January « 2018 « Three Quarters & Counting

Lynda Stough reviewed Escapees RV Club — 3 star

April 25, 2017 ·

We joined escapees and made Livingston our home base. We supported Escapees fully, attending the RV boot camp, etc. we stayed here more than once and enjoyed ourselves. However, the last stay will be OUR last stay. We paid by the month. We had a family emergency and had to leave early. We asked that the remaining time we had paid be left on the books for use after emergency was handled. The manager stated no refunds. I understand this. However, after several months stay and our paying several hundred dollars for boot camp and other Escapee products I would have appreciated a bit more compassion. The manager here was rude and confrontational. She followed me out of the office demanding I listen to her AFTER she demanded AND I PAID an addtl $10.00 for utilities after forfeiting 2 weeks of space rental. I replied I no longer chose to continue with her as I had family emergency to deal with. (Additionally, I happened to meet a fellow camper at a local Dr office and he too stated the manager and her husband are routinely rude to him and others). The regular staff Bert and Chris are wonderful! Very helpful. However as the MANAGEMENT display such negativity we will NOT stay (regrettably) at Rainbows End again.

Escapees RV Club

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Escapees RV Club Lynda Stough Are you referring to your stay in December of 2016?

Robert Hill Lynda Stough, This was interesting reading. As a new Escapees RV Club member, I was looking into staying at Rainbow Park in Livingston, TX. After reading this, I certainly have second thoughts. How could such horrible behavior my management be tolerated, especially in a customer service focused business. Having been in a customer service industry for 35 years as a Nurse, that kind of behavior, especially from management is a direct reflection on the company, which in this case certainly reflects very poorly. I can only hope that manager was terminated for such horrendous actions.

Escapees CARE, Inc. The management at Rainbows End changes often. I doubt you would have the same experience. Rainbow’s End is a great park and I hope you come and check them out. I am an Escapees Care resident which is adjacent to Rainbow’s End. People come to our Big Breakfast on Friday and Pancake Breakfast on Saturday between 7:30- 9 am I am sorry for Lynda’s experience, but it’s not always that way.

Lynda Stough There are some very nice and helpful workers in the office. We stayed here repeatedly and were happy. This was circumstance of one bad apple…. we decided to try again unfortunately there are no vacancies this month so we are staying at a different park in the area.

Angela da Rosa Lynda Stough thank you for sharing

Deb Dlugosz Rudeness on management’s part seems to be a common theme there. I have a friend who moved from the Rainbow Park to the Care Center, and even sold her own tiny trailer and used her savings to buy a 5th wheel she could live in there permanently. She had to hire someone to move it. She is in her 80’s and was depending on being where help was available if she ever needed it. She is very health conscious and has clashed with the manager before over the food they serve (much or all of which comes from a local food bank). They had a particularly bad meal lately, and she and others spoke up about how bad the meal was. And the manager told her to get out. Can you imagine being in her predicament at her age, with her savings put into staying and making a home there, no truck to move the 5th wheel, no family to help, no friends there that dare help lest they also get kicked out, and no place to go?

Lynda Stough That’s horrible. I understand the persons that were rude to us have been removed. We are here in Onalaska if your friend needs help. We don’t have truck but we can go over and help her talk with the care personnel. Just PM me and we’ll go from there.

Escapees RV Club Deb & Lynda– thank you for bringing this to our attention! Escapees CARE, Inc. is not managed or operated by Escapees RV Club, but is an independent non-profit managed by a volunteer board of directors. We’re sorry to hear you’ve had such a dissatisfied experience with CARE’s staff and services.
To better address your concern, we suggest you reach out to CARE directly. You can do so via email careinc@escapees.com or by calling them at 936-327-4256.

Lynda Stough Escapees RV Club thank you. I’ve toured the CARE facility and the staff was very nice at that time. We too chose Escapees as our home base planning for the CARE program. Our mailing is there. We had hoped to stay @ Rainbow End and start afresh. Unfortunately you had no room for us. We’re staying in Onalaska for now.

Deb Dlugosz If the Escapee’s Care Center is independent and you folks have no say in what that board does, then you probably shouldn’t put your name on it. I’ll happily reach out to CARE directly, but what good would that do, when they’re the ones who watched it happen and aren’t doing a thing about it? Do the volunteers also live there? Maybe they’re as afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation from the manager as everyone else. This woman is a long time Escapee member who banked her savings on being able to be in a park with your name on it, and now is getting kicked out for speaking her mind, and encouraging others to do the same. That’s just plain not right.

Lynda Stough Deb Dlugosz like I said we’re in the area if your friend wants us to go be with her to talk to admin. We’re glad to.

Deb Dlugosz THANK YOU. I just sent you a PM. It will go into your message “Requests” folder since we aren’t connected.

Escapees RV Club Deb Dlugosz We understand your confusion. Escapees CARE, Inc. was founded by Escapees co-founder Kay Peterson in 1992 with the help of many Escapees members through volunteering time and donating funds. There is a long history of co-operation between the non-profit and our club, but we do not manage them in any way. It is a similar set-up to our SKP Co-ops, which are parks we helped create decades ago but that are managed by independent boards of directors composed of their co-operative’s members. We have shared your feedback with CARE directly, and encourage you to do the same. A resolution to this situation cannot be reached if the conversation does not involve CARE administration and staff.

Deb Dlugosz The conversation has involved them; in fact, they’re the ones who started it. There’s no confusion over who started Escapee’s; by all I’ve heard Kay was a wonderful person. I’d say it’s more misleading than confusing to have your name on the facility without having any ability to oversee it. And I suspect a lot of Escapee’s and other younger RVer’s that donate and volunteer, and may well be considering the facility, wouldn’t expect they could be put out on the street like that. They know exactly who the resident is and how to contact her, but I will relay this so she knows as she further communicates with them. And I do thank you for contacting them.

Lynda Stough Escapees RV Club definitely. We offered to assist resident to hopefully come to an amicable agreement

Russell Thomas Johnson One sided stories are easily misunderstood. Suggest you always contact Escapees CARE, Inc. to understand the circumstances. CARE provides independent living, with assistance for Escapees in RVs. To qualify for admission to the program requires a doctor’s certification, financial information and approval of the Director, Nurse, Business Mgr. and a board member. It also requires signing an agreement to move out in 30 days if the Director, Nurse, and a Board Member believes the Resident needs more services than CARE can provide. The resident referred to above was given such a letter. The letter also included CARE’s offer to pay to move her 5th wheel to any of the four local campgrounds of her choice and to drive her to visit them. While we can not discuss the reasons for the letter, she can share the letter with others. Since our monthly charge of $1000.00 covers cost of the site, all meals, laundry, housekeeping and free local transportation, which said resident does not use, she can save $600/mo by moving. Escapees CARE, Inc.has a long history of helping Escapees and it is sad that some folks wish to denigrate it without visiting us. Between current and former Residents, Volunteers, tour visitors and others over 4,000 positive responses have been recorded. Check out our website for media info. Escapees CARE, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, with its own Board of Directors and is legally and financially separate from the Escapees RV Club.

Lynda Stough Russell Thomas Johnson definitely can’t go on one sided account. Sometimes communications break down. Working together benefits all sides.

Lynda Stough Russell Thomas Johnson on the other hand putting out details of a paying resident’s personal situation is not professional. Additionally we HAVE visited Care and DONATED generously to CARE. Please demonstrate your good faith in this matter when we come to visit. It will be an important step. Thank you in advance.

Deb Dlugosz Surely you’re not insinuating this is because of medical needs? She has none. She is healthy as an ox, and has been an ongoing volunteer, benefactor and cheerleader for your facility, aside from complaining about the food.

Kim Heald Then there is the vindictive, Johnson side to care. No access to 501(c)3 info and board members that have no spines to stand up to him or address concerns… I.e. You can go to a board meeting and speak (if they don’t cancel without notice) but there is no response!

–name removed– Russell Thomas Johnson Interesting… legally and financially separate entities. So, how is it that one or two CARE employees can decide to evict a CARE Resident from property owned by Escapees, Inc.? Things just get curiouser and curiouser around here!

Lorraine Frantz Edwards Advocate, Lynda Stough, and her husband, George, sat with me in Russell Thomas Johnson’s office Wednesday afternoon Nov. 8th. Every effort was explored about possible resolution without eviction. The decision was “set in concrete”; I have to move before Nov. 24th. If I were to take my problem to court, Mr. Johnson said “Go ahead and exhaust your resources; we will win.” ~~ I sincerely appreciate the support—-on-line, on this forum—-for me!! Thanks Deb Dlugosz, Kim Heald, Lynda Stough, and others!!

Angela da Rosa This conversation seriously disappoints me we were looking forward to joining the escapees

Deb Dlugosz It’s a new generation there, not the original founders, that actually seemed to care about people.

Peggy Stone I find this whole thread worrisome as we just joined Escapees.

Lynda Stough Peggy Stone Escapees as an organization is good. There are unfortunate experiences in any sizable community. Many people seem to be very happy and live there permanently.

New comments on January 28, 2018

Russell Thomas Johnson It is unfortunate this thread continues to exist since it does not relate to the excellent benefits of the Escapees RV Club. This thread only relates to Escapees CARE, Inc. a separate, nonprofit that provides needed support for Escapees in need, retired, recovering from operations, or caregivers needing resprite in caring for their loved one (check our website). Sometimes tough decisions have to be made and I am the one responsible, if you feel blame needs to made. The other side of this story is the issue went to court where it was stated in court “the reason for the eviction was, she bullied & threatened her fellow residents”. The court agreed and ordered the eviction. Preceeding this entire process CARE offered to pay all moving costs.

Deb Dlugosz An 82-year-old bully? Really? Wow. Is that on record from the court, or your well paid attorney? I wonder if she had the backing you do, and could have actually afforded to fight you in court, what would have been said? You’re right, it is an unfortunate thread. And it amazes me that while the park is attached to Escapee headquarters, has the name of the Escapees, and is for Escapees, it’s “not” the Escapees. It’s a shame the decision that was made was to not turn it into a personal battle of wills. You can be proud of running a little old lady who kept asking for more nutritional food out.

Lorraine Frantz Edwards In my humble opinion, it was Escapees CARE, Inc. who “bullied & threatened” this resident. People who know me will affirm that isn’t my nature. Nineteen residents signed the Sunday October 15, 2017 sheet of paper stating displeasure with the food. To my knowledge, none of them were asked to move. An old saying “The squeaky gate gets the oil.” In this case, “the squeaky gate” was forced to move. As Deb Dlugosz noted, it was too costly for me to appeal and fight the battle in Court.

Lorraine Frantz Edwards An image of the clipboard and sheet of paper with names of residents who WILLINGLY signed their names. Later, one resident changed her mind and her name, and comment, was redacted.

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Russell Thomas Johnson Perhaps 80 is the new 40 since a case in FL women aged 93;
Dec 15, 2017 · A 93-year-old woman was handcuffed and jailed after refusing to leave a care home she claimed was no longer accepting her rent. Juanita Fitzgerald, from Lake County, Florida, was arrested on Tuesday after she said the National Church Residences’ Franklin House housing community

–name removed– Russell Thomas Johnson YOU were the one who made those statements in court! And you witnessed these threats and bullying yourself, correct? Then you followed up with written “counselling” for Lorraine about these incidents, correct? No. You didn’t. You latched onto heresy that fit your cause, spread it around to others at the CARE Center, then produced the same lies under oath in the courtroom. Same thing you did in another court case, where your presumed position of authority afforded you the respect you do not deserve. YOU are the bully, the intimidator, the liar, the threatener in the facility, and everyone in this community knows it. The regard you believe residents have for you, is nothing more than fear in too many cases. You’re not fooling anyone, Russ, and your attempted “damage control” is only serving to prove your dishonesty. How much more funding and volunteerism are you willing to lose, for the sake of your over-inflated ego??? Maybe you should just shut up, and hope this whole thing gets swept under the rug.

Russell Thomas Johnson Kris, you were not present, in the court when you were in the lunch area, when Loraine’s attorney made the statement about the reason for eviction nor when our two witnesses saw how Lorraine bullied residents who signed a paper to get rid of her (they also saw a man stand up & tell her to get away from him). You were in the courtroom to see about 20 residents supporting CARE to evict Lorraine. Neither I nor any staff member asked them to attend, they simply asked the volunteers to transport them. I did not witness Lorraine’s actions. We have written statements from two different volunteers about that Saturday, corroborated by tearful residents that asked me the following Monday to stop her.

Lynda Stough Russell Thomas Johnson you have the power to make this thread disappear. It was originally started by Escapees. Though you are separate from Escapees you work in coordination with them. Just have it removed. That’s much better than putting personal details out. That really looks inappropriate. Please just stop the fueling. Each time you post it is picked up by yet another new or prospective Escapee and makes it “fresh” again.

–name removed– Russell Thomas Johnson

“… residents who signed a paper to get rid of her…” Nice. That’s how a “silver-haired legislator” speaks about elderly clients? Keep talking, Russ. Keep defending the indefensible with more lies that you solicited by acting the martyr. You’re only succeeding in showing your true colors to those who couldn’t see them from the beginning.

Escapees RV Club Lynda Stough Actually, companies cannot remove reviews from their Facebook pages. It is a policy Facebook has in place to protect against companies skewing their ratings. As such, if you would like to see this thread deleted, it is within your hands to delete your review. We apologize to those who see this as a reflection on Escapees RV Club. As Russell has stated, this thread is about Escapees CARE, Inc., not Escapees RV Club. CARE is a separate non-profit that was founded by Escapees co-founder, Kay Peterson. It carries the Escapees name out of respect for her hard work and the many RVers who have benefited from the short and long-term services provided by CARE.

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Lynda Stough I CAN delete my original reply to you but the rest of this thread will remain. This thread did not start with a CARE issue. It started with an Escapees manager that behaved inappropriately. That manager has since left I’m told. The thread had responses that went from Escapees and branched out to CARE. There has been damage done to CARE reputation by the employee that insists on jumping in and “sharing” personal information about a situation that should be kept confidential. I physically went and met with this individual and after seeing first hand the belittling and threatening behavior of said employee I decided I will NOT be a CARE resident as we had hoped for our future. I actually interjected and told the employee to stop speaking disrespectfully to the client. What a shame. This individual also has reportedly interfered in areas that have resulted in others losing out on sale/purchase of property there in that community. I suggest you have that individual get in here and remove the harmful threads that were posted by that employee. This thread will eventually die out if the person can just keep from interjecting abrasive comments that cause the CARE residents further discomfort. Thank you for letting us know WHY this thread has remained.

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This is NOT the message I planned to publish today (but worth sharing?). I’m utterly exhausted from yard work this past week. Check my blog messages for sketchy description because, frankly, the 82-year-old-lady doesn’t have the strength and energy for heavy-duty yard work. But “old lady” despises the clutter… (and handymen were too expensive).

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Sample of Facebook “behind the scenes” formatting. Trying to copy and paste from Facebook to my blog was mental gymnastics!!

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