Friends for Life

Our first experiences with camping at the Bay Center, Washington KOA has given us a lifetime of friends.
 
This story started back in 2006, when we decided to end our summer vacation at the Bay Center/Willapa Bay KOA in Washington. We had just traveled all the away from Washington to Arizona and back, staying at KOAs along the way with our two grandkids and dogs.
 
We choose the Bay Center/Willapa Bay KOA because of the layout, and they offer clam digging on their private beach and we love steamer clams. However, we had never raked them before.  As we checked in, it was apparent that we were NOT going to be disappointed based on the host and the appearance of the grounds.  As we were getting set up, our dog, Max, seemed to attract lots of attention as he is so friendly and is a "white boxer," which most people don't see too much of. Anyway, it was because of Max that we have made lifetime friends.
 
There was another family camping two sites down from us and they really took to Max and wanted to take pictures with him and love him up. It was at that moment we started a conversation with them. They were the Petersons from Canada.  The Petersons had been there for a few days and were doing quite well on the clam digging.  Not really knowing too much about this, they offered us some of their clams and showed us how to rake them.  The Petersons have been coming to this KOA for several years and love the layout (clams) and hosts as they make everyone feel so welcomed.
 
On the last day or our stay, we went down to the beach that morning to get our last bunch of clams and take them home with us.  The Petersons were already down there raking their clams and we waved to each other.  Both parties knew that today was our last day and, without saying, there was mutual sadness. We finished up with the time we had and went back up to our site to get checked out.  While preparing to leave, I thought I should leave them something at their campsite for their generosity.  I put together a nice thank you note and one of our favorite bottles of Washington wines from Maryhill.  We thanked them for the clams and for being such great people, and left our e-mail address if they wanted to touch base with us again some day.
 
Off we went that day, leaving with lifelong memories of such great people.  It was about a month later when we received an e-mail from the Petersons. They said they were so happy that we left our e-mail that day and that the wine was great!  We started e-mailing back and forth over the next several months and haven't stopped since.
 
Now we make it our annual camp out every June to meet at the KOA and see each other and catch up on good old times, eat lots of clams and drink Washington wines.  They invited us to their place in Canada where we had such a wonderful time. They have become lifetime friends that we can't wait to see each year.  Their two sons, Kyle and Kevin, are the best kids in the world.  My husband, who has been a school teacher for many years, can't believe that parents still raise their kids the way the Petersons have.
 
The camp hosts (Timothy and Kathryn Ahlstrom)know us on a first-name basis and look forward to our annual visits each year. We extended our invitation to another couple last year and all three of us are once again getting together this June.
 
Thank you KOA for such wonderful friends and memories.
 
Jeannie and Tom Schell and dog Max
Amboy, Washington
Very Happy KOA Kampers

This story was submitted by KOA kampers Jeannie, Tom and "Max" Schell.

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