Hey, Camp Folks!

Happy National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day! Today, we take a moment to recognize and celebrate the small businesses run by parents who make an unstoppable team. Did you know that mom and pop shops create 70% of all new jobs in America? That's right! These shops are the backbone of our economy and often have a special place in our hearts. It's incredible to see how mom and pop businesses have withstood the test of time throughout the years and have transformed to meet the needs of the times and their customers.

Did you know that Everything Summer Camp started as a mom and pop shop? We have humble beginnings that go back to 1987 when we were still known just as C&N Footlockers. Craig and Nancy Cornell, the owners, started in just a little garage in the small town of Boyd, Wisconsin, manufacturing classic footlockers.

The dust was still settling one summer day in the small workshop they built when the married couple embarked upon their first workday of their new business. After sharing a silent smile and comfortable look in each other’s eyes, the two started crafting their very first C&N trunk and, along with it, the foundation of their company. That first year, they produced 380 trunks!

As demand grew, they expanded their line of products and had to relocate to a larger facility to keep up with manufacturing and storage needs. Today, our business still operates in the same small town of Boyd where every single C&N Footlocker is manufactured. We’re still that same small town business, but we’re capable of BIG things!

We're proud to be a part of the legacy of mom and pop shops. So, on this day, let's give a big shout out to all the mom and pop businesses out there and do what you can to support a local mom and pop shop in your area! Thanks for reading, Folks. And, as always, Happy Camping!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

At Everything Summer Camp, we’re passionate about making your camping experience a memorable one and having the right gear is essential for a successful stay at overnight camp. That’s why you can find a wide range of summer camp gear and camping supplies to meet your every need. However, our flagship product is undoubtedly our camp trunks. Our C&N Footlockers are second to none in quality and we stand behind (and on top of) our trunks with a lifetime guarantee.

Joe is one of our longtime Production workers, putting his expert skill level to your service every day, crafting our high quality camp trunks. Given the opportunity to go to summer camp nowadays, as an adult, he could think of several ways he would spend his time. Check out his top choices in summer camp activities that he would sign up for today…

Go-Kart Racing
Though he’s never actually raced on a track, Joe bought a go-kart for his kids to ride around in the backyard. Of course, he had to test-drive it for the kids to make sure it was safe, he told me with a laugh. He obviously had a good time in it for his own sake too. He wanted to put it to the test and see how fast he could go, but never put the pedal to the floor to hard with his children chasing all around after him. If he ever found himself in a go-kart on a track, he’d love to rev it up and GO!

Paintball
Next up, Joe said he would try Paintball. He’s never gone Paintballing either, though he’s been shot with one before! He told me about a night around a campfire a number of years back with a friend who had acquired a paintball gun. They were inspecting the new purchase and getting curious about how it would feel to be hit with a paintball. “Only one way to find out,” his friend told him before letting Joe have it. That night, Joe found out—it HURTS! Perhaps Joe would get his friend to join him in a game today, looking to get a little payback!

Canoeing
For a third pick of another activity that he’s never had a chance to do before, Joe decided he would take a ride in a canoe. “It sounds like it would be an awesome way to see all the scenery and Mother Nature…and things you wouldn’t see from the land,” he told me. On top of all that he said it just sounds like a great way to relax for an afternoon, gliding along on the water and taking it all in.

Do any of Joe’s picks of camp activities sound fun to you? Maybe you’ll enjoy one or more of these come your time away at camp. Find out if your camp offers them or perhaps you can find your own means of having the experience. As always, thanks for reading and happy camping!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

With his crazy sense of humor, solid determination, and wild eccentricities, Matt is our Sales Director who forges our great relationships with summer camps all over the country. He’s played a vital role in helping kids get their camp trunks and camping gear on time, the growth of Everything Summer Camp, and the overall shaping of our company for almost 18 years.

Today we’re going to find out what Matt would do if he got to go to summer camp right now as an adult. He couldn’t settle on a single activity so he gave me his top three. Check out his list for camp activities right here:

Sailing
Matt’s never been sailing before, but he knows he definitely enjoy it. “I like the water,” he told me. Also, ever since a friend of Matt’s got certified for sailing and traveled to the Dominican, it really set the hook in Matt. “I think it’d be a fun hobby to learn!”

Trapshooting
Shooting trap has been a passion of Matt’s since he was pretty young—12, he thinks. It’s been a while since he’s had the time and opportunity to return to the sport. He even inherited his own clay pigeon throwing machine from his dad. Despite that, it’s been 10 years since he tried his hand. Last he saw, his skill level was pretty good. “I could hit 20/25,” he told me.

Guitar
Another lifelong interest of Matt’s is learning to play the guitar. He likes country music and would love to learn some classics from artists like Brooks & Dunn and Diamond Rio. He first tried learning it 20 years back, but didn’t get too far with it. A couple years ago, he made another attempt at learning the instrument. He picked up some basics and can now play most of the major chords.

What have you had the opportunity to do at summer camp? Do you share any of Matt’s interests? Let us know in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Folks. Happy camping! 

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!                                 

Staying hard at work with an assortment of responsibilities, Nate is our Manager of the Graphics Department—a role that keeps him rather busy developing new product ideas, keeping our apparel stocked, overseeing all product production, printer and other equipment maintenance, and a whole lot more than just that. But we’re not talking about work today! 

Today we’re going to find out what Nate would do if he got to go to summer camp right now as an adult. He couldn’t settle on any one camp activity so he gave me a laundry list of fun stuff he’d sign up for. Check out the busy schedule he made for himself: 

Tennis
In his freshman year of high school, Nate thought Tennis looked interesting. He eventually played with the team after school. He had a great time playing it and, while it didn’t stick, he’d be all too happy to give it another go.

Golf
Nate’s been sharpening his Golf skills for the past 10 years. He started out heading to a course here and there with friends, but somewhere along the way, he decided to get pretty serious about it. Play became obsession and, for quite some time now, Golf has been a weekly pastime.

Trapshooting
While he’s only gone a handful of times in his life, Nate found that he really enjoys the challenge of Trapshooting. He told me that if it wasn’t for Golf, he’d probably be obsessed with Trapshooting.

Fishing
Another favorite pastime Nate loves is Fishing. He’s typically catching Walleye or Bass. Nate’s kids enjoy going fishing as well. They’ll often go with his older brother; fishing is to Nate’s brother as Golf is to him!

Hiking
For a little over a year now, Nate and his family have been going on hikes together. It’s great to get out and enjoy some fresh air in the natural world away from chirping phones and flashing screens. They do go to local hotspots like Irvine Park, Peninsula State Park, and Big Falls County Park.

Cooking
Nate already does quite a bit of cooking, but he sees it as a life skill that can always been improved upon. He enjoys making meals for his family on his Blackstone Hibachi Grill. Even in the winter months here in Wisconsin, Nate will do some outdoor cooking at least once a week.

Computer Camp
Nate knows computers are another life skill—something that will be needed more and more as time goes on. He taught himself Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator in order to update our methods of creating personalized products in the Graphics Department.

Do you share any of Nate’s interests in summer camp activities? I know I do. And he could definitely cook something for me one of these days! See what kind of options are available to you at your camp and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

We all get great enjoyment out of a hard day’s work here at Everything Summer Camp but, just like all you, we want to have our fun in the sun as well. I’ve been asking people all around the workplace to see what kind of summer camp activities people would be most interested in returning to or trying out for the first time! Making the rounds in our Graphics Department recently to talk to Deb who’s been our sewing expert for the last decade!

Check out her camp activity picks:

Pottery
It was just last May that Deb got the chance to take a one-time class in Pottery. She enjoyed her time learning to make a plate and a couple bowls. She is now eager to try her hand again. “I will definitely be going back to try more,” she told me. “I’d like to try a 6 week course.”

Archery
Next, Deb said she would set her sights on Archery. She went to a Women’s Retreat in Rhinelander a few years back where she got to try her hand with a bow and arrow. She didn’t do too bad either. In fact, she hit a bullseye! At this Retreat, she also got to take boatrides, go horseback riding, and enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides—all of which she would love to do again.  

Climbing Wall
Deb’s Women’s Retreat also gave her the opportunity to climb a tall Climbing Wall, but she opted out. Another opportunity found her at Action City in Eau Claire when she took her son and his friend when they were 6 years old. She chickened out yet again, but would return with her son another seven years on and she was brave enough to do it. She said once she was climbing the wall, it wasn’t even that frightening. She’d do it again!

What have you had the opportunity to do at summer camp? Do you share any of Deb’s interests? Let us know in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Folks. Happy camping! 

- John