Re-Post - Combating Communicable Diseases at Summer Camp - CampHacker #56

2020 Re-post - Preventing Spread of Norwalk and Other Infections at Camp

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Hey Camp Pros, with concerns about the coronavirus and COVID-19, we’re going off-schedule and digging this show out of the CampHacker archives.

Shortly, we’ll be releasing a new episode that specifically focuses on what camp pros should be thinking about when it comes to camp, coronavirus and COVID-19.

Sign-up for the Go Camp Pro newsletter and we’ll send the episode right to your inbox.

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I have often said that camp would be an amazing place for a public health researcher to take a look at the ways that diseases are spread throughout communities.   I have watched little things like pink eye or head lice (traumatic, but not life-threatening) run through camp in less than a day.

In this episode of the CampHacker Podcast Gab and I were thrilled to bring in Marty Ferguson from YMCA Camp Chief Ouray in Colorado.  Camp Chief Ouray has developed some very smart protocols to protect their camper and staff from diseases that can spread at camp.

We also had John MacDonald, my step-dad, who is a retired Health Inspector from Ontario, Canada.   John has had a long career in the public health field and was always a great resource to Beth and I.     

Thank you to both of them for being on the show! 

Download our Camp Kitchen Compliance Record

We hope you get lots from our discussion.   

If you have any questions about communicable diseases at camp please leave them in the comments below or send us a tweet to @CampHacker using the #CampPros hashtag.


 

Tool of the Week – Make yourself a better Camp Director

Travis: FocusatWill.com
Gab: Twitter for your desktop
Marty: Season of Life by Jeffery Marx
John: HACCP training 


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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

Your Hosts:

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Starting From Scratch - CampHacker #73

Radical thinking about the Future of Summer Camp

 

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

Now THAT's what I'm talking about!

This show. 

THIS is the moment that CampHacker was created for. We had the best discussion today. Joe had the awesome idea to talk about what it would be like to start a camp from scratch.  If you weren't burdened by tradition (and a property) what would you do differently?

THAT lead us in to how would you radically change summer camp.  If our mission is to provide a transformative experience for children and teens (and staff) are we reaching as many people as possible with our programs being so remote? 

Outward Bound Canada has done something HUGE.  They sold off their remote sites so that they could build in downtown Toronto - now they serve tons more people. They still do remote trips but they are much more accessible for day programs.

Dan was kind enough to share the nine points that Frost Valley uses when they consider a new program:

  1. Demographics
  2. Audience
  3. Mission
  4. Goals
  5. Staff
  6. Traditions
  7. Sustainability
  8. Site
  9. Quality

(He explains them in the show!).

What would you do to start summer camp from scratch?  Leave us a comment below!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Sources of Legal Music to Use in Camp Videos

Royalty Free Music sites (pay for it once and use it as needed)

  • http://www.shutterstock.com/music/
  • http://www.smartassmusic.com/royalty-free-music/free-downloads
  • http://www.pond5.com/music/1/*.html
  • https://vimeo.com/musicstore
  • https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music
  • http://www.reelmarketinginsider.com/free-royalty-free-music/
  • Audio Bumpers/Stings/Logos
    • search for "music genre" + sting or bumper or logo
    • http://www.beatsuite.com/music/category/audio-idents/576
    • http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/
    • http://www.musicradiocreative.com/podcasters/

Your Hosts:

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Quick Tips to Effectively Market Your Camp This Fall - CampHacker #72

Our Best Summer Camp Marketing Tips

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

            Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

            Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App

Want to get your fall rolling with fast, effective marketing tips?  This is the show for you!

Gab and I had a chance to do one of our favourite kind of shows - rapid-fire, back-and-forth answers to questions directly from you, the audience.

Since it's the first show of the fall season people are telling us that they are super-focussed on setting their camp up for a good season of marketing.  They're also saying that marketing camp has become very overwhelming.   

In this show Gab and I answer your questions.

WAIT!  What happened to #71?   It's coming! It was a bit non-traditional so our process is goofed. Listen for it soon.

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis - NeuYear calendars
Gab - Long days at camp? Keep your iPhone charged Boostcase

Your Hosts:

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes 

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.