What Worries Me - CampHacker #18

Travis Allison June 24, 2011

The stress of being a camp director

It's a tough time of year for camp directors - staff training has just started and it's time to see if all of your year's work will pan out.

Joe and I talked this week about what worries us: Have we picked the right staff? Will this staff remember all that we taught them? What about those kids who we know go home to a crappy life after the joys of summer camp? Can this industry that we love stick around for the next 100 years?

What Worries You Now That Summer is Here?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Joe - Slice Safety Cutter
Travis - Digital Timer Remote

(please note: Amazon products are affiliate links)

Your Hosts:

Joe Richards, Executive Director at Pearce Williams Christian Centre
Travis Allison, Summer Camp Leadership and Marketing Consultant at Walking Maverick

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Best Ever Summer Camp Programs - CampHacker #17

Travis Allison June 16, 2011

Creating a great evening program or special event at camp

I like to challenge camp staff and ask them what their favourite memories are from the times they were a camper. Inevitably, they will tell me about a spectacular kitchen raid or the time their counsellors took them into the woods to make up games for the afternoon.

THAT, my camp friends, is exactly what we need more of. I have always loved what Jim Penner, a camp mentor of mine, said about program: I can run an amazing camp in a parking lot with the right people. Those people are the ones who don't just take their campers from program to program but are always trying something new and creative.

What was the best camp program you remember from when you were a kid?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

(please note: Amazon products are affiliate links)

Your Hosts:

Gabrielle Raill, Director at Camp Ouareau
Joe Richards, Executive Director at Pearce Williams Christian Centre
Travis Allison, Summer Camp Leadership and Marketing Consultant at Walking Maverick
Dan Wier, Director of Camping Services at Frost Valley Y
Curt "Moose" Jackson from SummerCampProgramDirector.com

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Managing Your Health Centre - CampHacker #16

Travis Allison May 27, 2011

Keeping your summer camp infirmary in shape for community health care

I like to give campers back to their parents in (at least) as good shape as when they were handed into my care.

On this week's CampHacker podcast we talk about how we take care of the medical needs of campers and staff. The key person for this is our health care professional: nurse, doctor, medic. Take a listen and find out how we set up the staffing of our health centres and how we work with our local community health organizations.

How do you look after the staff of your Health Centre?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Gab - Pinterest
Joe - Leopold bench
Paul - Ustream (here's Paul's Welcome to Camp Ustream video - skip to minute 7:00 for the actual presentation)
Travis - Mail Chimp

(please note: Amazon products are affiliate links)

Your Hosts:

Gabrielle Raill, Director at Camp Ouareau
Joe Richards, Executive Director at Pearce Williams Christian Centre
Travis Allison, Summer Camp Leadership and Marketing Consultant at Walking Maverick
Paul Sheridan, Director at Four Winds * Westward Ho camp

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Being A Great Neighbour at Summer Camp - CampHacker #15

Travis Allison May 19, 2011

Living and working in harmony with your local community

Teaching the value of community is one of our biggest privileges. Do we extend that teaching beyond our boarders?

Each one of us had some great idea of things we can do to build great relationships with the people that we share our locales and lakes with.

Andy mentioned some of the things that they do at Liberty Lake: Liberty Lake Picnics and New Jersey Renaissance Faire.

How do you make nice with your neighbours?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

(please note: Amazon products are affiliate links)

Your Hosts:

Joe Richards, Executive Director at Pearce Williams Christian Centre
Travis Allison, Summer Camp Leadership and Marketing Consultant at Walking Maverick
Dan Weir, Director of Camping Services at Frost Valley YMCA.
Andy Pritikin, Director at Liberty Lake

What Worries Me - CampHacker #18

The stress of being a camp director

What Worries You Now That Summer is Here?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Best Ever Summer Camp Programs - CampHacker #17

Creating a great evening program or special event at camp

What was the best camp program you remember from when you were a kid?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Managing Your Health Centre - CampHacker #16

Keeping your summer camp infirmary in shape for community health care

How do you look after the staff of your Health Centre?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Being A Great Neighbour at Summer Camp - CampHacker #15

Living and working in harmony with your local community

How do you make nice with your neighbours?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

CampHacker on Instagram

CampHacker Podcast Hosts:

The stress of being a camp director

What Worries You Now That Summer is Here?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Creating a great evening program or special event at camp

What was the best camp program you remember from when you were a kid?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Keeping your summer camp infirmary in shape for community health care

How do you look after the staff of your Health Centre?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Living and working in harmony with your local community

How do you make nice with your neighbours?

Tool of the Week – make yourself a better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Thanks for the evening, friends.

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