A requisite with any sort of evolution is an expansion of the language needed to effectively communicate the the new status quo. As individuals, relationships, and companies increase in complexity, what was at one time a sufficient way to adequately summarize things becomes decreasingly applicable over time. After ten years of marriage, referring to your wife as your girlfriend is probably not going to make the cut.
In 2012, Champ Camp started as a kids’ summer beach camp. Those first few years, that is precisely what we were. We ate, breathed, and slept beach camp-edness. When asked, “What does Champ Camp do?” the answer was always a no brainer. That is, until it wasn’t.
As time passed, we found ourselves in more and more environments that looked less and less like the beach. We’ve matured into an organization that puts on birthday bashes, hotel parties, community events, and movie nights all year round, with even further diversification on the horizon. Plus, we still do that whole summer beach camp thing. Considering the above, it’s not hard to see that some more inclusive jargon is essential in order to convey the entirety of what Champ Camp has become. Luckily for us, an undeniable commonality is intentionally threaded through every action we take.
Whether we’re playing a giant game of dodgeball in the heat of July on the sands of Manhattan Beach, building a make-believe haunted fort at Kids Night in Playa Vista, or leading a line dance in the Fall at St. Anastasia’s Parish Party, there’s always one thing that we do (and have always done) no matter what our environment looks like:
Empower To Play.
There you go, folks-- that’s our secret sauce. As it turns out, the last thing kids need is to be told how to play. They understand this concept on a level much deeper than us adults can ever hope to remember. Rather, little ones thrive given the feeling they’re empowered to play in whichever way they darn well please. So, next time you see us tossing water balloons at The Point, trick-or-treating in Playa Vista, or boogie boarding in Redondo Beach, you’ll know exactly what we’re up to.
Just playin’,
Trevor