The CampHacker Podcast

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/02/camp-programs-let-go

Being a culture of change is essential for any camp that wants to be around for a long time.

True camp pros know this, live this and breathe this, but even the best of the best can fall prey to the “way we’ve always done it”-itus.

Camp programs.

Sometimes, camp programs like our rituals, opening/closing ceremonies, activity areas, camp-wide events gain this “sacred” status that we hold onto for simply the idea of it.

Consider this episode your wake-up call.

Chris, Joe, Gabz and Travis put their heads together to call out and call in camp programs and rituals that they think need a good hard look at.

As a preview - Chris is going to make you think differently about Color War.

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• Chris - Laptop Stand https://amzn.to/4022hy2
• Gabz - Image Colorizer https://imagecolorizer.com/
• Joe - Sullivans 36"x59" Gridded Cutting Mat for Home Hobby Table - Jo Ann Fabrics
• Travis - Shade: trees, cooling stations, deep porches, picnic shelters

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

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UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/02/motivation-morale
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Please review us! - Click here!

We tell our seasonal staff that a summer of camp is a marathon, not a sprint. 

But we know that we’re lying to them, right? Or at least relatively.

Being a year-round camp pro is a marathon that lasts YEARS, with sprints embedded within it, just to keep us on our toes.

With burnout being a hot topic for employees of every level, it’s important that we check in on each other. The whole gang’s here to share what they do day in and day out with themselves and their teams to stay connected with the “why” of their world.

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• Chris - Not Just Play: Summer Camp and the Profession of Social Work
• Gabz - Rode Videomic ME for smartphones https://amzn.to/3iUgsnS
• Joe - Book - 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet - Pamela Paul 
• Travis - Pixton 

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

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Camptivities

Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/01/physical-mental-wellness
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We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again - this is not the same staffing generation as it was pre-pandemic.

We’re rebuilding so many of our principals and practices post-pandemic, so why not take a deep dive into how we can (and maybe can’t) better meet the mental and physical health needs of our staff team?

It’s certainly not going to be easy. It will be tempting to go down the road of “well, we didn’t have it like this when I was a summer staff!?” - even when we know that’s not going to cut it anymore - but we owe it to this generation of staff to continue to make camp the kind of impactful place it was for us.

Chris, Joe and Gabz are here to help. Listen in as each of these well-seasoned camp directors are being vulnerable and bold enough to be willing to go back to the drawing board in the name of meeting their camp staff where they are at.

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• Chris - Bamboo Plant  https://www.thespruce.com/growing-lucky-bamboo-1902994 & Shutterfly - https://www.shutterfly.com/ 
• Gabz - Coursera - https://www.coursera.org
• Joe - Center Cam - https://thecentercam.com/ | PowerToys (Windows) https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/XP89DCGQ3K6VLD

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show
(Thank you!)

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Camptivities

Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/12/staff-from-scratch
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For better or for worse, it’s more than likely that we’ve all had to “start from scratch” at some point in the last 3 years.

However, starting from scratch with your staff team? Now that is one spicy meatball.

Our staff are the core of what we do. The experience they deliver is the one that kids remember, and parents decide to re-register their kids for.

When you’re starting from scratch with staff, we almost have to set aside the program. It’s not the traditions, the zip line and the costumes that give kids a memorable experience, it’s that the staff can create a safe space for campers to build confidence and create connections.

It’s an incredible opportunity to go back to the core of our mission and what makes a great camp staff in the context of our mission.

And who better to join Chris, Joe, Travis and Gabz on the show than the one and only Michael Brandwein!

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Live Online March 28 & 29, 2023

Brandwein on Training: The Step-by-Step System for Planning & Presenting Your Best Staff Training Ever

Early Bird Discounted Registration until Feb. 15

https://acai.wildapricot.org/event-5064766

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Live Online May 13, 2023

Brandwein on Super Staff SuperVision: The Quick Course on Outstanding Skills to Coach, Motivate, & Bring Out the Best in Staff

Early Bird Discounted Registration until April 1

https://acai.wildapricot.org/event-5064659

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Find the TOWs at  https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/12/staff-from-scratch

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau
• Michael Brandwein, Speaker, Trainer and Author - https://www.michaelbrandwein.com/store

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Camptivities

Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/12/all-tows
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Look what’s back, back again, all TOWs back, tell a friend!

Your good friends Chris, Gabz, Travis and Joe all share different “tools” that make their lives better in the categories…

• 2 tools that positively affect your mental health
• 2 books you read JUST FOR FUN
• 2 gifts you’d recommend for every camp director

Find all of the TOWs and links at https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/12/all-tows 

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

Camptivities
Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/12/jcamp180-is-supporting-jewish-camps

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What would it look like if organizations outside your camp understood the community-building power of summer camp?

We know that camp builds connections that last forever, but telling that story to people outside of the camp world can be tricky - and it’s even more tricky to find outside financial resources to support the community mission.

The work of JCamp180 is an incredible model for how advocacy and support can work on an industry level. Consulting, advocacy, grant-writing, and funding access - all things that JCamp180 has done to support Jewish Camping across North America.

The rest of this industry LISTEN UP. 

The industry as a whole, does such a good job of sharing resources and collaboration, but especially when it comes to fundraising, we have this tendency to move into a scarcity mindset and try to do it all on our own.

This model is a vision for us to zoom out and look at how the industry, as a whole, can thrive under a network of financial support and advocacy.

Find out more about JCamp180 at https://jcamp180.org/ 

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• Ari - Time Boxing
• Sarah - 7-Minute Workouts - https://www.workoutinc.net/ 
• Travis - LED Light strips - battery or plugin https://amzn.to/3EWezy4

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Sarah Eisinger, Director, JCamp180
• Ari Polsky, Consultant, JCamp180

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

Camptivities

Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/11/next-summer-not-alone
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Shake off that rust.

Last summer is over. It’s behind us.

Yes, there are lingering emotions, program things to wrap up and reports to write, but it’s time to move on. 

With some relative certainty about what the summer of 2023 is going to look like after the shutdown phase of the pandemic, camps need to get back to the forward-thinking mindset that has helped us make it this far.

As we do this, something else we need to move on from is the mentality that we have to think forward alone.

The job of a camp director (even if they are part of a big year-round team) can be incredibly isolating and as we recover from the pandemic, it’s the perfect opportunity to think about how we can take the work that we do and spread it out a bit.

It’s a good long-term solution for your mental health and the organizational health of your camp.

Tune in to hear about how Gabz and Joe are moving forward and bringing others along for the ride.

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• Gabz - Maintenance Phase Every other Tuesday, Michael Hobbes and Aubrey Gordon debunk the junk science behind health and wellness fads.
• Joe - Stream Deck - https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck
• Travis - The Conversationalist (thanks to past guest Ari Polsky) - Unify, Amplify, Gen Z, Sophie - camp counsellor https://www.instagram.com/theconversationalist/

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

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Camptivities

Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/11/mightiest-mess-ups
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We’ve all been there - so why not be there, together?

The positive way to frame mistakes is of course, “these were just learning experiences”, but it sure doesn’t feel like that in the moment.

We all process mistakes that we make differently. Some people hold onto it. Some immediately move to problem-solving but the true camp pros out there know how to own the suck, not repeat it and set others up for success.

We’re grateful for the vulnerability that Gabz, Travis, Chris and Joe show in this episode by sharing about the small…and not so small screw-ups in their camping careers.

Come commiserate with us in this episode!

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• Chris: Take a trip, get outta your comfort zone!
• Gabz: The Future Of Writing… Jarvis ai
• Travis: Gauntlet Community Open Gaming Weekend
• Joe: Bar Keepers Friend - Cookware Powder Cleanser and Polish https://amzn.to/343ilas

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

Camptivities

Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/10/debriefing-2022
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If we ever needed something to teach us the lesson that “camp, like it was in 2019 isn’t coming back” the summer of 2022 was it.

Holy moly folks.

We hope that you’re doing okay.

We know that not everyone is in the same boat, and who knows, maybe 2022 was your best summer yet (if it was…will you come on the Podcast and tell us about it?). But we all have to collectively shake our damn heads and realize that things have changed.

PEOPLE, WE’RE THE PEOPLE THAT GAG WHEN SOMEONE SAYS “THIS IS THE WAY WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT”.

Too dramatic? Maybe. Or maybe not.

This summer 2022 debrief episode with Travis, Chris, Gabz and Joe gets a little bit spicy - but it’s for good reason. We need to keep asking questions, pushing each other and digging in on what our campers, families and staff need as we keep this industry alive.

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• Chris - You are Here - Thich Nhat Hanh
• Gabz - camp craft that actually looks good - Gnomes!
• Joe - CO2 Monitor Portable - https://aranet.com/products/aranet4/
• Travis - NotePD - https://notepd.com/invite/Travishttps://notepd.com/challenge/things-that-the-summer-camp-industry-needs-to-consider-for-a-sustainable-future-o01ei

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

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Camptivities

Scheduling is the backbone of every camper’s experience, but when there’s a staffing change, it’s almost impossible to fill that role with someone who knows all of the nuisance a schedule takes. Come check Camptivities out; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2022/06/why-society-doesnt-value-camp

Coming out of this major phase of the pandemic is our industry’s biggest chance to prove our value. Period.

We need to do everything we can to show the world that camp is more than a place with games, songs and friends. But how do we do that when there are still so many incorrect stereotypes about what we do?

Travis, Joe and Chris share how they, along with many other pros are flipping the narrative and how YOU (yes you!) can get involved.

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• Chris: Buy a Chromebook
• Joe: Urgent Optimist - Mighty Network Group - see book - Imaginable - Institute for the Future
• Travis:  Gestimer for Mac

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Do you read the show notes? Let us know - click the following link to receive 10% off a lifetime subscription of Go Camp Pro's 5-Minute Fridays. (psst. Even if you don't buy anything, clicking this link will still help!)
(click here - https://bit.ly/pod-notes-discount)

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Director - Camp Highlight
• Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

Crazy Creek

Crazy Creek Products has been perfecting Just Sit There for campers and staff alike since 1987.  Mention this ad when you email or call in and receive 10% off your entire order and free single-colour logo on your Crazy Creek’s!  No tool is more vital at camp than a Crazy Creek!  Call 800-446-3446 or email Chelsea  [email protected] to guarantee your chairs for the 2022 season!

UltraCamp

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if your registration software gave you MORE time? With UltraCamp, you can track attendance, manage staff applications, streamline registration, and much more. Get back the time you need to focus on what is really important: CAMP! Find out more at summercampsoftware.com/camphacker

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis