August 2025
Dear Staff,
If you’re new on staff, or just need a refresher, welcome to Day Zero, our monthly camping newsletter for U.S. Field staff. Our name comes from the day before camp begins. Day Zero is a day when we prepare, plan, and pray. In the same spirit, this monthly newsletter is here to help you get ready for camp, whether it’s summer or school season. We’ll share helpful reminders, offer tips and resources, and keep you in the loop on all things camping — whether you are headed to a Young Life camp or leading camp experiences elsewhere.
So let’s go! Here’s what you need to know about camp this month …
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Remembering What God has Done
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As summer camping wraps up, we’re grateful for the numerous ways you showed up for kids, inviting them to know Jesus and go deeper in their faith. How did you see God move this summer at camp? We asked staff and volunteers from around the country this same question, and here's what they had to say.
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Even now as you remember summer 2025, it’s time to start planning for next summer!
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Your area will submit camp requests in the Camp Requests application between Monday, August 25, and Friday, September 5. Here’s how:
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- Review guidelines from your region about camping strategy, camp requests, and deadlines.
- Review the 2026 Camp Calendar
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Create a new Camp Requests account or sign in with your username to the Camp Requests site. Note this is different than your Young Life single-sign-on credentials.
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Start a new area request. Enter your camp trip request for each camp type and save your request(s).
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Here’s a guide to help you walk through the options. Your region will then review your requests and in October you’ll find out where your area will be going to camp next summer. Here’s the full timeline.
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A few additional thoughts: Considering taking WyldLife kids to camp next summer? Here are some tips for making the best possible camp requests.
In addition to requesting camp spots, did you know you can also explore the discipleship opportunities available at adventure camps? Spots for these trips can be requested at the same time as outreach trips.
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At the same time you request summer camp spots, you’ll also request work crew spots through the Camp Requests application. Requesting work crew spots helps us know how many work crew will potentially be available for different sessions and helps camps distribute work crew spots across regions. Work crew requests are also due September 5.
Check out this Staff Resources page for step-by-step instructions, the timeline, and other helpful resources.
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The summer 2026 camp fee has been set. Review these details of the costs for different camps around the mission.
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Managing Your School Season Camp in YL Connect
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YL Connect Camp is required for all school season camp trips, which allows you to efficiently track payments, record your area’s school season statistics, and allows participants to submit the appropriate online health and consent form.
If you’re camping at a Young Life camp this school season:
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- Just like in the summer, your campaign will be created for you! All you need to do is edit and publish your registration page in Webconnex.
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Want help? Fill out the concierge form and camping support can make sure your settings and options are correct.
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If you’re camping at a non-Young Life property, don’t forget to follow these tips when creating your school season page:
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- Start in YL Connect, not in Webconnex.
- Click the “Create New Camp Trip or Event” link.
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Once you create a new trip/campaign in YL Connect, a new registration page will automatically be created for you in Webconnex. Don't copy old registration pages! Using the newly-created registration page will ensure your trip is created correctly and will properly sync from Webconnex to YL Connect Camp while showing up in your CMI numbers.
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If you want help, fill out the locally-created camp concierge form and camping support can make sure your settings and options are correct. Note: you will need to first create your camp trip in YL Connect and then include the link in the concierge form.
- Finally, be sure to close out any locally-created, school season camp trips. This helps keep accurate statistics for your area. Here’s how.
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As we seek to share camping tips and resources this year, we know the best ideas come from you! As you look back, what went well this year? Did you try a new camp sell strategy? Did you have a new favorite camp fundraiser? Did you have a great prayer strategy? As you reflect on went well this past year, we would love to hear your wins so we can celebrate with you and share your ideas with others.
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Thank you for helping to make camp possible for kids. As we move into this new school year, we know God will continue to work through you as he transforms kids’ lives.
View previous issues and all our camping resources on Staff Resources.
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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.
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