Since the mid-1970s, Valley Lo Club in Glenview, Ill. has run one of the most successful summer youth camp programs in the club industry. In this episode of C+RB’s video series, General Manager Judy Higgins describes how the club has pivoted to launch another successful camp season, even as the usual plans for schedules, groups, meals, field trips and weather contingencies all had to be reexamined. Some adjustments, such as switching to boxed picnic lunches, have proved to be so well accepted that they may be retained in future years. “When you’re forced to make changes, sometimes good comes from it,” Higgins says.
“The Road Back” video series from Club + Resort Business provides fresh insights into how club and resort properties are meeting the challenges posed by the pandemic and finding new and innovative ways to boost business levels and start their return to full operation.
In this episode, we get insights from Judy Higgins, CCM, General Manager of Valley Lo Club in Glenview, Ill. Though the club has hosted an extremely popular Junior Sports Club—growing to between 300 and 400 kids each summer—since the mid-1970s, the summer of 2020 has been anything but normal. The usual plans for camp schedules, large groups, buffet lunches, field trips, and weather contingencies all had to be reexamined, along with the added need for health screenings and personal protection equipment. But Valley Lo has adjusted to get another successful camp season started, with some changes like boxed picnic lunches proving to be so well accepted that they may be retained in future years. “Parents were just so excited that we were going to offer something for their kids [this summer], because they’ve been home since probably the end of March, and they were just craving for outdoor activities with friends,” Higgins says. “And when you’re forced to make change, sometimes good comes from it.”
(Viewing time: 12 minutes)
Previous episodes of “The Road Back” can be viewed at https://clubandresortbusiness.com/category/the-road-back/
Upcoming episodes will feature how clubs are launching and completing major clubhouse renovation projects while operations are limited; building on and expanding effective new communications strategies that were developed out of necessity because of the pandemic’s restrictions; ramping up one-on-one and group golf lessons while ensuring user safety, and more.
If you have a great idea or success story you’d like to see featured on a future episode of “The Road Back,” contact [email protected].
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