As the New Year comes upon us the Coloma/St. Joseph KOA Holiday is celebrating a milestone... 50 years in business of helping make outdoor family memories in Michigan’s Great Southwest! Started in 1974, they were one of the first franchisees of Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA), which has become the largest network of privately-owned and operated campgrounds in the world, with over 500 locations across the United States and Canada. What began as transforming a former blueberry field in rural Hagar Township, has now become one of the best                                                    performing campgrounds in the KOA system, and has resulted in the continuation of a family- owned, small business over five decades, an accomplishment that few companies ever achieve. Mark and Karla Lemoine took the helm in August of 2016, becoming only the second owners of the campground. They purchased the park from Ginter and Ursula Bansen, who were the original owners. Since then, the Lemoines and their team have completed numerous capital improvement projects and expanded their service offerings to become a destination for our popular tourism area. To commemorate their 50 years in service, the Lemoines are announcing that they will donate 50 cents for every night a guest stays with them during the 2024 season to the Care Camps Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds medically supervised pediatric oncology camps. They will also hold a special event during the weekend of August 2-4, 2024, to celebrate along with friends from the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber of Commerce, local dignitaries, family and their guests. Karla Lemoine said, “We have been so honored to positively impact our local community and helping people unplug from their daily lives to enjoy time in God’s beautiful creation with their family and friends.” She adds, “This passion to serve others has also resulted in blessing us with a growing, small business, so we also feel a strong desire to give back to others. One of the ways in which we do that is by supporting Care Camps.” Since 2016, the Lemoines have employed more than 80 individuals providing seasonal work each year from April to October to high-school and college students, retirees and Workkamping couples. In 2022, they hired full-time, year-round managers. Together, they serve an average of 15,000 guests annually from all over the United States, and elsewhere around the world. As the outdoor hospitality industry has grown, so too has the service and amenities at the Coloma/St. Joseph KOA Holiday. As has been widely reported locally over the past eight years, the Lemoines have also heavily reinvested back into the campground by completely renovating their General Store, Café, restrooms, Club House and managers residence. They also added deluxe patio RV sites, rustic-chic Glamping tents, deluxe cabins, and an expanded pool deck, along with updated plumbing, electric and HVAC infrastructure. During the current “off-season,” Mark shared that this past November, they even replaced the original septic tank. Mark said, “Infrastructure projects are an expensive and necessary investment, but they are like changing your underwear. It’s something guests just expect you to do.” He adds while laughing. “For example, they won’t line up to pay more because our sewer system works, but they won’t stay with us here at all if it doesn’t.” That being said, the new year once again includes major investments that the Lemoines know their guests will get excited about. First, work is already in motion to add high-speed, broadband Internet to the property that will allow guests to stream while they work and play at the campground. Secondly, state approval has also been received and construction has begun to renovate an area of 22 sites to increase the number of full hook-up, deluxe patio sites. These new sites will increase the number of RV sites by nearly forty-percent and provide features like water and sewer, 50 Amp electric, pull-thru sites, Paw Pens for furry family members, concrete patios for their living space and high-end outdoor furniture with a custom fire experience. These are among their most popular site-types and have the highest guest demand. “We are committed to continuing to support our local economy by growing our small business to meet and exceed guests’ expectations,” Mark said. “Our focus is not only on meeting the demands today, but making sure our campground will be able to continue the tradition of camping in southwest Michigan over the next 50 years!” He concluded.