“We need a robust high school summer camp program so we can continue to attract campers beyond their younger years.” —Greg Anderson, president, Inspiration Point (Vining, Minnesota)


Existing Staff as Future Staff Encouraging current staff members to return offers great benefits to a camp. Returning staff bring a level of experience and knowledge that is vital to a success- ful summer program. Prioritizing staff by pouring into them throughout


the summer is key to retention. According to Kent Biery, executive director of Summer’s Best Two Weeks (SB2W) (Boswell, Pennsylvania), “Staff are the most important part of our ministry, so we strive to invest in them.” To this end, SB2W provides focused disci- pling by the leadership team for each of the staff and holds special events just for staff, like worship nights and special speakers, throughout the summer. At Trout Creek Bible Camp (Corbett, Oregon),


executive director Joe Falhman creates a culture of belonging. “It’s letting people know that you care about them and being involved with them personally and individually.” Te staff at Trout Creek is volunteer-based, with only


a few positions receiving payment, so finding ways to retain staff is important. “It’s about listening to people and caring for them, as well as challenging them and holding them to a high standard,” said Falhman. During the summer, Falhman will go the extra mile


to do little things for his staff. Coffee runs, evening meals out and notes of appreciation go hand-in-hand with in-depth Bible studies and discipleship for each staff member. Julie McClain, ministry assistant at Sky Ranch Horn


Creek (Westcliffe, Colorado), echoed the need to invest in the staff’s spiritual growth. “We are responsible for the staff God has entrusted to us,” she noted, “not just to utilize them but to shepherd them — as they are the flock in our care and their spiritual growth and personal care is just as much our ministry and respon- sibility as the guests we serve.”


Another way to encourage current staff to return is


to connect with anyone interested in working another summer before they leave camp. “I try to be intentional with staff that show an interest in returning,” Paterson shared. “During the summer, I talk with those staff about how they can grow in leadership, and which positions they might want next summer.” If they see that there is an opportunity for growth, then returning to camp becomes their next step in ministry. In the May/June 2024 issue of InSite, Evan Liewer of


Forest Home (Forest Falls, California) wrote a feature article focused on building a culture at camp that leaves current staff clamoring to return the next sum- mer. Liewer stated, “Te key to getting staff to return is creating an environment of a healthy culture, high trust and wild fun.” While summer is the prime time to connect with


current staff, maintaining those relationships through- out the year is just as important. Both Inspiration Point and Trout Creek also invite staff back to work retreat groups in the spring and fall. Falhman explained that their full-time staff try to


attend summer staff’s activities and visit them on cam- pus. “We also host a monthly Bible study at someone’s house, where we do a study and just hang out,” he said. Time like this keeps staff connected and reminds them that you care about them throughout the year. Social media and email are an easy way for camps


to connect with former staff. “We use social media to share updates and content that reminds them they are part of the SB2W family,” said Biery. Emailing a monthly or quarterly newsletter to keep former staff updated on current camp happenings helps them feel like they are a part of things all year long. While social media is the easiest option, other


ways of communication can make an impact as well. Anderson shared that full-time staff at Inspiration Point will “drop [former staff] a note of appreciation — on a piece of paper, placed in an envelope with a stamp! Tey love to get mail, and communicating like this is unlike the flood of texts they get otherwise.” 


September/October 2024 www.ccca.org 19


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