Collaboration Across Departments Effective collaboration within a ministry oſten starts by breaking down internal silos and encouraging dif- ferent departments to work together toward shared goals. When teams move beyond their individual roles to co-create and support one another, new opportuni- ties for creativity and impact emerge. Mendez recalled a time when cross-departmental


collaboration changed an entire team’s approach to planning and programming. When someone respon- sible for the snacks at a day camp decided to tie the food into the theme in a unique way, the role of the kitchen team changed. By making the snack theme related, Mendez said, suddenly everything was purposeful. Te kitchen team thought about how their contribution could tie into and reinforce the message for the day. “Now the pro- gram people bring the kitchen team in to collaborate on how to integrate the food into the theme,” he added. At Tejas Camp and Retreat (Giddings, Texas),


executive director Paul Biles has seen firsthand how collaboration can improve communication and workflow among the team. When a department needs extra help to get a task done quickly, other teams jump in. It was while helping the housekeep- ing team turn rooms that the sales team realized it was not realistically feasible to turn rooms in time when bookings were made back to back. Tis moment sparked an ongoing conversation


between the sales and housekeeping teams, leading to a collaborative effort to develop realistic turnaround windows and booking guidelines that serve both guest experience and staff well-being.


Collaboration Between Camps As part of CCCA’s Texas Section, Biles has found tremendous value in collaborating with other camps. Biles and two other nearby camps have taken advan- tage of their proximity by creating “serve days.” Twice a year, all the staff from these camps gather at one of the properties to spend a morning working on service projects and enjoy lunch together. Biles appreciates the opportunity for his staff to


see other facilities and approaches to ministry, giving them a broader perspective and opening the door for networking opportunities with counterparts from different camps. “For new employees, the chance to make connections and build relationships with people in their same role at neighboring camps allows them to tap into experiences, perspectives and practices that may help them excel at their job,” Biles shared. Tese serve days reflect more than just cooperation


— they’re the fruit of a collaborative culture that val- ues mutual support, connection and a shared vision for strengthening camp ministry across the region. In the Sierra Pacific Section, Ed Covert, executive


director of Te Salvation Army Redwood Glen Camp and Conference Center (Scotts Valley, California), has seen the benefits of collaboration between camps. “We’ve had the interns from Mount Hermon over to tour them around, talk about our ministry focus and how we go about it,” Covert shared. “Our approach is really different from Mount Hermon’s, so we’ve also brought our gap year students over there to expose them to different ways of doing camp.” In exchange, Mitch McWilliams, assistant director


at The Salvation Army Redwood Glen Camp and Conference Center, has provided teaching and soft- skill training for the staff at Mount Hermon, and the Mount Hermon team hosted Covert’s staff to experience the camp’s aerial adventure and the staff culture they’ve created. At Calvin Crest (Oakhurst, California), executive


director Tiffany Staman has seen firsthand the valuable connections made with other camps in their section. Staman pointed out that author Simon Sinek empha- sizes that successful collaboration stems from shared values, mutual trust and a focus on collective success over individual gain — fostering a “circle of safety.” She explained, “Te more we can see other camps not as competitors, but instead part of our ‘circle of safety,’ the more we will trust one another and work together.” 


Simply put, cooperation is about helping each other; collaboration is about building something together.


November/December 2025 www.ccca.org 17


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