Buttonwood Survey results

**Tweety** · 06-13-2011, 06:52 AM

Thanks to everyone who took the time to fill out the survey. Here are the results in a nutshell.

Do you want to stay at Buttonwood for future meet and greets, or do you have a suggestion for a different campground?
Overwhelmingly, staying at Buttonwood is the result of this question. A few people said they like Buttonwood but might like a change, but none of those had a suggestion for a new location.
If we stay at Buttonwood, would you prefer to move to the Riverside?
It was split about half and half on this one until people walked over to the riverside after the heavy rains and saw all the mud. Then we had people letting us know that they wanted to change their answer to stay where we are.
Do you have any suggestions for new activities? And if so would you like to lead that activity?
This turned out to be our best question. As a result of this one, we will have some new activities next year.
Jay will coordinate quoits.
Hope will lead LCR (if you have the LCR dice bring them! and bring some quarters)
A few people verbally told Steve that they want the bicycle ride back next year.
Additional suggestions were: Bingo, Trailer tours, & Camping discussions.
Do you like the current date of the second weekend of June?
This came back pretty overwhelmingly a yes.
Would you be willing to be the organizer one year? And if so when?
We had 2 people volunteer to relieve Lowell and Amanda when they decide to retire!
Lowell...since you have the sheets, I'm writing this from memory, (which is on the south side of 50) so if I forgot anything please add to this!
It looks like the Meet & Greet at Buttonwood is a big success, pretty much as is!

EMD_Driver · 06-13-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tweety

It looks like the Meet & Greet at Buttonwood is a big success, pretty much as is!

I personally had a blast!

I hope some of the past attendees (SOB's included) will begin planning now and make 2012 the best year yet!

Poppy & Nana · 06-13-2011, 04:25 PM

Hoping Leo and I can make it back next year....was dealing with an 83 y/o Mom who was just diagnosed with breast cancer.....she has surgery one week ago today and if say this "ole broad.....you would not believe it!

She is on the road to recovery, one more doctor appointment this week and then she is off to work and run around until mi-July - then we meet with the oncologist!

I've already cancelled 3 camping trips in June.......but Mom comes first!

Kathy

Hematite · 06-13-2011, 07:50 PM

Actually, I'm surprised that the majority prefer to continue to go to Buttonwood. I've never gone but, aside from the actual get together, there doesn't seem to be much of interest in the immediate area. The pics I've seen seem to show that the sites are very narrow and cramped looking.
I would think that the get together would be held at different campgrounds in different areas to make it more interesting. If the majority are satisfied with Buttonwood, however, then that's fine. If I went there, I might have a different opinion.

EMD_Driver · 06-13-2011, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hematite

I would think that the get together would be held at different campgrounds in different areas to make it more interesting. If the majority are satisfied with Buttonwood, however, then that's fine. If I went there, I might have a different opinion.

Hey Rick,
I also belong to a diesel truck forum and we have a rally each year, during the Independence Day weekend each year. Those get-togethers are held in different places every year, which makes some years difficult to attend. In 2009, it was held in Bowling Green, KY and that was about as far as we can go. The one in 2010 was near Chicago and we could not attend.

Sunline was based in PA and the vast majority of the remaining Sunlines are in/near PA. I'm not sure why Buttonwood was picked, but I am thrilled to go. I've been twice now and really couldn't see it being anywhere else. You are right, that there isn't much of interest nearby. For myself, the people are what makes the whole thing worth while. Not only the Sunline owners, but the CG owners and staff too.

Should you decide to attend, you would probably have a wonderful time. I wasn't sure what to expect, or even how I would be recieved by the group last year. I ended up having a great time and was anxious to come back!

**Sunline Fan** · 06-13-2011, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hematite

Actually, I'm surprised that the majority prefer to continue to go to Buttonwood. I've never gone but, aside from the actual get together, there doesn't seem to be much of interest in the immediate area. The pics I've seen seem to show that the sites are very narrow and cramped looking.
I would think that the get together would be held at different campgrounds in different areas to make it more interesting. If the majority are satisfied with Buttonwood, however, then that's fine. If I went there, I might have a different opinion.

I am too in a way, it's quite out-of-the-way for people coming from the west/north. But Denny and Nancy have been great hosts and have been very accommodating for the years I was there.

It seems like there are three types of campgrounds. One type is quite rustic, with many trees and a lot of space between sites. They probably don't have many amenities for the park itself. The second type is more of a family park/resort, where the sites are closer together and the focus is on the area and the activities that the campground offers. The third type is the upscale RV resort that has large sites, concrete pads, green grass, paved roads, etc. They will have some activities but not a lot. There aren't many of these types of parks in PA (or out east in general), but there are quite a few down south and out west. I'd say Buttonwood fits into the second grouping.

I think this size campground is important for a meet & greet. If a campground is spread out (such as how I understand Nick's Lake is), the meet & greet will only be so large because people will start to be really far away from the main meeting place. Granted the small meet & greets are very nice though. Plus the rustic campgrounds don't offer the large group areas like Buttonwood offers, which really helps out with a large number of people.

Yes, site sizes can vary a lot in that category. It pretty much depends on the amount of land available. Buttonwood is land-locked and had to make the best out of what they could buy. That being said, the sites are small, but not terribly small. I've seen worse. I think the fact that they only have small trees now makes it feel even tighter since the RVs are the only things around.

I've also noticed that a lot of PA members don't travel very far with their trailers. I'm not sure why this is. If a different campground was chosen, attendance could drop if it's farther from SE PA.

Buttonwood was originally chosen as the home for the "Eastern Meet & Greet" as it was called for the first two years. It was a happy medium for everyone interested in attending. It was fairly close to SE PA but still made it a doable distance from upstate/western NY and Virginia, as well as me. As people have decided to create other meet & greet locations, the necessity for Buttonwood's location has decreased, except for the people who would like to attend the larger meet & greet.

**Sunline Fan** · 06-13-2011, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppy & Nana

I've already cancelled 3 camping trips in June.......but Mom comes first!

I know the feeling, every ounce of free time has been consumed with my grandparents ever since the beginning of the year, but particularly ever since school has been out. We got them to agree to move to an apartment in a senior place March 1st, so we've been cleaning out the house ever since. My grandma was basically a hoarder (an unfinished, walk-in attic is a bad thing), so we've had a lot of sorting to do. We finally had a garage sale this past week/weekend and I finally feel like we're getting somewhere. I know it could have gone a little faster if I wasn't working during the week, but I'm not sure I really want to devote that much time to it. But it sure has crippled my life otherwise. I'm hoping the house can be ready for sale in the next couple weeks, so at least an end is in sight.

**Tweety** · 06-14-2011, 05:40 AM

Many folks have made good friends in the group, and it's more about the people than the area. Buttonwood has a nice pool, mini golf course, playground, and they do offer activities of their own. (they had quite a few this past weekend) We have a schedule of activities for people who want to be entertained with games or sports. State College is an hour away if anyone wants a road trip. Most people seem to partake of our pot luck, and the new ice cream social was a big hit. But mostly everyone enjoys visiting and reconnecting with friends.

Poppy & Nana · 06-14-2011, 07:39 AM

When Leo and I attend a M&G - it isn't to see what is in the area - it is to meet the people who have common interests, tour their/our TT's and make new friends....we attend 3 -4 of these each year (not this year though).....and we will continue to do so.

Can't wait until September!!!!! (hopefully!)

kanyonkitty · 06-14-2011, 08:56 AM

Like the others have stated, it's about the "friendships" that we make & have made, friendships that we maintain thru-out the year VIA the computer and often this is the only time we get to physically meet & spend some time with our Sunline friends. Yes, the sites are not real wide, but they are pretty long and on a pretty good angle, so this allows you to back your Sunline in pretty far, sit out under your awning and still have a view, not just looking at the side of another Sunline (not that that is a bad thing

). As previously mentioned, the campground does offer several types of games, shuffleboard, horseshoes and they have a great mini-golf. The also offer several canoe/kayak trips. There is also the opportunity to take a "road trip" back towards Harrisburg, PA. There are several things of interest to do in & around Harrisburg.

Setting up a Rally is NOT as easy as one would think, I use to do it for Open Roads Singles that I once belonged to. Since I am no longer active with that group, there are no longer any rallies being planned for the east coast. As a rally host, there is a LOT more involved besides picking a decent campground, setting a date, and scouring the area for things to do.

Also, other than at a Sunline Rally where else could a Sunline owner get another Sunline owner to perform a "colonoscopy" on their rig ?????? We really should of had pictures for that.

Location, amenities are part of the Rally, but the friendships are "PRICELESS"

Kitty

**PTHutch** · 06-14-2011, 09:23 AM

The owners of Buttonwood (Denny & Nancy) have asked if the attendees of this year's M&G would fill out their on-line survey.

You can access the campground survey from their Home page of their site - Buttonwood Campground - toward the bottom of the page, the link to the survey is located just above their address.

The campground's annual rating is based on these surveys.

The Buttonwood Owners also wanted to express a thank-you to all the SOC members that attended this year and are looking forward to us returning again next year.

kanyonkitty · 06-14-2011, 10:09 AM

Just completed the survey, and when I hit submit, I got an error so I will have to try to re-submit later.

264SRinPA · 06-14-2011, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hematite

Actually, I'm surprised that the majority prefer to continue to go to Buttonwood. I've never gone but, aside from the actual get together, there doesn't seem to be much of interest in the immediate area. The pics I've seen seem to show that the sites are very narrow and cramped looking.
I would think that the get together would be held at different campgrounds in different areas to make it more interesting. If the majority are satisfied with Buttonwood, however, then that's fine. If I went there, I might have a different opinion.

It's not about what there is to do in the area, it's about the people that show up. I think almost everyone stayed with the group all weekend. You only get to see most of the people once a year, so you make the best of your time with them. On Sunday after the majority of the group left is when some went out to explore the area.

As for the campground, the sites might not be the biggest, but it is one of the nicest campgrounds you will see. And the owners and workers are the best. They should be role models of how a campground should be run. They go out of their way to do things for us. You won't get that anywhere else. We spent some time on Monday talking to Nancy, and they truly enjoy having our group there.

Holly · 06-15-2011, 06:45 PM

Nice job Pam!!! Hope