Dear Staff, 

Young Life’s earliest days were marked by a vision: take kids out of their everyday environments, into a place of beauty, fun, and intentional relationship where they could hear about Jesus in a way that made sense. That vision still holds true today. As you prepare for this summer — gathering health forms, finalizing registrations, managing details — don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. 

Here’s a short reflection from Made for This by former Young Life President Denny Rydberg. May it remind you why camping is central to our mission and worth every ounce of effort. 

Here’s what you need to know about camp this month: 

Camp Leader Orientation – Remembering the Why

Camp has always been about giving every kid the chance to experience and respond to the love of Jesus. As we head into summer, it’s important to remember the core purposes behind WHY we do WHAT we do at camp. That’s why we ask all camp leaders, both new and returning, to complete Camp Leader Orientation before arriving at camp.  

This essential training will equip you with the tools and mindset needed for leader-centered camping.

Preparing for WyldLife Camp

Young Life staff first stuck their toes into the waters of middle school ministry in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In places like San Diego, Chicago, and Winter Park, Florida, staff realized the importance of reaching this younger age with the gospel. Randy Giusta, who recently retired after 53 years on staff in San Diego, was one of the pioneers of WyldLife, even before it had an official name. If you are going to WyldLife this summer, you are continuing Randy’s legacy! 

As you prepare for WyldLife camp, make sure you know the answers to questions like: How old do students need to be to go to WyldLife camp? How many leaders do you need to have? Can Young Life students serve as cabin leaders at camp? Review these camping policies to make sure you know the answers! 

Sharing the Camp Vision with Your Donors

Our Marketing and Field Development teams have created some thoughtful strategies and resources to help you engage donors and invite them to partner with your summer camp trip. Explore best practice strategies, pre-written email series, updated social media calendar, and fresh graphics to connect with potential donors before the summer. 

Young Life Camp Trip Tees

Over the years, Young Life t-shirts have been walking billboards. They say, “I’ve had the best week of my life at insert camp name here.” For staff, maybe like you, they become part of a collection of your own Young Life history. 

Have you ordered your camp trip t-shirts yet? The Young Life Store has hundreds of designs, colors, and options for every budget. You can select a premade “Easy Tee,” you can customize one of our designs for your area; or, you can upload your own design and they’ll print the shirts for you! 

FYI: T-shirt designs that resemble another company’s logo might seem fun, but if a design looks even a little like another company’s logo, it’s probably a knock-off — and that puts Young Life, and your local area, at legal risk. Learn more about staying on brand! 

Changes to Payment Options for Retail Purchases at Camp

To better support the scale and complexity of our growing mission — internal transfers will no longer be accepted as a form of payment for retail purchases made at camp starting May 1. This includes the store, snack bar, coffee shop, and crafts. Staff and volunteers can use their P Card for purchases or submit a reimbursement request. If you have any questions, reach out to Camping Services. 

Looking for More Spots?

In the past, when camp opened on day one, no one really knew who would show up. Sometimes it was a carload of five; other times, a busload of 55. That made it tough to know how many eggs to buy for breakfast. 

But today, the Camp Reservation Dashboard makes it easy to see available spots at camp. Just click the Nationally Managed Camping button, then check the “available beds” column to see what’s open. Send an email to the camp if you want to make those available spots yours! For more details about this report, check out the learning guide. 

Also the new Camp Volunteer Availability dashboard shows which camps still need work crew and summer staff. To access this new dashboard, go to the YL Connect Camp home page and click “Camp Volunteer Availability” under the "Access Reports Below" section. On this page you’ll see  available spots by camp and session. Reach out to the camp office if you have more questions. 

If you want to learn about using these features and more in YL Connect Camp, join our On the Road to Camp webinar on Wednesday, May 7, at 11 a.m. MDT.

Enjoy the Drive

If you’re renting a vehicle, here are some Young Life rental car discounts. Don’t forget Young Life does not permit the use of 15-passenger vans. Please be aware that 15-passenger Ford Transits that have had the rear seat removed are not acceptable; they must be a true 12-passenger van.  

When renting a vehicle, use your P Card so your vehicle is automatically insured by Young Life. When you rent a 12-passenger van or use a personal credit card to rent, be sure to send Risk Management an email with the name of the driver, your mission unit number, the rental car company, and the dates of the rental. If you have any questions regarding which vans and vehicles Young Life allows, visit the Transportation and Travel page. 

Curious about transportation to camp in the early years? Read this excerpt about that one time Young Life was in the bus-buying business! 

As we look ahead to the summer before us, let’s remember that we stand on the shoulders of people like Jim and Maxine Rayburn, George Sheffer, Denny Rydberg, Randy Giusta, and countless others who believed that kids meeting Jesus at camp was worth every ounce of effort, creativity, and sacrifice. What a privilege it is to link arms with one another and be part of the beautiful, ongoing story God is writing through Young Life camping. 

Thanks for reading this edition of Day Zero! Don't forget you can view past issues and all our camping resources on Staff Resources. 

FYI – This newsletter is sent to all current U.S. field staff, camp managers, and camping admin managers. Do you know of a volunteer who would like to be added to this communication? Just have them sign up, and we’ll be sure include them.