January 5, 2010
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged Camp Resource, summer camp
Happy New Year! I hope everyone is starting the year off with a bang. I wanted to quickly share a little discovery one of my interns made this past summer. The Summer Camp Handbook, we found it underneath one of our cabins this summer…just kidding. I’m sure many of you have already heard or even read the website updated and written by Christopher Thurber and Jon Malinowski. It’s a fabulous resource for parents interested in sending their kids to camp or those who already are sending them to camp.
Anyway let me not drag on too long. This is a great resource that we can all share with our camp families and even gather some ideas on how to better explain our camp policies. Essentially the why’s and how’s of summer camp. The Summer Camp Handbook is a great resource, so check it out!
December 14, 2009
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged ACA Virginia, social media
Today I was doing my weekly online review of what’s in the camp news this week and ran across this article at The Camp Director Blog, that’s Jennifer Selk’s blog, on Social Media Policies. Reading through the article reminded me of when we started to really take Facebook, Twitter, 
and other such sites seriously just a few short years ago. As individuals we had an idea of all this social media business, and how nice it was to catch with all friends but we had no idea how it could impact our camps both positively and negatively.
It’s apparent that not all camps have taken the plunge into social media and that’s your prerogative but whether or not your camp is on Facebook or not you can bet that your campers and staff most certainly are. The implementation and enforcement of a social media policy is the best first step into social media for camps. A social media policy will help protect your staff, campers, and your camp. Whatever way you lean on the issue of social media and camps, I strongly recommend looking into having a social media policy for your camp.
Camp Friendship has had a rather successful foray into social media, and we slowly explore those options everyday. I usually hear very positive stories from other camp directors on social media but there’s always that one horror story that scares off the unconverted. Well just like Jennifer mentions in her blog, we’d be happy to share our Social Media Policy with any camps who are looking to get started (just drop me an email) or you can visit Jennifer’s blog for links to other samples.
Cris
November 5, 2009
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged ACA Virginia, America, American Camp Association, Independent Camps
Has everyone gone and checked out the new ACA 100 Years Anniversary web page? Check it out here – www.acacamps.org/anniversary. I don’t know how the rest of you feel about history but I need mine in short quick doses. I can only watch 20 minutes of the History Channel at a time. Well I think this look back at the ACA’s 100 years is perfect for my attention span.
I’d suggest anyone who has had any worthwhile experience in camping to go check it out, specially the storyboard page. It’s nice to hear from people who still remember their time at camp, years later. I believe I read a little something from Camp Horizons, a very loyal former camper and current staff member shared some thoughts.
The combined knowledge of 100 years and the many camps that contribute to that knowledge and experience prove that camps have and continue to make a difference in many children’s lives. I’d encourage you to share this link with your camp families and maybe they will share their life changing stories about your camp with everyone.
I will be sending my little story over right now. – History@ACAcamps.org
UPDATE: I told you I’d share – http://www.acacamps.org/anniversary/storyboard/matoaka.html
