I'm recruiting summer staff today at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY. I'm in the hallway just outside the bookstore and campus post office. It's a great high traffic location.
Anyway, as I was coming in the building I saw this on the outside of the building by the doors into the building. A pay phone? Are you kidding me? Is there any other demographic on earth that might be more saturated with cell phones than college students?
It made me think. That thing has probably been hanging on that wall since the days when there was a long line waiting to use it. Now it's covered in dust and who knows when the last time someone even picked up the receiver.
Do you have relics around your camp or conference center that only reinforce the fact that someone is not on top of the details? Do you have places at camp that look more like a museum of camp memorabilia…the way camp used to be? Facilities no one uses. Props for games no one plays anymore. Old office equipment no longer being used but not thrown out because it was donated in the 80s by Sister Ethel and no one wants to hurt her feelings. (sorry, I think I shifted into "rant" mode)
Now's a great time, before the rush of the summer, to go over your facility and even your programs and your processes and take away all the pay phones. Remove those relics of the past and begin to have your place and your program reflect the fact that you're looking toward the bright future and not the sunset of the past. I mean…you are. Right?
Put a big sign on top that says, “Antique phone.”
It is probably the only place left that has payphones. I know anywhere else they are either torn from the wall or missong the receiver. Another point on this too. We do our men’s retreats at camps where cell phones are hopefully minimally useful. We like the guys to disconnect. For many years we used Young Life’s Washington Family Ranch where my friend Mark was bought in as a wireless expert to setup cell coverage in the remote canyon. He tried fro a week and finally gave up. They prayed and felt God didn’t want coverage there. So they have payphones. I the the things. it is almost like a portal out of the silence, community of campers and learning that goes on there. Relic aside I have wanted to dismantle them for years.