I Built the Calgary Day Camp I Wanted for My Own Kid.
A small, personally-run summer camp for Calgary kids ages 8–12 — built out of frustration, shaped by what my own kid needed, and run with the care I'd want for any parent's child.
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Why this camp exists
I started building Rize Camp because I was looking for something like it for my own kid — and it didn't exist. I found camps that were fun, but none that felt genuinely useful. Every brochure promised the same kind of summer: crafts, swimming, maybe a field trip. Nothing wrong with any of it. But nothing that stuck.
The world kids are growing into moves fast. Money, focus, communication, mental resilience, the ability to handle hard situations — these aren't optional skills anymore. And every parent I know has tried having these conversations at home. They don't always land at the dinner table. They land better when they're delivered the way kids are wired to learn — in a group, with peers, by someone who isn't their parent.
"I talked to other parents. They felt the same gap. That's when this went from an idea to something real."
Rize Camp is small by design. Twenty kids per session — that's the cap, not the goal. I want to know every kid's name by Tuesday. I want parents to be able to email me directly and get an answer from me, not a support ticket. That's not scalable, and I'm okay with that.
This summer, I'll be there every day. If something isn't working, I'll see it immediately and fix it. If a kid is struggling, I'll know. That's the version of camp I wanted for my own kid, and that's the one I'm building.
Three things that matter to us.
These aren't marketing values. They're the operating rules I apply to every decision about the camp.
01
PRINCIPLE ONE
Small by Design
Twenty kids per session. Two locations. Four sessions all summer. We cap capacity on purpose — small groups mean every kid gets seen, heard, and supported by name.
02
PRINCIPLE TWO
Useful, Not Just Fun
Camp should leave kids with more than a tan and a lanyard. Every day has a clear focus — body, screens, money, problem solving, communication — and kids leave with tools they can actually use.
03
PRINCIPLE THREE
Personally Run
This isn't a franchise or a large program — it's a personally run camp where every child is known by name, not just a number on a roster. Roman is on-site every day.
SAFETY & CREDENTIALS
Trained. Vetted. Accountable.
Roman holds Standard First Aid and CPR certification. All Rize Camp staff complete criminal record checks with vulnerable sector screening before working with any camper.
Staff-to-camper ratios are maintained at a minimum of 1:10 throughout all sessions. Youth helpers support activity periods under direct adult supervision.
Standard First Aid Certified
Criminal Record Checked
Minimum 1:10 Staff Ratio
CPR Trained Staff
Vulnerable Sector Screened
Founder On-Site Daily