News : A Special Thanks to Campground Hosts

By Scott Bahmann, Rodgers Park Ranger



As a park ranger in a county park, besides law enforcement, I am held accountable for many things during the camping season. This includes mowing, weed trimming, cleaning park facilities, and answering questions from park patrons, not to mention registering campers, supervising seasonal employees, working on large projects, and hosting events. At times it is very overwhelming even with help from our staff. So for the last 16 years, I chose to have a campground host to help offset some of the tasks.



A campground host is a volunteer that resides in the park throughout the camping season. They set an example by being a model camper and obeying all park rules. They are also good housekeepers by taking care of the restrooms, picking up garbage, and cleaning shelters. At times they will even help park staff mow and assist with fundraising events.



When I first started in 1998, I was hired on as the River Park ranger and have had the opportunity to meet some nice campers. Some of these campers even camped at Rodgers Park. Two campers that always stood out to me were Daryl and Pauline Stout.



Daryl and Pauline spent their entire summer utilizing our parks and really enjoying them. They were always a friendly face that I could sit down and talk to after a long day. They always seemed to look after things and let me know if there was any trouble. Instead of having them move after the 14 day maximum stay rule, I asked them if they had any interest in being a campground host at Rodgers Park. We briefly talked about it and they asked what the duties would be. I explained to them that their main job was to keep up with the restrooms and answer any questions that park users may have. They thought it sounded like a great idea and took on the role as the campground host



Since 2004, Daryl and Pauline have helped with many things at the park like cleaning restrooms, picking up garbage, and even answering questions from park patrons. They were always willing to get the job done and showed true ownership in what they did. I was reminded several times to leave the restrooms alone for them to clean. They told me if I was going to be gone they would take care of checking the shelter to make sure it was clean for rentals. They also took it upon themselves to check the fire rings and pull the old registration tags that campers had left behind. Rodgers Park has hosted many fundraisers throughout the years and Daryl and Pauline were always looking for ways to get involved, whether they were just attending the event or lending a helping hand.



After a few years, I added a few new things to their plate like selling ice, firewood, and live bait. All went well until the bait machine stopped working or someone decided they needed firewood or ice at odd hours. Daryl and Pauline were able to overcome these issues by posting their available hours and removing the malfunctioning bait machine.



As the years went by we changed a few things, but this did not change the quality of the work that they did. Benton County Conservation added two yurts and a new shop with public restrooms. What troopers Daryl and Pauline proved to be by yet again jumping in and cleaning the new restrooms and checking on the yurts often. We also added some fundraisers including a golf tournament and a haunted trail during Halloween. During our golf tournament, Pauline would help sell tickets and Daryl would try his hand at golf even though they were not avid golfers. They were truly dedicated to our haunted trail event called “Terror on the Trail.” They donated food items for the concession stand and Pauline would help run it. Daryl would help set up, tear down and even get a few scares in on the trail. They truly had their hands full between these events and keeping up with their other tasks.



Throughout the years they were not only considered a campground host but a part of the family. They attended birthday parties and even went on an occasional fishing outing. Now after 14 years Daryl and Pauline have decided to retire from being a campground host to pursue a life of leisure. They will truly be missed by my family, park patrons, and the Benton County Conservation staff.



Daryl and Pauline, enjoy your retirement and we look forward to seeing you once again as patrons and continued friends in the coming years! 



Also, thank you to the following:

Thank you to the LaGrange family in memory of their parents Jane & Bob. Their
generous donation will help us to restore over 20 acres to native prairie.

Thank you to Sam Overturf for his generous donation, as well as continued
contributions of cans and bottles for our “Nickles for Nature” fund.

Thank you to JoEllen and Jerry Krug for your generous cash
donation to the Benton County Community Foundation.
-The Nature of Things