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story by Perry Mack
Picture a friendly and cozy, fun and happening little "suburb" inside Yuma.
That pretty much describes The Palms RV Resort.
One of Yuma's newest facilities of its kind, The Palms RV Resort prides itself on offering all the perks of a big park, all within a smaller, quieter, more neighbourly environment.
"We're really a boutique, upscale resort, with all the amenities of a much bigger park, but with a smaller environment and more individual attention," said Bill Evans, general manager. "Most of our folks come from smaller communities. They don't like living in big communities like San Diego or Phoenix. Yuma, and our resort in particular, offer them all the highlights of a big community, but not all the population congestion that goes with living in the big lights."
The Palms RV Resort is located east of Yuma, located at 3400 S. Ave 7 E. The resort opened in October of 2008, transforming a longtime alfalfa field into 60 acres of safe and leisurely paradise for winter visitors and full-time retirees living in Yuma.
During the resort's busiest winter months; about 1,000 people call The Palms their home.
"It's absolutely its own small town," Evans said. "Our residents like to sit out on their porches and say hello to each other as they pass by or just sit and talk together. It's that small town feel, the old time feel, if you will."
That close-knit community life also means safety, which Evans says is a big concern with baby boomers.
"We are a gated, secure community," he explained. "By having security guards 24-7 and being a gated community, that means our residents enjoy a sense of security while they are here. Even more importantly, this gives them a sense of security if they aren't here for the summer. Someone is always looking out for their place while they are gone."
The resort boasts a 25,000-square-foot clubhouse to keep folks busy, along with a schedule full of classes and concerts.
"We put on 13 concerts each winter season," Evans said, naming off big names that have played at the resort. "Mickey Gilley, Mel Tillis, The Oakridge Boys, Gordon Lightfoot - we've had some major acts come through Yuma. We've got Chubby Checker coming through this upcoming season. He's still got the moves he had back in the day!"
For more information, go to www.YumaPalmsRVResort.com.