• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

For Those who camp at Friendship Take Heed!

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Just a quick question; what type of governance (Leadership) develops a very inclusive legal document, reviews it for content and accuracy (presumably), approves it and then distributes it to membership /public, only to (rather quickly) re- develop a new legal document to replace the recently reviewed, approved, passed and distributed legal document?
Sounds rather amateurish of “Leadership” to this NMLRA member.
Our government comes to mind.
 
Literally haven't been to Friendship in nearly 50 years, but it's on my bucket list for this year. Have management talked into at least a few days, but honestly, after reading just the pages posted earlier, it may not happen. Have no problem signing a waiver. Reading between the lines and what others've posted, well, some things seem a bit odd and troubling for a first-time visit. But ..if it's bad, we can always hook back up and leave as we've done on past trips elsewhere.

Sure hope this year's event turn out well.
 
I personally see no problem with the $800. Here are a few examples of why I say that.
  1. Camp Hatteras RV Campground and Resort; Waves, North Carolina — $43-$45 from January through mid-March, $65-$75 for late March through late May, $81-$110 for late May through early September, $63-$75 for early September through late November, and $43-$45 for late November through early December; you’re charged for each child ages six through 18 ($4), each extra adult ($8), each pet ($3), and for cable TV ($3)
  2. Camp Gulf; Destin, Florida — For the upper park site and north upper park, between $65-$85 in winter, $90-$120 in spring, $97-$126 in summer, and $67-$90 in autumn
  3. Oak Grove Resort Campgrounds; Holland, Michigan —For premium sites, $55 in the spring and fall, $60 during the summer, and $65 during the holiday season
  4. Americamps RV Resort; Ashland, Virginia — $40-$50 for a back-in site RV (with 30/50 amp electrical, cable TV, Wi-Fi, sewer pumps, and water pumps), $50-$60 for a pull-thru site RV (with 30/50 amp electrical, cable TV, Wi-Fi, sewer pumps, and water pumps), $55-$69 for a concrete site RV; you also have to pay $3 for each extra passenger you bring
Folks over 50 whose kids are grown and have a good income have no problem with the camp fees. Younger folks with kids or who are not at their peak earning potential will. In the past Friendship was doable for many folks because the membership was large, as were the number of shooters: the cost per participant was lower. Now with fewer members and fewer shooters the cost per participant needs to be higher, which will unfortunately discourage folks of modest means to attend. The prospect of losing paid-in-full fees if unable to attend will keep many away as well because they can't afford to lose the money, or just don't want to get charged for something they won't be using.
 
At many of the rendezvous around the Country, you have to sign a "release of liability"! I don't see what all the fuss is about.
Let me ask you something////Why do you have car vehicle insurance or property insurance!! Take a good look at the liability clause. If an accident is caused or someone gets hurt on your property....guess who is liable. Same-same folks. It really isn't a big deal and has no relationship to being friendly.
 
Last edited:
Hey, I got an idea, let's blame the lawyers!!!!! Oh, wait a minute, they just get paid to do what the BOD tells them they want, duh!
Robby

That’s part of the problem… apparently the BOD wasn’t notified…

I’m pretty sure we sign a wavier when we sign up too shoot anyway, But nothing to this extent.
 
I understand where Robin is coming from on this. Its sad to see what our country has turned into.

I have not seen the agreement he posted about. However, One has to wonder about a possible connection between the agreement and perhaps some insurance company(s). Not saying that is the case here, however, its no secret that insurance companies dictate much of the decision making, as well as restrictions, on most things now days. And why would that be? Lawsuits!

In short...........blood sucking attorneys.

Personally, I would not let that change my decision on participating in the event. And I certainly would not lose $800.00 dollars over it.

Also, it would behoove us to remember that there are many gun grabbers out there that wants to see any form of firearms confiscated. IMO, by not attending the event would reduce participation. We need more participation in shooting sports now more then ever. My thoughts are, don't give them what they want.
I kbow most of us seldom use our sidewalks for taking a walk anymore, so many may not have noticed that due to the dregs camping aon them and impeding foot traffic the use of sidewalks is all but Imposible.
There is however a solution, the ADA, known as the Americans with disabilities act.
only a very few years ago there were many individuals with disabilities making a good living by Sueing businesses and individuals for violating the act.
Thier outrage and lawsuits have completely ceased. the ones now violating their space are not able to pay for their sins. No money from the campers.
I would suggest the disabled sue the authorities for not keeping public asd well as private property traffic areas open for the intended purpose. the poor lawyers have lost a lucrative income source due to the campers, bo ho .
Buzz
 
Folks over 50 whose kids are grown and have a good income have no problem with the camp fees. Younger folks with kids or who are not at their peak earning potential will. In the past Friendship was doable for many folks because the membership was large, as were the number of shooters: the cost per participant was lower. Now with fewer members and fewer shooters the cost per participant needs to be higher, which will unfortunately discourage folks of modest means to attend. The prospect of losing paid-in-full fees if unable to attend will keep many away as well because they can't afford to lose the money, or just don't want to get charged for something they won't be using.
Unc...you about summed it up. In the end are negative consequences....in some regard,s
 
In good times the pinch does not hurt that bad.....In the bad times the pinch is felt much greater. As a poster unc miltie pointed out it depend,s what station in life you are at. For older folks to be able to give the experience to their Grand Kid,s I think would not be affected as much.
 
Can someone explain these camping fees?

The way I read it, it's like $25/$35 a night to camp there:
https://www.nmlra.org/camping
Evidently if you want to leave a camper there year-round it's like $700.

I pay like $110 a month (over $1200 a year) to store my RV here where I live. $700 seems like a pretty good deal?
I have my camping spot with 30/50 amp electric reserved and paid for June and Sept. $270 for 9 nights in June, and $270 for 9 nights in Sept.. The other pricing some have mentioned may be for a permanent spot. Shooter registration is separate and is $50. You also pay for any shooting match you choose to compete in. I have camped and shot there for about 10 years. I hope I can do it for 10 more. Last June the campground was nearly full. Always less in Sept..
 
I understand Robin is unhappy about something he found in the document, but he didn't go into detail. If "release of liability" is the issue, I have to say I'm fine with that. I've camped around the country and attended a lot of rallies with different groups. Liability releases have been pretty standard even though ( or so I've been told...) most of them are so poorly written that they have lttle or no standing in court. As 1950Dave points out, litigation and "waiting for a settlement" has become a way of life for some people. I'd hate to see some Gomer come to Friendship and decide he sees a fat settlement coming if he gets a lawyer off "WhoCanISue.com" and the Association finds itself spending thousands of dollars in court cases. At that point, folks will be coming on here demanding to know why the Association didn't protect itself better. Perhaps someone who has a copy of this document will post it, or provide a link.
If you belong to a sportsman's club your probably going to sign a liability sheet. Not a big deal. Dude making a mountain out of a mole hill.
 
I understand Robin is unhappy about something he found in the document, but he didn't go into detail. If "release of liability" is the issue, I have to say I'm fine with that. I've camped around the country and attended a lot of rallies with different groups. Liability releases have been pretty standard even though ( or so I've been told...) most of them are so poorly written that they have lttle or no standing in court. As 1950Dave points out, litigation and "waiting for a settlement" has become a way of life for some people. I'd hate to see some Gomer come to Friendship and decide he sees a fat settlement coming if he gets a lawyer off "WhoCanISue.com" and the Association finds itself spending thousands of dollars in court cases. At that point, folks will be coming on here demanding to know why the Association didn't protect itself better. Perhaps someone who has a copy of this document will post it, or provide a link.
People are sue happy these days lots of stupid people it's why we need RSOs at a gun range some are inexperienced and can hurt themselves or a bystander. I don't blame them it would cost a pretty penny for the insurance to cover somthing like that
I don't know but maybe somthing happened last time that triggered this.
 
Literally haven't been to Friendship in nearly 50 years, but it's on my bucket list for this year. Have management talked into at least a few days, but honestly, after reading just the pages posted earlier, it may not happen. Have no problem signing a waiver. Reading between the lines and what others've posted, well, some things seem a bit odd and troubling for a first-time visit. But ..if it's bad, we can always hook back up and leave as we've done on past trips elsewhere.

Sure hope this year's event turn out well.
You need to come to Friendship it's a great place I go every year. I'm fortunate I'm 1 and 1/2 hr away I go every year wouldn't miss it. I can buy my barrels from Rice barrels there's lock companies there. Can buy every part I need to build what ever I want.
Don't miss it because of a minor legality.
 
Folks bothered by this have included current and former BOD members, and former president Jeff Cunningham--it isn't all folks who want to destroy the NMLRA. Folks were getting upset over trivial things like the agreement requiring the camper to assume liability for NMLRA's negligence, for example. Or the requirement for $300k in insurance on their campers, and the same in liability insurance for their camping space--and the fact that this required insurance is not obtainable (not "expensive", unobtainable). Or the requirement that you couldn't have any "hazardous materials" (like, you know, propane or other fuel, or GUNPOWDER) in the campsite. Some were bothered by the requirement that all electricity be turned off if the campsite wasn't occupied (so, turn off your AC when you go to shoot).

Nothing "happened" to bring about these changes, they were just something the lawyer came up with after Yazel directed the lawyer to come up with something to limit NMLRA's possible liability. Despite the Bylaws, the BOD didn't approve of the changes (most of them weren't even notified). Yazel can do this because there is no way for the membership to remove him, and the rest of the BOD don't care.
 
Back
Top