SKPs- Escapees RV Club sold to Harvest Hosts

sandsys · September 5

1 hour ago, gypsydan said:

I have noticed the forum has made many changes

The only change I have noticed is that the Class category disappeared. I go to the original page and only read the threads that interest me so others might have disappeared that I wouldn't notice. My mind's auto scrolling misses the Class group, though. That group was instrumental in us enjoying full timing so I also miss it for people just joining.

Linda Sand

Kirk W · September 5

7 hours ago, gypsydan said:

I have noticed the forum has made many changes, and since it is not mentioned anywhere in the posted transition pages, I can only ass-u-me the forum was also taken over by Harvest Hosts.

The changes that you are referring to were done before the sale of the club and so far no part of the staff that I am ever in contact with has changed. The person who has been our admin contact changed, about the first of the year if I remember right. He has been far more responsive to the ideas of we moderators and to our suggestions. All changes have been either by our suggestion or with your agreement. There have been a couple of cases of 2 forums being combined because they were related and had little activity and there have been a few removed for lack of any activity. The person who has been our admin also has some maintenance functions with the mail service and since that is his primary position, we are expecting to see him replaced with someone from the new owners, but so far that has not happened. There has been no communication by the new owners to moderators, thus far. Just like all of the club members we are waiting to see what happens.

EDIT: I just spent some time looking over the Escapee website and while I didn't find any real changes there is one thing that is glaring. If you visit the member store, the only thing in it are name tags and Escapee stickers. No more shirts, caps or assort other member stuff!

Edited September 6 by Kirk W
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ogaddcb · September 11

I can't seem to find what will become of the SmartWeigh program

Kirk W · September 11

1 hour ago, ogaddcb said:

I can't seem to find what will become of the SmartWeigh program

Nothing has changed with it. Escapees Snart Weigh

gypsydan · 2024-09-20T07:37:00Z

On 9/5/2024 at 5:08 PM, Kirk W said:

EDIT: I just spent some time looking over the Escapee website and while I didn't find any real changes there is one thing that is glaring. If you visit the member store, the only thing in it are name tags and Escapee stickers. No more shirts, caps or assort other member stuff!

This may seem small in itself, but it also may indicate that the new owners will not be promoting the Escapees light some of the memberships, myself included, would like. Without shirts and hats we have no way to let the general public, and other RVs, know who we are. Have we just become another cog in the new owners developing RV empire? As I said that, I couldn't help but think of Thor industries, and how they are trying to take over the RV market!

Kirk W · 2024-09-20T13:38:27Z

5 hours ago, gypsydan said:

This may seem small in itself, but it also may indicate that the new owners will not be promoting the Escapees light some of the memberships, myself included, would like.

I just checked again and all of the previous parts of the members only site are the same as in the past except that the store is now gone. It isn't in the menu now and if you use the "shop now" tab in the member home page it says "page not found." To date there have been no other changes to the club side of things that I am able to find. Should I discover any I'll let you know.

Vladimir · 2024-09-21T01:05:28Z

On 7/18/2024 at 11:24 AM, Lou Schneider said:

....................................................The co-op parks are likewise independent entities owned and run by people who have invested in the co-op that owns each park (the buy-in fee purchases a share in the co-op and this gives you a lifetime lease on a lot). Escapees (the Petersons) contributed expertise and promotional assistance while the co-ops were being formed so there is language in each park's bylaws requiring Escapees membership to stay at the park or join the co-op.

As far as whether the co-op parks continue to be affiliated with Escapees, I don't see anything changing immediately but in the long term it depends on what Harvest Hosts does. If they merge Escapees and Harvest Hosts so anyone in Harvest Hosts (not just Escapees members) can stay at or join a co-op park each co-op will have to decide how they want to proceed.....................................

I always found the relationship between the Escapees and the co-op parks as odd. A business entity and a co-op entity. Those two business models have different objectives.

I understand the history and how it came about, but that was yesterday.

I really do think the co-op parks need to start talking among themselves. The co-op parks are a distinct entity that needs more coordination between the parks, now that the historical relationship is going to change rapidly and significantly.

The co-op RV parks idea is pretty cool and is worth saving.