For one hundred years, Camp Jeanne d’Arc was a small, family-run business nestled in the Adirondack mountains that catered to families from all over the world with a high level of personal customer service and a family-like atmosphere. And now … well, it’s actually not much different.
In 2023 Camp Jeanne d’Arc was purchased by Canyonlands Camps, a group that also owns a handful of other camps. But the small-by-design culture and focus on the growth of campers that was so worthwhile before the transition, still whole-heartedly exists.
Ways Camp Jeanne d’Arc Feels the Same
Camp Leadership. Randy and Sandy Abbott continue to run camp like a family operation. Randy and Sandy are a husband and wife team who are year-round camp directors. Because they are responsible for all recruitment of campers, hiring of counselors and staff, and managing the operations of Camp, they know all the ins and outs of Camp Jeanne d’Arc. They know each and every camper and counselor. They take calls from parents just about any hour of the day and answer new family inquiries with prompt personal phone calls.
Family-Like Culture. In addition to the leadership, Camp Jeanne d’Arc maintains its family-like feel through the culture of the camp. Meals are served family-style at tables of mixed age groups and backgrounds. Camp creates bonding opportunities through community projects like making cards and assembling goody baskets. Knowing everyone’s name is encouraged through the highly-regarded Name Game contest. And Camp’s big sisters, the Owl Cabin, bring milk and cookies each night to the younger cabins. Camp Jeanne d’Arc thrives in its family-like culture!
Traditions. The traditions at Camp Jeanne d’Arc have been developed over a century and often involve celebrating the community of strong girls. No shade to scavenger hunts or spirit days, but the traditions at Camp Jeanne d’Arc are rooted in the long and storied history of Camp. For example, in July of 1937, Camp Jeanne d’Arc celebrated the Northern Lights by performing a Christmas Dance. Ever since, we have come together to sing carols and drink hot cocoa during our Christmas in July tradition. In 1936, Camp gathered to light candles and make wishes during growing international unrest. This night became CJDA’s Wishing Night, a tradition that continues to live on!
Strong Alum Community. Camp Jeanne d’Arc is lucky to have a robust and engaged alumnae community. We have dozens of second and third generation campers (and even a handful of fourth generation campers!). Former campers come back to camp to help prep Camp for the summer sessions, conduct workshops, and visit their favorite Chateaugay Lake spots! CJDA alumni often continue camp friendships into adulthood and visit each other overseas or connect in their business lives.
Focus on Character Building. Camp Jeanne d’Arc was founded by Ruth Israel McIntyre under the values of faith, endurance, courage, and confidence. These founding values are still the focus today as campers work to earn camp spirit recognition, learn adventure skills, and grow as human beings. The marker of success for CJDA is when campers step outside of their comfort zones and find their own voices!
What Has Changed at Camp Jeanne d’Arc
The transition to being part of Canyonlands Camps did bring about some changes to Camp Jeanne d’Arc. But some of these changes might not be what you would expect.
Access to Improvements. Small “mom and pop” ventures operate on tight budgets. Improvements made to these camps are often limited by modest profit margins, how much a bank is willing to lend, or gifts to camp. But with the partnership of Canyonlands and investors who truly support the mission and goals of overnight summer camps like CJDA, Camp is able to replace septic systems, repair roofs, and keep camp safe and functioning.
Collaboration. What is the best food vendor? Which life jackets last the longest? What do safe visitor policies look like? How do you keep everyone’s water bottles clean? Camp Jeanne d’Arc has benefitted from the extremely collaborative culture of Canyonlands Camps. In a world where it is so easy to connect, we have been able to work with other summer camps to strengthen our behind-the-scenes operations and programs for the better!
Streamlined Processes. Speaking of collaboration, one benefit of being part of a community of camps is streamlined processes. We swap what processes work best for our camps – like interviewing and hiring practices, risk policies, ACA accreditation – and seek out support from Canyonlands if looking for best practices for ourselves. Avoiding redundancy and errors makes camps more efficient in tackling the important stuff, like where to take the overnight hike or what treats to stock in the candy cart.
Market Analysis. Alright, this sounds pretty corporate. But analyzing performance, understanding the overnight summer camp market, and positioning Camp Jeanne d’Arc to uniquely fit the needs of families looking for camps is critical work in order for Camp to thrive long-term. Through a business-like lens, we are learning about data analysis, search engine optimization, email marketing strategies, social media, and the economics of a successful summer camp business.
The World is Changing, And We Need to Change with it!
As the global economy shifts and pivots and grows, the overnight summer camp business needs to shift and pivot and grow too. Gone are the times where a single ad placed in the New York Times will fill the needed enrollment numbers. In order for Camp Jeanne d’Arc to survive and thrive, they need to make adjustments.
While Camp Jeanne d’Arc is now part of a larger company, there are a few things I’ve learned during this transition that are reassuring:
There are people who care about Camp.
I have been fortunate to participate in a handful of Canyonlands meetings and I always seem to walk away feeling the same way: Canyonlands is full of people who care about camp. There are smart, innovative, forward-thinking folks who could easily make more money in other markets. But they chose camp. They value the overnight camp experience for young people. They believe that overnight camp fosters qualities that lead to successful and thriving adults. The bottom line is, they care.
Campers still love the simple things.
Let’s not forget about the campers, right? The camper experience is what Camp Jeanne d’Arc is really about. This summer, we invited campers to write reviews of their summer at camp. Campers wrote about increased confidence, making friends, trying new things, and being surrounded by nature. Campers build friendships that last a lifetime. They learn skills that will serve them for decades to come. And they create a foundation for connecting with and revering the outdoors. No matter who owns CJDA, the campers continue to love the simple joys of camp.
Who’s Up for Change?
While some things will certainly never change (raise your right hand for “There’s not a camp in all this world that’s dearer…”), some things must change.
The commitment to a family-like atmosphere, rich traditions, and focus on character building continues to thrive. The partnership with Canyonlands has also provided access to necessary improvements and collaborative opportunities, ensuring Camp Jeanne d’ Arc’s long-term success. Ultimately, the essence of Camp Jeanne d’Arc and transformative experiences it offers to campers, endures.
The most important thing to remember is that there are still people who care about camp and campers who live for the simple joys of Camp Jeanne d’Arc!