For the first three days of this week, we had the opportunity to attend Tweakage. The Tweakage Rendezvous is an informal gathering of camps in which ideas, questions, and thoughts can be shared and discussed. Its goal is to encourage camps to better their management skills, operational efficiency, program excellence, and ministry effectiveness. Each camp is encouraged to listen for new ideas, and then take those ideas home and tweak them to work in their very own camp. The conference was attended by about 140 people from 42 different camps. Many well known camps were at the conference including: The Wilds, Camp Joy, Camp Chetek, Camp Cobeac, and many others.

The preaching, seminars, and informal discussions were outstanding. In each session, I tried to glean one idea or concept to improve Servant’s Heart Camp. On my “to do” list for today I have noted to write a highlight from each session. I wanted to make sure that I do not forget what I have learned. Other than the personal or sensitive items, here are the headings for my list.

• The church (not camp) is vitally important. I want to look for additional ways to support the local church

• Establish a new procedure for police background checks for summer staff

• A parent’s top two concerns when they send a child to camp are Safety and Security

• Consider live streaming for our evening rallies (future)

• New free time game for this summer – Nine Square in the Air

• Begin working on an Emergency Action Plan

• God is faithful, but His timing is not our timing

• Great Training Videos for staff training

• Great idea for a new group game for this summer – come and see

• Communication is more than just talking

• Possible required reading book for staff – Respectable Sins (Bridges)

By God’s grace, I would like Servant’s Heart Camp to improve each year. The great interchange at Tweakage is one of the ways to help us grow.