Camp Nation's Podcast CampNation

At the end of our summer, camp staff are feeling drained and energy levels may be low, but it's such an important time of year. What can camp directors do to help staff through those last couple of weeks and ensure they are happy and 'left wanting more' when they leave for home? In CampNation #16 we talk about tips and tricks to ensure your best camp staff and counsellors return back next summer! Staff parties, trips, gift exchanges and more.

Links - News about the camping/recreation industry

New Spice guy (if you are interested in the social media phenomena of the summer - the Old Spice commercials you might like this article describing the making of the commercials)
Use social media to boost email open rates -
Mitch Albom - Cell Phones and Summer Camp
http://www.simonstamp.com/

Picks Of The Week - A tool that will make you a better camp director

Joe - Bat Boxes
Travis - Kodak Zi8
Gab - Camp Ouareau Pocket Counsellor

Other Interesting Bits

For the best source of summer camp information on Facebook become a fan of CampNation.  Ask your staff to join - for every 1000 fans Our Kids Media (our parent company) will be donating a campership to an Ontario summer camp.
Ask the CampNation hosts any questions about summer camp.
We want to thank our long-suffering amazing audio editor Donovan Romanyk from  Where It's At Productions.

Thanks for the evening, friends.

This week we had a good long chat about summer camp Staff Commitment and how to get staff engaged in their job.   It was really fun to welcome two guests this week: Beth Allison from Walking Maverick Consulting (a business and summer camp consulting company. Full Disclosure: Beth is my wife and long-time camp co-director) and Adam Issadore who’s involved in teaching drumming at summer camp with his Path To Rhythm Company.
LINKS - NEWS ABOUT THE CAMPING/RECREATION INDUSTRY

Homesick or Kid sick – advice for parents
Is summer camp dying? (The Week)
We are Camp Campaign featured in CCA newsletter
Sunset for an American Tradition (Christian Science Monitor)

PICKS OF THE WEEK – A TOOL THAT WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER CAMP DIRECTOR

Joe - Delivering Happiness – book
Travis – Timer light switches
Beth – http://www.musiciansfriend.com for Boomwhackers
Adam- Maglite Flashlight

 

Good Day and Welcome to CampNation 13 for the 3rd week of June, 2010.   Links - News about the camping/recreation industry

(Travis) - The Definitive Guide To Higher Rankings For Your Blog
(Joe) - Rob Dryan of Camp Oochigeas makes Canada’s Top 40 under 40 leaders list.

Discussion   Are We Marketing Camp Correctly?Picks Of The Week - A tool that will make you a better camp director

Joe -   Free PVC Building plans and links
Travis - Referral Engine book

 

Links - News about the camping/recreation industry 

(Travis) - PostSecret-like confessions get yearbook canned - http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/response-to-hs-yearbook-confessions-052010
(Dan) - Time “How to Deprogram Bullies: Teaching Kindness 101” http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1989122,00.html
(Joe) - http://calitreview.com/9087  This is an interesting take on how summer camp is portrayed in the media of movies - if you were hired as a camp counsellor and you went to the movie store to rent a movie to see what you have gotten yourself into - or to prepare - would you learn the right things?  Do the movies listed really show people what camp is?
(Gab) - http://withoutmedia.wordpress.com/  “What was is it like to go without media for 24hrs?” Students from the University of Maryland try to go unplugged for 24hrs

Picks Of The Week - A tool that will make you a better camp director  

(Travis) - ReWork book by 37signals.com


(Joe) - Cool Tools - http://www.kk.org/cooltools/
(Gab) - Shackelton’s Way, a book review on leadership and team work, with the link to amazon.com to purchase the book http://leadershipissues.blogspot.com/2004/10/book-review-shackletons-way.html


(Dan) Hired on MTV http://www.mtv.com/shows/hired/series.jhtml

 
Your Hosts:

Dan Weir, Director at Frost Valley YMCA
Gab Raill, Director at Camp Ouareau
Joe Richards, Administrative Director at Pearce Williams Christian Centre
Travis Allison, Social Media Manager at Our Kids Media

Links - News about the camping/recreation industry

Small Business Trends: "Banning Social Media Doesn’t Work, Education Does"  
Help busy women relax and recharge
How Safe is your child’s summer camp?
Summer camp launched my career - Andy Barrie

Picks Of The Week – A tool that will make you a better camp director

Dan W.: Ron Clark - “The Essential 55”,   “The Excellent 11”



Dan R.: Create any size wall poster from any size image. Also http://www.jotform.com/
Gab: Cool craft that actually looks good
Joe: Sreetips - social media professor page of amazing links.  

 Your Hosts:

Dan Weir, Director at Frost Valley YMCA
Gabrielle Raill, Director at Camp Ouareau
Joe Richards, Administrative Director at Pearce Williams Christian Centre
Dan Richards, former Canadian and New Zealand camp Director