play called "Ghost Walk". Best of all we've been WARM!!! Temps in the 70's and 80's every day with very little rain. We'll be here until the end of March, then make a hasty move to Moab, UT for our next workamping gig there. We're closing in on the end of our first year as fulltimers and are really lovin' this life!
Bob and Cheri said
04:20 PM Feb 2, 2013
We are currently located in Sebring Fl. On our first gig. We are Activity Directors in a small 55+ RV park and having fun with it. Learning shuffle board, and few card games.
We have been full timing for 8 months now with NO REGRETS!!
Hey Ron & Joan, say hi to ranger Mike for us, we interviewed with him last Feb and he offered us a position there but we opted to do this gig.
RVRon said
04:26 PM Feb 2, 2013
Bob and Cheri wrote:
Hey Ron & Joan, say hi to ranger Mike for us, we interviewed with him last Feb and he offered us a position there but we opted to do this gig.
Next time I see Mike I will do that!
bjoyce said
05:13 PM Feb 2, 2013
RVRon: We love the Fort Myers/Naples area. Friends volunteered at Lover's Key State Park, which has a similar setup to Koreshan, since the campground is only for the volunteers. You should get to Lover's Key to take a look around, even if you do not plan to volunteer there. The shelling is much like Sanibel, it is right on salt water, it has some nice trails, and wildlife. If you are into wildlife viewing there are many choices in the area. We like Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Park in Fort Myers and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, off US41 just east of Naples. Do take some time to see the Edison/Ford Winter Estates, it is worthwhile.
Camper_Boy said
05:31 PM Feb 2, 2013
Hi Bill,
We are currently at Lovers Key State park in Ft Myers Beach volunteering. Who are you friends you refer to? Maybe we know them. We are here till March 1st and have been trying to visit Koreshan for the Ghost Walk.
If Ron and Joan you want to visit just send us a note. I think we met you at Pigeon Forge at RvDreams Rally???
Such great weather since we got here in mid December. Small world of RV dreamers...
bjoyce said
06:44 PM Feb 2, 2013
Our friends, Dave and Barb Jenkins, moved into a house in The Villages, FL many years ago, so they haven't been at Lover's Key in years. Howard and Linda spent a day with them in March 2006, http://www.rv-dreams-journal.com/2006/03/a_great_day_wit.html, but all the photos are gone.
Dog Folks said
08:54 PM Feb 2, 2013
bjoyce wrote:
RVRon: We love the Fort Myers/Naples area. Friends volunteered at Lover's Key State Park, which has a similar setup to Koreshan, since the campground is only for the volunteers. You should get to Lover's Key to take a look around, even if you do not plan to volunteer there. The shelling is much like Sanibel, it is right on salt water, it has some nice trails, and wildlife. If you are into wildlife viewing there are many choices in the area. We like Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Park in Fort Myers and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, off US41 just east of Naples. Do take some time to see the Edison/Ford Winter Estates, it is worthwhile.
Slight correction. You are right that Lovers key has no campground, and the only camping is for volunteers. However, Koreshan is a "regular" state park with public camping facilities.
If you are in the area, don't miss the "ghost tours", they are outsatnding.
RVRon said
11:51 PM Feb 2, 2013
Camper_Boy wrote:We are currently at Lovers Key State park in Ft Myers Beach volunteering. Who are you friends you refer to? Maybe we know them. We are here till March 1st and have been trying to visit Koreshan for the Ghost Walk.
If Ron and Joan you want to visit just send us a note. I think we met you at Pigeon Forge at RvDreams Rally???
Such great weather since we got here in mid December. Small world of RV dreamers...
Camper_Boy, we were at the RV-Dreams Spring 2011 rally in Pigeon Forge, so we have probably met! We haven't yet made it to Lovers Key SP but it's on our list of destinations while we're here. We have had our dog Callie to the county dog beach just south of the park so next time we get over there we'll definitely get into the park. We also have a bunch of volunteers who want to make a "sunset run" one evening and I think that's the destination. I'll send you a PM and maybe we can get together!
We have thoroughly enjoyed performing in Ghost Walk and tonight is the last performance. They increased to 5 shows a night this year, for 2 weekends so that's 20 shows overall... and they were all sold out weeks in advance!
Bill, thanks for the recommendations for places to visit. We've done the Edison-Ford tour and Sanibel. Still have a couple more months here and lots of places to go and things to do!
Camper_Boy said
05:17 AM Feb 3, 2013
Sounds good we look forward to seeing you again. Lots of great sunsets over the gulf.
ew9266 said
02:46 PM Feb 5, 2013
Ron, this sounds like a perfect winter hide away. Would be interested in doing this next winter. Can you give me some contact info on this place? I will be working this summer in Asheville N.C., this will be our first time workamping and we are really looking forward to it. Any info would be appreciated. Joe and Pam
RVRon said
06:49 PM Feb 5, 2013
ew9266 wrote:
Ron, this sounds like a perfect winter hide away. Would be interested in doing this next winter. Can you give me some contact info on this place? I will be working this summer in Asheville N.C., this will be our first time workamping and we are really looking forward to it. Any info would be appreciated. Joe and Pam
Joe & Pam, I spoke to the Volunteer Coordinator at the park today and he said he prefers to get your application via the state volunteer internet portal: http://www.floridastateparks.org/getinvolved/volform.cfm. They use a lot of volunteers here and although not all come back every year most do and some have been here for 5 seasons or more. We just happened to get lucky last Christmas when we camped here and bumped into the right person and got an interview.
-- Edited by RVRon on Tuesday 5th of February 2013 06:51:08 PM
Steve and I are working our first volunteer job. We are at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. 32 hours in exchange for our site and full hook ups. We are doing maintenance which consists pretty much of litter pick up and Oleander trimming. The hours we work are very flexible. Did I mention that we have the entire campground loop to ourselves? The only other site being used in the campground is another volunteer.
Volunteering here allows us plenty of time to get out and explore the area. We have met so many friendly and helpful people. Everyone is ready to give you their favorite hike or place to go. We even get to go boating on Lake Mead!
This summer we will be workamping in Colorado. Our goal is to work a few months and volunteer a few months. We like being in an area long enough that we don't feel rushed.
March will mark our first anniversary as fulltimers and so far we are very happy with the decisions we've made.
Same here! Joan and I are on our first volunteer gig at Koreshan State Historic Site between Fort Myers and Naples, FL. We're working as docents and tour guide at the historic site putting in 20 hours each per week in return for our FHU site and it's been a blast. The opposite of the solitary surroundings you guys are enjoying, we're in a volunteer RV park that is now full with about 16 RVs. We have met some great new friends, have had some awesome parties and have performed as actors in a reinactment play called "Ghost Walk". Best of all we've been WARM!!! Temps in the 70's and 80's every day with very little rain. We'll be here until the end of March, then make a hasty move to Moab, UT for our next workamping gig there. We're closing in on the end of our first year as fulltimers and are really lovin' this life!
We have been full timing for 8 months now with NO REGRETS!!
Hey Ron & Joan, say hi to ranger Mike for us, we interviewed with him last Feb and he offered us a position there but we opted to do this gig.
Next time I see Mike I will do that!
Hi Bill,
We are currently at Lovers Key State park in Ft Myers Beach volunteering. Who are you friends you refer to? Maybe we know them. We are here till March 1st and have been trying to visit Koreshan for the Ghost Walk.
If Ron and Joan you want to visit just send us a note. I think we met you at Pigeon Forge at RvDreams Rally???
Such great weather since we got here in mid December. Small world of RV dreamers...
Our friends, Dave and Barb Jenkins, moved into a house in The Villages, FL many years ago, so they haven't been at Lover's Key in years. Howard and Linda spent a day with them in March 2006, http://www.rv-dreams-journal.com/2006/03/a_great_day_wit.html, but all the photos are gone.
Slight correction. You are right that Lovers key has no campground, and the only camping is for volunteers. However, Koreshan is a "regular" state park with public camping facilities.
If you are in the area, don't miss the "ghost tours", they are outsatnding.
Camper_Boy, we were at the RV-Dreams Spring 2011 rally in Pigeon Forge, so we have probably met! We haven't yet made it to Lovers Key SP but it's on our list of destinations while we're here. We have had our dog Callie to the county dog beach just south of the park so next time we get over there we'll definitely get into the park. We also have a bunch of volunteers who want to make a "sunset run" one evening and I think that's the destination. I'll send you a PM and maybe we can get together!
We have thoroughly enjoyed performing in Ghost Walk and tonight is the last performance. They increased to 5 shows a night this year, for 2 weekends so that's 20 shows overall... and they were all sold out weeks in advance!
Bill, thanks for the recommendations for places to visit. We've done the Edison-Ford tour and Sanibel. Still have a couple more months here and lots of places to go and things to do!
Sounds good we look forward to seeing you again. Lots of great sunsets over the gulf.
Ron, this sounds like a perfect winter hide away. Would be interested in doing this next winter. Can you give me some contact info on this place? I will be working this summer in Asheville N.C., this will be our first time workamping and we are really looking forward to it. Any info would be appreciated. Joe and Pam
Joe & Pam, I spoke to the Volunteer Coordinator at the park today and he said he prefers to get your application via the state volunteer internet portal: http://www.floridastateparks.org/getinvolved/volform.cfm. They use a lot of volunteers here and although not all come back every year most do and some have been here for 5 seasons or more. We just happened to get lucky last Christmas when we camped here and bumped into the right person and got an interview.
-- Edited by RVRon on Tuesday 5th of February 2013 06:51:08 PM