Hi, I'm Melanie - before June of 2020, I would have told anyone who asked about me that I was a driven medical device sales rep and very content with my life. Now, I'm the proud owner of the most beautiful layover RV park this side of the Mississippi River. And I'm enjoying a much simpler life.
Wendy was a saver, and I was a spender. I wanted to make my way in the world outside of Mississippi, but Wendy loved calling it home. She hated technology, and I was a computer science major. We couldn't have been any different, but my big sister always looked out for me and had my back.
She had a dream to build, own, and manage her own RV park. In 2002 she put that vision into action by building Wendy Oaks in a peaceful wooded area with an 8-acre lake for fishing or just enjoying a walk - conveniently located on Hwy. 49 in Florence, MS.
She opened Wendy Oaks in 2003 to RV travelers as a place to layover for a night or just relax and unwind for a couple of days in a beautiful setting. The park was architecturally designed with large pull-through sites with grass yards, and ample space between each site for a little extra elbow room. It was originally a wooded lot, and many trees were kept to provide shade. It's not like the typical concrete layover RV park.
I thought I was successful, but what my sister managed to create amazes me. I couldn't be prouder of what she accomplished and for following her dreams. Unfortunately, my beautiful and loving sister passed away in early 2020. Due to health issues over the years, she was unable to make much needed repairs and upgrades to improve amenities and operations to fully realize her complete vision for the RV park.
My sister told me a few months before her passing that if anything ever happened to her, she would be leaving the RV park to me. Owning an RV park was not in my life plans, but I gave it my best and tried running it from my home in Nashville while still working my corporate job, which turned out to be impossible.
I ended up taking a six-week leave from my work to spend some time at Wendy Oaks to figure things out. My initial plans were to find a manager to run the operations, go back to my life and corporate job in Nashville, and eventually sell the RV park.
But once I was here, surrounded by all the beautiful nature, the lake... I had an overwhelming sense of peace and I felt closer to my sister. I understood why she was so passionate about Wendy Oaks and why she loved it so much. During my first week here, I made the decision to quit my job, move to Mississippi, and manage the RV park full-time.
I was able to see her vision and I plan to build upon that. To make the upgrades I know Wendy would have done if she could - to create not just a layover park but more of a destination where RV travelers would want to spend two, three, or more days at.
Wendy Oaks has come a long way in the last 3.5 years. We now have a website, a new logo, accept all major credit cards, have a convenient online reservation system, quick/easy full hook-ups, park-wide Wi-Fi at all sites (especially important for those who work remotely), a security system/cameras for safety, and more. There's still a lot of potential to expand on what my sister started, and I have even more plans in the works for new amenities.
It's not perfect quite yet, but it's still a beautiful RV park to explore and enjoy with many repairs and upgrades already done, whether it's for a night or several days. I want everyone's stay at Wendy Oaks to be not just enjoyable but also memorable. A place where you can truly relax.
My sister dedicated almost 20 yrs of her life to making Wendy Oaks more than just another layover park. Now, in my sister's memory, I'm committed to carrying on her legacy and turning the RV park into a must-visit layover destination. I want her to be as proud of me as I was of her.
Look around the website to see all we have to offer. We would love to have you book a site, prop your feet up and stay a bit.
