Being EPIC: Leaving Your Impact
By Adam Baker, Owner/Director of Camps Equinunk & Blue Ridge
Be EPIC! Be epic? How is that even possible? - I had only been a camp director for three months and found myself at an ACA EPIC Conference feeling totally out of my league - and we were being told to be epic! That was 21 years ago, and without question, I would not be the director, professional, volunteer, or adult that I am today without the immeasurable impact that EPIC, and most importantly the people of EPIC, have had on my life. As professionals who use the platform of camping to enrich the lives of children and adults through the development of their skills and sense of self, we know that connection is elemental to that growth. So it should also go without saying, but it’s worth emphasizing that connection is elemental to our growth as well; that goes for the newest camp professionals to the most seasoned of VOCEs (Veterans of the Camp Experience). Among the many reasons to join EPIC, the people are the most important.
The re-emergence of ACA, NY & NJ’s EPIC Committee, EPIC events, and ACA's ongoing commitment to the development of our next generation of camp leaders could not have come at a better time. As our industry evolves and furthers its impact on youth development, you can be both a leader and beneficiary of this growth. The EPIC community, and the educational events that it creates, will undoubtedly strengthen your connections and your knowledge in camping. Our shared sense of purpose in the camp industry goes hand in hand with the desire of camp professionals to help make each other, and each other’s camps, to be the best that they can be. Who better to learn with, and learn from, than other professionals who have a genuine interest in your success?
The connections made through your involvement with EPIC will become fundamental to your network and enjoyment of our industry. In addition to the learning and social time spent at conferences, these friends will become your go-to outside resource when you have questions or new ideas that you’d like a sounding board on. Working to hash out ideas with your own camp’s team is terrific, having a trusted colleague outside of your organization to run ideas by can be just as valuable.
As with most things in life, the more of yourself that you give to the cause or organization, the more that you will receive in return - and this holds true across our entire industry. The more time and energy that you can put into EPIC, ACA, Tri-State, and volunteering in any number of capacities in our industry will make you an even better camp professional. Connecting with different ACA initiatives and professional groups will very likely stem from your involvement with EPIC. Personally, I can trace back several important aspects of my career to the people I met and worked with while serving on the EPIC Committee. That work and those people led to wonderful opportunities including becoming a Tri-State CAMP Conference Track Chair, President of the Wayne County Camp Alliance, and a member of the SCOPE Board of Directors.
Working in camping, we all have a lot to be grateful for. Among the very first and most important of those organizations and groups that I am thankful for are ACA, NY & NJ, and EPIC. They have had an immeasurable impact on my career and growth in camping; I could not speak more highly of the experience nor more passionately about the importance for any new professional in camping to become involved with their work - you, the families you serve and our industry will all be better for it.
I look forward to seeing the evolution of EPIC and its impact on camping for many years to come! And… I hope to see you BEING EPIC!