Make yourself at home
When the clock struck midnight on Thursday, 26 March, it signalled an end to all camping plans for the foreseeable future. This was when lockdown came into effect as a precautionary measure against the COVID-19 pandemic: staying at home would be our fate.
As we know, Easter and the December holidays are the busiest times on the camping calendar. But this year, resorts lost all their bookings at a time when they are usually crowded. Gatherings were also prohibited, something that affects thousands of campers.
One such event that had to be cancelled was the annual President’s rally of the South African Caravan Association (SACA) which always takes place during this period. But members were reluctant to cancel it completely, and the association decided that even if they could no longer attend the rally at the Klipdraai Caravan Park in Meyerton, they would still camp: everybody in their own backyard.
And so the rally gained momentum. As the entire world has tuned into Zoom, Teams and FaceTime for virtual meetings, this gathering came alive online as everyone chatted, shared photos and, yes, held meetings as well.
SACA national vice-president Niël Goslett tells us more…
“WE EXPECTED AROUND 200 caravans at our annual President’s camp this year, but the lockdown put those plans on hold. Some of our members were unhappy about this – it was not only the rally that was cancelled, but also the accompanying camping programme for other regions across the country.
Even though we weren’t allowed to go camping, we decided to find a way to continue our activities. We used social media at regional and national level to communicate.
Our main concern was for our senior members living in seclusion. But their parental instincts had kicked in, as they were worried about the younger generation.
While there was still such uncertainty about what to do next, Chris Joubert of the Kiepersol region in Gauteng came up with a bright idea: how about a virtual camp, right at home?
The proposal spread like wildfire, and members quickly announced they wanted to join the virtual camp. And so the Corona Camp Experience was born.
USUALLY, WE CREATE special discs for campers attending a specific camp, and it wasn’t long before campers wanted to know what would be happening with those. We had a special one made, and you could order yours for a small fee – plus photographic evidence that the member did indeed camp at home in that time.
The national rally then took place, and there was plenty of evidence of members who camped. They were also encouraged to name their ‘campsites’: names like Carstenshof Resort, Grendel Kamp, Laguna Beach Resort, Sluisfontein, Fanie’s Resort, Koorsboom
