Keys to a successful camp = Keys to a successful life

Summer is for being outside- running, jumping, swinging, skipping, dancing, swimming - you get the idea. Summer is also the time for blogging (it is hard to blog when running, jumping or swimming) and so I sometimes find it hard to sit down at my desk to make time to write about what we have been doing this summer. I thought I would write about some things that make camp special and then maybe you can transfer them into your daily life a little.

• Start everyday with dancing and music When we leave the dining hall every morning we have music playing and there is a great energy to start the day. What a great opportunity every day brings; we should take full advantage to meet new people and try new things.
• Work on skill development At our activities throughout the day our campers get the opportunity to develop lifelong skills and master various activities. Work on something new today. Get better. Master a skill.
• Take time to rest and reflect We always take a rest period at camp! We can change a lot of things but we never change our rest period. It is good for you to sit down everyday and rest or reflect. Don't forget to take time to take care of yourself.
  
• Eat your vegetables We encourage our campers and staff to try everything that is served at a meal. Its a good habit to get into and you never know, you might like it. We need to eat healthier and it starts with our fruits and vegetables.
• Spend time outdoors Take time for yourself or with your family to spend intentional time outdoors with nature. Listen and observe what is going on around you.
• Spend time with positive people Everyday at camp we are surrounded by positive people that love life and enjoy sharing this "positivity" with others. Make sure to find positive friends that build you up and don't drain you of your joy for life.

There are hundreds of other things I could write that are key parts of camp that would make a successful day anywhere but I will save those for another time. Enjoy your day, invest in others and don't forget to smile.

Your Camp Director,

Dave

Change is a good thing...

I began my career at Camp Kanata in 2003 as the Lake Chief and since that first summer I have held the position of associate director, resident camp director and executive director of Camp Kanata. Over the past 7 years I have made some incredible friendships and watched Kanata go through some exciting growing pains as we made staffing changes, facility changes and programmatic changes.

In May of this year I began having conversations with the YMCA of Greater Charlotte for the position of Director of Association Programs. This position has oversight and direction for resident camp, day camp and Y-Guide and Princess programs of the Charlotte YMCA. With a little sadness and much excitement I accepted this position and will begin my new role in Charlotte beginning September 1, 2009.

Okay, enough about me, what I am really excited about is introducing you to the new director of Camp Kanata, Forrest Perry! Forrest began his connection with Camp Kanata as an 11 year old in cabin 10 twenty years ago. He went on to spend 12 summers at Kanata as a camper, staff trainee, staff member and ad-staff member. After leaving Kanata he worked for YMCA's in St. Paul, IN; Chapel Hill, NC and Raleigh, NC. He presently holds the position of Director of Collegiate Programs for the YMCA of the Triangle.

Forrest will spend the rest of the summer getting to know our staff, campers, parents and programs and will begin full time work as the director on Sept. 1, 2009. I could not be more excited about the next leader of Kanata. I love this place and will forever remember my time here, but I know that Forrest and the team at Kanata will make this place better than I ever could.

Please join me in welcoming Forrest (back) to the the Kanata family and we look forward to seeing you this summer.

Your Camp Director,

Dave Bell

Just about halfway there...

Next Wednesday will mark the half-way point of the summer for us out here at Camp Kanata. As Dave posted last time, we've done a lot in a short amount of time. Just today I played soccer, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball with campers and some of my fellow administrative staff members. We did not do very well with soccer (4-0) but we played well in ultimate frisbee and forced a 3rd game with the advanced volleyball class. Needless to say I slept well at rest period!

I've been really impressed with our staff this year. Though we have great counselors every year, this year's group seemed to "get" camp much faster, has taken on new challenges and given new life to some of the things we've always done. It's been rewarding to watch the good stuff unfold and to know that I had a very large part in bringing them together this summer.

"Getting" camp makes me think of a blog post I read by Seth Godin. Seth's blog isn't geared toward camps--he's interested in marketing and ideas--but occasionally I find an insight that helps me articulate something I've been struggling with. This post was about the "fan chasm" and how businesses, organizations, and brands can create an easily accessible and deep experience for their customers. Those of you who understand what Camp is are nodding your heads and saying "Yep, that sounds just like camp." In just a short week our kids are able to tap into a deep well of experiences and friendships that take many people decades to create. Our staff feel it even more after spending 8-10 weeks out here living and working with each other.

So, with the summer almost halfway through, I hope you'll take us up on our invitation to come visit real soon. We're having an alumni campfire Friday, July 24th and I'm hoping to see a lot of familiar and long-missed faces pulling through the gate that evening.

Have a great weekend and we'll see you real soon!

Ryan

How have you been spending your summer?

So far this summer I have:

• listened to "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses 18 times
• eaten 6 hotdogs at Thursday night cookout
• watched 24 separate campfire skits
• sang "bottle pop" three times
• been in the lake zero times
• been in the pool 8 times
• walked approximately 35 miles around camp
• lost in soccer 2 times to teams of campers
• been awake by 6:15 a.m. everyday and not asleep before 11:00 p.m. everyday
• been in a canoe 1 time
• taken 50 pictures
• cheered till I was hoarse 3 times
  
• updated our twitter page about 100 times
• eaten some type of "chicken product" for a meal 14 times
• taken 5 showers (but i was in the pool 8 times which equals clean)
• spent the day with some of my best friends in the entire world (camp staff)
• saluted the American flag at flag raising and lowering 31 times
• drank 112 cups of coffee
  

As you can see it is great to be at Camp Kanata! If I am almost 40 years old and having this much fun imagine how much fun our campers are having!

Hope you are having a great summer and look forward to seeing you at camp soon.

Your Camp Director,

Dave