The Sherry Group Podcast

TSG team members discuss strategies for managing unforeseen challengess—problems bigger than minor fixes but smaller than true emergencies. The conversation emphasizes mindset, preparation, leadership development, and post-incident reflection as core tools for camp directors.

TSG team members are joined by Sean Gundersen to discuss strategies for recruiting summer camp staff such as relationship-based recruitment, year-round engagement, and creating multiple pipelines including teen leadership programs, international staff, alumni networks, and incentive-driven referrals.

TSG members discuss 10 simple solutions to common summer camp springtime challenges. This seasonal episode is packed full of meaningful answers to difficult choices.

Sherry Group members discuss the importance of collecting real world data to inform decision making for summer camps and non-profits. Everything from retention rates and cost analysis to surveys and donor data are discusses in this education episode. Any camp or organization looking to find more success will benefit from this short episode.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery, Glenn Svetnicka and Dave Sherry discuss how to bring a program or activity idea to life. Everything from resources to training and safety are covered in detail by these three seasoned summer camping professionals.

On this episode of Rest Hour Radio, Drew Demery and David Sherry from The Sherry Group discuss what makes summer camping conferences so meaningful and how to have the most impactful experience possible as a youth development professional.

Drew Demery and David Sherry of TSG discuss the opportunities and challenges of provided on-site housing for Summer Camp Professionals. They cover everything from housing agreements to maintenance, upkeep and visitors.

Drew Demery, Glenn Svetnicka and David Sherry of The Sherry Group share personal insights on how to overcome adversity and find hope in hard times. Whether its workplace hardship or personal grief, the members of TSG offer some advice on how to naviagate difficult times.

Ever feel like it's a constant onslaught of everything, all at once, always at work? Like there's no plan, priorities or organization with your schedules? In this episode of Rest Hour Radio from The Sherry Group LLC, Drew Demery and David Sherry break down a useful planning tool called a 'dashboard'. This dashboard is a simple document that lays out specific goals, timelines, a clear vision for success and measures milestones along the way. You will not want to sleep on this quick episode that will have an immediately positive impact on your work and well-being.

Drew Demery and Glenn Svetnicka of The Sherry Group discuss the finer points of a successful volunteer work day. Everything from who to include, how to assign tasks and what projects to pursue. This episode of Rest Hour Radio covers the who, what, why, when and how of a great volunteer work day at your summer camp.

In this episode of Rest Hour Radio from The Sherry Group LLC, Drew Demery and Glenn Svetnicka discuss the finer points of hosting a good staff meeting. Everything from the perfect snack selection to empowering a "Gatekeeper", this new episode is packed with tons of useful tips for your next professional meeting.

Dave and Drew discuss what Camp Directors can do after summer camp ends in order to rest, reset and reprioritize the upcoming year.

Drew Demery, David Sherry and Tom Neppl of The Sherry Group LLC share useful strategies for planning your next summer camp facility improvements. This final episode of the series covers fundraising for development, naming rights and many other useful tips. It also covers how to overcome unique challenges that might arise in the process and several insightful success stories.

Drew Demery, David Sherry and Tom Neppl of The Sherry Group LLC share useful strategies for planning your next summer camp facility improvements. This episode takes a deep dive into site master planning, mapping and how to create a future vision for your summer camp using the inventory discussesd in episode two.

Drew Demery, David Sherry and Tom Neppl of The Sherry Group LLC share useful strategies for planning your next summer camp facility improvements. This episode focuses on how to take an inventory of your property, then evaluate the details and finally adding context to your finding using key stakeholders.

Drew Demery, David Sherry and Tom Neppl of The Sherry Group LLC share useful strategies for planning your next summer camp facility improvements. This episode focusing on stakeholder involvement, visioning and master site plan development.

Sherry Group members Drew Demery, David Sherry and Glenn Svetnicka discuss why staff training is so important to get right, what to included in this orientation time and how to go about teaching skills, culture, belonging and confidence to your young staff members.

Drew Demery and David Sherry of The Sherry Group LLC share insights into what was learned and shared during this series with Summer Camp Professionals and their successful Leadership Development Programs.

Anna Mitchell and Jerod Briscoe of Heartland Camps speak with Sherry Group hosts Drew Demery and David Sherry about their year-long Cornerstone Program that bridges the gap from summer staff to youth ministry professional.

David Sherry and Drew Demery of the Sherry Group interview Jason Smith and Olivia Hultman of YMCA Camp Kitaki about their successful year-round teen leadership program. This revered program is one of the highest quality in America. Listen to hear what makes this program so unique and meaningful.

Drew Demery and David Sherry of the Sherry Group LLC interview Camp Eage Ridge's owner Kelly Rossebo about her CIT and Junior Counselor programs. They disuss the program's successes, challenges and 30 year evolution.

Sherry Group members Drew Demery and David Sherry interview YMCA Camp Wapsie directors Paul Denowski and Hannah O'Toole about their highly successful teen leadership development program. The conversation covers program design, implementation and many useful insights into how to manage an LIT/CIT program.

In this espisode, Sherry Group members Drew Demery and David Sherry discuss the importance of establishing a teen leadership development program at summer camp as well as how to go about designing and implementing that program.

In this episode of The Sherry Group Podcast, Drew Demery and David Sherry discuss useful summer camp preparations and personal care information for Camp Directors.

In this episode of The Sherry Group Podcast, Drew Demery and David Sherry discuss useful summer staff onboarding and training information for Camp Directors.

Camp facilities and grounds are constantly needing repairs, reimaging and reinvigorating. Join Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry as they discuss site development and multitude of intentional steps Camp Directors can take to make their own camp safer, more inviting and better reflect their mission and values.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry speak with Camp Tecumseh YMCA CEO, Joel Sieplinga about their site development, intentional building techniques and how involving key stakeholders in the design process had aided their success in recent years.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry speak with Landscape Architect, Tom Neppl about the nuances of site planning and development.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry interview Camp Director, Sean Gundersen about site rentals and partnerships. Sean speaks about relationship building being crucial when multiple stakeholders are involved with operating summer camp.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry speak with arborist, Corey Vansickle about tree care at summer camp.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry interview Camp Director/Owner, Kelly Rossebo about her process buying a camp then renovating it over the past 28 years.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry speak with architect, Adam Aalgaard about the nuances of site planning and development.

Summer Camp is full of significant moments and experiences. Join Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry as they speak with Jordy Brown about two of his favorite summer camp moments.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry hear from Robyn Ratcliff about a couple cool camp experiences she's had as a Camp Director.

Sherry Group member, Drew Demery shares a meaningful camp tradition and story from his own camping career that has made a lasting impact. 

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry hear from Scott Brosman about a very impactful experience he had with a young camper.

Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry chat with Jeanne Muellerleile about one hilarious experience she had with a unique camper and another heartwarming story where she made a lasting impact on a successful young professional.

Summer Camp is full of significant moments and experiences. Join Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry as they speak with Travis Allison about a meaningful moment from his own camping career.

Episode 7 of the Leading Through Adversity Series. Drew Demery and David Sherry sit down to connect ideas and stories from this series as well as announce the next podcast series.

Drew Demery and David Sherry sit down with Julia Mannes, Camp Director for Camp Tanglefoot, a Girl Scout camp in northern Iowa. Julia shares some great insight into the challenges and successes of working and living year-round at camp.

Drew and David chat with Jami Biodrowski, Camp Director with the Easterseals of Nebraska to discuss her personal and professional journey as she transitioned from a full-time salaried employee to hourly, all the while maintaining the same workload and position but significantly different hours.

Episode 4 of Leading Through Adversity sees hosts Drew Demery and David Sherry sit down with Hanna O’Toole of YMCA Camp Algonquin to discuss the journey that many first time Camp Directors go through when they begin employment at a camp brand new to them.

In episode 3 of our Leading Through Adversity Series, Drew and David sit down with BJ Murray of Camp Wood YMCA to discuss staff accountability and how to go about having difficult conversations surrounding employee performance.

In Episode 2 of our Leading Through Adversity Series, Drew and David sit down with Russ Link of Camp Olson YMCA to discuss the finer points of conservations easements and how his camp has benefited financially from these endeavors.

In this first full-length episode of "Leading Through Adversity", Sherry Group members Drew Demery and David Sherry, speak with Jason Smith of YMCA Camp Kitaki. He shares insight into intentionally creating meaningful challenges and difficulties at camp, while also offering tips for setting staff limits and creating a respectful camp culture.

Sherry Group members David Sherry and Drew Demery introduce the next series of "The Sherry Group Podcast". This next series is called "Leading Through Adversity" and listeners can expect to hear common summer camp challenges that Directors face and how experienced Directors have lead their organizations through them to positive outcomes.

Co-hosts Drew Demery and David Sherry, share what they learned from guests and their own personal insights from this challenging year. They discuss commonalities and differences as well as what kind of hope there is for the summer camping industry in the years to come.

In this episode, YMCA Camp Greenville Executive Director, Cory Harrison tells us about how his team was able to pull off a safe summer of camping with 1,500 children in the time of COVID-19. Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry ask Cory about his involvement with the CDC, American Camping Association and YMCA and how this involvement ultimately led his camp to being able to offer a safe, meaningful experience.

The guys from, the "Summer Camp Programming Podcast" join us for an insightful look into what they experienced and learned this year. Hosted by The Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry. To learn more about the Summer Camp Programming Podcast visit: https://www.summercamppro.com/scp-pod/.

Ricky Wright provides a candid and optimistic outlook on cancelling summer camp this year and all the challenges that have come with managing a historic YMCA camp in the time of COVID-19. Sherry Group members, Drew Demery and David Sherry, co-host.