Writing “WOW”s, or positive notes and affirmations, is a habit we practice daily at Gold Arrow Camp. In this episode, Sunshine and Bravo talk about how we do WOWs, why we do WOWs, the magic relationship ratio, and the power of positive words! Give meaningful WOWs by using this formula: Person’s Name + Quality + […]

The post Episode 89: WOWs with Bravo appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

Sunshine talks with experienced Gold Arrow Camp camper and counselor, Lucy ‘Razz” Mahlmeister, in this episode of the podcast. Razz talks about her time at GAC, which started in 2010 when she was an eight-year-old first time camper. Razz spent eight years as a camper, one year as a Junior Counselor, and has now been […]

The post Episode 88: Razz Talks about Camp appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

For parents and campers who are new to Gold Arrow Camp, you won’t want to miss this episode! A group of Junior Counselors (16 & 17 year old experienced campers) join Sunshine for a chat about their experiences and growth over their summers at camp. This was recorded in 2018 but their insights are still […]

The post Episode 87: Experienced Campers Talk about Camp appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

This episode was originally published on Sunshine Parenting and is geared towards parents, staff, and older campers. There are mentions of youth mental health issues, including suicide, so parents please listen before deciding whether to share with your younger kids. Join Sunshine for her conversation with Dr. Michele Borba about her phenomenal, must-read book THRIVERS: […]

The post Episode 86: Thrivers with Dr. Michele Borba appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

Unplug to Connect One of our core values at GAC is Unplugging to Connect. Why are we so passionate about the importance of getting off our screens and spending more time in face-to-face interactions? Because it’s good for all of our well-being to improve the quality of our relationships and connection to our families, friends, […]

The post Episode 85: Unplug to Connect appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

Join Sunshine, Chelster, Airborne, and Punkie as they discuss their favorite camp activities, trying new things, and getting outside our comfort zones at GAC. This year’s summer theme is Try Something New, so it’s a great summer to really lean into our value of getting outside our comfort zone! We chose this year’s summer theme, […]

The post Episode 84: Try Something New appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

Chuck “Woody” Radke’s GAC story began in 1990 and continues to 2025. His wife “Tahoe” (Assistant Director) and son Will (Junior Counselor) will join him at Gold Arrow Camp this summer. Woody interviewed many alumni and authored the amazing Sierra Summers book about the history of Gold Arrow Camp. He has many insights about the […]

The post Episode 83: Creating a Happier World with Woody appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

In this episode, Audrey “Sunshine” Monke chats with Amy “Glitter” Bolton about her long career as a year-round GAC staff member serving as our Office Manager and Registrar. Glitter’s is the friendly voice most parents hear when they call the GAC office. Glitter’s GAC story started in 2001, when she joined our staff as an […]

The post Episode 82: Creating a Happier World with Glitter appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

In this episode, Audrey “Sunshine” Monke chats with Becky “Evergreen” Johnson about the impact Evergreen’s time as a staff member and parent have impacted her life and her career. Evergreen’s GAC story started in 1995 (30 years ago!), when she joined our staff as a Group Counselor. This summer (2025), Evergreen will be serving as […]

The post Episode 81: Creating a Happier World with Evergreen appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.

This week on the podcast we’re featuring a short excerpt from the introduction to Audrey “Sunshine” Monke’s book, Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults.  Learn about the research-based, intentional practices behind the “magic” at Gold Arrow Camp in this episode, The Magic of Summer Camp. About Happy Campers […]

The post Episode 80: The Magic of Camp (Happy Campers Book Excerpt) appeared first on Gold Arrow Camp - California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children.