I am a lifetime camper and Girl Scout leader for my daughters through all levels, as well as national scout board member.  When I married my husband, his idea of camping was staying at a Motel 6 rather than the Hilton!  However, we have enjoyed many years of camping in Oklahoma, starting in a pop-up and progressing to a 30 ft trailer.

I worked as a registered nurse and my husband as a CPA and were able to arrange our schedules to allow 5 days of camping a month. Each trip, we would seek out an opportunity to talk with the park attendants and became convinced that that was our retirement dream.

Our friends thought we wanted to escape into the witness protection program!  We were not deterred and have subscribed to your magazine for many years, eagerly reading each issue and dreaming of the possibilities ahead upon retirement.

However, a big house and big expenses kept us tied to our jobs well beyond retirement age.  At 70, I was still walking the halls as a geriatric/psychiatric nurse.  If the patient dropped something, I would ask them, "Can you get that because I can't!?"

Fate intervened and produced a ready buyer for our house!  We then bought a 40' RV, a truck, sold our cars, trailer and turned to your magazine to find a job.  We knew we did not want to retire but, rather, trade our patients and clients for campers and unlimited opportunities.

I spent 2 days pouring through your magazines.  We had always admired the USACE campgrounds and felt that was our future.  I cold-called the ranger at Dale Hollow Dam Campground in Celina, Tennessee, not having any idea where it was or how it was, based on ads in Workamper  News magazine.

Low and behold, she encouraged us to apply for park attendant positions in her district and sent us links to do so.  We applied, completed all necessary forms and within 10 days received the call offering us our choice of attendant jobs at 4 district campgrounds in Tennessee!

Sight unseen, full of enthusiasm, we set off for your Workamper Rendezvous event in Heber Springs on our way to Tennessee!  We were accompanied by our standard poodle and babysitter companion cat. That was 3 years ago now and we are completing the third year of a 4-year renewable contract. We have loved every minute of our full-time RV lifestyle!

At the first attendant/volunteer/ranger meeting, I sat next to a ranger to whom I gushed to about how special we felt to have been chosen as attendants.  He leaned over and said, "You know you were the only ones bidding, don't you?"

Ego aside, we have loved our job and have encouraged 2 other camping couples who were about to retire to apply to the Corps and do what we are doing!  They both have taken our advice, have attended your rallies, and been hired as attendants at surrounding parks!  What fun!!

I just had to share our story and the part you played helping us fulfill our dream job!

- Workampers Kay and Wally G.