The New Road to Camp

by Stacie Hoppman on January 11,2022 in Camp Talk, Parents with No Comments

Summer camp. Type those words into a Google search, and you’ll get 1,440,000,000 results in just .87 seconds.

We live in a world where information, photos, data, and resources can be accessed digitally in less time than it takes to snap your fingers. It used to be that in order to experience camp and this community, you actually had to be here. You had to drive down our road and come through our gate. New people learned about Camp Wyoming because a friend told them or they saw the directional signs on the highway or maybe they looked up our listing in the local phone book.

Today, new families experience camp for the first time, not as they drive down our road and through our gate, but when they pull up our website or visit our social media pages. The new road to camp has moved online.

Why does this matter? It means that overwhelmingly, our first impression is made before a family ever drives through the gate to drop off their child. It means that they don’t have to know someone in order to consider coming to summer camp here. It means that many of these first-time campers are coming without any prior relationship and affiliation.

Camp is a place where people experience the love of Jesus in the safety of community. If we want to welcome all people into this space, it starts, first and foremost, online. We believe that camp is important, life-changing, and powerful for kids. And we believe that everyone should have the chance to experience this community of believers who empower, uplift, and grow together each summer. While it is our responsibility as a camp to make sure that we are creating helpful online roads to welcome people in, there are some things that you, as members of this community, can do as well.

• Share our posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Tag your friends. Start conversations. You can help us widen our road to camp and our reach just by engaging with us on social media and inviting people you know into the conversation.
• Leave good and honest reviews. When you buy something, do you ever scroll to look at the reviews written by other customers? Of course! Everyone who is considering a new product or experience wants to hear from people who have come before them. So head to our Google page or Facebook page and leave us a review. Tell people why you send your kids to Camp Wyoming. Share your memories and experiences. Encourage those new families who might be wondering, “Is Camp Wyoming the right place for my child?”
• Subscribe/follow/like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Not only will you be up-to-date on what is happening at camp, but when new families see higher numbers of followers and subscribers, they are more likely to believe that we are going to do what we say we will do! It boosts their confidence in Camp Wyoming.
• Post your own pictures, stories, and memories on your social media accounts and tag us. The more you talk about your experiences here, the more people will want to know more.
• Tell your friends about us! This doesn’t have to be done digitally. However, as you talk about Camp Wyoming and the impact it has had on your life, people are more likely to seek us out online to learn more.

The ways we engage people in ministry is changing, but the message never does. When people come to camp, they still have the chance to build relationships with God and others, surrounded by the beauty of creation, and wrapped in the blessing of community. The internet has given us new ways to invite people in. Won’t you consider partnering with us in ministry. Choose a few things from the list above and help us spread the joy of camp and the love of Jesus with as many people as we can.