I have been asked this question many times across the two seasons that I have been privileged to serve in this role. To say that I have enjoyed being the Outreach Director immensely would be an understatement. I do, however, feel that it’s worth clarifying what this “job” entails so that the ways that Camp Alleghany intentionally seeks to broadly and deeply engage various members of its community could be more clearly understood and appreciated.
As a summer camp most folks see and appreciate the 8+ weeks of staff training and programming and family vacation experiences we provide. Many understand that year- round planning and preparation are involved to ensure that our brief summer window is a success. But 12 months of intentional focus is on keeping various members of our community engaged, supported, and affirmed. That’s what I am excited to be a part of.
I was honored to have the opportunity to speak to this summer’s LIT class about what the Outreach Director does. They understandably had no idea of what it entailed, but once they did they offered incredible insights and affirmations of camp’s quiet commitment to engagement.
Engagement
The three major facets of this engagement include alumni, summer camp staff, and first time term campers/their families who’ve never been to Alleghany before. The primary goal of this intentional engagement is to strengthen and maintain a high level of retention.
First, the alumni. We have a strong and vibrant alumni association. Referred to as CAAA, this voluntary group of alumni meet every other month. This official corporation was established in 2009. CAAA represents former campers, counselors, families, friends, green team and staff. Their mission is “to unite, to give, and to enrich” the Camp Alleghany experience today in gratitude for and celebration of what they each experienced there. Among their many good works, they raise money to contribute to program enhancements at Camp, they sponsor events at Family camp, they host an alum volunteer work weekend called LOL at the beginning of each summer season, and they manage a 501(c)3 scholarship fund (The Lantern) to enable girls to attend camp. As Outreach Director, I am actively engaged in those meetings, in helping to coordinate their sponsored events and in ensuring that communication lines between CAAA and CA Inc remain seamless.
With summer staff, I am establishing relationships with counselors through leading staff training sessions, weekly staff meetings in the summer, and offering morale boosters and weekly treats to remind them of how their contribution to camp is so valued. As a former university professor, working with young adults in mentoring and professional development roles is incredibly fulfilling. Hiring incredible staff, thanks to Stephanie, our Program Director, is the start. Being a part of encouraging them throughout the season and encouraging them in their invaluable role at camp is my privilege as Outreach Director.
One of the most exciting aspects of my role is being the first point of contact with “First Timers” (families and campers who are coming to term camp for their very first experience at Alleghany). This involves email communications, FaceTime, Zooms, personalized videos, celebrating them the moment they arrive, checking in with each of them the first few days to ensure a smooth transition to camp, communicating with their families at the start and end of each term, and highlighting them at assembly as well as with small treats throughout the summer… this includes sending postcards to each of them while they are at camp from Camp Alleghany alumni. These are some of the many ways it’s my honor to engage and offer support to these new Ghany girls and their families.
Retention
The data geek in me also loves the opportunity I have in the off season to analyze retention rates and make recommendations to our Admin Team about ways in which we can be even more intentional about bringing back Ghany girls to experience the full value of what spending summers at Camp Alleghany can do for them in their development as strong women. When I shared this aspect of my role with the LIT‘s this summer, I facilitated an activity, using fake data, to see if they could offer ideas for ways to improve an already strong retention rate at camp. I was humbled by their investment in the activity, but moreover in their insightful suggestions and wisdom.
So, in answer to the question “What is an Outreach Director? I can sincerely tell you it is the opportunity of a lifetime for this Ghany alum, who has spent 52 years at “the camp we all loved best.” Of all of the ways, across these many years, that I have been privileged to spend my summers at Camp Alleghany, this is by far the role that is most gratifying and far-reaching.
Exceptional camp programming is what impacts our campers on a daily basis throughout the summer. Camp Alleghany will continue to make intentionally broad and deep efforts to engage varied aspects of our camp community year-round so it will continue to thrive. Thank you for your engagement!
