LBMC is successful because we have leaders who set high standards and goals on cabin row and in program areas.  These strategies are developed and refined in the non summer months with the assistance of Bob Ditter and our full time staff.  They are implemented during our Spring Retreat and staff orientation.

This week – Leadership is about goals, values and concepts.

Our leadership team will set the tone and influence our camp environment and create the culture.

We set high standards and our values reflect the concern we have for our staff and campers.

These goals, values and concepts make up the LBMC culture and how our parents and campers judge us.

Welcome to LBMC Leadership Week and becoming part of the 91st chapter of our illustrious history.

Welcome to the first-ever Lake Bryn Mawr Camp blog post! Although it’s January and summer couldn’t seem more distant, here in the winter office we’re deep into planning for the 2011 camp season, and we’re already looking forward to that day in June when the buses will roll onto Main Campus and our campers will be with us once again!

One of our New Year’s resolutions was to come up with ways to stay more connected with our parents — seasoned veterans, first-timers and even those who are still in the process of picking a camp. Many of you have joined our Facebook pages (“Lake Bryn Mawr Camp” for current campers and families, and “Lake Bryn Mawr Camp Alumni” for alums), and some of you are even following us on Twitter — @LBMCAngels. But we wanted to do more.

We wanted to find a way to let you in on some of the behind-the-scenes activities that go into planning a summer at camp and give you some ideas for things to do and talk about with your daughters. We also wanted to share some of the articles and websites we find valuable as we get ready for camp — and we wanted to do it in a way that would be convenient and engaging for you. That’s where the idea for the blog came in. More interactive than a newsletter, more in-depth than a Facebook update and designed specifically for our camp parents, this blog will be a corner of the Internet where we can gather to share resources for raising happy, healthy, thoughtful daughters. Throughout the year we’ll meet you here to talk about what we’ve been reading and learning, update you with news and developments, share ideas and resources, and give you a peek into what goes into making camp happen for your daughters each summer.

For those of you who are sending a child to camp for the first time, we hope this blog will give you a better idea of what Lake Bryn Mawr Camp is all about. We’ll talk about camp traditions and values, the importance of building and maintaining healthy friendships, and some of the things you and your daughter should expect during your first summer apart. We’ll discuss the nuts and bolts of camp life, like food, as well as some of the things we do and value that make Bryn Mawr special.

This isn’t just for new parents, though! We want the blog to be a place where all of our camp parents can learn something new, whether it’s a tip for communicating with your teenager or an explanation of some aspect of camp you’ve never considered before — the way we hire staff, for example, or what it means for campers to grow into leadership roles on the path to Bunk One.

The most important thing we hope this blog will reinforce is that at Bryn Mawr, we believe in partnering with our parents, working together not only to ensure a great summer for each and every camper, but to help bring the camp experience home and help campers keep their Bryn Mawr values close all year round.

We’re excited about a new year and this new way of communicating with our camp parents! We hope you’ll jump in with us, commenting, discussing ideas and sharing your own insights. We’re looking forward to meeting up with you in the Bryn Mawr blogosphere…