Director Jud's Blog

A few days ago week, I had the opportunity to speak with WTAJ, our local CBS affiliate, about camper safety in light of the heartbreaking flooding at a summer camp in the Hill Country of Texas. You can watch the full segment and article here:

Click Here to View the Interview and Article.

It was a meaningful conversation—and one I’ve had many times this past week with concerned parents. When events like this happen, they shake all of us. As a camp director, as a husband, and as a parent of two teenagers, I understand those fears on a deeply personal level.

Our family has been caring for kids at Stone Mountain Adventures for over four decades. My parents, Pam and Biff Houldin, founded SMA in 1983 with a vision of creating a tight-knit, adventurous, and safe community for teens. They still live on camp property and continue to be a steady presence—offering guidance, wisdom, and support whenever needed. Their lifelong commitment to youth development and safety set the foundation we stand on today, and I’m proud to carry that mission forward.

                                                                                                          Pam and Biff at Wyatt's HS Graduation

In many ways, the safety mindset that defines our camp was also shaped by my time with Outward Bound. That experience taught me how to build strong teams, assess risk in dynamic environments, and create systems where challenge and safety go hand in hand. We’ve integrated many of those principles into our camp operations.

Here’s how we work to keep kids safe at SMA:

• Rigorous Staff Training: Before campers ever arrive, our team completes a 10-day staff training packed with hands-on safety scenarios, emergency drills, and protocols for every activity. We train for the unexpected so we’re ready when it counts.

  

• Expert-Led Activities: We hold our staff to a high standard when it comes to leading specialized activities like swimming, mountain biking, and rock climbing. My personal background with Outward Bound plays a key role here—many of our safety systems are adapted from their skill assessment models. Every instructor must demonstrate real-world proficiency before leading an activity. Gear is inspected regularly, and we maintain strict staff-to-camper ratios to ensure safe supervision across the board.

• Local Emergency Partnerships: SMA has deep roots in Huntingdon County. Over the past 42 summers, we’ve built close relationships with local EMS and fire departments, all of whom are familiar with our property layout and emergency procedures. We’re also just 8 miles from a full-service hospital and walk-in clinic and are on a first-name basis with the doctors who work there.

• Water Safety: Every camper takes a swim test on day one so we understand their comfort level and skills. Whenever campers are in water above their waist, they wear a properly fitted life jacket, no exceptions.

  

• Medical Access & Support: All SMA staff are CPR and First Aid certified. We also work with Dr. Alison Holmes, who is on call for us 24/7 and supports our health center staff with consultations as needed.

• Evacuation Readiness & Family Communication: We have enough camp-owned vehicles to evacuate the entire SMA community if necessary and also maintain partnerships with two reliable bus companies. If an emergency were to arise, parents would hear directly from us by phone and email.

• Standards You Can Trust: Though we are not formally ACA-accredited—mainly because the process is structured for large, institutional-style camps—we are longtime members of the American Camp Association. My father, Biff, served as president of the ACA Keystone chapter, and we’ve always modeled our procedures after ACA best practices. I continue to attend professional development conferences to stay current on the latest safety standards in the camping world.

So when you send your child to SMA, know this: we take our role as their surrogate parents seriously. Their safety is not just something we talk about—it’s something we live out daily. We’re here to support them, encourage them, and protect them while giving them space to grow and thrive.

Because safety at camp isn’t a one-time box to check.
Safety is a muscle.
It only gets stronger when you nurture it, train it, and practice, practice, practice.
At Stone Mountain Adventures, safety is non-negotiable.

– Jud Millar
Camp Director
Stone Mountain Adventures
jud@sma-summers.com | (814) 667-3874