The Dolores River Campground has been unexpectedly busy with COVID refugees this summer, much to the surprise of its owners, but they’re grateful, and they’re adjusting to COVID restrictions.
HI, I'M LAURIE SIGILLITO WITH THE LOCALNEWS NETWORK, AND I'M HERE WITH LAINEY BEYHAM FROM THE DOLORES RIVERCAMPGROUND AS PART OF OUR ROAD TO RECOVERY SERIES. AND I WANTED TOTALK A LITTLE BIT TO LAINEY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THECAMPGROUNDS. AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR FOR YOU GUYS. SOTELL ME WHAT COVID HAS HAPPENED TO YOU GUYS OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TORECOVER AS PART OF THIS SERIES.
THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.SURPRISINGLY, WE'VE BEEN VERY, VERY BUSY AND I SAID, SURPRISINGLY,BECAUSE INITIALLY WHEN COVID HIT, PEOPLE WERE CANCELING THERESERVATIONS. WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE A REALLY SLOW SUMMER, BUTNOW WE'RE REALIZING THAT PEOPLE ARE WANTING TO GET OUT OF THEIRHOUSE. THEY'RE WANTING TO TRAVEL, AND CAMPING IS JUST A GREAT WAY TOSTILL BE SOCIALLY DISTANCE, BUT GET OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND HAVE ALITTLE VACATION. SO I, LIKE A LOT OF OTHER CAMPGROUND OWNERS, HAVEBEEN VERY, VERY BUSY THIS YEAR.
WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. ARE YOUHAVING TO DO ANYTHING TO MAKE YOUR CAMPGROUNDS SAFER OR PUT RULES ANDREGULATIONS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T CONTINUE TO SPREAD COVID?
YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO PER THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT'S GUIDELINES, WE HAVE KEPT OUR REC HALL FACILITY CLOSED.WE CANCELED SOME OF OUR ANNUAL PARTIES LIKE OUR 4TH OF JULYGATHERING, THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND, AND OUR SATURDAY NIGHT ICE CREAMSOCIALS HAVE ALL BEEN CANCELED FOR THIS YEAR. WE'RE ENCOURAGINGGUESTS TO REALLY LIMIT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE RESTROOMS,LAUNDRY ROOMS AND AT A TIME. AND THEN, WE'VE ALWAYS KEPT OURCAMPGROUND IMMACULATE. PEOPLE COMMENT ALL THE TIME AND HOW CLEAN ITIS. SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE VERY CLEAN, WASHING HIGH TOUCH AREAS.SO TRYING TO KEEP IT VERY CLEAN AND WELCOMING FOR ALL GUESTS.
SO,WHAT IS, I WOULD IMAGINE YOUR CAMPGROUND ACTUALLY HAS A PRETTY STRONGECONOMIC IMPACT TO CORTEZ OR, AND DOLORES'S SURROUNDINGS AREAS. DOYOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW MUCH THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO STAY AT YOURCAMPGROUND ACTUALLY GO INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES?
IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY HOW MUCHTHEY'RE SPENDING WHEN THEY'RE HERE. BUT WE DO ENCOURAGE OUR GUESTS TOSHOP AT THE LOCAL SHOPS, DINING AT THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS. AND, AT ANYTIME WE MIGHT HAVE 300 GUESTS ON SITE AND THEY ARE NEEDING GAS,GROCERIES, FOOD, ET. CETERA. SO, DEFINITELY INCREASES THE OVERALLPOPULATION OF DOLORES DURING OUR WHOLE SEASON. SO, YEAH, THAT'S AHUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCHFOR YOUR TIME. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE END, DO YOU HAVEANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS WHO ARE IN THE AREATHAT'S YOU END UP SUPPORTING THROUGH YOUR VISITORS?
WELL, WE JUST APPRECIATE ALL OF OURFELLOW LOCAL BUSINESSES AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE. I KNOW THEY'RE GOINGTHROUGH A LOT TOO, AND WE JUST ENCOURAGE THEM TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP ONKEEPING ON, I KNOW SOME BUSINESSES ARE HURTING. SOME ARE JUST SO MUCHBUSIER BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO DO WHAT WECAN TO HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY,LANEY AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK ANDWE'LL TALK TO ON OUR NEXT ROAD TO RECOVERY SERIES.
