The Marketing Department Celebrates the Fourth of July

A typically loquacious group was eerily quite moments after our graphic designer Heidi brought in the desserts depicted above. The plate of cream cheese filled strawberries covered with almonds and the flag cake were quickly disturbed after these photos were taken. I will admit I had three of the strawberries and am thinking about a 4th and 5th. Thank you Heidi!

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New Employee Announcement - Heidi

Heidi has joined the marketing team at Kanakuk Kamps. She replaces "Chester", the brilliance behind the look of the all new www.kanakuk.com. Heidi was the daughter of a Navy man and moved around but her family has been in the Ozarks now long enough to call it home.

Heidi is a graduate of College of the Ozarks and most recently worked for an evangelistic ministry in Florida as a graphic designer.

On Heidi's first day we subjected her to a photo scavenger hunt to "help" her get to know the people and place that is Kanakuk. Here are some of the photos. Click to enlarge.

I'll just take this opportunity to invite anyone reading this blog to join us for coffee any morning around 9:00. If you are in Branson we are in the Director's building out Lake Shore Dr. Meet Heidi and the rest of the gang. We'd love to get to know you!

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The Sun Sets on Kanakuk

Sometimes our light goes out but is fanned into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light. - Albert Schweitzer

Todd Rapp, K-West Assistant Director, showed me this quote this morning and made the observation that it describes much of what we do here at Kanakuk Kamps. The history of Kanakuk Kamps is full of people who have had their lights fanned alive by the love and care of our staff. It is some of the finest staff in the world. My daughter received the nicest notes from her counselors this week and we cherish them. I wish they could see the light shining brightly in her.

Just a few minutes ago I sent an e-mail out to the last three year's summer staff announcing a full-time Graphic Design job that just opened up here last week. As I looked out my office window tonight and saw the sun setting I thought of this quote again. I thought of our Graphic Designer Lindsay moving on to another job where she can grow and expand, closer to home. It's my hope that even in the Marketing Department at Kanakuk Kamps that we would fan each other's light, spurring one another on to reach toward the goals God has set before us. To be ready to fan another until their light bursts into flame. We often don't understand why we land places then get moved on, but God has a plan. Our part is to live life fanning like crazy.

As Lindsay leaves, we look forward to the next person that will fill her huge (size 5) shoes. If you know someone with Graphic Design passion and skills, please send the link below on to them.

http://www.kanakuk.com:2008/staff/jobopening.html

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Scary Steps and Powerful Skills

Scary Sketches from Jay

Even resorted to some cut and paste on this one!

I seriously don't know why I'm doing this. Now you are going to know how terrible an artist I am! I've done a lot of graphic design in my days, made a lot of pretty logos, and all that. Yeah that's right, not a single ounce of sketching skill. I do sketches like the one above so that the graphic designers, in this case Jessica, can have a ROUGH idea of how I want a piece laid out, and what content goes on it. I occasionally throw in a little Marketing Director humor just to keep it lively. So this is the first step of a print project here at Kanakuk. That's the scary part.

Not so scary. Great job on these! Upper: Jessica. Lower: Lindsay.

The second part is when the graphic designers take the works of "art" only my mother could love and turn them into real art. Doing that is no small task. Jessica and Lindsay both have some seriously mad skills. Not only can they play Adobe InDesign and PhotoShop like a finely built violin, but they are super smart about what helps you enjoy and get a lot out of the things we send out in the mail. Not only on paper but the web too.

We met twice the end of last week to cover more of the new website and I couldn't be prouder. We may not be the smartest, most experienced web team in the world but there couldn't be a more pleasant group of people to create with. They are passionate about creating a web experience for www.kanakuk.com that will make life faster and more enjoyable for everyone.

The rollout date for the new website is currently Sept. 30th. We might go beta as early as the 15th. At the rollout it will clearly be a work in progress but I think you'll like the new foundation. I promise more screen shots before the 15th. I look forward to getting your input as we move forward.


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I love this about Kanakuk Kamps

Lindsay and Mollye on the Superman Swing during their weekend trip to Kanakuk Klassic.


Marketing Intern Adam McClure gets a cut. Who will entertain us when you are gone?

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Lake Shore Drive Bridge Update - It's Open!

This morning the bridge looked like this. More like a bridge but still clearly under construction. I had a meeting with Doug at Starbucks in downtown Branson, so at 11:00 I made what would turnout to be one last trek around the detour. By late this afternoon the bridge was open and looked like this.

County Commissioner, Danny Strahan, who oversees road issues came by the office to officially let us know that the bridge was open. He said it was a 90 day project that was completed in just 27 days! It obviously didn't just magically appear there. Some serious hard work and sweat went into getting it done. Many thanks to everyone involved throughout Taney County.

K-1 parents coming to closing ceremonies next week will get to enjoy the new bridge. We sure do thank all our parents who patiently and graciously came the "long way" around to pick up their children!

It's been a great summer already. So many Kampers have put down deep spiritual roots and left a legacy in the hearts of the Directors and counselors. What a privilege it is for us to share just a little time with your children.

Earlier I met with Collin Sparks, the K-Kountry Assistant Director. He's already planning for the winter and thinking about the best ways to stay connected with all his new friends. It's obvious he's pouring out every ounce of energy to make this summer life-changing for every Kamper. Thanks Collin for loving on our kids.

I just met with JGM about innovation, man I love working with that guy, he super creative! I've never met someone with his spreadsheet skills who loves to think big picture, and out of the box like he does. It's really fun and I'm blessed.



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Facebook Changes

Jeremy our Web Programmer just got back from the Facebook Conference F8 in San Fransisco. This afternoon we are meeting to go over everything he learned about how we can connect the people who come to www.kanakuk.com with their Facebook profile.

I promise I'll get back to you on what I find out.

Are you on Facebook?


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Scattered

It's Monday.

Over the weekend Joe White and his army of Men at the Cross(MATC) helpers put on the first MATC event in St. Louis, Missouri. I had family duties that kept me from this event but I hear it went well and that between 5 & 6 thousand men attended. Each of those men was given two One2Won Cross Training Devotional books so they can find another man to disciple and go through the book. Potential impact of that one event 10,000 - 12,000 men getting into God's word.

Jessica our Senior Graphic designer has moved to Pennsylvania and is sorely missed here in the office. They are just getting through the long moving process. She will be setting up a new business out there and guess who is going to be her best client? That's right, Kanakuk Kamps. You don't find and train someone like Jessica, so we'll be counting on her in the days to come to continue making all the great things that you see in your mailbox and beyond. Lindsay is the other graphic designer here and is extremely talented, often doing the heavy lifting for us. You might remember her performance in last year's big Kanakuk brochure and you sure want to be looking out for her magic on the new website due out in Sept. Speaking of scattered...Lindsay, poor Lindsay...she is out this morning on a boat taking pictures at K-2. I'm sure she's enjoying the lake and the opportunity to work on her Chaco tan!

Mollye our Marketing Specialist is taking a week's vacation with her family. I think the beach is involved.

Jeff our Marketing Manager is cranking away here on making the machine run and spending time thinking 3-5 years out as we look at ways to better serve the kids and families that come to Kanakuk. He sent me a spreadsheet over the weekend so I guess we'll have to have the "you work too much" talk again:-)

Adam our summer intern came in with a dramatically different hair cut. My guess is he did something drastic to entertain the kids down at K-1 where he plugs into the programs aspects at night and on the weekends.

I'm just getting back from G'ma and G'pa's house trading some of our kids out. It was good to see the family and the two new cousins. I also had an amazing service experience at Starbucks in Topeka. I'll have to tell you about it later, right now a pot of the black stuff is calling me.

So, we are or have been a bit scattered lately. We'll look forward to getting the gang all back together, even if it is long distance.

If you want to know something about the inner workings of Kanakuk leave a comment here. I'll do my best to answer or find the answer and we'll learn together.

Have a great week.

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Who are you talking to?

Books I've read recently, am reading or am going to read soon.

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing out of Sync?
Join the Conversation: How to Engage Marketing-Weary Consumers with the Power of Community, Dialogue, and Partnership
Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build Your Business
Identity Crisis: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities into Successful Brands

Maybe it's because I've been involved in marketing in some way most of my working career, but I'm exhausted by advertising. I can barely tolerate the drone of infomercials, and the ad books they call magazines. I have become extremely skilled in avoiding, ignoring, or otherwise obliterating all TV ads (thanks to my DVR!). The new in show product placement strategies being foisted upon us is my next target.

So, why do I stay in "marketing"? It's one word, "Kanakuk". I get to tell the story and share the history and richness of 82 years of some of the best Christian camping in the world. There's something to believe in, something that if I communicate it clearly to you, your family will benefit eternally. Bam! That's it and for me it's powerful. I have to love what I'm doing and feel like I'm making a difference or I start getting the new job itch.

I was at my last job for less than three years. It felt like 30 years. It was highly educational but elicited no passion. I've been at Kanakuk now for over 8 years and it feels like I just got here! Part of it is sharing the task with some of the most talented people in the business.

Back to my book list...

If I'm tired of the advertising, I know you must be too! I'm trying to get my head and heart wrapped around communicating in a way that will break through even my hardened senses. So, you see that represented in my book list. I think I have it figured out, but help me with this one because me "figuring it out" has nothing to do with the solution.

If you are in marketing let me ask you this: Who are you talking to?

Tomorrow we tackle the answer and I make a confession.



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Connectersationalism

Today I'm laying claim to the word "connectersationalism" and all it's derivatives. Such as, "connectersation", "connectersationalist", "connectersations". These were born out of a brainstorming session with Jeremy, Jessica, JGM, and I several days ago as we discussed the new kanakuk.com. We are hoping that on the new site that many connectersations will occur and that somehow we can be a part of it.

The meanings of these new words are very deep, I can't even fully articulate them in my mind yet. I more feel them then see them. The feelings tug at those places in my mind and my heart where fellowship with other believers tugs. Even the sound of the word conjures up images of really embracing another human being in meaningful dialog.

It's like when you talk with your wife and you really grab eyes, ears pointed forward and time seems to flex inexplicably. [I need to have more connectersations with my wife.]

Does this new word resonate with anyone? Are you a connectersationalist and didn't know it? Is it possible that we just haven't had the right words to describe it?

Do you want more connectersation in your life? [I don't even know what that means exactly!]

We are going to get to the bottom of this...


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Kanakuk's American Gladiator

It's finally arrived! Monday night at 7:00 on NBC, Kanakuk's own Media Director, Tim Oliphant, will be a competitor on American Gladiator.

I'm just going to say one thing...oh wait I'm not going to say that because it would break the non-disclosure agreement. You'll just have to watch and then come back here and give Tim a shout-out. See his post episode videos online at www.kanakuk.com/tim

I do have one question for Tim. Is Wolf as scary in person as he is on TV? I think it's the fangs.


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They Drink Coffee

Right at the moment there are 16 full and part-time Kanakuk Kamps employees that I call my Teammates! In no particular order there's; Judy, Jeff, Shane, Max, Tim, Jessica, Jeremy, Mollye, Lindsay, Adam, Michael, Tena, Hortencia, Kimie, Jo, and Tracey. They are registrars, videographers, graphic designers, web programmers, managers, print buyers, and more and more. Each of them has a unique set of strengths that they excel in. They work quietly in the background of this ministry, their hearts set on serving our Kamp families and the other employees at Kanakuk. There's not an ego in the bunch.

There's not room for ego when you are hilariously funny, quick witted, super creative, willing to serve others, happy to be alive, married up, have mad listening skills, seasoned professionalism, company manners, and most of all understand the mission of Kanakuk.

"Our mission is to evangelize and equip the next generation to reach the world for Christ."

Our part of that mission as the "Marketing" department is to serve those employees who are on the front lines of ministering, discipling, mentoring and comforting those who are served by any of the many ministries in the Kanakuk family.

We all love it that way, that kind of service opportunity is what gets us going in the morning (That and a good cup of coffee about 8:30! - more on that later or check out Lindsay's blog)

Do you have a special service moment that you can share?