Campgrounds Continue to Receive Hurricane Evacuees – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
While the Southeast has been battered by a succession of hurricanes in recent weeks, RV parks across the region have been taking in evacuees and, in some cases, serving them hot meals.
One park where hurricane evacuees have found refuge is Twin Lakes Camp Resort in DeFuniak Springs, Fla., according to park co-owner Pat O’Neill.
“Where we are are located in northwest Florida, we experienced no damages whatsoever. We became a haven like many other parks outside the target areas,” O’Neill said. “We filled up for a few days each time and (my wife), Heather, made pots of homemade soups, including Conecuh sausage and bean and bacon/potato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches, for the evacuees.”
O’Neill said evacuees have been very appreciative of his park’s hospitality. “It was well received and guests were very grateful to have a safe and friendly place to (seek safe) haven and make new friends. We even saw old friends rekindle to meet up here for a respite.”
Camp Delta RV Park in Stockton, Ala. offered free campsites to hurricane evacuees, according to a report by WKRG, a CBS affiliate in Mobile, Ala. “If they don’t have a place we will fill up the cabins and then if we run out then we’ll go get a bunch of tents. We’ll find somewhere for them. We are not going to leave them where they don’t have a place to stay,” said park owner Luke Carruth.
Maynor Creek Water Park in Wayne County, Miss. and seven other parks managed by Pat Harrison Waterway District were also said to be welcoming Hurricane Milton evacuees from Florida. “Any of those campsites will allow anyone evacuating because of Hurricane Milton with an RV or tent to stay free,” WDAM, the Channel 7 television station in Moselle, Miss., stated in an Oct. 9 report.
“Pat Harrison (Waterway District) wants to do what they can do, and this is what they can do,” Maynor Creek manager Michael Tarver said. “Just like everybody would like to be able to do more, but most people can’t. They’re in trouble down there. They’re heading out, getting away from this monster. And they come all, they come this way, too. Everybody needs help.”
Hoover Met RV Park in Hoover, Ala. also hosted Florida evacuees fleeing Hurricane Milton, according to an Oct. 9 report by WBRC Channel 6 in Birmingham, Ala.
Some Florida-based RVers fled as far away as the West Omaha / NE Lincoln KOA in Gretna, Neb. To escape Hurricane Milton, according to an Oct. 9 report by WOWT Channel 6 in Omaha.
