"Lessons & Invitations from the 2025 Summer Staff Exchange Program"

What happens when we invest in emerging camp leaders beyond our own gates? In our recent Community Conversation, we heard firsthand stories from the 2025 pilot summer including Sol Hanselman’s reflection on calling, community, and what it meant to experience camp ministry in a totally different region. Camp leaders who hosted and/or sent summer staff participants to the program also shared what made the exchange work: thoughtful prep, strong welcome and integration, real-time check-ins, and the surprising gift of mutual learning.