Case Study: Camp Minikani
Breaking the Bottleneck:
Why Camp Minikani Switched from CampBrain to Campminder
Before they joined the Campminder community, the team at Camp Minikani—a day and overnight camp that is part of the YMCA of Greater Milwaukee—faced significant challenges with system performance and flexibility. Their previous software, CampBrain, couldn’t handle the high registration volume, which created the appearance of crashes and undermined parent trust. Reports were difficult to customize, and day-to-day tasks—like attendance rosters, medication tracking, and bunking—required heavy manual workarounds or offline processes.
AJ Laughlin, Minikani’s Director of Administration, says they needed a platform that could scale with their growth, reduce administrative burden, and empower both staff and families with better tools.
They’re now thriving with Campminder.
A Wish and a Switch
Since switching to Campminder, Camp Minikani has seen powerful improvements across operations, communication, and financial reporting. What stood out most in the transition? According to AJ, “We didn’t really lose any functionality moving from CampBrain to Campminder, which was important. And we gained a lot.” Campminder’s platform makes it easy to centralize registration, communication, and health center management. Tasks that once required multiple systems, or long hours of manual data entry, are now streamlined and more accurate.
When it came to managing registrations for 1,700 campers in the first five minutes of launch, Campminder handled the pressure without a hitch. “That was the deciding factor for switching from CampBrain. We needed software that could keep up with our volume—and Campminder delivered.”
eMAR and Reports FTW
“We love the eMAR (Electronic Medication Administration Record). Best freaking thing in the world.” Minikani’s health center has gone fully digital, which wasn’t possible with CampBrain. The ability to track medications and medical history in real time has boosted nurse satisfaction and eliminated binders full of spreadsheets.
While Campminder’s customizable reporting structure was initially an adjustment, AJ, in his 11th year on staff, now values the control. “I can get exactly what I want, and not things I don’t need.” Even with multiple bunk plans across sessions, they’ve built a workflow that supports their complex structure. The biggest win? “Campminder does all the deferred revenue calculations for me. What used to take eight hours now takes five minutes.”
For Families, Too
Minikani’s families benefit from an improved digital experience over CampBrain as well. AJ notes that Campminder’s transportation module has been a game-changer for their day camp operations. “I went from building nine separate attendance rosters every day to having real-time bus lists built right in.” Caregivers can update pickup information on the fly, and changes instantly reflect in staff reports—saving time and reducing confusion across the board.
Despite completing a full system migration in just two weeks, AJ never felt unsupported. “Onboarding was amazing. We met three times a week and got it done. I didn’t expect it to be that smooth, but it was.” Perhaps most appreciated is Campminder’s willingness to adapt to each camp’s needs. “I’ve learned that if I talk to someone, Campminder is willing to find a way to make it work.”
Big Shifts, Bigger Payoff
