Keeping in Touch

At Meadowbrook, we are always looking for ways to communicate effectively with our camp families. We believe that "Partnering with our Parents" and "Effective Communication" are 2 important attributes of the special relationship that we have with our camp families.

During the non-camp months (we don't call it "off-season"...there is no off-season at Meadowbrook), our plan is to update the blog and facebook fan page about twice each week. During the Summer, we are hoping to provide short updates every day. Naturally, this is in addition to our daily posting of pictures from Camp, our weekly e-mail newsletter, regular Meadow-Grams and Swim Reports, Ask Me About stickers, and phone calls from Division Heads and Directors. If that is not enough, please do not ever hesitate to pick up the phone and call the office with any questions or concerns.

Naturally, if you have ideas for blog topics or other ways to improve communication...just let us know!! Thanks - Jed

Video Yearbook

Friday was another fun day of watching rough cuts from our Video Yearbook and working with our fabulous Video Editing Team. Every year, we produce a Video Yearbook that we mail to all of our Meadowbrook Families that captures the excitement of the prior Summer. It is always fun reliving all those special moments!

Once again, we are pouring over about 50 hours of footage shot over 14 days during the Summer of 2009. The final product is an exciting combination of thousands (yes thousands!) of different video shots, transitions, effects and titles, all set to fun music. This year’s video will include great music from Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Rascal Flats, The Jonas Brothers and many more! Think you know what songs we picked? Plus, we have the perfect opening song…can you guess what it is? This year we are also featuring special segments on Swimming, our Challenge Course, and our T.I.G.E.R. Program! Stay tuned for more updates. We hope to have it in the mail next month!!

Special Events

These are the times that campers and counselors remember forever. Creating positive "indelible memories" is an extremely important part of what we do at camp. Our Leadership Team begins the process in October with a meeting to brainstorm our 8 weekly themes for the summer. This is always a fun meeting with lots of energy and creative juices flowing. One of the unique features of our program at Meadowbrook is that each summer our themes and special events are fresh and different!

Our team meets throughout the year to develop our themes and the many exciting events that our campers will experience all summer long. Jed and I carry a pad and pen with us everywhere we go, because you never know when an amazing idea might come to mind! If you have a great idea for a special event, please let us know.

Our calendar is shaping up beautifully for this summer, so we hope our campers are getting ready for another incredible summer of special events at Meadowbrook!

-Roz

American Camp Association

As camp professionals, in addition to running Meadowbrook Day Camp, we are active participants and leaders within the camp industry. For example, today I attended the Board of Directors meeting of the NJ Section of the American Camp Association (ACA) where I am an active Board Member.

What does the ACA do and how does Meadowbrook fit in?

First and foremost, Meadowbrook is an ACA Accredited camp. That means that we follow over 300 nationally recognized standards to help make Meadowbrook a safe, well run camp. ACA Accreditation is a large commitment that camps make and it is estimated that only 1 in 10 camps in the state of NJ achieve this high standard. We are proud that we have consistently been an ACA Accredited Camp. I also serve on the NJ Section's Standards Committee and volunteer as a Standards Visitor to camps seeking to establish or renew their ACA accreditation.

Our involvement with ACA also means that we are frequently attending seminars and workshops to help us improve everything we do at Meadowbrook. We share our expertise with others and have the benefit of learning from other camp professsionals as well as experts in other areas. This helps us to make every Summer at Meadowbrook and amazing experience for our Campers.

Finally, ACA works to provide the camp experience to as wide an audience of children as possible. Again, we are very involved in this goal through our ACA work as well as by providing significant support to an outgrowth organization from ACA called S.C.O.P.E. Just today, I joined a new ACA task force exploring ways to make the wonderful benefits of a day camp experience available to as many children in NJ as possible.

- Jed

Meadowbrook Division Heads

One of the most important aspects of Meadowbrook is our amazing Staff. Not only are they great, but there are LOTS OF THEM!

Our Group Counselors are led be an amazing group of Division Heads....13 of them! Once again, we have a great return rate, with 11 of last year's DH's returning to Meadowbrook. They are Sue, Suzanne, Allison T., Mindy, Scott, Alison S., Charlie, Tami, Pat, Andy, and Russ. This year, they will be joined by 2 staff members from last Summer that we welcome to the Leadership Team as new Division Heads: Vickie joins us from the pool and Steve B. joins us from our Ropes staff.

Together, this group meets year-round to help plan an amazing Summer for our Campers! By design, each Division Head supervises a small number of groups so that they can spend lots of time with their Staff and get to know each one of the Campers in their Division....an important Meadowbrook Difference!

Blog - Take 2

We are attempting to re-start the Meadowbrook Blog. Because of how we run Meadowbrook, an incredible amount of work goes into creating each Summer. As a result, the blog has been inactive. BUT....starting today, we will try it again. Stay tuned!

Meetings Meetings Meetings

Lot's of meetings this week, and it is only Wednesday. So far, we've met with Chris our painter to review what needs to be freshened up before summer. Frankie was in yesterday looking at all the property for stone, blacktop, grading, etc. We also met with our AV expert, also named Chris. Planning on a new sound system for the lunch pavilion and goat theater. He will also redo our morning assembly sound system and add to the rec barn system so rainy day karaoke will be even more fun! Finally, Char was here inspecting our ropes course and making some minor repairs. He checks everything....every rope, every buckle, every connection. Ongoing maintenance helps keep everything in tip-top shape.

Last night the full Leadership Team got together. Worked on orientation activities and training ideas. And always great food....working at Meadowbrook is never having to say you are hungry! Also met with Casey yesterday. She is one of our Special Events Directors. Time to get all of those bus events planned so we can finalize our '09 Special Events Calender. Today our 3 RN's come in to meet with Roz for their first group pre-summer meeting. And tours everyday for new families who want to join the Meadowbrook Fun.

Only 96 days 'till camp!