Camp Safety

As Summer Camp approaches and our weeks fill-up I would like to take a moment to address a commonly asked question.  “What does SpringHill do to provide safety for campers?” While this question is very broad and can be broken into categories of emotional safety, physical safety, mental safety and spiritual safety, I will present some processes we have in place and how they addresses these areas.  As always, if you have further questions please feel free to email, post a comment or call the office at 812.497.0008.

The safety of children is the number one concern for parents as well as that of SpringHill.  We cannot accomplish our mission if we are not first providing a safe environment.  Our first line of defense, as well as the most important, is our extremely low camper to staff ratio.  In a given week we will average 450 campers at our Seymour Overnight location.  During that same time we have 170 (or more) staff members on site.  This means that for every 2-3 campers there is one staff member.  This allows us to demand of our staff that no camper is ever left alone.  I contrast this with my experience as a camper at a camp in New York where there was 3 hours a day when we were “free” to do as we wished.  We were given three full hours where we saw no staff members and our counselor did not even stay in the same cabin at night with us.  By lowering our ratios and increasing our expectations we instantly lower our campers risk in all areas.

Obviously when we talk about safety the first thought to come to mind is that of physical safety.  We address this area with a multi-tiered approach.  On the ground level, all staff are trained in basic first aid and illness awareness.  They are able to respond to minor issues as well as spot potential sicknesses that campers tend to hide.  The next level is that of leadership staff.  All leadership staff are trained and certified by the Red Cross in First Aid and CPR.  This means that about 60 staff have this training and are always spread out around camp.  Our final level is that of our Health Services staff.  In our health office we have college students majoring in health sciences (most seeking nursing) as well as 1-2 Volunteer Registered Nurses.  Along with all of this great nursing expertise we also have an on-call doctor who also makes regular visits to camp.

The environment of camp and the activities we employ present some inherent risk.  However there are many steps we take to ensure that all controllable areas are well controlled.  Our High Adventure activities are all inspected annually at the opening of the season to ensure they are safe for usage.  We bring in an outside authority to do this inspection, Experiential Systems Inc.  This same firm inspects all of our equipment used in this area.  We also inspect all High Adventure activities and equipment on a daily basis in-house.  All activities that are done on or in the water require a lifejacket.  Our lifeguards are fully trained and certified by the Red Cross.  We also inspect all water activities daily.  There are many rigorous standards we must meet in order to have Red Cross lifeguards, ESI Certified High Adventure areas as well as to be certified by the American Camping Association.  If you would like more information about these standards please check out the ACA’s website.

The final component I would like to discuss is that of communication. We operate on quite a large piece of land and interact with a vast audience, thus communication is a challenge but extremely crucial.  If you have ever been to SpringHill you might have noticed yellow boxes everywhere.  These yellow boxes are our “Call Boxes” and they enable us to connect to all areas of camp instantly.  These call boxes allow anyone to get in contact with the main office or a full time staff member at any time.  We also have loud speakers installed around camp that also connect to our radios so we can broadcast needed information instantly.   These systems are vital to our communication during weather related events.  All staff are trained to react to code words used over these speakers and respond accordingly.  Communication is also very important when it comes to the interaction of camp and Parents.  We strive to be in communication with parents whenever a camper is seen at the Health Services office and employ software to document this process.  I will also be posting daily video blogs throughout summer so that parents will be able to see what is happening on camp.

Obviously this is just a snapshot of a much larger more intricate system with which we strive to ensure the safety of every guest.  We are constantly looking to improve and grow in all areas of our camp, however this area receives consistent attention.  We truly view the safety of campers as part of our mission and imperative in being able to present the message of Christ.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Meet the Staff [Part 6]

Hello, I’m EJ Tiggs. I attend the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, IN. I’m working on earning a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising. This summer will be my third summer working on staff at SpringHill. I’ve been a Red Brush Counselor, a Red Brush Area Director, and this summer I will be a Teen Service Team Area Director. Before working at SpringHill, I had been a camper in both InPursuit and TST.

I’m so glad that I get to work at SpringHill this summer because it gives me this great opportunity that I don’t get often, and that is being able to share the message of Christ with younger children and teens and mentor them. Being that I was a camper before, I value the counselors and leaders that helped me through middle school and high school. SpringHill isn’t just a summer camp; it’s a tool that helps young people grow in Christ. What I’m looking forward to the most are the life changing moments that are sure to come!

From the glittering lights of the Las Vegas strip to the scenic location of SpringHill tucked away in the woods of Indiana, this summer is going to be quite a drastic and refreshing change. My name is Nicole Zimmerman, and I have the privilege of serving as Director for the InPursuit program. I have been actively involved in youth ministry and performing arts ministries since 2005 and attended college in Las Vegas and California with my focus in Business Administration and Biblical Studies. I cannot wait to spend my summer at SpringHill because I believe so greatly in its purpose and vision. Seeing youth come to know and grow in the Lord while learning to connect everyday life and activities with their faith is the greatest blessing. I look most forward to connecting with the youth and seeing all the preparation and prayer come to life once camp weeks begin.

Meet the Staff [Sibling Edition]

Please join me in welcoming a dynamite sibling combo, Grant and Ashley Henry!  (I chose this picture for them, its from Crud Wars, it gets a bit messy!)

 Hello!  My name is Grant Henry.  I am from Warsaw, Indiana.  I attend Purdue University where I am an elementary education major. This summer I have the privilege of being the Summer Camp Director!

This year will be my 3rd summer at SpringHill and with each summer I have so greatly enjoyed seeing what God does in the lives of kids at Camp and in the lives of staff.  He moves in mighty ways.  It is a place that is an incredible experience for everyone involved, leaving a life-changing impact that is contagious and something I just cannot get enough of.

The thing I am looking forward to the most this summer is being able to invest in staff, encouraging them, ministering to them, and praying both for them and their campers that they would have a direct impact for the Lord that would last a lifetime.  I am looking forward to seeing how staff will have the opportunity to reach thousands of campers through sharing the gospel with these kids. I pray that they will then have a growing faith in Jesus that carries with them for the rest of their lives.  Kids do in fact need camp as camp offers irreplaceable experiences.

 

 Hello! My name is Ashley Henry. (Grant’s Little Sis) I am from Warsaw, IN and I will be graduating this spring with an Exercise Science major from Taylor University. I will be the High Adventure Lead.  As the “HIAD” Lead I will be leading the staff which facilitates the Climbing Wall, Euro Bungee, Solo Challenge, High Ropes Course and everyone’s favorite, the Zipline!

I knew I wanted to work at SpringHill from the first time I ever came to camp.  It was during a Family Weekend visit when my brother worked there in the summer of 2010.  The next Spring I applied and I got to work as a High Adventure Instructor during this past summer.  SpringHill is a special place and I have come to love everything about it!  From the beautiful landscape, the awesome activities, and especially the people I can’t wait to get back.  The people that work here at SpringHill are very high quality and I feel blessed to know them and work with them everyday!

What I am probably most excited about is meeting my new team of High Adventure Instructors and getting to know each of them personally!  I am also looking forward to my new leadership position as well as training, teaching and encouraging my team throughout the summer.  I had a very challenging but great experience as an Instructor last year and now I am very thankful that I get the chance to lead others.  God has truly given me a love for the outdoors and for kids and teaching others about Christ.

Overall, I am VERY EXCITED for my second summer at SpringHill!

 

Meet the Staff [Part 3]

 Hello! My name is Ashley.

I am from Greenfield, IN, which is about 20 miles east of Indy. I am currently studying elementary education at Purdue University. I am going to be a Red Brush Area Director. I want to be at SpringHill this summer because I was there last summer for the first time ever and I absolutely loved it. I fell in love with the facility and I really enjoyed getting to know all of the staff. However, my favorite part, and what’s drawing me back this summer are the campers. It is awesome seeing how God grows them in just a matter of a few days. I like that SpringHill incorporates this into every aspect and activity of camp and I am so blessed to be a part of it. I am most looking forward to meeting the campers and helping them experience God, as well as encouraging them to grow in their relationship with Him.

Hello! My name is Anna.

I am a sophomore at Purdue University studying nursing. I was born in China, but I have been living in Chicago for the past 11 years. This summer, I will be working as Craft Lead, and I am so excited to see how God will be working in my life and the lives of campers and staff. I love SpringHill because of their mission in spreading God’s love to every person at camp- campers and staff. Last summer as a High Adventure Instructor, I saw how God strengthened every camper through His word to help him or her step out of their comfort zone and overcome their fears during the high adventure activities. I also experienced how God’s love empowered every staff that worked day and night to ensure that in the midst of the thrilling and fun camp activities, meaningful conversations about God were still happening.  For this summer, I am especially looking forward to working and building relationships with my team along with other staff, and to use my experience with God last summer as a resource of encouragement to them. I also can’t wait to see how God will change my life again through the campers. So all in all, I love SpringHill and I can’t wait for the summer to be here!

 

Here Comes the Party [Barge]

As I promised last week, today I will be giving you a glimpse of the work being done on the Party Barge.  Thanks to donors and volunteers we have been able to overhaul one of our greatest assets. Some of the new highlights include: lighting (for night-time fun), a sound system, all new zip-line tower, new composite decking, easy to use staircase, new paint and other eye pleasing additions.

This has been no small undertaking for the site team.  They have been working on grinding, welding, sanding, painting and building since the fall.  I am so grateful for all the hard work that has been going into this project and am so excited to see the finished product in use this summer.

The pictures only show our current progress, you’ll have to come this summer to see it in its full glory.  Campers are going to have a blast on this year, parents, sign up for a family camp so you can experience it first hand as well!

As we say goodbye to the Party Barge as it once was, I would love for anyone to share fond memories they have at the Party Barge. For me its all the time I’ve spent out there training our lifeguards.

As we look forward to using the new Party Barge, I must ask; what are you most looking forward to this year at SpringHill?

Meet the Staff [Part 1]

Over the next several weeks I will be taking one day a week to introduce you to a couple of our staff.  The staff members that will be included in these introductions are our Resident Staff and our Leadership staff.  Resident staff is the staff here at camp that leads the summer camp experience and would include Camp Center directors. (ie the TST Director) Typically the resident staff team is made up of individuals who have been around camp a while and have graduated college.  Leadership staff report directly to Resident staff and are the direct leads for counselors.  Leadership staff would include Area Directors.

I am excited to introduce you to our 2012 Summer Staff and as you will see in their short bios, they can’t wait for summer!

 Hello, my name is Chad Tribbett and I am from Westfield, Indiana. I am currently finishing my last semester at Indiana Wesleyan University as a Criminal Justice major and writing minor. This summer will be my third summer on staff and I will be serving as the Target Sports Lead.  As the target sports lead I will be in charge of archery, rifles, trap shooting, slingshots and of course, paintball.

I went to SpringHill a lot as a camper and loved every experience, and working there the last two years has really shown me how great of a ministry it is and how rewarding it is for everyone involved. It’s an incredible opportunity to serve Christ and kids while having an awesome time.

I am looking forward to getting connected with staff and campers and seeing how God is going to use the camp to further His kingdom this summer.

My name is Amy Kappel.  I am a sophomore at Indiana University studying nursing.  I am so excited to be the kitchen lead for SpringHill this summer! I started coming to SpringHill when I was in high school, and they haven’t been able to keep me away since.

This will be my third year working in the kitchen and my second year as kitchen lead.  I am so excited to see all the remarkable ways God is going to work this summer at SpringHill.  It is truly humbling to see so many campers come to Christ as well as see the staff around you grow in His presence.   I can’t wait for summer 2012!

Change is in the Air

While I know it is too early to declare the arrival of spring, it sure is hard not to get excited about warmer weather and sunshine.  At SpringHill spring means many things but most importantly it means getting ready.  Every year we try to step it up another notch over the previous year as well as take another step in the direction of our mission.  This year there are three main projects we are working on to improve the physical property and experience of our guests.

1. Dining Hall Upgrade
2. Electricity to all housing areas
3. Party Barge Update

Today I am going to share a little bit about the Dining Hall plan and why this project is important to SpringHill.  By the time we have our summer campers on camp in June we will have totally revamped our dining hall space and improved its ability to be used as a session space.  As you can imagine, a large area with a concrete floor and many hard surfaces did not make for an ideal space for large group sessions and loud bands.  So, we brought in an acoustical engineer and designed a plan to improve this space and control sound.  We are also looking at revamping the stage area to include two screens, a permanent stage and real professional stage curtains.  Another really cool addition is the GOBO.  Usually drummers are stuck in Plexiglas fish tanks in order to control sound levels.  With the GOBO we will be able to eliminate the tank and free up more stage space.

All of this work will add up to a well-purposed space not just a re-purposed space.  We have always used this space for duel roles, eating and entertaining, however the entertaining was always a secondary function.  With these upgrades guests will be able to have a truly professional audio-visual experience.  Better yet concerts will not turn into mere, cover your ears, noise.

I truly appreciate the vision, planning, time and hard work that our site team has put into this project.  When this project is complete we will have to ability to serve more campers and guests on our property, which means our capacity to reach others with the message of Christ increases!  If you would like to help with this project please contact myself or call the office at 812.497.0008.