To the Moderator: please do not put this post in workcamping forum. That forum is DEAD. And truly this is a subject that is of interest to many who would not think to go there for this.In another posting I was the target of a somewhat unkind and needling remark of being a workcamper so it made me think.Why Do You workcamp?Now I personally workcamp to keep engaged, meet people, have the opportunity to sit still for awhile and frankly I was a workaholic most of my life and it is hard to give up entirely for sure. This is my Second "Retirement" the First was at 53. I also frankly get a bit bored just traveling around. We go to a great many museums and do a lot of things. We keep very busy even when not working. But I get something different out of working that I truly enjoy. Now don't get me wrong I don't want to ever go back to HAVING to go back to work, Thankfully I don't. But I have found that it adds alot to this Full-timing experience.So Far I have done the Unbeetable Experience (the sugar beet harvest) and now I am working in Alaska for the summer. When we came here last May my friend Cecelia and I decided we would like to come back to work a season here. So here we are (it was -19 below this am in Fairbanks)Why do you do it?Is it for the money?The engagement?Keeping busy?For Fun?Tell us your story and thoughts.

I do not know why folks work camp. I would guess reasons vary. I do know I am extremely greatful for those who do. I go out of my way to thank them every chance I get. They are the unsung heroes of our family camping experience. They seem to be the ones who clean the trashed restrooms, help campers, try to enforce the rules, get an ear full when there is a problem. I do not remember seeing camp hosts when I camped as a kid. It was the ranger. Things have sure changed from family tent camping to monster VE's with outside televisions & stereo's. Deep thanks to those who do work camp

Your posts are more and more like that 'info' commercial that you leave on for background noise I am tuning out. Bye!

We tried it to give back to our local community through the California State Park system. The problem is that the lead ranger treated all the volunteers bad! I think he Assumed that we needed the "free" spot to stay in. While that was probably true for others, it was not true for us. We went well above hours demanded, was always spot on collecting receipts and had camper's bragging about us, but we were still treated poorly. In pre-retirement job's my wife and I both had volunteers working for us and we appreciate how special they are. This unfortunately put a bad taste in our mouth to the idea of camp hosting. I'm sure we will later try the idea of being a docent somewhere, but NOT California State Parks!fulltimedaniel wrote:To the Moderator: please do not put this post in workcamping forum. That forum is DEAD. And truly this is a subject that is of interest to many who would not think to go there for this.In another posting I was the target of a somewhat unkind and needling remark of being a workcamper so it made me think.Why Do You workcamp?Now I personally workcamp to keep engaged, meet people, have the opportunity to sit still for awhile and frankly I was a workaholic most of my life and it is hard to give up entirely for sure. This is my Second "Retirement" the First was at 53. I also frankly get a bit bored just traveling around. We go to a great many museums and do a lot of things. We keep very busy even when not working. But I get something different out of working that I truly enjoy. Now don't get me wrong I don't want to ever go back to HAVING to go back to work, Thankfully I don't. But I have found that it adds alot to this Full-timing experience.So Far I have done the Unbeetable Experience (the sugar beet harvest) and now I am working in Alaska for the summer. When we came here last May my friend Cecelia and I decided we would like to come back to work a season here. So here we are (it was -19 below this am in Fairbanks)Why do you do it?Is it for the money?The engagement?Keeping busy?For Fun?Tell us your story and thoughts.

We camped in State parks for around 30 years. When we retired we felt it was time to give back. We find work camping a lot of fun. The rangers we interact with go out of their way to let us know we are appreciated, not just a warm body to use and throw away.

Old-Biscuit wrote:Your posts are more and more like that 'info' commercial that you leave on for background noise I am tuning out. Bye!Guess the old in your name says it all

Why do You Workamp (or volunteer) | Good Sam Community

46 Replies

Totendatrailer
Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
Sooooo, why do I workamp or volunteer? For one I just plain got tired of having to winterize my rig every late fall! Also tired of the same job and area. We took early retirement, sold the house and hit the road. We pick and chose where we want to live each summer and winter. Sometimes we will chose to work and get paid, but we also get to see that area. Money is money, always a use for it and there's never to much. We volunteer for different reasons, mostly somewhere that we find interesting, doing interpretive for fed gov wildlife refuges or helping out in state parks. Yes we get a free site and all the electric, water and sewer we can use. We have never been treated poorly volunteering and plan to volunteer this entire summer and winter on the Oregon coast. Maybe we'll see a few of you there...I'll be the old guy in the volunteer garb!
azrving
Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
Since this is off track......we really dont need to worry about health care as they are coming out with medicare part G.
CarolynandBob
Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
We have thought about it. We might do it after we get done exploring areas that interest us. Right now we do not want to stay anywhere that long. Although, we are going to be near Eugene, Or for about a month in Sept/October. My mother in-law lives there. My wife is looking at places to work camp to keep busy. I get bored to easy and would like to have something to do for about 4 hours a day. Won't need to but may want to. We will see.
FunnyCamper
Explorer II
Mar 24, 2017
interesting about work camping and why some do it.

for us we won't be doing it. I am going for total freedom, the idea to 'work' more is just not what we want. volunteer and help during our old age freedom on the road, sure :) but the 'work camping' scenario isn't coming into play for us. We want an unscheduled life. 'Must work these hrs' is gone from our life.
Of course as with all in life these future plans may vary :) :) We can say and plan and all that mess, what happens in the future will happen!
fulltimedaniel
Explorer
Mar 23, 2017
Merrykalia wrote:
SOOOOOOOOOO, back to OP's original question. Why do I (we) workcamp?

Both DH and I retired several years ago from state employment (state retirement plan). We have always loved to camp, but we still have school aged children.

We camphost at a local state park for the month of May so we are close enough to home that we can commute to/from school or one of us will stay at the campground and the other at home with the kids during the week. On the weekends, we are all at the campground. We enjoy the outdoor lifestyle, the kids enjoy the programs that are offered at the campground on the weekends, our friends are close enough to come visit for a day or evening, but don't have to camp since many of them are not campers.

Our duties are not heavy as we are there to meet/greet and supply information and not much else. We do have to be there throughout the entire month other than our "off" days. (2 day per week).

We get in lots of camping, give back to the state-system that is providing our retirement monies and give our children the outdoor lifestyle that will benefit them throughout their lives. We LOVE to camp, so this is just a win/win as far as we are concerned.

That's our reasoning.

I find the majority of workcampers I have met to be really nice folks, people I have much more in common with than some others I meet out here on the road. I have been working at SOMETHING or other since I was about 10 and started moving furniture with my step father. I guess I just have work in by nature. But I do like my time off and away also. This is the best of both worlds for me.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Mar 22, 2017
Egad! How did this get so off-track so soon?
1968mooney
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
weathershak wrote:
I do it because I HAVE too. Gotta pay that high dollar Obama care bill every month. :(

Don't think anyone is "making" you pay. You can always refuse the coverage and pay the penalty. It is much less than the Ins. premium. But in a few weeks you will not even have to pay that. Just do without coverage like 1/2 the people will do.
bigred1cav
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
I also have those entitlements and paid to SS from my age of 15 forward. Now retired and awaiting congress to take away all those things we were paying to receive as old people.

Johno02 wrote:
have medicare and SS already, but no government caring except how to get rid of us, and keep all the money we paid while working. Trying to avoid getting sick, but the other, all we can do is try to delay it.
Johno02
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
have medicare and SS already, but no government caring except how to get rid of us, and keep all the money we paid while working. Trying to avoid getting sick, but the other, all we can do is try to delay it.
bigred1cav
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
You will not need to concern yourself with health care cost much longer. Then you can get old sick and die on your own without any government caring.

weathershak wrote:
I do it because I HAVE too. Gotta pay that high dollar Obama care bill every month. :(