Mid States Camp Conference

11/23/2021

A BIG thank you to everyone who participated in our 2nd Annual Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser by selling, purchasing or donating directly!

We couldn't do what we do without YOU!!!

11/16/2021

Hey Friends of Mid States: ACA Illinois needs YOU! This Friday kicks off our 2nd Annual Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser and this year, more than ever, we need your support! Like many we've had a tough year, and in order to keep our services going and continue sending kids to camp we need your help with 1) Fundraising, 2) Buying, or 3) Donating with us during this time.

You can find details at https://acai.wildapricot.org/Double-Good-Popcorn-Fundraiser

09/28/2021

Hey Mid States lovers: have you heard? ACA Illinois is hosting a brand NEW conference called Base Camp: Spring Conference and Skills Lab!

We invite any camp pros, thought-leaders, and field experts working with the camp industry to complete a Call For Proposals form today. Questions about the conference or proposal submission? Connect with Kim at [email protected].

This form does not allow you to save your work. Therefore, we highly recommend that you write your bio (350 character max), session title (56 character max), and description (350 character max) in another program such as Microsoft Word.  You can copy and paste these items into the form when asked. ...

05/28/2021

A crucial part of the feedback process is making sure that everyone not only understands their expectations, but also the process itself.

So now that we are finally faced with a glimmer of light at the end of this year-long tunnel, it’s time to shift our focus to how we can help develop a resilient staff with staying power — not just for this summer, but for future summers as well.

05/24/2021

Phase 4 Guidance for Day and Overnight Camps have been updated by DCEO and IDPH!

05/21/2021

It's not too late to !

05/20/2021

If you weren't able to make our Monthly Members Meeting this morning, DCEO and IDPH confirmed that camps that can properly clean and sanitize reusable dishes and cutlery between use may start doing so!

It will take some time before we see this reflected on the website, but it's coming soon. As always, specific questions should be directed to your local health department, and if you're looking for resources on food service during COVID-19, check out:

https://acacamps.app.box.com/s/e9jrgmz5hjpjt89tn4kumxd1phs99sdg

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

Information on COVID-19 and food safety

05/17/2021

For the past year ACA, Inc. has been working to overcome the obstacles that remain for J-1 BridgeUSA cultural exchange participants who want to work at camp this summer. Right now, visa processing continues to be a major barrier, and we need your help, your voice, and your influence to get this message to decision-makers in the Department of State. J-1 Camp Counselors need visas immediately.

Send a message to your congressional representative today!

Find out the latest issues and legislation happening in your state.

05/13/2021

Colette Marquardt, our Executive Director, joins other local camp professionals to talk about special needs camps and how many plan to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 this summer.

Organizers say they plan to follow coronavirus protocols for such facilities, which hosts people with diabetes and other serious illnesses or issues.

05/07/2021

No question; we ask A LOT of our leadership teams and it would be challenging, if not impossible, to run camp successfully without them! In this 2019 Project Real Job blog, Sarah Silverberg offers some great thoughts around how to expect even more from them by providing more in the way of continued growth & learning and investing in their future.

This blog post in support of Project Real Job discusses why you should expect more from your summer camp leadership team and how to encourage them to expect more from you.

04/28/2021

We all know that "inclusive" and "diversity" can be words that are often tokenized when it comes to creating camp culture. So what do camp directors and organization leaders do to develop an authentic, inclusive culture among their staff and camps?

Read the latest Project Real Job blog for concrete ideas to create an inclusive staff culture as a way to increase retention!

How inclusive is your camp? Ask any of your staff and campers that question, and you are likely to get different answers from each one. Why, you might ask? Because at the individual level, the definition of inclusion is how welcome a person feels to be their authentic selves at camp. Without their p...

04/24/2021

The Staff Recruitment and Retention Committee would like to encourage those camps who are at or nearing staffing capacity to keep something up on your website that directs potential applicants to a camp job listing site (such as ACA) where they can still consider camp as an option even if you are “full”.

Also give thought to reaching out to neighboring camps to inquire about positions that remain open in order to recommend/refer any "overflow" of applications (with applicant permission, of course)!

Find a Camp Job: https://buff.ly/2Qh30fO, https://buff.ly/3tJUCUv, https://buff.ly/3vcWoOk, https://buff.ly/3sH9iT4

American Camp Association (ACA) offers the top jobs available in Summer Camp. Search and apply to open positions or post jobs on American Camp Association (ACA) now.