Parks Marketing

Weddings-Wilderness Road Style

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Wilderness Road State Park is about as far as you can go in Virginia without leaving the State. But I can tell you it is well worth the ride, with a reproduction of Martin's Station, a supply fort for many before heading out West into hostile territory. Period actors work their crafts in front of you just as they would have in the 1700's. Park Manager Jon Tustin and his staff have worked very hard to now offer a first rate facility for weddings and receptions. Karlan Mansion built in the 1870's has been restored to some of its' luster of yesteryear. The grounds outside this historic building is a great place for a wedding ceremony with the old Oak trees along the front lawn. Inside there is plenty of room for a nice reception with breathtaking mountain views from the many windows. Best of all, Virginia State Parks remain an affordable family destination.

Nature's Fireworks about to Hit

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Goodbye Old Man Winter, boy you were tough this year. This past week we got a little taste of spring with temperatures in the 60's and low 70's and it sure felt good. Now we are getting some showers and we all know what that will bring, spring flowers. Some of your earliest blooms are starting to pop up and open like the Crocus. For my money though, I like the trees when they explode like a Forth of July show. Shortly the Redbud with its purple petite flowers and the native dogwoods with their white flowers, will bring a showcase of color to Virginia's woods for all to enjoy. In just a few weeks it will become one of the perfect times to get out to a Virginia State Park for a hike, bike ride, go horseback riding, or just go sit in the warm sun. A great park to go to for a real escape to enjoy the trees is Sky Meadow State Park. Although only a short distance from the hustle of Washington D.C., it truly feels like a getaway. Later this spring they will also have their annual Strawberry Festival, yummy! So go visit Park Manager Skinner and the great staff at the park and enjoy the blossoms of spring.

Park Ranger Geoff Hall

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

In a career that has spanned 24 years since I started with Virginia State Parks, I have worked with a lot of great people. One of the nicest people you could ever encounter is a friend of mine named Geoff Hall at Hungry Mother State Park. I hired Geoff as a seasonal employee back in the 1980's. I left the park and transferred to Mason Neck State Park, while Geoff left the park altogether to pursue other goals in life. About 20 years later at an Employee's Fishing Tournament at Kiptopeke State Park, one of our employees looked at me and said, "you don't remember me do you?" Well the name I may had temporally forgot, but that kind voice and smile were unmistakable. Geoff had come back to Hungry Mother and was now a Park Ranger where it all started for him. I manage our customer service program and I can tell you he gets some of the nicest comments from our visitors. I'm talking the above and beyond kind of acts of kindness that just reinforces what I already knew about my old friend. You are one class act Geoff Hall with a big heart to help your fellow man. Next time you are at Hungry Mother State Park in Marion, VA, stop in and see Geoff and tell Tom sent you.

Fight For Your Parks

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

With shrinking budgets across our nation, one of the first things that is thought of to be cut is our parks. What's interesting though, is that these cuts amount to only a tiny portion of the overall budgets' of cities, counties and states and the benefits that we lose when closing a park are in measurable. Think about your childhood and where you went to play; think about some of the tougher times in our life and where you went to clear your head or to have a quiet cry; think about where you took your children to plan on the playground equipment; think about where you took your son to fish for the first time or where you had a family reunion or picnic. I would bet most of your answers were a "park", whether a city, county, state or national park, I would bet we all have gone to one for memorable times in our lives. Today now more than ever we need places to go. In these tough times you may find the answers during a walk in the park, or at least, you had a break from the pressures of life. Our parks are tonics for the mind, body and spirit of America. So when you hear someone talking about closing parks to save money where you live, go ahead and fight!

Soaring with the Eagles

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I just went to check out the "Eagle Cam" that is set up at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens on an active nest. This is really cool and several school groups were checking it out for education. What a great idea. Speaking of great ideas, Virginia State Parks are one of the best interactive classrooms you can go to. Our parks have great environmental educators on site ready to take classes out to learn, or perform interpretive programs for visitors. There are several parks along the Bay that have active Bald Eagle nests and large populations to view. While working at Mason Neck I had the luck of doing an Eagle count from a blind as they came off their roost for the night. In about an hours time, I counted 35 Bald Eagles. Wow, what a treat for a bird lover. Mason Neck has a great guided canoe trip up Kane's Creek during parts of the year that will give you a great chance to see this majestic bird up close, along with other wildlife.

Have you Volunteered Lately?

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I just read a story that in the toughest of times, Americans are volunteering at a record rate. Hearing this makes me very proud to be an American. There is something in us that wants to help those less fortunate or just to pitch in and make our community a better place to live in. I myself give a lot of time to the Boy Scouts and community service projects. Virginia State Parks has a great volunteer program and if you wish, you can work in some of the most beautiful places in the State.

Although most volunteers don't do it for rewards, the park system does have great benefits that range from parking passes to a weeks stay in one of their lovely cabins. So now that the weather is getting nice, why don't you think about getting out of the house and going down to your nearest State Park and become a volunteer. Go ahead make a difference, it will feel GOOD!

Helping Wildlife

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I started working for Virginia State Parks in 1986 and in a long career have had the chance to get up close with wildlife and working on enhancing it. I can't even begin to count how many blue bird boxes, wood duck boxes, squirrel boxes, bat boxes and other artificial homes I build in the Park maintenance buildings and then placed into the wild. At York River State Park we had a great bluebird program in which we would go check the boxes and count the young chics. At other parks I helped stock fish, including trout into a river out of a transport truck. In numerous lakes at our parks I participated in recycling Christmas trees as fish structure. There have been times I rescued wildlife, like a red-tailed hawk hit by a car that a took to the vet. There was one time I even captured a baby Emu running down the road and returned it to a neighbor that was raising it. I have also gotten the chance to work with many reptiles in interpretive programs. I also got to work on controlled deer hunts to help over an overpopulated herd. I guess my Recreation and Wildlife Management Degree has come in handy through the years.

Don't Have a Camping Trailer?

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I've done a lot of tent camping in my days and still do, but every now and then I want the camping experience without the tent camping part. Kiptopeke State Park on the Eastern Shore of Virginia has the solution for you. This beautiful park on the Chesapeake Bay offers 28 foot Prowler Camping Trailers for rent. They are already set up for you on site and have a shower, bathroom, kitchen, and even has the hookup for satelite television if you bring your own t.v.. Outside the unit is a picnic table and fire ring to grill our or have an evening campfire with the kids. If you are looking for an upgrade from this, about 20 parks, including Kiptopeke, offer delux cabins. The variety of cabins the Virginia State Parks offer is amazing, accommodating from 2-18 people. If you are looking to go on the road for a vacation, check out places like Roadtrip Rentals. Places like this will rent you a camper that you can then pull to your favorite Virginia State Park. Either way you go, you can't go wrong when you spend some time in our award winning park system.

Boy Scouts and Virginia State Parks

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I use my vast knowledge of Virginia State Parks that I acquired since I started in 1986, to take Troop 340 out for fun and to learn about the great outdoors. I have taken the boys to several parks, but no trip compared to last May at Douthat State Park. Things started off good with a great campfire breakfast on Saturday morning, followed by a visit to the park's annual car show. Next came some fishing time so they could get their fishing merit badge, but it turned out I was the only one to catch fish. We then took a great hike up the mountain to Blue Suck Falls. The hike up there was beautiful and it helped get some of that energy out of the boys. It was at the top that the memorable moments of the trip began. One of the boys twisted his ankle and we had to carry him the whole way down, with looming thunderstorms developing rapidly. Upon return to campsite the skies opened up and some of the heaviest rain I ever saw fell in buckets for hours. Dinner on the fire was canceled and we fed the boys in shifts under a dining fly on a camp stove. In the middle of this incredible storm, one of the boys ran smack dab into a tree nearly knocking him out. Also, one of the tents became saturated with all the gear in them. The 3 boys from that tent ended up sleeping in one of the vehicles that night. It was nice to get home to my own bed and dry clothes, but it is wonderful trips like this that none of us will ever forget. If you have a Boy Scout or Girl Scout Troop, I strongly suggest utilizing a State Park for your next outing. They are affordable, safe and FUN!

Connecting Children with Nature

Friday, March 5, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Technology has been great in many ways, for instance I'm using it this very moment to communicate to an entire audience of people I don't really know. There are so many cool games and interactive video games. There is a down side to all of this electronic fun, a disconnect of our children with the great outdoors. Do you remember growing up and going to the park with the family, or playing stick ball in the street, chasing lightening bugs, riding bikes, playing kick the can, camping, fishing, swimming or so many other great outdoor things? Virginia State Parks would like to connect your kids with those same things you had the chance to experience growing up. For the first time in our history our kids life span will be shorter than their parents. This is due in part to childhood diseases brought on by spending too much time indoors with technology and not enough time in the great outdoors. Don't let your children fall into the this trap, as the weather gets better get them outdoors. I think you'll both find something special.

First Rate Customer Service

Friday, March 5, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I just came from a meeting with a representative from Virginia Tourism that teaches customer service to all kinds of businesses and government agencies. During her travels she stays in a vast variety of lodging and visits so many different places. So when she said, "...in all my travels I have never found any business that cares more about their customers than Virginia State Parks...", that meant a lot. Having worked for Virginia State Parks for nearly 24 years, I can tell you the level of dedication of our employees is second to none. Our staff is on a mission to make special memories for each and every person that visits a State Park. I may be a little bias in my opinion, so it was nice to hear it from one of the experts. I hope you will give us a chance to show you why we were voted, The Best Managed State Park System in the Nation. Call 1-800-933-PARK to make a reservation in a deluxe cabin or campsite.

Occoneechee State Park

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I recently visited Occonneechee State Park in Clarksville, VA and was "wowed" at the changes that have taken place since I last visited. The park has a beautiful new equestrian campground that includes some nice stables. From the campground riders can go on an enjoyable ride that takes them out to the point of a peninsula on the lake.

If you haven't seen the new cabins at the park, you are in for a treat. They are spectacular with plenty of water views as you rock on the front porch. The park also made several improvements to their amphitheater and is a great place to watch the Jazz Festival, interpretive programs, or even get married with the lake as a backdrop. The staff out there is great, led by WVU alumni Scott Shanklin. Go give Occoneechee a try, whether for an extended vacation or for their annual Native American Festival in May. When you see Scott tell him Tom sent you and you want a Welcome Kit from him. Enjoy your visit!

Camping at Virginia State Parks

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I've been camping at a lot of Virginia State Parks, some by myself, some with a dozen or so Boy Scouts and leaders. There may not be a better experience for connecting with nature, although with a group of Boy Scouts cutting up, you may not see much wildlife. There is something about sleeping in a tent and cooking our meals on an open fire like some of our ancestors did. The stories told around the campfire are often ones we never forget and later share with others at another campfire. And nowadays what would a campfire be without marshmallows or the all out treat of s'mores.

Last year Virginia State Parks sold out Memorial Day and July 4th weekends the earliest they ever had in their 74 year history. And there were many other sold out weekends for various parks throughout the year. So if you aren't thinking camping yet, because there is still a little snow in your backyard, you may want to spend one of these cold evenings with a calendar and pick out some weekends for that trip. Shenandoah River State Park will be a new hot spot for camping when they will be opening a brand new campground later this spring. For reservations for any of the campgrounds with Virginia State Parks, call 1-800-933-PARK. Happy Camping!

One of my favorite hikes!

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Spring has to be close now and as soon as we start having a few days in the 60's and 70's there will be a rush to get out to our great Virginia State Parks. There's a day use park down in the Williamsburg area that has some great multi-use trails. York River State Park has over 25 miles of combined trails that will both challenge and delight horseback riders, mountain bikers, and hikers.

One of my favorite trails there is a hiking only trail called Taskinas Creek Trail. The trail starts in the day use area to the left of the contact station where you pay your parking fee. It drops down and then skirts the edge of the marsh for a while where you get a chance to view both fresh and salt water species of plants as the trail moves back and forth between the two environments. While hiking this trail I have had the chance to see various reptile and amphibian species along with deer, bald eagles, osprey, and so many other species. During the summer months you will also see thousands of fiddler crabs that will scurry away to their protective hole as you get close.

One of my favorite trees in the parks is also on this trail. About 3/4 of a mile in on your left you will see this massive tulip popular tree that looks like it has some type of growth bubbling out of it. I love standing and looking up there. Part of the reason the tree has grown so well, is that there is a natural spring to the right, which even in the driest of summers allowed it to keep drinking. After following along the marsh for a while the trail heads back up and follows a ridge. There are some great views from here and the chance to study the upland woods. The whole hike is a little under 2 miles and offers a geat diversity for the nature lover. Enjoy!

Great Shows!

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

As Marketing Manager for Virginia State Parks, I get to go to a lot of shows during the winter months. My team and I worked Camping and RV Shows, Healthy Lifestyle Shows and Bridal Shows. We met so many great people on the road. Some were old friends that came up to us and said, "...we love the Virginia State Parks and use them all the time." Others were new to the area or never took the time to look us up so we shared some or the reasons why we were voted, "America's Best Managed State Park System." And then there were a few that tried us about 20 years ago and thought we never improved anything in all these years, and thus, we had to let them know over $200 million in improvements have gone into our parks in the past 2 decades. No matter what the circumstance, my job is easy because I have one of the easiest things to sell in life, memories at a Virginia State Park. Why don't you make plans today for your next memories by calling 1-800-933-PARK and plan a vacation in our cabins, campsites or just plan a series of day trips to get out and breath some good fresh air.

Time for Fishing

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Almost all Virginia State Parks have some sort of body of water associated with them. From small creeks that you can hop across with native brook trout at Grayson Highlands State Park, to the awesome Chesapeake Bay at Kiptopeke State Park, anglers can find their favorite spot for fishing various species. This year DCR/Virginia State Parks, DGIF, Virginia Tourism and numerous County tourism agencies, have teamed up and launched, Fish Virginia First. This effort is to promote a fishing trail through SW Virginia, which includes 20 of our State Parks. The interactive website will help you plan a trip based on species, location, or body of water and will also help with lodging, activites for the family in the area and even fishing tips. At the end of the month a fishing show will be filmed to air on one of the sports networks to promote this area and the quality fishing. Good weather is on the way, so get out and go fishing!

The Perfect Getaway!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

This past weekend I went to Douthat State Park and stayed in one of the original CCC log cabins built in the 1930's. This is an annual winter trip for me and my family as we use this as a home base for skiing in the area. Mother Nature cooperated for our trip by giving us a fresh foot of snow on Friday night into Saturday. There is always something special about staying in a cabin at one of our parks, but when the woods are a beautiful quiet white from a fresh snow and a fire crackles in the stone fireplace while family shares conversation and plays board games, the stay becomes "perfect".

I love the quiet time at our State Parks during this time of the year, but now is also the time to plan for spring, summer and fall. Both camping and cabin use has been in high demand and often sold out early during certain times of the year. Last year our park system set record attendance as families rediscovered what an affordable and fun family vacation awaits them at our parks. Our parks take reservations up to 11 months in advance, so don't wait until it is too late, especially for the Holiday weekends.

It's Showtime!

Thursday, January 21, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Virginia State Parks kicked off the promotional show season with the Washington Camping and RV Show (Jan. 15-17) at the Dulles Expo Center. We had a lot of visitors to the State Parks' booth throughout the show. Many picked up the latest information on our parks with a show special 15% off their next camping reservation. There were also some great promotional giveaway items. We would like to congratulate Richard Weeks of Hollywood, Maryland whose name was drawn from hundreds of entries to win 2 FREE NIGHTS OF CAMPING. There will be more great giveaways at upcoming shows, so I hope you will stop by our booth and say hi and let us tell you about all the great things happening at our parks.

SHOW SCHEDULE

-Jan. 22-24, Tidewater Camping/RV Show in Virginia Beach

-Jan. 31, Kingsport Bridal Show

-Feb. 6, Healthy Lifestyle Expo, Richmond

-Feb. 12-14, Richmond Camping/RV Show

-Feb. 21, Roanoke Valley Bridal Show

-Feb. 26-28, Raleigh (NC) Camping/RV Show

-April 16-18, Richmond Southern Women's Show

So You Want To Be A Park Ranger Chapter 9

Friday, December 25, 2009 by Tom Cervenak

Ed Note: Readers you are in for a treat as Tom Cervenak, Visitor Services and Marketing Manager for Virginia State Parks, weaves the story of how he came to work for parks and what his career has been like. This series will run nine chapters, with many of them split into two parts. This is the last part.

Chapter 9 Top Ten Highlights of My Career

One of my graduating classes of Junior Rangers

10) Getting my first permanent job as a Chief Ranger at Douthat State Park.

9)   Being promoted to Park Manager at York River and running my own park.

8)   Catching a baby Emu (it was about 3 feet tall) running down the road at York River State Park. It turned out to be the neighbors and escaped out of a pen.

7)   Working with the mentally challenged in Cleveland and again in helping with Special Olympics while at Fairy Stone State Park. Mentally challenged adults take changes hard and I remember my first week on the job at Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation. I was cussed out by my crew non-stop, called every name in the book and they wouldn’t work for me. My last day on the job, 6 months later, they were all crying and begging me not to leave. The experiences were so humbling and I felt like I made a difference in their quality of life.

                               2nd Grade was great in Cleveland, the second time around!

6)   Saving a hunter's life who had fallen out of a deer stand and broke his pelvis in 8 places and was going into shock. My quick action and the help of a great staff stabilized him before having him air lifted. It turned out he was one of our volunteers at York River State Park, it was nice to pay him back for all he did for the park.

5)   Working with school children during many programs. To see their eyes open wide as their minds say, "wow" always felt good.

4)   Seeing “kids” I hired as seasonal workers, listen and learn and then watch them become Chief Rangers, Assistant Managers, Managers and Directors of other park systems. Sort of like raising your own children, you give them the best you got and hope they use it.

3)   Gaining a second family made up of Park Employees. Wherever I worked I tried to make it more than just “work.” I tried to create a family-like atmosphere and had picnics, softball games, volleyball games, canoe trips, I even sat in a dunking booth and let my employees take their frustrations out and try to knock me in. Laughter and a smile are great gifts I gave away and I think in my career I was rewarded with a great return on my investment.

2)   Knowing my Mom and Dad are proud of me. I think they have been down to visit me every year of my career in Virginia. And it seams whenever I went home throughout my career and met one of their friends, I was greeted usually by, “Oh the PARK RANGER in Virginia.” So I know they were bragging about me.

1) Several years back I surprised my nephew in Cleveland and went to his second grade class to do “special guest speaker” day. I was decked out in full Virginia State Park Ranger uniform and went in front of the class and the teacher said, “who would like to introduce our guest?” And there was silence…Again she said, “Who knows this speaker and would like to introduce him to the class?” More silence. I’m looking right at my nephew and he had this look on his face that said, I think it is Uncle Tom, but if it’s not, I’m going to look foolish in front of my friends. I thought for a moment the teacher was going to call security and remove me, but I finally said my nephew's name and he ran up and hugged me. I received a lot of very nice thank you letters from that class that I keep to this day in my office. On my wall by my desk is the one from my nephew that says, “…sorry I didn’t know you for a moment…” The trip up there, the interaction with the children, the letters of appreciation, and my wonderful nephew’s reaction, all make up my favorite memory of a long career.

As Park Manager at York River SP.
The Yellow Papers on the wall are letters
from my nephew's 2nd great class.

Mom must have snapped this shot of me: my nephew Chris, my niece Lisa and
my dad, taken at York River State Park.

So You Want To Be A Park Ranger Chapter 8

Thursday, December 24, 2009 by Tom Cervenak

In the dunking booth at Hungry Mother letting the staff take a shot at their boss

If you want to be a Park Ranger, here are my 10 Points to Success!

10)   Find a school that matches your goals. Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio even has a Park Ranger Certification Program now.

9)   Get experience, whether it is as a volunteer or seasonal position.

8)   Don’t be afraid to get dirty, it’s educational and fun!

7)   Don’t be afraid to leave home to find the job of your dreams, besides Mom and Dad likely won’t mind. The pay may not be great, but depending on the job, several park systems provide some free or low cost housing for seasonal and permanent workers.

6)   Make sure early in life you’re happy with nature and people. Remember you are going to do it 40+ hours a week for the rest of your employment life, so you better like it.

5) Never burn any bridges as you sometimes go full circle in careers and in life.

4)   Show up each day with passion. Understand people come to parks for many reasons and through your actions you can literally change their lives for the better.

3)    Have a sense of humor. Things happen that are out of your control and you can get frustrated, or you can pause, laugh about it, fix the problem and move on.

2)   Stop and smell the roses, or in this case, as a Park Ranger, take the time to look around at how lucky you are each and every day. Your riches may not be in your bank account, but what a great job with so many special benefits. I wish I had a $1 for every time someone said, "I wish I had your job," and you know, they were right.

1)    Hopefully you have the support and influence of great grandparents, parents, sisters, friends, girlfriend (in my case) and college roommates that never give up on you and are there to pick you up when you’re down and let you live in their house until you have your own!