By: Ty Flora, Hume Christian Camps Concessions and Retail Manager
Hume is a special place where God is at work, and the gospel transforms campers’ lives. While we are rightfully focused on and driven by our mission, Hume campers have many unique and exciting opportunities during their week of camp. Our Retail and Concession areas are included in that. Retail and Concessions include the Snack Shop, General Store, Supply Co, Ponderosa Coffee Co, Meadow Ranch Coffee Co, Ark Snack Shop, and Hume Apparel. This summer, our campers, counselors, and guests have purchased 16,000 milkshakes, 32,000 items from Hume Supply Co and Hume Apparel, 4,400 cookies, and, 5600 Icees!
There are many connections to our mission that happen in and around the Concessions and Retail areas. We desire to represent and reflect Christ through each customer interaction. We often talk during training about making each guest’s Hume experience better as a result of coming into our buildings and interacting with our staff. Daily, you see campers, counselors, and church leaders having significant and eternally impactful conversations while they share a meal, a milkshake, or a coffee. The hope is that we can play a part in eliminating distractions so that campers can focus on the work that God is doing in their lives. Lastly, we want to connect something tangible, such as a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or other souvenir-type item, to the campers’ experience at Hume. The goal is that whatever they choose to purchase will serve as a reminder of how God impacted their life while they were at Hume. There are a lot of moving pieces to make these areas run well. On a given week we receive about 50 deliveries. While the front-facing areas of the stores are busy serving customers and ringing up orders, in the background, orders are being received and checked in. Ensuring that the next group of campers have the same opportunity to experience milkshakes, Hume burgers, Icees, and whatever their favorite sweatshirt is. It takes a team to make this happen. In total, we have nearly 50 summer staff working in Concession and retail.
While there certainly are other summer roles at Hume that are more recognized by campers, our staff plays an important role in making the Hume camper experience happen. It’s such a great part of the job for the full-time staff to invest in and care for the summer staff. This looks different in each area, but here are a few things that we do to minister to and care for the staff. We build their schedules in such a way that they are able to participate in as many of the spiritual opportunities as possible. This means closing buildings for church on Sunday mornings and for our Summer Staff church service on Wednesday nights. There are also Bible Studies that staff are encouraged to participate in throughout the week. Second, we want staff to know that they are known and appreciated. One of the things that has developed into a tradition in our area is regular team meals. With Coffee Shops opening early and most buildings closing, it’s a challenge, but we are able to have team meals while the campers are in chapel, seminars, and church time in the late morning. So, each week, we gather with either the retail team or the concessions team and have breakfast. This happens in a full-time staff member’s home. The staff love having the opportunity to pause for an hour or so and just sit and fellowship.
Our staff love serving our campers and are grateful to be at Hume serving the Lord through Concessions and Retail. As we finish another summer of ministry, please join us in praying that we will finish well as we seek to reflect Jesus to everyone we come in contact with, enhance the experience of our guests, provide opportunities for significant conversation, and extend the camper experience beyond the last day of camp.