CAMP Michigan hosted around 30-40 attendees during the first day of its inaugural Midwest Campground Conference & Expo at the Delta Hotels Kalamazoo Conference Center in Kalamazoo, Mich.
The first day of the event featured several educational sessions, including one that focused on risk management, hosted by Erik Frazier and Matthew Stump, both of Acrisure.
Stump highlighted that every park should have seasonal checklists to ensure that maintenance items aren’t overlooked.
“You need to look at your electrical and water systems, playgrounds, facilities, safety equipment, insurance, and staff training regularly,” he noted.
When looking at playgrounds, parks should keep an eye on:
- Age zones and making sure signage indicates what ages the specific equipment is designed for.
Tim Richardson spoke on the Power of the Pause during CAMP Michigan’s conference. Credit: Ben Quiggle - Resurfacing, with 12 inches of material minimum
- Ensuring any openings in the equipment are between 3-and-a-half to nine inches
“The best practice is to do daily and monthly checkups to ensure the equipment is safe,” Stump explained. “Hiring a certified playground inspector might also be good every few years.”
Other areas he took a look at included RV electricity safety, EV & golf cart safety, propane filling station issue and sexual abuse & molestation (SAM) issues.
KEYNOTE
Tim Richardson, a speaker and author known for his speeches focused on the Power of the Pause, spoke on Monday evening about the importance of finding ways to disconnect and take pauses, highlighting the mental health benefits of doing so.
These pauses may incorporate finding a quiet space to reflect, taking time to do something that is relaxing, like reading a book, and more. The key part is finding a way to separate yourself from work or other stress-producing activities.
Richardson encouraged attendees to pause at least once a day, and to find ways to take even longer pauses throughout the year, including at least one vacation where everything shutoff.
TODAY
CAMP Michigan wraps up its conference today, with several more educational sessions set to be held, as well as a morning vendor expo.
One of the highlights of today’s sessions will include an update from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE).
To learn more about the event and CAMP Michigan, click here.
