12 MONTHS (1 YEAR) PRIOR TO CAMP
Reserve camp location, request camp contract, have contract approved, sign it & send deposit as requested. (Number of spots at camp and on bus(es) determines how many students can register).
Put camp dates on the (Planning Center) church calendar.
4-5 MONTHS PRIOR TO CAMP
Discern camp theme, theme verse, hire graphic artist (Fiver) or create graphics for camp.
Write camp theme description for all marketing/promotional materials.
Begin talking with camp volunteer leaders, health tech, worship team members, and videographer about the camp dates and ask them to save the date/check availability.
Create camp budget spreadsheet with pie chart. This will determine camp cost per camper.
View funds in scholarship account; speak with campership donors if necessary.
3 MONTHS PRIOR TO CAMP
Camp directors confirm with administrator a timeline of creating camp materials: determine dates for when Abe and Sophie will provide Lizzet housing assignments, camp schedule, final roster, and then when Lizzet will have the camp binder and health tech binder completed for Abe/Sophie’s review and edits (the review of the completed binders should be no later than one week prior to camp).
Request camp insurance, and save proof of camp insurance once it’s received.
Work with band to begin developing the set list. Ask the team now about any needed supplies (cords, instruments, music stands etc) so that we have adequate time to order them.
Schedule an appropriate number (usually 3-5) of LJPC on-campus rehearsals for the worship team. Be sure church sound techs are available on those dates.
Create and send worship team covenant agreement.
Talk with the videographer about shot list or needs while at camp. Finalize videographer contract.
Talk with the camp health tech: schedule for them to take CPR/AED/First-Aid training if certification is due.
Set a time/date for the camp leader training meeting, and camp leader debrief/celebration meal. Make all preparations/volunteer training materials as needed. Notify the leader team.
Find out (from church program staff) if we can reserve a Sunday to have the camp video played after returning.
2 MONTHS PRIOR TO CAMP
Create talk sequence assignments. Decide on general outline of all camp sessions (announcements, upfront games, who is speaking, how many worship songs etc).
Create blank slides in the keynote presentation so that both speakers can add their content.
Begin working on worship lyric slides; place them in appropriate folders in keynote (ie Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night, Sunday morning).
Discuss impact night, and begin to plan what’s needed.
Start (collaborative) camp supply list so all directors/camp contributors are able to cross off items as they’re purchased, and begin placing orders as necessary. Google doc works well.
1-2 MONTHS PRIOR TO CAMP
Order camp t shirts, stickers, keychains, any merchandise so that they arrive in time.
Lizzet confirms that all students registered for camp are cleared to participate. Lizzet collets any outstanding forms to clear students.
Lizzet confirms that all leaders attending camp are cleared as volunteers, and initiates clearance procedure as needed.
Abe and Sophie create all documents for the leader training meeting.
Submit set-up request for camp check-in. DRAW PICTURES FOR THE CUSTODIAL TEAM.
1 MONTH PRIOR TO CAMP
Review camp check-in procedures and create any changes / new documents. A SMOOTH CHECK-IN = A SMOOTH CAMP EXPERIENCE. It seems intense, but we never regret the work put into making check-in the way that it is. One year we didn’t do this, and a lot of hours were wasted at camp calling parents, confiscating meds, disciplining students, answering annoying texts from home etc.
Confirm additional volunteers to operate camp morning check-in. Invite pastors, elders, etc. Ask someone to offer a sending prayer/blessing (ie Susie, Bernie, or Pastor Paul).
Send leaders form requesting their top 3 camp snacks. Shop for all camp snacks and bag them for leaders to collect at the leader training meeting. Pro tip; do top 3 only requests, and indicate no perishables.
Abe and Sophie provide Lizzet with camp documents, camp schedule, student evaluation, housing assignments etc. so that she can begin working on the binder.
Review camp health tech supplies list, add any as necessary, shop for missing items and stock health tech bags. Ideally, the health tech conducts this procedure.
Email health tech about procedures/policies of their role (particularly at check-in and medication distribution related details).
Finalize collaborative camp supply list and place all orders so they arrive in time.
Provide camp with what they need; guest questionnaire, housing, schedule, deposits, etc.
Draft pre-camp parent comprehensive info email which is basically all info on the camp website in email format + last minute details (bring in n out money to check in, reminder that a parent MUST be present for check-in, etc).
Draft post-camp parent email: spot for camp group photo, spot for camp video, short theme synopsis, spot for lost & found items photo, info about connecting with your kid after camp, section about “what’s next” for campers (ie small group, sunday morning, confirmation etc)
Schedule text blast (?) with list of all parents to go out when we are en-route on the bus ride home announcing our church ETA.
Lizzet makes all check-requests/processes payments. All student registration payments should be in. Checks made for videographer, band, bus company, camp etc. Anything that can be sent early or via mail should be sent now.
2 WEEKS PRIOR TO CAMP
Lizzet completes camp binder and health tech binder. Sophie/Abe review the binders and make edits.
Host leader training meeting. Leader training, camp overview & schedule, housing, leader roles, obtain leader car info for garage parking. Training Materials sample here.
Submit to Roy/custodians list of all leaders parking in the garage during the week of camp.
Review camp check-in procedure, and set up all the table stations so they’re fully ready to go.
Abe and Sophie finalize impact night, and look over talk sequence to make sure it’s all coming together. Create final slides.
All supplies get added to black and yellow bins. Bins are labeled (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tech, First Aid etc). Don’t waste precious time at camp rummaging through bins. The kids will mess them up too. Take 20 minutes to separate items by day and label days accordingly. Health tech bins should have red lids.
1 WEEK PRIOR TO CAMP
Everything should be done allowing very few, inevitable surprises to arise. Send the previously drafted pre-camp parent comprehensive info email.
Email all leaders their roles for check-in or at camp (this is their final reminder, with any last minute edits included as needed).
Confirm set-up request (custodians) and volunteers for camp morning check-in.
Last minute additions are added to the yellow bins/camp supply (music stands, hot water containers, 9 square, etc)
Create a “grab list” identifying all items that need to be grabbed on the (hectic) morning of camp.
Sophie and Abe finish writing messages. Godspeed.
DAY OF CAMP
Volunteers attending camp arrive 30 minutes prior to check-in
Volunteers not attending camp arrive 30 minutes prior to check-in
Review Camp Check In Procedure to see overview of the morning
Review health tech procedure for day-of needs
Review grab list for what to pack on the bus
DAY WE RETURN FROM CAMP
Have text blast message planned with Lizzet for return ETA
Get everyone picked up
Drag left-behind items inside
When videographer finishes editing 1-3 photos plus the camp video, pop them into the parent email blast you already drafted!
Go home & sleep: the camp email/video will carry people over for a little bit.
POST-CAMP WEEK(S)
Host leader team debrief and thank you dinner event
Collect all leader feedback forms and review them
Debrief the trip with staff, taking into account student evaluations and leader feedback forms
Introduce camp weekend in worship on the pre-selected date and show camp video
After camp photo gallery is sent, comb through and blur/remove any photos of students who cannot be posted online.
Upload all approved camp photos to a password protected Squarespace gallery and send it out to families via email and on social media
Deal with camp lost and found box and unpack all camp supplies.