A recreation committee organizes activities on a campground during the summer and raises funds for them. The committee may be managed by the campground operator, or by volunteer campers.
The operator manages the committee
- To avoid or defuse conflicts between campers. Members of campers’ committees don’t always see eye to eye!
- To keep control over the committee’s finances.
- To keep control over the program and the brand image of the campground.
- To come up with a program of activities for both seasonal and travelling campers.
How does it work?
Campground management:
- recruits volunteers;
- funds the committee or organizes fund-raising activities (collecting returnable bottles, selling items with the campground logo, etc.);
- rewards volunteers with gifts or free overnight stays;
- remains open to suggestions by campers, while reserving a veto;
- manages communications between the committee and campers.
Campers manage the committee
- Only if they can get along. No arguments!
- To allow the campground operator to spend time on other issues in the campground.
- To encourage healthy competition, with a better program every summer!
How does it work?
First of all, campers have to create a non-profit organization run by a board of directors, generally partly funded by the campground. The members of this board must:
- be elected;
- manage the organization’s finances in a transparent fashion;
- be able to produce financial statements at all times.
The board members:
- draw up a program of activities for both seasonal and travelling campers;
- report to the campground operator on the committee’s finances;
- organize fund-raising activities (dances, community suppers, draws, etc.).