May/June 2022

Written By Danielle Beattie

VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 3

The Staff Training Issue

Your staff members just might be the most important asset of your camp—which is why we dedicate an entire issue to the topic every year. From ice breakers to team building exercises to learning how to deal with conflicts, training staff from the get-go is your best bet for a smooth-sailing summer. So take a look and see what you can use to kickstart what may be for some the first year back from the pandemic. We’re behind you all the way.

Good luck and enjoy!

 
 
 
 
 
 

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Camp Business is written by residential and day camp directors, staff members, and counselors. If that is you, then Camp Business is an important resource full of real-world experience you can use to solve problems, create new opportunities, and keep your community healthy and happy.

 
 
 
 
 

This Month’s Articles

Featured
Applied Science
Rodney Auth
Applied Science
Rodney Auth

After six months of in-person classes, tests, practical exams and more, I was finally, officially, a ski patroller. And yet, for the first two years, every day I walked into the patrol room to start my shift, my head was walking through scenarios, reminding me what to do if somebody broke a bone, sprung a leak, stopped breathing, stopped moving, over-dosed, went into diabetic shock and on and on and on. 

Rodney Auth
So This Counselor Walks Into A Cabin …
Dr. Chris Thurber
So This Counselor Walks Into A Cabin …
Dr. Chris Thurber

Want to know the biggest secret about staff training? Most of the learning will not occur in formal workshops but on the job, after campers arrive. As a parent, that’s a scary thought, at first.

Dr. Chris Thurber
Rituals At Camp
Jonathan Caflun
Rituals At Camp
Jonathan Caflun

Take a moment and think about your nightly routine in falling asleep. Depending on your age, the answer may be very different from that of other camp professionals.

Jonathan Caflun
Restroom Renovation
Klaus Reichardt
Restroom Renovation
Klaus Reichardt

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. 

Klaus Reichardt
Camp Administration 101: Staff Training And Education
Jason Schaitz
Camp Administration 101: Staff Training And Education
Jason Schaitz

Staff members are a camp’s most valuable assets, so invest in them by providing training, education, teambuilding, and networking opportunities, while empowering them to do great things! Here are some guidelines to make staff members the best they can be!

Jason Schaitz
Combatting The Trauma Of These Times
Jim Cain
Combatting The Trauma Of These Times
Jim Cain

A few years ago, camping psychologist Bob Ditter and I co-facilitated several conference workshops. Bob would share a critical element in the health-and-wellness realm of camp staff members, and I would share an activity that explored that topic.

Jim Cain
Questions Every Camp Should Answer About Child Safety
U.S. Center for SafeSport
Questions Every Camp Should Answer About Child Safety
U.S. Center for SafeSport

As you know, summer camps and recreation programs spark memories for children that last a lifetime and provide a reliable space where parents can expect their child to feel safe and supported. The trust parents seek to have in their child’s summer activity is important to reinforce—whether your organization offers a traditional camp experience, or an emerging enrichment activity such as coding or cosplay. 

U.S. Center for SafeSport
Appreciative Staff Training
Susan Langlois
Appreciative Staff Training
Susan Langlois

Many campers credit a lifelong friendship that began with a new friend at camp. The strongest bonds can develop while spending lots of time together negotiating the challenges of communal living with a dozen new people, overcoming homesickness, or even feeling the support from another camper during a first horseback-riding lesson.

Susan Langlois
This-N-That
Guest User
This-N-That
Guest User

A collection of news items, product announcements, and event notices designed to keep you on the cutting edge.

Guest User
Camp Administration 101: Staying Organized At Camp
Jason Schaitz
Camp Administration 101: Staying Organized At Camp
Jason Schaitz
Jason Schaitz
For Safety’s Sake
Joann Robertson
For Safety’s Sake
Joann Robertson

As camp season rapidly approaches and camp owners, managers, and directors cross items off their “to-do lists,” there is one area where “good enough” just won’t cut it. When it comes to safety, extra care must be taken to ensure the safety of staff as well as campers.

Joann Robertson
 
 
 
 

Product Review

Product Reviews
Werk-Brau Grubber
Werk-Brau Grubber

Slices roots and extracts brush in one easy motion.  Constructed with an extra heavy-duty upper channel, AR400 steel cutting edges, and triple pass welds on the high-stress areas, Grubber models are available to fit most excavator sizes and classes, including minis. Available with a replaceable bolt-on edge V-edge, or straight edge. Ideal for the select extraction of brush and nuisance vegetation, they minimize ground disturbance, reduce erosion, and promote grass growth.  

(800) 537-9561 

www.Werk-Brau.com

Waterless Co., Inc. EverPrime
Waterless Co., Inc. EverPrime

Winter months are often cold and dry—the perfect scenario for causing floor drains to dry up. The result is the release of sewer gas smells into a building. Forget pouring water or bleach down the drain, as this is a temporary fix.  Instead, mix 3 ounces of EverPrime in a gallon of water and pour down problem drains. It prevents pipes under the drain from drying out for months. And EverPrime is not impacted by cold, hot, or dry weather. 

(800) 244-6364

Fecon RK6015 Mulcher
Fecon RK6015 Mulcher

Fecon introduces the RK6015, a new, wider, standard flow mulcher head which is ideal for use with most standard skid steer loaders, Avant-type wheel loaders, and other carriers that are able to provide 17-27 gpm of hydraulic flow, have enclosed cabs that can be properly protected with the appropriate polycarbonate guarding, and have the ability to carry the 1465-pound attachment. Operating at 2,400 rpm, it can easily shred brush and small trees up to 5 inches in diameter, making it an excellent tool for general vegetation management, creating “defensible space” for fire prevention, clearing fence rows, lot and land cleanup, and much more. 

(513) 696-4430

www.Fecon.com

ASV Yanmar-Powered RT-40 Posi-Track Loader
ASV Yanmar-Powered RT-40 Posi-Track Loader

Not only does the 38.2-horsepower engine add more power to what was already a compact powerhouse, it improves serviceability for machine owners by allowing them to have the Yanmar engine serviced at ASV dealers. Additionally, the small-frame RT-40 showcases new comfort, visibility and performance features over its predecessor. 

www.asvi.com   

Shopserve Microfiber Towels
Shopserve Microfiber Towels

Take microfiber cleaning and detailing on the go with Hospeco Brands Group’s Shopserve microfiber towels, now available in a dispensing box. These thin but durable 12- by 12-inch towels are perfect for quickly removing dirt, dust, and bacteria from surfaces requiring little to no chemicals. And now, with the dispensing box, microfiber cleaning towels can be kept in areas where cleaning up or wiping down surfaces is a more constant undertaking, assuring maximum efficiency and efficacy.  

https://hospeco.com/product/8410 

LESCO Small Particle Technology
LESCO Small Particle Technology

SiteOne Landscape Supply adds LESCO Spar-Tech Small Particle Technology to its fertilizer offerings—featuring advanced micronutrients that are delivered to plants at a molecular level to resolve nutrient deficiencies within the plant. Small Particle Technology improves the efficacy and uptake of micronutrients when applied with, or in addition to primary nutrients. 

www.SiteOne.com 

Enviro Gards Organic Maxi Pad Vend Pack
Enviro Gards Organic Maxi Pad Vend Pack

Every detail has been thoughtfully considered to introduce a more natural product that contributes less disposable waste to the environment. Each pad features a pesticide-free, 100% organic cotton top sheet; a compostable box; and an innovative, biodegradable, and compostable bioplastic barrier film and wrapper. Enviro Gards Pads are chlorine-free, dioxin-free, and fragrance-free. 

www.hospecobrands.com

KickerBall
KickerBall

You don't need to be an experienced athlete to have fun with this ball—with just a few minutes of practice, you'll be kicking trick shots like a pro! Each KickerBall includes a set of directions that will help you curve and swerve in no time, making this soccer toy an amazing gift for any sports fan. KickerBall is the only ball that lets you bend, curve and swerve with ease, just like the pros. Purchase on Amazon. 

 
 
 
 

Buyer’s Guide

 
 
 
 

Marketspace Spotlight

 

Coming Up

July/August

Adventure Programming

  • Food Service

  • Conference & Retreat Centers

  • Outdoor & Adventure Recreation

  • Website Design

 
 

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Danielle Beattie
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