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What is CampGroup?
CampGroup is a family of summer camps that have joined together to gain the advantages of being part of a larger organization, while still operating essentially independently.
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How does a camp's affiliation with CampGroup benefit campers and parents?
All CampGroup camps maintain the highest standards in leadership, safety, program offerings, staff recruitment and training and they are constantly striving to improve. They do not and can not become complacent. The CampGroup office handles back-office functions like purchasing and bookkeeping so the camp directors are able to focus on the most important aspects of running camp – parents, campers, staff and program. CampGroup's directors also benefit by working with and learning from other, high-quality camps. They share programming ideas, help each other find quality staff and join forces on many projects that no one camp could take on by itself. Finally, CampGroup makes significant investments in its camp facilities, so those facilities improve greatly after a camp affiliates with CampGroup.
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Are CampGroup camps "corporate"? What does it mean that a camp is "part of CampGroup?"
No. CampGroup camps are the farthest thing from "corporate." They are neither identical, nor do they follow the same rules and specifications. There are many different types of camps that are part of CampGroup. Each CampGroup camp is unique and different and is guided by its own director(s) without any undue interference.
CampGroup is a family of eleven camps that are owned by the same organization. We are one of those camps, so we are a part of CampGroup. It DOES NOT mean that we are controlled by the same person or entity. Indeed, our camp is a unique and special place that I guide as the director.
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Do the camps' directors still own their own camps?
Every CampGroup directors owns part of CampGroup. He (or she) has an ownership stake in his camp and a financial interest in its. Thus, CampGroup's directors are truly Owner/Directors.
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Do camp directors really run their own camps?
Yes they do. Every director runs her own camp. The director decides how the program will work, which staff to hire and how to handle the myriad of issues that arise at camp. CampGroup supports the director in that work and provides other assistance, guidance and support as requested, but the director makes the decisions.
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We want our child to attend the same camp for many years. What assurances do we have that the director will be around for that long?
Every CampGroup director is committed to his camp and has no intention of leaving any time soon. Camps change hands all the time, and directors change. As a group, the directors at CampGroup's camps have been in place far longer than the directors at many camps. Moreover, when one of CampGroup's directors decides to step down, camp families can rest assured that there will be continuity at the camp because the director and CampGroup will make sure that the new director is extremely capable and stays true to the camp's mission and values.
Most important, CampGroup's ownership has enabled us, as Camp Directors, to focus on the most important aspects of running camp – parents, campers, staff and program. CampGroup eases our administrative burdens by performing essential, but time-consuming back-office functions like bookkeeping, insurance and accounting. CampGroup also enables us to benefit from working with and learning from other high-quality camps. We work together to hire staff and develop new programs.
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Is there a limit to how much is invested in any single facility?
No. The money invested in our camp since it joined CampGroup is far greater in virtually every area than it was before we joined CampGroup. This includes investments like new buildings that you can see as well as investments in infrastructure that you cannot see. Every camp has a limit as to how much it can spend on its facility each year. You can't invest more than you have. But we have far greater resources than camps that do not have the backing of a strong financial entity like CampGroup.
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Are any of the camps going to be sold to real estate developers?
Absolutely not. CampGroup's mission is to "strengthen and improve summer camps so that future generations will benefit from the enriching experiences they offer." Selling any of the camps for land value would run counter to this mission. In fact, many camp owners have sold their camps to CampGroup to ensure that their camp would remain a camp and not become a real estate development. CampGroup has actually purchased and revived several defunct and struggling camps and reinvigorated them as camps.
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What is the ownership structure of CampGroup?
CampGroup is owned by its Camp Directors along with a group of individual investors who are not camp directors. These individuals view their investment as a long term one that is not subject to any short term financial pressures that might harm the long term interests of the camps.
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Why do camp owners choose to join the CampGroup family?
Camp owners join the CampGroup family of camps for different reasons. CampGroup is unique in providing successful owners of camps with the opportunity to realize some of the value they have created in their camp while continuing to run the camp. CampGroup also appeals to camp owners who do not have family members to succeed them yet want to ensure that their camp's continued existence and success. Those who sell to CampGroup gain support and guidance from their colleagues and the comfort and security that comes from being part of a large family of camps with strong financial backing.
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