MySummerCamps.com September 2008 Newsletter

A Special Message from the President of MySummerCamps.com

Over the summer, some very exciting changes took place at Target Directories Corp. MySummerCamps.com, along with AllensGuide.com and Summer-Daycamps.com, were purchased by Internet Brands, a publicly traded company on NASDAQ which operates some of the leading web based brands – announces Evan Heltay, President of Target Directories Corp.

September Summer Camp Reading
Summer camp 2008 is over – out of the canoe and back to the classroom, backpacks stuffed with books, laptops, highlighters, and pens. Still, every camper and camp operator is looking forward to the summer far ahead, 2009 – writes Stephen Winbaum.

Motivating Overweight Youth Today for a Healthy Tomorrow
Lifestyle change does not happen overnight. Weight loss happens over time when parents implement meal planning guidelines, and kids are involved in three weekly physical fitness sessions – that’s when we see real progress – writes Dina Lieberman, Founder of Mobilize Youth.

Protect Your Campers

CampProtector.com helps parents protect their investment by providing cancellation insurance in case their child cannot attend camp. Camp Directors who traditionally would lose that child's tuition are protected as well.

Direct your camp families to CampProtector.com. Signing-up is simple and participation is inexpensive.

To learn more about how you can protect your camp and campers call us toll-free at 877-777-7738

Camp Industry Professionalism Professionalism comprises at least four dialectics, or four sets of interacting forces: Mission – Vision, Wisdom – Courage, Energy – Stamina, and Leadership – Education. Reflection on these dynamic tensions sheds light on camp director professionalism in ways that a list of qualifications cannot – writes Camp Scholar Dr. Christopher Thurber.

The YouTube Factor – for Camps
We sell a product – summer camp experiences – and we need to be perceived as legitimate and professional providers of that product. Due to the pervasive use of video, enabled and enhanced by YouTube and others, that medium is no longer a luxury – writes summer camp marketing expert – Steve Cony.

More Summer Camp News ...

ACA Southeastern Camping Conference 2008
September 22-24, 2008, Marriott Charlotte Executive Park, Charlotte NC. Keynote Speakers: Faith Evans, Martin LeBlanc, and Peg Smith. Private concert with David Wilcox – Free for conference attendees. An optional hors d'oeuvres reception prior to the concert. Enjoy a spectacular evening in downtown arts district.

IACCA Annual Convention 2008
October 27- 31, 2008, Green Lake Conference Center, Green Lake, WI. The International Association of Conference Center Administrators holds its annual convention. Conference center leadership is a profession, not just a job. Conference center professionals must demonstrate leadership capabilities and present themselves in a confident, effective manner.

ICC Quebec 2008 is a unique international event with the goal to create the exchange of ideas between various cultures and countries and to expand alliances between camp representatives. It is an opportunity for volunteer and professional delegates to discover and share trends and to transform the world of camping on a local or global scale. ICC Quebec 2008 is a forum for networking and building partnerships with organizations around the world. The MySummerCamps.com Group and Leadership Essentials are proud to be sponsors at this historic event in the camping industry, held in Quebec City during its 400th Anniversary. Dr. Chris Thurber, psychologist, author and consultant will be a special speaker.

Professional day camp and resident camp directors all face the same challenge: How can you train the new season's staff in just a few short days? Poorly trained staff are a liability, but expertly trained staff will become your camp's biggest asset.

To meet your training needs, CampSpirit is proud to offer Leadership Essentials, a brand-new, premium library of online video training modules, written and hosted by Dr. Christopher Thurber and friends. Each module teaches critical leadership skills that every camp counselor needs to effectively deal with the social, behavioral, and disciplinary situations that arise at all summer camps.

Learn more ...

Summer Camp September Song
Back to school, but vivid memories remain of summer camp 2008. Now it's a waiting game till the next summer spins ahead to 2009. The expectations about what’s to come equal the recollection of what's been left behind. It's sweet to look ahead to the next summer reunion and then do it all again – writes Stephen Winbaum.

Read On...