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Sessions in Central Time

-11/15/2023

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Great Rivers Fall Conference - All Sessions in Central Time

11/15/2023 7:00 AM
Sponsor Gallery

-11/15/2023

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Sponsor Gallery

11/15/2023 7:00 AM
Fall Conference - Wednesday

-11/15/2023

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Great Rivers Fall Conference - Wednesday

11/15/2023 7:30 AM
Early Bird Breakfast

Meal / Break -11/15/2023

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Early Bird Breakfast

11/15/2023 7:31 AM
For those who are staying overnight on Tuesday, November 14th breakfast is available in Sjogren from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Location: Sjogren

Registration

-11/15/2023

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Registration

11/15/2023 8:30 AM
Registration for the Great Rivers Fall Conference will be in the lobby area of the Swanson building.
Opening Playnote with Trevor Dunlap

General Session -11/15/2023

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Opening Playnote with Trevor Dunlap

11/15/2023 9:30 AM
During this keynote, we will revisit a time where screens didn’t obscure our vision; where human interaction wasn’t mediated through posts and qualified by “likes”; where we sat eye-to-eye, connect over the simplest of tolls; where friends were made by simply asking, “Want to play?” Join us as we tap into our intra-kindergartener-consciousness and explore the renewed promise of the first teambuilding activity we ever knew – the power of Play! During this Playnote we will unpack how we can flip our perspective and build upon our conference connections to create lasting networks through purposeful play! Participants will walk away feeling renewed, excited to engage and equipped with interactive activities they can use right away!

Location: Thrivent

Trevor Dunlap, Executive Director of Nuhop and Co-Founder of Switchback Designs is passionate about experiential learning and loves fostering creative environments where people can succeed through self-discovery and teamwork. His high energy and zeal creates a contagious atmosphere of transforming fun where people can develop a new appreciation of themselves and their peers.

Trevor is the co-author of Team Building from the Toy Aisle and Crowdwords: Doing A Lot with a Little, as well as the designer of CrowdCubes, Pathfinder, and Performance Cubed, experiential tools used across the globe. 

Trevor and his wife Sarah enjoy taking their three children on adventures, and can often be found trail running/hiking, skiing, and working the soil in their family garden. 

Educational Breakout Session 1

-11/15/2023

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Educational Breakout Session 1

11/15/2023 10:55 AM
Master Planning Strategies for Camps

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Master Planning Strategies for Camps

11/15/2023 10:55 AM
Drawing from his experience as a Landscape Architect and Professor of Practice at Iowa State University, Tom will share several examples of site master plans and common processes used to develop a master plan. Specific topics include how the master plan can build on a camp’s mission, purpose, and values, and how a master plan can fit with the unique qualities and characteristics of the camp property. Additionally, a presentation of unique approaches camps use to implement their master plan will be provided, including examples of recent projects. This will be a highly illustrative presentation with several photos and images from representative projects. There will also be ample time for discussion, so bring your thoughts, ideas, and questions to this session!

Location: Dillion

Tom Neppl is a practicing Landscape Architect and faculty member of the Landscape Architecture Department at Iowa State University. In 25 years of professional practice, he’s worked with camps, and outdoor and environmental education centers throughout the U.S. on projects ranging from small garden spaces to master planning of large-scale, regional sites greater than 1,000 acres in size. From his Ames, Iowa-based studio, he’s served clients in 26 states, including several non-profit agencies and organizations, including the Girl Scouts, the YMCA, Salvation Army, denominational and non-denominational camps, and county and municipal governmental agencies. As a Professor of Practice at Iowa State University, Tom teaches foundational design and ecological design studio courses. He shares his professional expertise with students and aims to integrate place-based and field experiences into each semester. Personally, Tom and his wife, Tricia, love to travel with their adult children and each year they aim for a new adventure. When he’s not working on a camp master plan or teaching a design studio, Tom enjoys spending time outdoors. You can usually find him tending to his woodland garden, or floating on a kayak, and on rare occasions camping in Iowa’s Driftless region.

Teambuilding From the Toy Aisle

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Teambuilding From the Toy Aisle

11/15/2023 10:55 AM
It’s time to open grandma’s game closet and re-see some of the many toy and game classics (and new to you crowd favorites) in a new light. Using elements of game design and experiential theories, we will deconstruct a wide range of existing mass-market games and re-envision them for use and purposeful, engaging tools for team building and staff development applications.

Location: Thrivent

Trevor Dunlap, Executive Director of Nuhop and Co-Founder of Switchback Designs is passionate about experiential learning and loves fostering creative environments where people can succeed through self-discovery and teamwork. His high energy and zeal creates a contagious atmosphere of transforming fun where people can develop a new appreciation of themselves and their peers.

Trevor is the co-author of Team Building from the Toy Aisle and Crowdwords: Doing A Lot with a Little, as well as the designer of CrowdCubes, Pathfinder, and Performance Cubed, experiential tools used across the globe. 

Trevor and his wife Sarah enjoy taking their three children on adventures, and can often be found trail running/hiking, skiing, and working the soil in their family garden. 

ACA Accreditation for Camps

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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ACA Accreditation for Camps

11/15/2023 10:56 AM

Location: Struve

Lunch

-11/15/2023

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Lunch

11/15/2023 12:00 PM
Roundtables

-11/15/2023

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Roundtables

11/15/2023 12:45 PM
Choose a topic or more than one and enjoy sharing and learning in this fun collaborative session!
  • Song Exchange - Fireplace Room in Swanson
  • Marketing Ideas - Swanson Lobby
  • Arts & Crafts Ideas - Hospitality Area
  • Program Ideas - Struve
  • Evening Activities & Campfire Ideas - Dillion
  • Site & Facilities - Thrivent
  • Teen Activity Ideas - Thrivent
Educational Breakout Session 2

-11/15/2023

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Educational Breakout Session 2

11/15/2023 2:00 PM
How to Start a Camp Podcast

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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How to Start a Camp Podcast

11/15/2023 2:00 PM
Are you ready to share your camp's story? Learn how easy it is to start a podcast that can be run by camp professionals, seasonal staff, or even by your campers!

Location: Dillion

Kelsey "Jo Bob" Emmanuel is the host of the Camp Kids Podcast, a podcast that brings together a community of camp people from all around the world. As a professional music educator and a seasonal camp staff, Kelsey strives to create spaces for camp professionals, seasonal staff, and cmap enthusiasts alike. Kelsey has had experience working for Girl Scout camps in Missouri, Iowa, and Washington, and is passionate about sharing everyone's camp story.

Adventure for All: Strategies to Increase Accessibility of Challenge Courses and Programming

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Adventure for All: Strategies to Increase Accessibility of Challenge Courses and Programming

11/15/2023 2:01 PM
Historically, challenge courses and high adventure programming relied on intense physicality that was not accessible or responsive to all. In this session, you will learn about equipment and element designs that expands the accessibility of courses. In addition to universal access, this session will also delve into facilitation techniques and activities that can make our programs more inclusive. If we can understand and face the barriers that our campers face, we can better serve our communities.

Location: Thrivent

Stretch currently serves as the head trainer and facilitator as well as overall director of Challenge Quest. Her work promotes the success of summer camps and experiential education through challenge courses, archery, aquatics, and other outdoor adventures. As a former teacher and Camp Director, Stretch’s experience has led to a lifetime passion for camp that fuels her career of training, facilitating, building, and outfitting outdoor adventure and education programs.

Camp Tour of Carol Joy Holling

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Camp Tour of Carol Joy Holling

11/15/2023 2:01 PM
Join a member of the Carol Joy Holling staff for a tour of the beautiful property.

Location: Meet in Swanson's Lobby

Educational Breakout Session 3

-11/15/2023

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Educational Breakout Session 3

11/15/2023 3:10 PM
Fostering Connections at Camp Through Strategic Staff Training and Unique Traditions

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Fostering Connections at Camp Through Strategic Staff Training and Unique Traditions

11/15/2023 3:10 PM
Join the Camp Catch-up leadership team as they share activities and traditions that not only transform camp into a place for healing, but also support positive social connections and social emotional growth for both campers and staff. Learn about their program's successes partnering with youth and families to encourage positive development of protective and promotive factors through innovative practices, strategic staff training techniques and some pretty cool camp traditions!

Location: Dillion

Mona Tarin, Madison Davis, Cindy Reed

 

Reframing Your Mindset: Providing an Inclusive Environment for Campers and Staff

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Reframing Your Mindset: Providing an Inclusive Environment for Campers and Staff

11/15/2023 3:10 PM
Camp can be an overwhelming and over stimulating experience for campers and staff alike. Although the camp in which they lead focuses on youth on the autism spectrum, the presenters will share practical strategies and practices that can benefit many neurodiverse and culturally diverse campers and staff members. Participants will leave with several new whole-camp strategies to carry out upon returning to camp.

Location: Thrivent

Kristi Loftus has been with Camp Encourage for over 14 years. From starting as a volunteer, to now being on lead staff, she has seen the importance of inclusion and thinking outside the box so everyone can enjoy the magic of camp! Kristi has a bachelor’s in psychology and behavioral health, as well as a master’s in special education and autism. She has a passion for training staff and all who work with neurodiverse individuals so that they can feel comfortable and ready to support a variety of needs.

Aimee Gorrow, Program Director, began volunteering with Camp Encourage in 2008 and has been on staff for the past 5 years. As a former Special Educator, she is a firm believer that camp is for everyone and that with a little elbow grease, we can make an inclusive environment for all. She is also committed to developing meaningful experiences for those with diverse abilities as they transition to adulthood. Aimee has a BSE in Elementary and Special Education and a MAS in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
 

The Single Biggest Problem in Communication Is the Illusion That It Has Taken Place

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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The Single Biggest Problem in Communication Is the Illusion That It Has Taken Place

11/15/2023 3:10 PM
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw with our world being so technologically inclined, and more and more staff and campers with screen time addictions, it is not easy for us, as camp directors, to find the best way to communicate. Are we communicating effectively? Does your staff listen to you, and do you listen to them? How do you balance communication with hundreds of parents? This session will cover all of these questions and more.

Location: Struve

Angie Toebben works for JC Parks (Jefferson City, MO) for 26 years. She has always been involved in programming for youth, youth sports, youth events, or youth day camps. The past 6 years her full-time job has been overseeing all of our day camps within our department. She has a passion for putting smiles on kids’ faces!
 

Educational Breakout Session 4

-11/15/2023

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Educational Breakout Session 4

11/15/2023 4:20 PM
No Nurse, No Problem!

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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No Nurse, No Problem!

11/15/2023 4:20 PM
Learn how to empower all staff members to take care of medical needs and manage the health center when there is no nurse on site. Join this session to learn about some strategies Casey has used to train summer camp staff in first aid concerns and injuries, how to safely pass medication, and ensure that campers were well taken care of.

Location: Struve

Casey Steiner is a Registered Nurse & Camp Nurse. Her camp nurse career started when she was 18 years old, filling in as “health aide” at camp. She graduated with her RN and was hired on as camp nurse and completely revamped the health program at her camp. By the time she had to leave that camp she transformed the program from 1 person doing it all to having six health aides and a full staff capable of taking care of health needs at camp.

Recruiting Camp Counselors: Lessons from the City of Omaha’s 2023 Day Camp Recruiting

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Recruiting Camp Counselors: Lessons from the City of Omaha’s 2023 Day Camp Recruiting

11/15/2023 4:20 PM
In 2023, the City of Omaha, redoubled recruitment efforts for summer day camp counselors. This presentation will explore what worked, lessons learned, and new ideas for 2024.

Location: Thrivent

Tommy Owens has worked full time for the City of Omaha for the past five years in both maintenance and recreation roles. He currently oversees Adams Park Community Center in North Omaha as well as Camp Adams and Camp Hanscom Day Camps.

Surveys & Evaluations for Your Basic Camp Pro

Concurrent Session -11/15/2023

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Surveys & Evaluations for Your Basic Camp Pro

11/15/2023 4:20 PM
Are you a basic camp pro looking to up your survey & evaluation game? Well, this session might be for you! Together, we will explore where to begin when building surveys and/or evaluations for your campers, staff, and parents. We discuss intentional questions, areas to evaluate, and how to use the information we collect. Camps with every type of budget and current evaluation process are welcome.

Location: Dillion

Kali Tomlinson is originally from Flint, Michigan. In her 10+ years working in the camping industry, she has worked at camps in four different states and held almost every camp role before joining LOUMC at the end of 2021. Kali enjoys cooking, trivia, kayaking, and writing letters to family and friends. Kali also enjoys geeking out over her favorite books, movies, and tv shows! Her favorite camp activities are campfires and tie-dye, but you will see her all over camp ready to join in on any fun!

LCOL Update & Awards

General Session -11/15/2023

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LCOL Update & Awards

11/15/2023 5:30 PM
Hear from the Great Rivers Local Council of Leaders (LCOL) and help us celebrate Great River award recipients.

Location: Thrivent

Dinner

Meal / Break -11/15/2023

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Dinner

11/15/2023 6:00 PM

Location: Sjogren

Fall Conference - Thursday

-11/16/2023

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Great Rivers Fall Conference - Thursday

11/16/2023 7:00 AM
Breakfast

Meal / Break -11/16/2023

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Breakfast

11/16/2023 7:30 AM

Location: Sjogren

Hot Topic Roundtables

-11/16/2023

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Hot Topic Roundtables

11/16/2023 8:30 AM
Choose a topic or more than one and enjoy sharing and learning from each other.
  • Mental Health Support - Thrivent
  • Staff Recruitment - Dillion
  • Meal Planning - Struve
  • Camper Safety - Fireplace Room
Educational Breakout Session 5

-11/16/2023

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Educational Breakout Session 5

11/16/2023 9:45 AM
Games Galore

Concurrent Session -11/16/2023

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Games Galore

11/16/2023 9:45 AM
In this fast-paced session you will participate in games and low ropes activities that can be added to your camp tool belt. This presentation is for everyone, no course elements needed! You will experience a wide variety of portable ground games to help you better serve groups of all quantities, abilities, and purposes all while learning tips and tricks to advance your own facilitation skills. You will work with an experienced challenge course trainer and facilitator and have the opportunity to brainstorm, challenge yourself, and share a lot of laughs.

Location: Thrivent

Stretch currently serves as the head trainer and facilitator as well as overall director of Challenge Quest. Her work promotes the success of summer camps and experiential education through challenge courses, archery, aquatics, and other outdoor adventures. As a former teacher and Camp Director, Stretch’s experience has led to a lifetime passion for camp that fuels her career of training, facilitating, building, and outfitting outdoor adventure and education programs.

ACA Accreditation for Visitors (and those who want to learn more about becoming a visitor!)

Concurrent Session -11/16/2023

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ACA Accreditation for Visitors (and those who want to learn more about becoming a visitor!)

11/16/2023 9:46 AM

Location: Struve

Cultivating a Lifetime of Healthy Relationships at Camp

Concurrent Session -11/16/2023

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Cultivating a Lifetime of Healthy Relationships at Camp

11/16/2023 9:46 AM
Camp has a unique power to help youth reimagine what they can achieve, what they can become, and what they can expect from others. According to a survey conducted by the Department of Justice, 1 in 10 children witnessed one family member assault another, and 25% of youth are exposed to some form of family violence. 1-2 kids in a group of 10 may have only witnessed unhealthy or abusive models for relationships. While camps rightly want to focus on friendship in youth programs, camps have a tremendous ability to help youth cultivate relationships based on mutual respect, empathy, and trust through an intentional focus on friendship. Learn how to train staff to engage in effective, age-appropriate conversations that can encourage future healthy relationships and interrupt cycles of violence through subtle shifts in your existing camp programs.

Location: Dillion

Natalie “Nat” Roberts-Day spent 20 years as a Great Rivers camping professional, and now serves as the Executive Director at Voices of Hope, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other forms of abuse.

Closing Keynote: Weathering Barriers at Camp - One Grain of Sand at a Time

General Session -11/16/2023

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Closing Keynote: Weathering Barriers at Camp - One Grain of Sand at a Time

11/16/2023 11:00 AM
What does the word 'disability' mean to you? Do you imagine wheelchairs, big bathroom stalls, and power doors? Perhaps you think of words like 'ADA', 'disability benefits', or maybe even the word 'unable'. Jami will reshape your view of this word so that you can more easily remove unintentional barriers at your camp and transform it to be a place of true belonging for all.

Location: Thrivent

Jami Biodrowski, Director of Camp, Respite, & Recreation for Easterseals Nebraska