Category: Sights to See

Communication Is Crucial

September 4, 2024June 12, 2024 Jolene MacFadden

Communication is a crucial aspect of any volunteer work, and this holds true for those participating in work camp programs in Florida. Clear and effective communication not only helps to ensure the success of your volunteer project but also helps to build strong relationships with your fellow volunteers and the local community.

Here are some tips and tricks for first-time volunteer work campers in Florida to improve their communication skills:

1. Listen actively: Listening actively means giving your full attention to the person speaking, without interrupting or getting distracted. This skill is especially important when working on a team, as it allows you to understand different perspectives and communicate effectively.

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Florida NonProfit Workamping, Holidays in the Parks, Sights to See, Weather Challenges

Remembering December 2011 and our First RV Campground

August 15, 2023August 13, 2023 Jolene MacFadden

When you get ready to go on your own RVing adventure (For Full-Timers Only)

I browsing through our posts and decided to reignite one of the older ones I published. Today we are remembering back to September and December of 2011 and our first RV campground. Reading some of my thoughts about getting ready to leave our long-time home may help you with your own experience. I only mention just a few of the many decisions we had to make. After that I have a quick review on our very first RV trip. Enjoy!

Getting Ready For Our Trip, RV and Campers, Sights to See

Kids Camping Activity Booklet Series

July 20, 2021May 23, 2022 Jolene MacFadden

Hello, and Happy Summer Everyone! We have finally created our first Kids Camping Activity Booklet in the Florida Public Land Area Series. We will include puzzles, search-a-words, cryptograms, coloring pages, geocache maps, activity worksheets, as well as spaces to paste or draw pictures and write about your experience at the park. Teaching our kids about all the great Florida Public Land Areas is such a great way to get them outside, enjoying nature, appreciating our delicate environment, and, hopefully, teaching their kids in the future. Ensuring that we have these beautiful spaces in the future will go a long way in helping us protect mother earth.

Florida National Forests, Florida State Forests, Florida State Parks, Lessons in Camping, Our eBook, Park Info, RV and Campers, Sights to See, Workamping for Students

Dog Days of Summer

August 15, 2017 Jolene MacFadden

Dogs days of summer are upon us. We are still hanging out working in the Alligator Lake Recreation Park here in Lake City, Florida. With all the visitors we have had even on the hottest days here we have been keeping pretty busy with our duties. When we are not driving around on the Gator picking up trash, checking out the trails, cleaning the bathrooms, checking the trash cans and keeping the rental pavilion cleaned between uses we have been keeping busy with creating more handcrafted items, working on my websites, and entertaining my granddaughter during her visits while out of school. We have also had the big air conditioning unit die on us so we have had to replace it with two small window AC units. Thankfully, my brother was in town and able to install them properly. We had also, finally, ran out of propane and he helped me put in one of those “Stay-A-While” propane kits so that we can use the smaller, portable propane tanks you can exchange at our local Walmart. It seems to be working fine. We haven’t tried filling up our onboard tank with it. Instead, we have the smaller tank’s propane going directly into the RV. Don’t forget to keep your onboard tank’s valve off when you use one of these.

Free North Florida Springs – Part 4

April 3, 2017 Jolene MacFadden

Free North Florida Springs – In our forth and final episode in the series we will be listing a couple of the free springs left on our list and relisted a few of the websites you might want to “favor” or “bookmark” for future reference. Again, please remember that all of the springs we have listed are located somewhere along one of the rivers, have a tendency to flood several times a year and do not have the same amenities as the ones in our Florida State Parks. Also, please do not harass the local wildlife, bring mosquito repellent, wear water shoes to swim and always bring along someone who is a better swimmer than you are. The buddy system works for a reason. Most of these places are in the middle of a wildlife and/or wilderness area and you do not want to swim alone. Finally, please be kind and take your trash with you or at least use any trash cans that may be provided. Leave only footprints and take only pictures.

Resources

Checking River Levels: http://www.srwmd.state.fl.us/index.aspx?nid=253

Camping Resources, Fun for RVers, Sights to See, Workamping, Working While RVing

Free North Florida Springs – Part 3

March 27, 2017 Jolene MacFadden

Free North Florida Springs – In part three of our series we want to introduce you to a little known spring located with the Troy Springs Conservation area and Ruth Walker Tract. In fact, it is located off the same hard road as Troy Springs State Park. The area is run and maintained by the Suwannee River Water Management District so there are not a lot of amenities. There is, of course, no charge to visit the springs but be aware that this one is located down a not well maintained dirt road after traveling down a crushed rock road. There is no sign leading down to the spring itself you just got to find it. It took us two tries to finally locate the place but it was well worth it. The springs area is fortified with large wooden beams. There use to be a wooden walkway leading down but when we visited there (May 2013) it was almost gone. There is a parking area around the spring but no port-a-potty or picnic tables. It is used and kept clean mostly by local residents. The best direction we have found on another website: http://www.flsprings.com/content/ruth-spring

Fun for RVers, Sights to See