As we kick off a new season it is with great promise and with great challenges as well.

We are expecting an increase in visitors to our parks this summer as people stay closer to home due to the price of gas and the general state of the economy.  That is great news for us, but also a challenge to our staff and volunteers.

We must dedicate ourselves to provide our increasing numbers of visitors with outstanding customer service so they will want to make a return visit.  And we must do this against the background of a tight state budget that has resulted in smaller staffs at many of our parks.

Yet this is a challenge that we have faced in many recent years and have coped with successfully.  There is no better customer service tool than a smile on the faces of our staff and volunteers as they greet and deal with our visitors.  It does not take any more effort to put a smile on our face even when we are very busy or dealing with a challenging situation.

Many of your friends’ groups have great projects planned for your parks.  We could not do it without you!  And the Ohio State Parks Legacy Foundation presented its second round of grants to friends’ groups helping with some of these projects.

All of us are members of the Ohio State Parks team and I encourage you, our important volunteers and friends’ group members, to have a terrific summer.  Keep that smile on your faces, have fun and that attitude will be shared with our visitors encouraging them to make return visits.

 

Dan West