Not Too Shabbi: The Chimney Corners Camp Podcast

In this episode, Shannon and Abbot will tell you the lore behind Chimney's three units: Juniors, Intermediates, and Seniors. We'll also begin exploring the etymology of each of our Junior Unit cabin names. Some might surprise you!

In this episode, Shannon and Abbot talk about a recent blog post by Shannon about becoming a grandmother and how the transition from motherhood to grandparent is a similar mindset shift to sending your child to camp — it means trusting your child with the ability to care for others, be independent, and struggle a little. Also, Abbot talks about his cats. Because when does he not?

Shannon and Abbot are here to share how you can celebrate Camp Week, which begins Monday, January 26, 2026. We'll be walking you through the five themed days and how you can participate in Camp Week, all the while sharing some of our favorite camp memories, words of wisdom, and fun stories. 

We get that you have lots of options for your camper in the summer. Sometimes plugging in a week or two to their June-August schedule is easier than alloting four full weeks. Sometimes you as a parent aren't quite ready to send your child off for a month. Sometimes your camper can't imagine being off their phone for that long. Shannon and Abbot have counter arguments for all these common hesitations, because at Chimney Corners, the four-week model has proven time and time again to be life-changing. Listen as we delve into the merits of a month at summer camp.

Join Abbot and Shannon as they talk about... car shopping? The location of their parents' kitchen utensils? How camp makes us better at compromise and authenticity? Have a listen to find out.

As Shannon returns from a YMCA leadership conference in Texas, her admiration for the YMCA rekindled, she and Abbot sit down and talk a little about the history of the Y and what it means to them as people who grew up involved in and impacted by the Y movement.

On this episode, we address the age-old question: Do Abbi and Shannon lie during their chapel stories? Do they add in made-up details or fictional characters to make the whole thing sound more dramatic? We'll reveal the truth — and more...

Uh oh, it's been a minute! But Not Too Shabbi is BACK with a special guest: Jules Campbell! We're talking about her new, year-round role at camp supporting program as well as her history as a camper, Aide, counselor, Program Director, and more!  

Back to our regular programming, this one is for camp families AND campers. Abbi and Shannon talk all about the activities offered at Chimney while also sharing their perfect afternoon activity schedule. Makes us wish we could go back to being campers!

Shannon and Abbi dive into the "Opening Day" section of our 2025 Summer Guide. We'll give you the rundown on the first 24ish hours of camp, as well as one of the more daunting topics: the swim test! Campers — this might be a bit more palatable for you. And listen for a shout-out at the end to some campers who wrote to us!

Sorry, campers — this one might be a little dry for you. We're recording this episode for the parents out there who want more detail on our summer guide, which hit your inboxes early March. Shannon and Abbi will break down some of the denser information, like packing lists and pre-camp paperwork. But don't dispair! We promise more classic Shabbi content in the future.

The long-awaited part 2 of Chimney's storied past. Join Abbot and Shannon as they talk about assistant camp directors and make fun of Abbot's predecessor, Berta's, cabin paint colors. Listen to the end to hear from a surprise guest!

Shannon regales us with a surface-level history of Chimney Corners Camp, from its founding in 1931 to its purchase by the YMCA in 1971, while Abbot goes "wow" and "ok" to prove he's listening. We also get an EXCLUSIVE phone call with Camp Becket Director Dan Berg (all 15 seconds of his time).  We'd like to shout-out one of our loyal listeners, Hannah B! Thanks so much for engaging with our episodes on Spotify. See you this summer!

Just for fun, Shannon and Abbi talk a little bit about movies and Broadway and, much to Shannon's dismay, "Twilight!"

What do a purple bicycle, the keys to a Ford Ranger, and summer camp have in common? They're all some of the greatest gifts we've ever received! Listen to Shannon and Abbi remember some of their favorite childhood gifts, as well as break down why sometimes experiences -- like summer camp -- are the best gifts of all.

In this episode, Shannon and Abbi talk about how returning to school after the holidays can sometimes feel like a bummer, and how that same feeling of "starting over" can translate to camp. 

In honor of Thanksgiving week, Shannon and Abbi talk a little bit about the importance of friendships at camp — from kids' friendships with each other to the relationship between a counselor and their camper, they'll touch on just how life-changing a good friendship can be.

Camp Directors Shannon and Abbot talk a little bit about how they got into working at summer camp.