Jul. 5--EL DORADO STATE PARK -- This afternoon, a mass exodus will take place as thousands of holiday campers leave El Dorado State Park.

Avola Fitzwater will be there to watch them leave. She plans to be there when they return, whether it's next weekend or Labor Day weekend 2019.

"As long as I can get out here to help the people and play in the water, I'll be here until they run me out," said Fitzwater, 77. "I love it. I'm kind of like a grandma to everybody."

Since 1992, Fitzwater and her husband, Clarence, have been camp hosts at El Dorado State Park for up to six months of the year.

"They always go the extra mile and know how to really relate to people," said Randy Just, a park ranger. "She can handle about anything, and they've worked with a lot of those families for a lot of years."

Avola Fitzwater's love of daily water skiing brought the second-shift aircraft workers to spend the summer of 1990 camping at the state park. Two years later, they volunteered for the duties of being camp hosts in exchange for free camping and utilities at the park.

The Fitzwaters are two of about 130 camp hosts scattered among Kansas' state parks. El Dorado State Park, one of Kansas' busiest and largest, has about 24 couples, usually retired, working its campgrounds.

Jerry Hover, Kansas state parks director, said the hosts perform invaluable services by being the liaison between park staff and park users.

Camp hosts collect camping fees, explain park services and contact park staff about problems such as clogged toilets and unruly guests.

Fitzwater revels in helping people get the most from their camping experience. Through the years they've loaned equipment, helped get camps set up and offered ways to get the most fun from El Dorado Lake.

In addition to her duties as camp host, Fitzwater also is the lake's queen of water skiing.

"I don't know how many people I've taught to water ski, but it's a lot," she said. "I know that people I taught 12 to 15 years ago are bringing their kids camping and I'm teaching them."

She also tries to ski on her own about every day during the week.

"I'm kind of selfish," she said. "I like to get out there when there aren't any other boats on the water."

The Fitzwaters are hosts at the state park from mid-April through mid-October. The rest of the year is spent living from the same camping trailer in south Texas.

A grandmother to more than 80 natural, adopted and step-grandkids and great-grandkids, Fitzwater particularly enjoys working with the park's young campers. Most, she said, are great kids.

Several years ago, an adult dropped off three teenage boys and a girl at a campsite. Their dress and hairstyles were far different than back when Fitzwater was a teen.

"You know, when I went over and talked to them they were really nice," she said. "They paid their fees, and we talked for a while."

Eventually the three boys went fishing, leaving the girl alone at the campsite.

Fitzwater's grandmotherly side took over. Seeing the girl was getting too much sun, she loaned her a visor and offered a cure for stuck-in-camp boredom.

"I asked her if she'd like to go out in our boat with us," she said. "She did and I taught her to water ski. We pulled her by the boys that had gone off and left her. She was really proud."

Reach Michael Pearce at 316-268-6382 or mpearce@wichitaeagle.com.

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