Dear Krishnabhakthas,
This update provides information on items to
be brought with you for stay in the Racoon Creek State Park.
The cabins have cots but
no mattresses or
no
beddings or
no linens. The cots
are of two types, one with springs and the other with flat surface with no
springs. The cots of these two types are evenly distributed in all the
cabins in our
site. We are advised by the camp officials that flattened card board
boxes
are needed to put on top of the springs in the cots to provide an even
surface
upon which sleeping bags or comforters can be spread for sleeping. Without
this
flat surface, the cots with the springs can not be used for sleeping.
Hence,
please bring with you sufficient flat card-boards to cover typical cot area
of
about 7 feet by 3 feet. Even if the card-boards are of small size, they can
be
tapped together in the cabin to cover the top surface of the cot. Hence,
please
bring the tapes too. Every day, card-board boxes are disposed by grocery
stores etc in your towns
and it should be easy to collect enough card board boxes and bring with you
the
flat card-board sheets needed for the cots with springs.
You need to
bring your
own beddings, pillows, linens, towels etc.
Please note that the cabins, and none of the buildings have space heating or
ceiling fans. Please bring with you electrical space heaters or portable
electrical fans if you need them. All the cabins and the buildings have
electricity with numerous electrical out-lets. Weather forecasts at the camp
are available in the internet home-site for this state park, please upraise
yourself of the weather conditions and accordingly bring cloths for warm and
cold
periods through out your stay.
Hot water is available in the bath rooms for showers.
While there are sufficient electrical lamps inside the buildings, there may
not be enough lights in the out side areas and it may be dark after Sun-set.
Please bring flash lights
with you for moving around the site for your selves and
your children. Please also bring with you any first-aid items you or your
children may need, including medicines for bug bites etc.
Please bring mosquito repellent.
There is plenty of cold storage facility in the kitchen and a refrigerator
in one of the cabins if any of your medicines or items require
refrigeration. We are fortunate to have a physician (Dr. Nagaraj Kotekal)
with us at the camp. He is also going to carry some emergency / first-aid
medicines.
Grocery stores are available within easy drive from our camp site, one or
two even within the park itself.
This is the second time, we are organizing our gathering in a natural
setting in a camping area and hence we ourselves are in a learning mode.
Hence, please
use your own commonsense and judgment to prepare yourselves and your
families
for having a good, safe and fun times together with all of us.
We will provide updates regularly as we move closer to our gathering. Your
cooperation is utmost needed in letting us know your approximate arrival
date/time to plan for food etc and for providing the head-count to the park
officials. It is mandatory for us to provide the list of the names and
addresses of all participants to the park office on the first day of our
camp which is
Sep 2nd. Hence, please let me know your name, how many adults and children,
addresses and tel nos, expected date and time of arrival (mail to
srinivasans@cox.net). Please provide age
of children which will help organizing children's activities.
The park has many Group Camp Areas. We are
going to be in Group Camp #2 . This Group Camp # 2 consists of 4 Clusters
of Private Cabins. We have all these 4 Clusters of Cabins to ourselves.
Each cluster in turn has 8 cabins and a wash room. Out of these 8
cabins, six cabins contain four beds in each and the other two cabins
contain 2 beds each. In total we have about 35 Private Cabins. Each cabin
can accomodate 4 people. So each family can have their "own" cabin. Apart
from this there is a community area containing central kitchen and dining
and recreational area.
There is a small walk (100 ft) to the
washroom from cabins.
So please bring flash lights.
Wash rooms contain flush toilet, hot shower and many sinks
Info on Racoon Creek State Park:
In an Emergency:
In an emergency, contact a park employee or call 911.
Look for directions to the nearest hospital at the park office or on
bulletin boards.
Nearest Hospital:
Aliquippa Community Hospital
2500 Hospital Drive
Aliquippa, PA 15001
724-857-1212
For More Information Contact
Raccoon Creek State Park
3000 State Route 18
Hookstown, PA 15050-9416
724-899-2200
Expenses are covered by Volunteer donations.
Please pick up the map & directions to Group Camp # 2 from Ranger's
office.
saatiyunte Srinivaasana dhaasa kootadha mElake,
G.V. Srinivasan (860-432-2629)
(Bindu Madhavan is on business travel and will be back on Aug. 31st)