It's the season 5 finale! Summer is almost here, and for some, it feel like it's time to PANIC!

We get it, you get it, your fellow leaders get it. The sprint up to staff arrival and camper arrival can get overwhelming. On this episode, we'll talk through seven things you, your staff, or your colleagues may be starting to feel panic about, and how to find some focus amidst the "too much."

In our #QuickQampQuestion, we'll also share the single most-impactful thing executive/director-level leaders can do right now for your camp.

Thanks for an incredible season, friends. What an honor to walk with you through this season of ministry!

Quick Links: Camp Enrollment Cliff Episode, Summer Fundraising Tips, Summer Staff Support Systems, #StatOfTheWeek

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Character.

This word is, as our guests on this episode will say, a "big tent" concept. As the American Camp Association has been exploring, building, and developing the Character at Camp Initiative and the Character at Camp Grant Program, the word character has had a galvanizing, unifying effect. We can be aligned in seeking to create experiences that develop something deeper beyond the outdoor-driven fun, even as we differ in method, model, and even mission.

On this episode, we're joined by two members of the team at ACA that strategizes and implements Character at Camp. Brian Massey serves as Director of Innovation for ACA, and Dave Bollen serves as a Character at Camp Grant Success Manager.

These dynamic leaders will share where the initiative is now, where it's going, and they'll peel back the curtain a bit on what it takes to successfully be a part of this mission as Character at Camp moves forward, including some keys to submitting a compelling grant application.

Quick Links: Character at Camp Initiative, Character at Camp Grant Program, Wave 2 Application Information, Upcoming Webinars, Contact the Team, ACA Now Newsletter

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They're coming. And then, they're staying, and working, and playing, and praying, and connecting, and serving, and living this moment of their lives together at camp.

Your staff, when fully equipped throughout the summer with three things they need to thrive, will be a difference-making, camper-retaining, relationship-forging, joy-slinging force at your camp. This is true for "classic" summer youth camps with young adult staff and remains true for hosts and hospitality teams at camps or retreat and conference centers.

We're borrowing from educators in sharing 10 things in 5 categories: a person, place, thing, idea, and action. You'll find each of these 10 concepts actionable now, and able to get plugged in and/or contextualized for your community still before this summer.

Our #StatOfTheWeek reminds us how deeply summer staff tasks must be connected to your mission, and they should know it.

Quick Links: Summer Staff Findings, Holy Ground 2026, Downloadable Staff Resources, #StatOfTheWeek Graphic

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Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.