Looking for a campground can be a difficult process; each community has its own needs and may need to adjust those needs to fit the budget of attendees. Whether you are a community that is just starting and needs some tips or an established community looking to shop around, these tips can help you. I spoke with Wilson Burton from Music City Tres Dias. Wilson has helped established many communities including, but not limited to: Ukraine, Denmark, Tres Dias Con Dios and Music City TD. Wilson knows the process and understands how expectations sometimes have to be adjusted according to the region of the area. (Sam) What do you think of geographically when choosing a campground?  (Wilson) Something within an hour – 1 ½ hours of main population of community.  Sometimes you will need a bus to transport the candidates.   (S) What were some “must-haves” when you are considering campgrounds? (W) Rollo room; chapel; # of beds and # seated in dining hall need to be the same; other rooms or areas needed for Table Chas(aux), Palanca and Prayer Chas during Rollos and storeroom. If men will be Spiritual Directors on a women’s weekend, the men need a private room.   (S) How did you choose a Rollo Room? (W) The community looks at how many candidates the facility will sleep, so the Rollo Room must hold all candidates and the necessary team to serve them. It should also be a room that can be made private and has the technology for audio and visual on the weekend or the ability to plug in your own.   (S) How did you choose weekend capacities – both for lodging and chapel/rollo room?  (W) Basically, the #s are determined by # of beds campground has.   (S) How did you negotiate your costs?  (W) Prayerfully!!! Kindly!!! Team fee should be above camp fee to cover other supply needs for the weekend. Most campgrounds do not furnish bedding. Ones that do are definitely more expensive. The number of meals the camp serves also determines cost. If camp is not going to furnish reception night arrival meal, then the camp must be willing for you to bring in food for that meal. You should know what the campground offers compared to nearby campgrounds to be able to compare and negotiate weekend fee. (S) Did you consider food quality?  (W) Yes, but it is more important now, especially with women. So many eat very healthily and need healthy choices. Meals provided should not be a kid’s summer camp menu. Each Community Secretariat should spend lots of time together in prayer, before going to look at campgrounds. Men and women should go together to visit campgrounds; praying together before meeting the camp management for a scheduled appointment. It is very helpful if the campground has had other 4^th Day groups at their facility. Then they will already understand your basic needs. (S) What other tips would you like to provide to communities?  (W) Christian Camp & Conferenceis a great, free tool that allows you to search for a campground facility in your area.  You can’t hold weekends without a facility, and each facility is different.  You may have to adapt to your camp, and your camp may need to try to accommodate, or adapt to your needs, especially if the facility is used year after year, and hopefully, twice per year for many years to come.  Many camps are used primarily by youth groups with different needs.  You are there to come face to face with God! A dual adjustment is needed: the community must respect and adjust to a campground’s requirements, and campgrounds must adjust to fit the needs of a community. Good manners and being on time go a long way in a good relationship.  Overtime, a camp maybe encouraged to better adapt to a community’s needs.  Work together to chart a better future. Start with the essentials that make up a weekend and be willing to compromise/adjust or make do. Campgrounds are as different as night and day, so be prepared to adjust and adapt over time.   God has ways of teaching us how to make do with what is available.  It may be an old school or church that has been retrofitted—the cafeteria is still the dining hall, classrooms may be transformed into dorms, sendoff may be by bus, or to a room down the hall, chapel and closing may each be in an assembly hall.   Bathrooms are bathrooms but may need to ideally be retrofitted to accommodate both sexes personal needs.  A Rollo room may be an old gym, or two classrooms connected, or false walls can be added to separate different functions in a gym size area.  An old church may be converted and added to over time.  Is there a basement that can be used for an area?   God is in Tres Dias!  He will guide you to the facility, or another facility as you cover your search with prayer.   Nashville has two communities on either side of town, and a third one ready to start—once they find or develop a facility.  They are each different, but God uses both.   The world—red and yellow, black and white—they are precious in His sight—continue to cover the situation in prayer! We used Youth for Christ facility in Ukraine, an old training center in Rivne, Ukraine, and a communist summer camp in Rivne, Ukraine, and three other retreat centers where each were different.  Two totally different school facilities in Denmark.  Saint Petersburg was on a University campus one year and totally different facility the next year. I’ve slept on the floor at some, but in summary, the best term is “maximum flexibility!” If God is in it, He will provide!!!