Former Governor Discusses New Book At Madison Family Reunion
After two terms as the governor of Maine, Angus King packed up his wife and kids in their Newmar Dutch Star motorhome and set out on a five-and-a-half-month journey to see the United States. In his new book, Governor’s Travels: How I Left Politics, Learned to Back Up a Bus, and Found America ($16.95, Down East Books), Mr. King takes readers through the family’s adventure, describing the places they went and the people they met along the way.
Mr. King served as governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003. While in office, he oversaw the largest increase of lands in conservation in Maine’s history. It was also during that time that he discovered the joy of RV travel. He spoke at FMCA’s 2000 summer international convention in Brunswick, Maine. The day after he left office, he and his family loaded up the motorhome and began traveling south. They had no particular destination, only a clear intention to discover America as a family.
In addition to the entertaining travelogue, Mr. King reflects on his transition from public office to private life, and provides helpful information about selecting the right RV, a daily pretravel checklist, and tips for handling a large vehicle on the road.
Mr. King will be at FMCA’s Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase in Madison, Wisconsin, where he will present a seminar on Thursday, August 11, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., showing photos from the trip and describing the various troubles and triumphs the family encountered, followed by a question-and-answer period. Immediately after the seminar, he will sign books in the Information Center and chat with convention attendees.
Documents Needed For Border Crossings
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have joined efforts to remind travelers of document requirements for entering both countries.
CBP advises travelers that the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires U.S. and Canadian citizens age 16 and older to present a valid, acceptable travel document that denotes both identity and citizenship when entering the United States by land or sea. U.S. and Canadian citizens under age 16 may present a birth certificate or alternative proof of citizenship when entering by land or sea.
WHTI-compliant documents for entry into the United States at land and sea ports include U.S. or Canadian passports; a Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST/EXPRES); a U.S. passport card; or a state- or province-issued enhanced driver’s license (when and where available). For more information, visit the WHTI Web site, www.GetYouHome.gov.
A radio frequency identification-enabled travel document, such as a U.S. passport card, an enhanced drivers license/enhanced identification card, or a Trusted Traveler Program card, expedites entry and makes crossing the border more efficient.
Other programs that facilitate the entry process for international travelers coming into the United States to visit, study, or conduct legitimate business include Trusted Traveler programs such as SENTRI, NEXUS, and Global Entry. For more information about these programs, visit www.cbp.gov.
The CBSA reminds travelers that Canadian entry requirements have not changed as a result of the U.S. WHTI. Canadians returning home (including children) are encouraged to carry proper identification to assist in confirming their legal right to enter Canada. A passport is not mandatory for entry into Canada, but it is a preferable piece of identification. Other acceptable identification includes an enhanced driver’s license; a birth certificate with an accompanying photo ID such as a regular driver’s license; a permanent residence card; a citizenship card; a certificate of Indian Status or a NEXUS card; or a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card when traveling by land or boat.
U.S. citizens do not need to carry a passport to enter Canada. However, they should carry proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate) as well as photo identification. Also, they need a valid travel document when returning home.
Canadians returning home and visitors to Canada are reminded that they can plan their border crossing to avoid peak times, and that they should check Canada-bound border wait times at www.cbsa.gc.ca and on Twitter.
Jellystone Park Camp Resorts Now Include Environmental Education
Kids across the country will have a chance to hear how they can become better stewards of the environment while camping at Jellystone Park Camp Resorts. The Milford, Ohio-based family campground chain became the first campground organization in the country to join Leave No Trace (LNT), a Boulder, Colorado-based nonprofit organization that develops educational programs designed to help children and adults take better care of the environment.
“Our franchisees attended training sessions with Leave No Trace earlier this year, and many of them are now incorporating LNT’s nature-based educational programs into their weekend activity schedules,” said Michele Wisher, director of marketing for Leisure Systems Inc., which franchises Jellystone Parks.
The Lake Monroe Jellystone Park in Bloomington, Indiana, was one of the first to implement the program, and it’s become a popular addition, said Cheryl Smith, the park’s general manager.
Young children typically participate in age-appropriate discussions about the importance of recycling and taking care of the environment. “That’s when they learn how long it takes for different things to decompose in the natural environment,” Ms. Smith said, while classes in environmental ethics are offered to teenagers. “In the environmental ethics class, teens learn about the erosion that takes place when they take shortcuts on hiking trails or the lasting damage that occurs when they carve their names in trees or leave trash behind,” she added. “The whole point of this effort is to raise awareness about things we can do to lessen our negative impact on our natural surroundings.”
Other activities include crafts classes in which children use recycled materials; garden activities in which children plant various trees and shrubs in the campground; and short educational videos, which parks can show before their regular nighttime movies.
For more information about Jellystone Park Camp Resorts, visit www.campjellystone.com.