Enjoys This Magazine: Wonderful magazine Sheila. I consider this the best informative magazine in Canada, and far better than US publications. Keep up the good work!! – Joe Abrook, Saskatoon, SK

Magazine is So Readable: Have to tell you Sheila that my good friend Ellen (whom I met RV’ing) and I sat up one night until 2:00 in the morning reading articles from your magazine. We had such fun. – Carole J. Farley, Victoria, BC

Addicted to Magazine: I have just sent in my subscription to your magazine - I am addicted to it! LOL!! Today we bought our first travel trailer and can’t wait to start our RV trips with it. – Christine Kobler, By E-Mail

Tire Valves: I have just finished reading the letter called GM/Chev Truck Owners, on page 8 of the May/June Issue, from Murray Jackson regarding his friend’s tire valve problem. I have a 2003 Chevy 3/4 ton pulling a 34-ft 5th wheel. We had just pulled into an RV park and after about 20 minutes we also heard a loud WHOOSH, the right rear tire just let go. It also was from a blown rubber valve stem. We had just come in from a long trip through the mountains. I too have replaced all valve stems for metal ones. – Larry Sawyer, larrybonny@shaw.ca

Re: Expensive Camping Fees: We are somewhat confused over the recent letter to your magazine regarding our fees. (RVT 123 May/June, pg. 13.) The guest in question suggests he was overcharged during his last stay here. We reviewed the ledger to be sure he was not overcharged. In fact, after we reviewed these records we found that our site cost had gone up only $4 during that time. That is not a lot considering we also witnessed fuel cost and other increases we must bear as a business trying to serve travelers who wish to stay in the Seattle area. We reviewed other camping options for a camper with a 38 – 40 motorhome and found the closest comparable campgrounds were in Everett or Issaquah, which are outside of the Seattle area. We encourage guests to call ahead to confirm rates as they can change with the seasons and the holidays. We wish you all safe travels. – Pam Rommel, Assistant Manager, Seattle/Tacoma KOA

Kent, WA

Internet Access: This is a follow-up to a letter called Internet Access for RVers from Berk & Trish Shaw in Issue 123 on page 10. I also have purchased a Sierra wireless service device from Telus this past winter and had great luck with it. It worked great with very few exceptions. We even used it in Mexico though we did find that it only worked in Mexico in and around large cities. Had a few blackout areas in southern California and southern Arizona but we are planning on purchasing the booster and hope that works. It works much better with hotmail addresses than other forms of e-mail such as Incredimail or Outlook, but still lets you connect through Messenger or Aim for talk sessions, usually better than the coverage I get at home in Northern Alberta through my satellite internet on the house. – Judy Souther, judy_souther@hotmail.com

Wells Tire & Auto Care, Shell Station, Wells NV: In the last RV Times, on page 13, Cheryl and Doug Hayden mentioned they had had a very negative experience at this above-mentioned station. We will add our names to the list as so did we and we know of others who did too. Steer clear folks!!! Probably, the best thing to do is start a letter campaign to magazines and websites. At least we can warn people away from him. – Greg & Corky Gregoire, gigigG@shaw.ca

PS: Nice magazine, Sheila!

Heartland Owners’ BC Chapter: I would like to invite all readers of this magazine who own Heartland RV products to join the Heartland Owners’ BC Chapter. There is a forum for Heartland products at www.heartlandowners.org. The BC Heartland Chapter is planning a Rally September 12-14, 2008, place TBA. For further info call 604-946-2701, or you can email me. – Rand Lutman, BC Chapter rep., rblutman@yahoo.com

Whiskey Creek Music Festival: On July 5th this year, the 6th Annual Whiskey Creek Music Festival, A Tribute to the Greats! is at the Coombs BC Rodeo Grounds. Free camping in the rough for Saturday night with paid admission. For more details, we invite you to visit www.whiskeycreekmusicfestival.org.

’72 Vanguard Camper Electrical Hookup? We have had our camper for a few years now and it is in excellent shape. We didn’t have the wiring to hook into the back of our truck until last summer. We bought the 7-point (8?) plus and the wire and I wired it myself. We plugged one end into the camper and one end into our truck and no power. We checked with volt metre and there is power coming from the truck. I’m pretty sure I got the wires correct when I put them onto the plug. They were all labeled. Our truck is 99 Ford 250 Diesel - maybe there is a switch somewhere in the truck? Maybe there are switches of some sort in the camper? Maybe there are fuses in the camper that need to be replaced? – Laura Lamford, Delta, BC

Laura, If you have power at the plug in the truck the problem will be in either the connection to the camper or in the camper. There should be a fuse or circuit breaker on the power wire after it enters the camper. With an older unit there has probably been many changes to the wiring. It may take some time and effort to locate all wiring. You should also check all your ground connections. Quite often wiring problems are the result of bad ground wire connections. – Tom Brackett, Parts Manager Triangle RV, Sidney, BC

Re Power Awnings: In the May/June 2008 Issue on page 39 under the heading of What’s New in RV Parts, Steve Joyce talks about the virtues of A&E power awnings. I have another opinion on this topic and feel anyone considering one needs to look into it very carefully. Our new 2008 Terry 27RLS came equipped with the A&E power awning. Next week the trailer is going back to the dealer to have it removed and a manual one installed. When we bought the trailer we didn’t put a lot of thought into the pros and cons of the power awning and it did look convenient. Once we used it we realized it has some drawbacks, namely, one end cannot be tilted down like manual awnings to allow rainwater to run off. Our awning installation was particularly bad as the slope angle is not steep enough to let rainwater spill over the edge. Also, the least amount of wind causes the awning to flip up. There is no positive support to keep it from doing so. Manual awnings have the upper arm, which stabilizes the awning in a breeze and you also can use flopper stoppers, which can’t be used on power awnings. We found with even a very light wind the power awning had to be rolled up or anchored down. Once it was anchored down, if the wind speed suddenly increases it becomes very difficult to roll it up because you have no control of it like you do with the strap on the manual awning. The third point is that it cannot be lowered to wash. The only way to wash it is to climb up on the roof of the RV. The manual ones can either be lowered enough to reach or by unlatching the legs and swinging them under the RV the awning now lays against the sidewall and you can really give it a good scrubbing. There are power awnings that claim to have a rain-dumping feature. The only problem with this is that it takes a lot of water lying on the awning before the self-dumping activates. Meanwhile the fabric may have stretched. Most people would be pushing the water off with a broom long before they let that amount of weight to build up. The conclusion is this: it doesn’t work in the rain, it doesn’t work in a wind, it can’t be washed, it can’t be lowered for the late afternoon sun. Just how hard is it to put out the good old manual awning anyway? It only takes about three or four minutes. – Lyle McMurdo, safor.lim@gmail.com

Bringing the Beast Out of Storage: Sheila, we love your publication and have kept all hard copies as reading reference material in our trailer. Most recently have saved you to Favourites on the computer. We recently started getting our 2004 Wilderness Advantage fifth wheel ready for the upcoming camping season and have noticed pink anti-freeze stains in both the sink and tub and are wondering what would get rid of them. As well, much to our despair, we stepped on a real soft spot in the kitchen by the pop-out. We’ve only had the trailer for one season. Looking for any advice on how to proceed and estimation of cost and time to fix the problem. – Debbie Madeiros, Via E-mail

Debbie, Anti-freeze stains are very hard to get out. You have to be very careful with scouring RV fixtures as they scratch easily. The stains will tend to fade over time. It is very important to clean up all anti-freeze when the unit is winterized. A soft spot in the floor of a unit may indicate there is rot. If you have a laminated floor there may be glue bond failure. The soft spot should be inspected by a good RV repair shop. It is very difficult to estimate repairs to floors until the unit has been inspected. – Tom Brackett, Parts Manager Triangle RV, Sidney, BC

Ownership Change: I first came to Canada as a nanny in 1991, and soon I loved everything Canadian – the Rockies, the ocean, campfires, the music and blend of cultures (sushi one night, tandoori chicken the next). The family for which I worked owned a small RV rental company at the time, and so began my exposure to the RV industry. In 1994, I first worked at Ambassador RV. While there, I first did everything from vehicle explanations to reservations, estimates, and even the odd fix-it job – a craftswomen of all trades, they said. By 1998 I was ready to take on new challenges. Having recently relocated from Delta to the North Shore, I began my 10-season run at Go West Campers where I lead my team as Front Office and later, Rental Manager, ensuring the Go West’s quality in service and product were always maintained. In 2000, I received the SuperHost Customer Service Award! After leading a 10th successful season at Go West, it was time to move on to new challenges. In the autumn of 2007 I heard of Ambassador’s Bert Ulrich’s retirement, with no one to continue leading the company, so I jumped at the opportunity to become my own boss, to go back to my roots and hopefully, to make a new mark in BC – and Canada’s – growing RV industry. RVT Readers: Please stop by and say Hi! – Jutta Wegener, Ambassador RV Services Ltd., 7973 River Road, Delta, BC

Care of Exterior of New RVs: An article in the spring Issue of RV Technician re Sherwin-Williams’ Automotive Finishes, gave the following tips for the care of the exterior of your new RV, to help keep it looking perfect: During the first 60 days, avoid parking under trees or near ocean salt spray; and do not scrape or brush ice or snow from the unit. Avoid gravel roads. Rinse off anti-freeze or fuel from the window immediately with water. Do not wipe dry. Rinse off bugs and bird droppings with water daily. Avoid commercial vehicle washes. Wash with cold water, out of direct sunlight, using a mild liquid soap. Never use a bristled brush to wash your RV. Do not wipe the RV dry with rough towels. Use either a clean damp natural or synthetic chamois or lint-free micro-fibre towel or chamois. Never use a brush on the painted surface, as this will scratch the finish. Do not wax or polish for the first 60 days. Following these simple precautionary measures will ensure your new finish will give you maximum gloss and durability. – Sheila Tourond, Publisher of The RV Times magazine, RVT PUBLISHING INC., 488-F Bay Street, Victoria, BC V8T 5H2, Sheila@rvtimes.com

Log Cabin-Looking Travel Trailer: My husband and I were watching a TV show that aired on Feb. 5th, 2008. That was the show that was up in Naveree Campgrounds in Florida’s panhandle, and they showed a travel trailer that looked like a log cabin with a nice porch attached to it. My question is can anyone tell me who makes that travel trailer? We would like to get some more information on it. – Pam Kunstman, pmk306@yahoo.com

Fleetwood RV Rally: Sheila, thanks for speaking to us at our Fleetwood RV Rally in Burnaby in May.

What an eye-opener to get a glimpse of the work behind-the-scenes that goes into publishing this magazine!! It was a delightful presentation. – Les & Linda Willey, members of Fleetwood Travelcade Club

20% Cash Rebate Winner: Arbutus RV is very proud to be celebrating 20 years of business on Vancouver Island. Through the generous support of their manufacturers, Arbutus was pleased to present a cheque for $5,575 to the Stigter family of Oyster River, as a 20% Cash Rebate on their Anniversary Event purchase. Congratulations to the over fifty purchasers who received a cash Anniversary Gift from Arbutus RV! – Arbutus RV & Marine Sales Ltd., Vancouver Island, BC, www.arbutusrv.ca

(L-R) Craig Little (Owner), Rose Little (Owner), Shawn Stigter, son Aiden Stigter, Lee Jorgensen (Salesperson), Jenn Stigter, daughter Kayla Stigter, and Jerry Eskes (Branch Manager)

Freightliner Drift: I would like to hear from anyone who has heard of Freightliner drift. I have 1999 Signature motorhome built by Triple E. The quality of motorhome is excellent but if you drive it all the time it drifts back and forth on flat road. I was told it was the position of the air bags. Some truck service places know all about it but others have never heard about it. One man said there was a kit to put on the steering. – Tom Mackie, mimackie@telus.net

Tom, There are several aftermarket steering control systems to help with having to make constant steering corrections. Many of these systems require no drilling and can be easily installed on motorhomes. You would probably be best to have your unit inspected by an alignment shop to ensure your wheels are aligned correctly before you start adding on control systems. I am not aware that moving the air bags would be a fix for tracking issues. – Tom Brackett, Parts Manager Triangle RV, Sidney, BC

Water Pump: I have a 1984 Toyota Dolphin motorhome. It’s just the right size for my wife and me. The problem I have is with the water pump. I can hear it running but I’m not getting any water. I’m thinking, because of its age, the impeller in the pump might be shot. Is this correct? I have searched high and low, yet I cannot find any printed material to give me an access location for the pump. – David Rondeau, Via E-Mail

David, There are rarely any diagrams in RVs giving the location of components. In some cases dealers may have technical drawings for units. The water pump will generally be located close to the fresh water tank. Most times a technician can quickly locate the water pump. You may have to remove an access panel or cupboard backing to get at the pump. – Tom Brackett, Parts Manager Triangle RV, Sidney, BC

RV Batteries: It seems that RVT readers are still confused over how to hook up house batteries and how to figure out the Amp-hour capacity. I hope that this will help to clarify things. You can use 12V deep cycle batteries and 6V golf cart type but just be sure to connect them using heavy battery cables. These cables are available at auto supply stores and RV dealers. The total amp-hour rating of a battery bank is calculated differently for 6V verses 12V batteries. The rule is to double only one item - Voltage or Amps - not both. In other words, if you have two 12V batteries connected in parallel (Diagram 1), the voltage remains at 12V but the Amp/hr rating doubles. If, on the other hand, you have two 6V batteries connected in series (Diagram 2), the Voltage doubles but the Amp/hr stays the same. Think of it this way. If you have two 6-foot guys standing side by side (parallel) they are still only 6 foot tall (Voltage) but can do twice the work (Amp-hours). If they stand on top of each other they are double in height but can only do the work of one. You can connect four 6 Volt batteries into a 12V bank. First make two 12V banks (series) and then parallel the two banks (Diagram 3). In this case the resulting bank would have both parallel and series characteristics. Golf cart batteries can take more abuse than regular 12V deep cycle batteries but they do not necessarily provide more Amp/hrs. I use two of the large 12V deep cycle batteries. They are rated at 115 Amp/hrs each (for a total of 230 Amp/hr). I get about four years out of a set. Make sure you keep the water topped up with distilled water and use a multi-stage charger that will not over charge. Always replace batteries as a set with new ones and never mix different types. When buying new batteries, I make sure the manufacturing dates codes are the same and have the most current date. – Doug Smith, dougsm@utilities.ubc.ca

Paint Cracking: I have a 2000 motorhome. The trouble is the paint on this unit. It has fine hairline cracks in the paint, which is on the fibreglass. Some type of a chemical reaction is going on. This rig was repainted in 2005 and has the same thing happening again. –Roy Roe, Prince George, BC, Rj4506@hotmail.com

Roy, Most times the paint cracking is the result of sun exposure. Dark colours painted on the fibreglass heat up when exposed to the direct sun. The different rates of expansion between the paint and the fibreglass cause cracking. You often see the problem with RVs that are parked facing the same direction when stored. The same problem can occur with decals applied over the fibreglass. If the problem areas are from when the RV is in storage, the use of a good quality cover can protect the finish. It is doubtful that a chemical reaction is taking place. If the proper paints have been used the fibreglass gel coat is impervious to most solvents. – Tom Brackett, Parts Manager Triangle RV, Sidney, BC

Helpful Mechanic: I am presently on a three-State, month-long tour, and had a bearing issue on the rear wheel of my tow car. I would like to acknowledge the help of Hank Patteri of All-Star Auto Inc at 2912 Hwy 2 East in Kalispell Montana. He opened his shop on Saturday of the Memorial Long Weekend to help me out and get me back on the road for the next day. What could have been a very long weekend for me turned into a great experience. – Sandy Wells, Sherwood Park, Alberta, On the road with Button the poodle

RV Travels in Texas: Sheila, we really enjoy your magazine. This is the first time I’ve ever written to an RV magazine but I felt compelled to do it today. We took a trip this January through Arizona, New Mexico and into Texas and re-visited a lot of our favourite places and some we hadn’t been to before and had a wonderful time. We had heard so much about Big Bend, Texas that we planned to go there also, even though it is a long way off the beaten path. We didn’t know exactly when we would get there so no reservations were made (we were three couples in three rigs), so when we got to the Ranger Station where you pay your $20 to enter the park, we were told that the full hook-up RV park was full but there were three other campgrounds that were “open”, so we all drove the 69 miles total to the Park Headquarters/Visitor Center where we saw our first sign. We found out that one campground had length restrictions of 23 feet which left two to choose from. We chose to drive another 20 miles to the Rio Grande campground. We later drove to the Cottonwood site, which would have had enough sites for all of us. The drive through the Rio Grande site was all but futile as open did not mean available as they were all reserved! One of our rigs was having engine trouble and kept stalling and so when we finally found two sites close together (one large enough for two), the camp hosts arrived only to inform us that only one rig could park there. Over and over again she emphasized that we were in the “no generator zone”. Because the one rig was in trouble, we doubled up only until the problem was fixed - then he parked across the street in a small site parallel to the road. During all of this upset, she managed to give one couple only (not us) a list of rules and regulations. The next day we left for three hours sightseeing and because of the 90 degree temperature, my husband took our cooler out of our rig which was facing the sun and placed it way under the rear, on the ground. The cooler only had beer, wine, margarine in a plastic container, celery, cabbage and ice in it. We didn’t even notice the metal container at the campsite and there was no notice on our picnic table like the rest of them. We were not informed about the javelinas and when we got back, there was a notice on our number peg informing us that our cooler had been confiscated by the Park Ranger. He had just picked it up as he drove out as we were driving in! Later on he brought it back and told my husband that that mistake was going to cost us $75!! After presenting us with a “citation” he drove off. As if our predicament wasn’t bad enough, the next day another poor guy accidentally got his right rear wheel off the pavement a little at the RV dump site (which is far too small) and had to jack up the rear end of the rig to lift it off. We found out the next day that he also got a $75 fine - for “driving off-road”!! We all got the distinct impression that none of us was really wanted down there! It is a gorgeous place but I wouldn’t recommend that anyone make the long drive in there when there are so many other magnificent places to visit (especially in Arizona and New Mexico) that are equally as beautiful if not more so. We even bought the $80 park pass so we could see many more in the USA. On a happier note, we had a marvelous trip even though this experience unnerved us all for quite some time. Why a horrible fine when a severe warning would do?? – Pat McGregor, Port Renfrew, BC

PS: I forgot to mention also that apparently the Park Rangers at Big Bend also fine people very heavily for going only slightly over the speed limit of 25 MPH. People warned us about that.

First-Timer’s Driving Experience: After acquiring a motorhome, but having driven nothing much bigger than a Toyota Echo, I was a little concerned about my ability to handle 28 feet of metal traveling along the highway in the company of big-rig trucks. “There’s nothing to it,” those with experience told me. “You just have to watch your back end when you turn a corner,” they added. While these things are true, I felt there must be a whole lot more that they had failed to mention. What about the width, the height, the lack of visibility, my nervousness? They had forgotten to mention those things. As I climbed behind the wheel for the first time, I looked in the side mirror and was convinced the motorhome was closer to 100 feet long rather than the 28 feet they told us it was when we bought it. Shifting into gear, I inched away from our house while I kept my eyes on all of the mirrors. “Don’t worry about the rear-view mirror,” I was told. I inwardly scoffed. ‘Who had ever heard such nonsense?’ I drove slowly, heading towards an area of quiet streets to do my practicing. Block by block I slowly began to gain confidence and an hour later I felt comfortable enough to drive into a garage for gas. It was easier than I had anticipated. I hadn’t broken out into a sweat and nor had I had any near misses. This certainly wasn’t as bad as I had expected when I lay awake thinking about my ‘maiden’ trip the night before. With two hours of experience under my belt, we headed for the open highway on our first trip with me as the driver. We were going to be traveling through mountainous terrain but having always prided myself on taking ‘the bull by the horns’, there was no way those words, ‘I can’t do it’ would ever pass my lips. However, to be on the safe side, another couple followed us for my first experience ‘just in case’ I happened to turn chicken on route. We traveled the Hope Princeton Highway, which is considered to be one of the most difficult roads in the province of British Columbia. I was told when we set off, ‘don’t worry and don’t look down’. I believe they thought those were words to instill confidence in my first-time effort to navigate this highway while driving a motorhome. As we traveled, I kept my eyes on the road; they looked nowhere else. I began to realize as I drove that ‘voices of experience’ are so comfortable that they forget to tell all they learned as new drivers of a motorhome. There were several things I learned in those first few hours that those experienced drivers didn’t think to tell me. * In spite of what I was told, the rear-view mirror is a big help. When vehicles traveled too close behind me, I was able to see the tops of their roofs in the rear-view mirror even if I wasn’t able to see them in my side mirrors; so I was aware that someone was traveling much too closely behind me. * Keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel I found was very important when traveling where big rigs are sharing the road with you. I was surprised to discover that the wind they make as they pass will rock the motorhome. Also, when traveling in open spaces, there is a strong likelihood there will be gusts of wind across the highway and the motorhome could shift quite significantly. * Steer wide when making right-hand turns. * Stay at a speed that is comfortable to you. I felt 90 km/h was a comfortable speed to begin with. (When traveling at a consistent speed, gas consumption is also reduced.) * The small round mirrors on the side mirrors can save your life; they are the ones that will let you know if someone is in your blind spot. Make good use of them. * Try to angle the vehicle when pulling into traffic in order to get the best view possible of approaching traffic. * Stay in the slow lane and don’t feel pressured to go faster than you are comfortable with. When we stopped in Princeton for coffee, our friends told me that if I can drive the Hope-Princeton Highway, I will be able to drive anywhere. I proceeded to our next destination with a lot more confidence than I had when we first began our trip. Once again the words, ‘I can’t do it’ didn’t pass my lips and I was able to do what I initially thought would be even scarier than a trip to the dentist. After several trips, I now feel very comfortable driving our RV. – Sylvia Behnish, Surrey, BC

Helping Others in Mexico: After reading the letter by Cheryl and Doug Haden, (RVT 123 May/June 2008, pg. 16), I have decided to tell my story of helping others in Mexico as experienced by my husband and I. We have spent the last three winters at an RV Resort in La Penita, Nayarit, Mexico. When we left La Penita in the spring of 2007 we were made aware of the fact that many women in that area of Mexico do not have medical coverage for cancer, and are often too poor to afford surgery and/or treatment. We decided to see if we could make a difference for one or more women in this predicament. Throughout the 07/08 season, we sold T-shirts with the La Penita RV Resort logo on them. Along with the T-shirts we sold 50/50 tickets at many functions held throughout the season as well as auctioning several stained glass items that had been donated by a fellow RVer. We made enough money to assist one lady with chemo treatments that would not otherwise have been available to her. We also provided money for transportation for her to travel outside the area for further surgery. With the money we had raised we were able to leave $8,000 pesos, or $800 US with the Jaltemba Foundation. This money is made available for any woman who needs funds for cancer surgery, treatment, transportation and/or accommodation. Just as important to us was our story of helping one family, and in particular one little girl with many needs. This is the story of Sarai, a sixteen-year-old girl who had suffered an aneurism at the age of eleven. The surgery to repair the resulting blood vessel left her with a hole in her head. The three attempts to put plates in to cover the hole were unsuccessful, consequently she was left with a hole in her head about three to four inches across and about an inch and a half deep. The hole is covered with skin and hair. She is paralyzed down her right side, and her right arm and legs are atrophied. She was left without the ability to speak as well. When we met Sarai she had not been out of bed for more than three years due to the fact that the family is extremely poor and had no wheelchair for her. Her only means of entertainment was a small TV set that she watched daily. The home that she lives in with her mom, dad, and younger sister is very small with a cement floor full of holes. For all the obvious poverty, the home was immaculately clean and as well kept as could be. The dad works six to seven days a week for $6 per day, $1 of which went to pay for two diapers a day for Sarai; that was all they could afford. We discovered this family just three short weeks prior to our leaving La Penita to head north and home again. On our first visit to meet the family we took some colouring books, crayons and ‘busy’ books. Apparently Sarai was so excited about the colouring books that she had the family up at four the next morning so she could colour. What we set out to do in the time we had left was quite a task. We asked for donations of food and clothing for the family. This was given to us in spades by the residents of La Penita RV Park. We were also able to come up with a La Fuma lounge chair that enabled mom to get Sarai out of bed for the first time in more than three years. We were given an upright fan to assist with the incredible heat in the home, along with a DVD player. My husband and I purchased a half-dozen movies for Sarai to watch. We also purchased new clothes for Sarai and her mom. Another couple in the park also bought an outfit for the younger daughter along with school supplies. With some of the monies that we had raised we were able to purchase seven months worth of diapers for Sarai along with anti-convulsive and pain meds. We bought shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste – the basics that we all take for granted. We came up with a wheelchair thanks to the local doctor in La Penita, and this was cleaned and made to meet Sarai’s needs. We were able to have some of the workers from La Penita RV Park put in a cement ramp so that the family could get the wheelchair out of the house with ease. The cement for this project was donated by another park resident. To see the smile on Sarai’s face when she came outside for the first time is a sight that I will not soon forget. She is such a beautiful girl. With assistance from colleagues in Special Education back home I was able to get a set of Bliss symbols in Spanish so that Sarai could communicate with her family for the first time. This has proven to be a great success and Sarai can now even say four words, in only three months. According to the local doctor she should also be capable of writing with her left hand, and I believe is able to learn the alphabet and perhaps even to read. To this end I continue to search out resources for Sarai and even hope to be able to return with a laptop computer with educational programs. One group in the park collected $450 that was left with the local storekeeper so that the family could access fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy products. We also informed the local doctor, who has now taken on the care of this family for free, of the Shriners for Children’s programs and suggested that Sarai might be able to get further assistance from this group in Mexico City. As I write this, I was just informed this past week that the paperwork is being done to see if indeed she can get assistance from the Shriners. The changes that we were able to make for this one child and her family, with little money, were profound for them. There are many such families and children in this area of Mexico that can use our help. One of my purposes in writing such a long story is to let others know that they can, as Doug and Cheryl said, make a difference in the lives of families in Mexico with very little. If you are traveling down the coast of Mexico and can bring down clothes, particularly for children and babies, wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, medical supplies, school supplies etc., and need a place to leave them, just stop in at the La Penita RV Resort in La Penita Nayarit, and ask for Carole or for myself. You can be assured that anything you donate will be put to good use by more than one family in the area. We will make it our business to ensure that they go to the most needy. Any and all donations will be gratefully accepted. If you want to help, and are not heading down to Mexico, you can do so via Pay Pal and the Jaltemba Foundation, in care of the “La Penita RV Park Family Fund”. This is a Foundation that was set up by a caring group in the La Penita area, to assist a variety of people in a variety of ways in the community. Please take a minute to check out their website and see for yourself. Go to www.JaltembaFoundation.com, check out their ‘project’ site, read the mission statement and see the funds set up with some of the monies that were raised this past year. There are several good causes like our La Penita RV Park Fund. Donations qualify for tax deductions. A very little goes a long way and can make such a difference in the life of a child as we found with Sarai. What we did cost very little in actual cash, but provided a great deal for this family, particularly for Sarai. There are limits to what you are permitted to take into Mexico. Usually if they are items for “personal use” there is not a problem. – Fred & Faye Hodson, Fred_Hodson@telus.net

Crack in Tub: A bottle was dropped in the tub of our RV and the crack it created was repaired. The tub doesn’t leak but was never sealed properly and has yellowed. Can we fit it? – Jude Herder, jherder@telus.net

Jude, Repair of plastic parts is quite a specialized field. There are some do-it-yourself kits available, however, unless you know exactly what material you are repairing, the patch will not hold. The only way to correct the yellowing problem would be to remove all the old patch and start again. Each repair kit has instructions that have to be followed precisely to ensure the patch holds. – Tom Brackett, Parts Manager Triangle RV Centre, Sidney BC