Invite campers' parents to be involved in your camp as a volunteer. Develop, distribute, and collect a “Parent Participation Form” to determine how parents might be interested in volunteer opportunities with your program. Consider other incentives for parent volunteers, such as a discount on one child's camp fee for the next summer.

Develop relationships with local civic organizations. Become involved as a member or as a guest presenter to inform organizational members about camp volunteer opportunities. In addition to volunteering, they might contribute other resources.

Say thanks to your volunteers, and say it in different ways. Develop a comprehensive volunteer appreciation program. Consider nominating one of your volunteers for the President's Volunteer Service Award (www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/tg/aio/index3.cfm). Volunteers who feel appreciated and valued by your camp will tell others about their positive experiences, increasing the likelihood that positive word-of-mouth could lead to other interested volunteers.

Promote camp volunteerism information to "graduates" of your camp. Even after they have aged out of your program, these young adults may continue to be a valuable volunteer source.

Contact local universities and colleges to tap into students who need volunteer hours in order to complete their degrees. Fraternities and sororities (service and nonservice) can also become excellent sources volunteers.

Reach out to later-aged volunteers. Develop an adult advisory group to help your camp identify ways to involve adults in volunteer projects. Identify retired persons in your community with the time and talents to devote to your camp.

Create an annual spring volunteer week at your camp. Invite camp graduates, family members, and other camp stakeholders to donate a portion of their day for the betterment of the camp. Clean-up projects and other camp opening jobs can be interspersed with opportunities for games and outdoor fun. Connect your event to National Volunteer Week, sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation, www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/, which offers resources for promoting volunteer opportunities.

Get teens involved in camp volunteerism. High school students are increasingly looking for ways to make themselves more competitive and attractive to colleges, universities, and employers. Contact high school guidance counselors or career resource offices.

Target a portion of your camp's Web site to volunteers. Provide volunteers with information about volunteer opportunities and the benefits of volunteering at your camp. Provide pictures of volunteers in action. Showcase a volunteer's contributions on a regular basis. Provide applications and related information.

Identify local businesses that sponsor an employee volunteer program, which allows paid leave to employees who are involved in community volunteerism. Did you know that one hour of volunteer time is currently valued at $18.05 (Independent Sector 2006)? When you are successful in finding volunteers using this approach, be sure to let the employer know the valuable contribution that their employees are making to the community by becoming involved in camp volunteerism.