What I didn’t expect was just how much the NON-organizational aspects of camp would also help me plan the biggest party of my life.

The Theme

Apparently, according to Martha Stewart and the internet, your wedding should have a theme. Ok… so my wedding is like a Colour War. And during Colour War, everything is based on the theme: decor, costumes, food, and activities so everything works together. Well hey, no problem! We do this every day during the summer. (But don’t worry… we’re not having a pirate or Harry Potter wedding.)

The Guest Experience

When we plan programs and events for camp we always try to look at things from the camper’s perspective. What will they see? hear? feel? Taking the time to think about the wedding from our guests’ perspective helps to iron out the little details that will make a difference in their comfort level. And I’ve thought a little about behaviour management too. Ever seen what happens when you leave empty blocks of time in a schedule? (Answer: The momentum is gone. Plus, if you don’t give them something to do, they’ll find something. And it probably won’t be the thing you want them to do.) So at our wedding, there will be no leaving our guests to twiddle their thumbs!

Chris Thurber has written an excellent article on how to write about camp jobs on your resume. This is a great read for our previous staff, as it shows how to celebrate the importance of camp to non-camp people who might be reading your resume.

More than that though, it’s a good read for anyone applying to work at camp, or anywhere else for that matter. My favorite big ideas from this article:

• The wording you use can make a HUGE difference in how your job experience is perceived. Be professional, and don’t use “camp-specific” words that no one else will understand.
• Spelling and grammatical errors are not acceptable. Period. (I love this line: “Those who think that my little thought-train sounds harsh are the ones who won’t get choice jobs. It’s as simple as that.”) I agree. If you don’t care enough to proofread your resume, will you care about your job?
• Camp IS a “real job”. Another quote: “No responsibility rivals that of caring for children.” I understand this – I want to work with other people who understand it, too.

Our 3rd annual Santa’s workshop was a great success! With double the enrolment of last year, we had a full house and both campers and staff had a wonderful time.

This year’s special projects included:

• peppermint bath salts in gift jars
• Christmas tile coasters
• wreath picture frame ornament/magnet
• slipper socks

Week 2 found us well into the swing of things! It’s so much fun to have so many campers returning from week to week.

Best Moments:

• Lots of cooking – and eating!
• The “wet sweatpants” race
• Reptile Rainforest Roadshow
• Harry Potter Colour War & the game of Quiddich!

Best Quotes:

“Be more like us… neurotic and dependent.”

“Smiley Face.” “Smelly face?”

Wow, Week 1 of our 2011 summer season just flew by! We are off to a great start, thanks to great weather, happy campers and an awesome staff!

Best Moments:

• Human Foosball
• Egg-Spoon Race with “Counselor Gauntlet”
• Pudding War

Best Quotes:

“Can I call you back? I’m bathing a camper in the sink.”

At the beginning of the 2010 Summer season we were in the unfortunate position of having to replace a counselor at the last minute. Luckily for us, Mikayla had a brother! Dakota is a lover of all sports, especially hockey and baseball, so it’s no surprise that he will be working with the Senior Sports group again this year. Welcome back, Dakota!

Cassie, Jr Counselor

I’m pleased to introduce Cassie Sharp, one of our newest staff members. Despite her young age Cassie is already an accomplished athlete in a variety of sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, & hockey in particular. In fact, she recently received an invitation to attend tryouts for Team Ontario! In addition to Cassie’s athletic qualifications, she also has lots of experiences working with children in the community, and is interested in becoming a teacher. Cassie will be working with the Shoots age group this summer.

Welcome to MKDC, Cassie!

At MKDC we feel it is very important that everyone in our camp community is comfortable showing off who they really are. We spend a great deal of time and effort creating a camp culture that accepts our little individual quirks and differences – including those of our staff!

For our campers and staff, this looks like:

• campers are free to enjoy their favorite activities, regardless of gender stereotypes;
• put-downs, practical jokes, and bullying are never ok;
• being creative and silly is encouraged;
• friendships can’t be forced – but respect is always expected;
• staff have the freedom to contribute their own skills and hobbies to camp programming.

When campers and staff feel safe letting their personalities shine through – that’s when the fun & friendship really starts!

Q: We are considering enrolling our children in Maple Key Camp this summer. Are your community volunteers required to complete a Police Screening as part of their eligibility assessment?

A: Yes, our volunteers must pass the same screening process as our staff do, including police screening and a personal interview. We not accept very many volunteers – the few we do have are usually high school students looking to complete their volunteer hours and/or gain experience working with children.

Our volunteers are not included in our staff to camper ratio, are not left alone with campers, and do not perform the duties of staff. Volunteers support the MKDC staff by helping individual campers, setting up activities, and assisting with clean-up.

Have a question about MKDC? E-mail us or comment below!