In The Gloaming: Planning the Perfect Campfire - CampHacker #79

Making The Last Part Of The Day, The Best Part Of The Day

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   Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

"Fire's burning, fire's burning, draw nearer, draw nearer, in the gloaming, in the gloaming, come sing and be merry." 

That's right. It's GLOAMING - but glowing works too.

I love the picture that this old Girl Guide song paints. Huddled friends, a warm fire, the twilight after a great day and singing in harmony. The campfire is a special time where we get to reflect, sing, dance, and act all together. It is one of the pinnacle moments of the day where the entire camp (directors included!) can be together. It's powerful it has the potential to shape the camp experience for both campers and staff.

This episode, CampHackers Gab, Joe and Dan get together to share not only some awesome ideas that can be included in your campfires, but how the philosophy of your campfires can, and should, reflect the culture of your camp.

BONUS MATERIAL!

Dan's notes from his Tri-State campfire presentation - Here

Dan Weir's incredible campfire performance - Here

Thanks, Dan!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.

 

Spice Up Your Dining Room - CampHacker #78

Summer Camp Dining Halls - Extraordinary and Intentional Dining

                                           Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

                                           Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

Dan said it well: “kids spend around one fourth of their day in the dining hall”.

A true Camp Pro’s brain should be on fire at the realization of that fact. Camp Pros are thinking, “How am I going to make that significant time, creative and welcoming and memorable?”

Camp Hackers Dan, Gab and Travis get together to share some of the best dining hall practices in the camp industry.

Tune in to hear about things like – conversation cards, dining hall songs, theme announcements, the duty wheel, ice cream brunch, and how all of these keep the camp magic going throughout the day.

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Balancing Camp & The Rest of Your Life - CampHacker #77

Work/Life Balance - Is that even an option for Summer Camp Professionals?

                     Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

                     Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

How do some people make it looks so easy?

We all know that working at summer camp Is an incredibly stressful job. There never seems to be a break anymore!

In this week's CampHacker podcast we talk through ways that we can cope with the increasing demands of the most important job we'll ever have.

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

  • Travis - SnapHeal - Remove unwanted images from your photos

  • Gab - Songza - Listen to great music

  • Cory - speek.com - Best Free Conference Call Service

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Building a Great Camp Culture - CampHacker #76

Camp Culture is Rooted in Your Core Values 

                      Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

                      Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

Change.

Did you just wince?

Admittedly, it’s scary, but also one of the most important things that can support our camp’s culture. On the podcast this week, CampHackers Travis, Gab and Joe discuss Camp Culture. The CampHackers explore how a camp’s core values are realized through the culture that your camp emits.

When it comes to change, try taking a look at what tools or practices at your camp support or detract from your values. Do they add, or take away from your culture?

This kind of mindset will help you and your staff understands the value of change at camp. We change to support our core values, and that will in turn, create a culture that is supported by every single staff member, no matter the changes that need to happen.

What are your core values? Have you ever had to go through some big changes to support your values? How did all of that affect your camp’s culture?

Please feel free to share some stories in the comments below.

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Your Hosts:

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.