Intentionally Inclusive
The dream was always that the physical property of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Camp Settoga in New York would be a manifestation of core values—a chance to really “walk the talk.” And now, it is.
A Foundation Built By Community
Whether it’s a sleepaway camp where children form an almost instantaneous bond, or a retreat center focused on teambuilding, the camp environment cultivates and sustains communal relationships. No one understands this better than Shiloh Bible Camp & Retreat Center, where the value of community is literally fundamental to its very foundation.
Building For The Future
Many important questions, conversations, considerations, and decisions are made during the journey toward a ribbon cutting for a new camp building. At initial meetings, camp owners and directors often focus on the most out-of-the-box, wish-list ideas so the design/build team can articulate the camp’s vision and generate a design that will eventually result in a functional, beautiful space.
Restroom Renovation
When it comes to facility renovations in many camps, the one area that nearly all administrators want to upgrade is the restrooms. However, restroom renovation remains a dream for too many administrators. The reason is simple: it can be costly.
The Right Site
Whether you're looking at your current site to make some improvements, or evaluating a piece of property for use as a new camp, or maybe more likely visiting someone else's camp to get some new ideas, few
Camp Bathrooms And Showerhouses
I see thousands of parent evaluations of summer camps every year, so when I ask, “What’s the single biggest complaint you get?” I already know--the bathrooms. Calling them KYBOs (Keep
It’s Hammer Time
The last few weeks before camp opens are hectic for anyone working on maintenance and facility projects. What seemed like plenty of time in the fall has now become a mad dash to be
Warm Welcome
Try this exercise: Leave your camp, and then drive back, thinking about what you see through the eyes of someone who has never been there before. Ask staff to do the same, and then
A Shift For Survival
Camping has been a core value of the Girl Scout Movement since Juliette Gordon Low gathered 18 girls in Savannah, Ga., to create the first troop on March 12, 1912. At the
When The Renovation List Is Too Long
Located in Southwest New Hampshire just minutes from Vermont and Massachusetts, Camp Spofford sits on 18 acres along Spofford Lake and provides programs and retreats that allow families and youth an
Out With The Old
The sounds of squealing children splashing in a swimming pool on a hot summer day can once again be heard at a former therapeutic camp in Lake Villa Township in Illinois.
From Floundering To Flourishing
Located in the foothills of the Northern California Sierra mountains with cabins nestled between tall pines and majestic oak and cedar trees, Camp Del Oro in Nevada City provides
The Master Plan
Your destiny is often shaped by the choices you make. Will the improvements you make to your camp's facilities keep pace with your demands of your campers? Are you gaining the most benefits from these improvements?
Searchlight
You know that your camp business could be even more successful with a larger, more efficiently designed dining hall. The campers have been eating in shifts over the past three years and there is no indoor facility
Incremental Improvement, Part 2
The same kind of positive expectations and word-of-mouth buzz outlined in Part 1 (see Camp Business, March/April) works for program activities and other facilities as well. Here's a partial list of the yearly
Smart Money
A camp comes into some money. They don't have a long-range plan based on operating goals, so the director goes to the staff and asks, "What do we need?"
No Second Chances
Imagine this happening the first day of camp... Mom and Dad are driving Johnny to camp and miss the turnoff. After circling back they discover the camp sign is partly hidden by branches, and has a couple of letters that have
Lock it Up
Whether you are considering a major renovation or brand new facility for your camp business, you will thank yourself later if you research how your locker and restrooms can best meet your campers' and staff
The Right Site
Whether you're looking at your current site to make some improvements, or evaluating a piece of property for use as a new camp, or maybe more likely visiting someone else's camp to get some new ideas, few
New & Improved
First, I’m going to guess that it’s been quite a while since you’ve slept in one of the old camp bunk beds. If you had, they’d be a higher priority.