Last season 18 Member Parks held dozens of drives which registered 412 potential donors, collected 299 units of blood, and recruited 145 new donors through the ARVC Blood Drive Initiative! This was an increase of almost exactly 50% over 2008. Our efforts helped maintain a stable blood supply and had the potential to save up to 897 lives!

DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF. DO SOMETHING FOR YOUR BUSINESS.

BE A HERO.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS WILL

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE.

You can download the Michigan Blood Brochure here: Discover the Opportunities. Help Save Lives

WHAT I DID;
I called Consumers Power, spoke with a very nice customer service person and was told this bill was correct as far as she was concerned. She told me she would have the accounting department contact me to reconfirm.
I then called the Michigan Public Services Commission and spoke with a very nice lady who told me that I was the third campground owner who had called, said she felt she was seeing a trend and suggested we as a group might want to try to do something about this.
Five days later I received two calls and messages from a Consumer Affairs Representative from Consumers Energy responding to the inquiry I had made to the Michigan Public Service Commission. We played phone tag for six days but finally make a connection. From this woman I received a confirmation of the original bill and an explanation of the Surcharges and what I could expect.

SHOULD YOU CARE;
Check out the portion of your bill called ELECTRIC DELIVERY CHARGES. These are the charges before the first kilowatt goes though the meter. How some of these charges are figured is explained in a very hard to get to memo.
Go to Consumers Energy Home Page http://www.consumersenergy.com/welcome.htm
In the Search box type in; D-002.10 Surcharges.
It will open up a page of Surcharge documents.
Click on the document with the date of; 23 Dec 09. It will probably be the second document listed.
This document will detail some of the surcharges that you are paying on your Consumers Energy bill.
These are charges you pay on each meter that you have. The paragraph near the bottom of the document explains that these charges are based on your yearly usage reviewed and posted on your January bill month. The annual usage is divided by twelve months to obtain a figure that gets you into a tiered range.
For example: I have one meter that basically measures all of my campground’s electrical usage.
The history of total usage for 2009 was 62,560 KWH.
Divided by 12 months equals 5,213.3 KWH per month. This puts me into the Tier 3 category.
Because my meter is inaccessible from October through April when I have little usage, I receive an estimated bill at 0 KWH per month for those months. I catch up on the May bill. Since all Surcharges are going to be applied on a monthly basis for the next 12 months including those during the 0 KWH usage period, my base rate with all ELECTRIC DELIVERY CHARGES for each month in 2010 now is $63.38.

FYI;
The lady at the Michigan Public Services Commission is Esther Blakely. Her phone number is 517-241-6250. Fax 517-335-4748. Email blakelye@michigan.gov. She wants to hear from you to try to help us.
Consumers Energy is starting a case at a public hearing at the Michigan Public Services Commission on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 to request approximately $178,000,000.00 annually above current base rate levels.
You can call Consumers Energy 800-477-5050 to request a free copy of the application.
Tom Briggs 616-942-1071 grandrogue@yahoo.com

Learn more here:  Time Coalition

Check out the new site and let us know what you think, what you want, what is missing, anything you’d like to see here.  There is still information to upload here and Iwill be attending to that over the next week or so.  Thanks very much for your patience.  It was time for a new look.

I just realized that all of you who are subscribed to the site are going to get a volume of new post notices.  Sorry about that, I am adding posts from the old site to the new site for posterity purposes and forgot about the emails you’d be getting.  I’ll try to keep it to a minimum.  Tate

Although camping is a year-round activity in Michigan, spring signals the onset of the warm-weather season. By mid-April, a large number of the privately owned campgrounds in Michigan are welcoming guests looking to shake off the winter blues and enjoy the great outdoors.

1. Wildflowers. April showers bring May flowers, like the trillium that blanket the forest floor. Harbor Springs hosts an annual Trillium Festival each spring, this year set for May 20-29. To learn more about wildflowers in Michigan, visit the Wildflower Association of Michigan online at www.wildflowersmich.org

Spring also brings the blossoms on the apple and cherry trees, making this one of the most fragrant times of the year to get out and travel the Great Lakes State. The Blossomtime Festival (April 27-May 4) in St. Joseph/Benton Harbor and Blossom Days on Old Mission Peninsula (May 17-18) are two events not to be missed.

Of course when it comes to spring flowers, one can’t forget the annual Tulip Time Festival in Holland (May 3-10), it’s a sure sign of spring!

2. Woodland Edibles. Morel mushrooms, wild ramps, leeks and fiddleheads are all delicacies that can be found by foraging through the woodlands of Michigan. After a successful “hunt” you can savor these mouth-watering finds, paired with a fine Michigan beer or wine. Several cities throughout the state – including Mesick and Boyne City – have been hosting festivals celebrate the “mighty morel” for more than 40 years. For recipes and other ideas on how to savor these scrumptious selections, check out Earthy Delights online at www.earthy.com

3. Fishing. Whether you enjoy fly fishing on the rivers and streams, heading out on a charter on the big lake or casting a line for pan fish in an inland lake, you’re sure to catch something while spring fishing in Michigan. From walleye, trout, steelhead and salmon to perch, bass and bluegills, this is a fisherman’s paradise. Spring is also a great to visit one of the state’s six fish hatcheries or the famed Fish Ladder in Grand Rapids. The National Trout Festival (April 23-27) in Kalkaska, the Freeland Walleye Festival (April 25-27) and the Mancelona Bass Festival (May 28-June 1) are among the many opportunities to enjoy spring fishing celebrations in Michigan.

4. Wine Tasting. While the 50+ wineries throughout the state of Michigan are open year round, spring is the ideal time to visit as this is when the new releases are available for tasting. Be sure to purchase a bottle or two, to pair with those woodland edibles and fresh catches! For a list of the state’s award-winning wineries, visit the Michigan Wine Council’s newly revamped website at www.michiganwines.com

5. Bird Watching. Nature centers, sanctuaries and wildlife viewing areas are thriving with opportunities for spring bird watching. The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory Annual Spring Fling (April 25-27) in Paradise, the Tawas Point Birding Festival (May 16-18) in Tawas and the Kirtland Warbler Festival (May 17) in Roscommon County are among the many spring birding events that you may want to check out this season. For more about birding, visit the Michigan Audubon Society website: www.michiganaudubon.org

6. Paddling. With thousands of miles of rivers and streams, not to mention the inland and Great Lakes, spring is the perfect time to get out in your canoe or kayak and head out on the water for some peace and quite. For more information, check out the website for the Michigan Association of Paddlesport Providers: www.michigancanoe.com

7. Peddling. Michigan is home to some of the most scenic biking trails, ranging in distance and level of difficulty. Whether you’re taking a short family trip along a paved trail or are heading out for an off-road mountain bike adventure, you’ll find plenty of opportunities around the state. For more information, check out the website for the League of Michigan Bicyclists: www.lmb.org

8. Hiking. Local author Jim Dufresne has published several exceptional books including “50 Hikes in Michigan: The Best Walks, Hikes and Backpacks in the Lower Peninsula” and “Best Hikes with Children – Michigan” which offer great insight into the trails and scenic sites throughout the state. These, and other titles, are available at bookstores and libraries throughout Michigan.

9. Golfing. Michigan is home to more than 800 golf courses and during the spring season, the rates are often lower, there are fewer people (and bugs) and the temperatures are pleasant. For a detailed list of courses throughout the state, visit Travel Michigan’s award-winning website at www.Michigan.org

10. Geocaching. The hottest new trend for campers and outdoor enthusiasts can be found all around Michigan. This high-tech treasure hunt takes you off the beaten path by using a portable GPS system to find hidden “caches” in various locations. To learn more about this exciting new outdoor activity, visit www.geocaching.com

No matter which spring activity accompanies your camping trip, be sure to travel with camera in hand to capture the awakening of all around you. To learn more about how to enjoy Michigan’s “Springtime Splendor” and cure your cabin fever, visit www.SpringtimeSplendor.com.

The Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds – Michigan represents 250 member campgrounds with more than 32,000 sites available throughout the state. Whether pitching a tent, parking an RV or reserving a rustic or modern cabin, Michigan campgrounds offer a great way to disconnect from busy lives and reconnect with families. Campers in Michigan enjoy the great outdoors while fishing or canoeing on the countless lakes, rivers and streams or hiking, biking and riding on the miles of trails that wind throughout the state. There’s definitely no shortage of activities, no matter where the campground is located.

For those of you who haven’t done this…here’s a quick “how to” for you…I suggest you print this off instead of having to jump between this message and the Google screen.

1. Go to www.google.com

2. Click on “News”

3. Click on “News Alerts” on the left hand column

4. Type the name of your campground in quotes (“Campground ABC”) in the Search Items box
(you might set up multiple alerts, especially if your name is often printed in different ways).

5. Select “Comprehensive” as the type of alert you would like to receive (meaning that you’ll get news alerts as well as searches from blogs and other sites).

6. Select how often you want to receive your alerts (I ask for them “as-it-happens” so I’m always on top of things)

7. Enter your email address.

8. Wait for Google to send you an email confirmation, then follow the link to validate your request

If you have any questions…just let me know and I’ll walk you through it.

Safe Travels!

Dianna Stampfler
Promote Michigan
Dianna@PromoteMichigan.com

Those of you who didn’t get a chance to visit with me, or who were unable to attend the conference, I suggest you check your FREE listing on Michigan.org before the summer travel season gets underway.

Just log on to www.michigan.org and enter your campground name in the upper right hand corner to search for your page.

If you don’t find yourself listed, please let me know and I’ll help you out. I’ll need all of your contact information, website link, 1400 character description and a photo.

If your page is there, but you are missing a photo (or wish to post a different one) or you want to change your contact information and/or description just send me the changes and I’ll update it on my end. Remember…this is your opportunity for you to “sell” your property to the millions of travelers who visit this site each year!

If you have any questions, drop me an email and I’ll help in any way that I can.

Dianna Stampfler
Promote Michigan
Dianna@PromoteMichigan.com

Here are things you can do to control utility costs, promote energy conservation and encourage eco-friendly practices at your campgrounds

• Turn off, turn down and unplug.
• Turn off your AC when you aren’t in your RV
• Clean or replace your AC filter monthly
• When buying any new electrical device, look for the Energy Star
• Instead of AC, open a window or go for a swim
• Turn off the lights during the day
• Position your RV to maximize day-lighting
• Install window films to reflect sunlight and heat
• Take shorter showers
• Turn the water off completely after you take a shower (please report leaks to staff).
• When brushing teeth, shaving or washing hands, turn the water on only as needed
• Line dry your laundry
• Rather than watching TV, go for a walk
• Instead of cooking on an electric stove, cook over the campfire
• If you use an electric stove, always cover your pots and pans
• If you need to use an oven, use a microwave oven
• Turn off the patio lights when you retire for the night
• Replace your incandescent lights with compact fluorescents or LEDs
• Set the temperature of your refrigerator between 36-39° F.
• Set up paper, plastic and bottle recycling stations near your garbage receptacles
• Establish a common composting area

SOURCE: Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR had this list on their website…I added a couple others about recycling and composting (which even some hotels are doing now in GR). Please review this and let me know if you have any additions or comments.

Dianna Stampfler

Promote Michigan

269-330-4228

Dianna@promotemichigan.com

www.promotemichigan.blogspot.com

www.myspace.com/promotemichigan

10 Campground Photo Opportunities:

1. Families sitting around the campfire at dusk, roasting marshmallows.

2. Kids playing in the pool, with RVs or tents in the background.

3. Someone setting up a tent.

4. People fishing off the dock with RVs or tents in the background.

5. A shot of the curving roadway, with RVs or tents set up.

6. Kids riding their bikes along the pathway, with RVs or tents in the background.

7. People using laptop computers on the picnic table outside their RV or tent.

8. Someone BBQing or cooking dinner outside of their RV or tent.

9. An RV or tent with the sun rising or setting in the background.

10. Kids canoeing or rafting in the lake with an RV or tent in the background.

For additional photo ideas, log on to www.google.com and type “michigan camping” and then click “images”.

Be sure to capture images in all seasons….when spring is in blossom, when summer is in full bloom, as the colors begin tho change in the fall and the blanket of snow for those of you open in the winter.

If you have images to share, please email them to travel@promotemichigan.com (limit the size of the email to 4MB per message)