Category Camp

Point 89: Camp APP Review

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Angel Horsley

Photos by April Thomas

Carl Kimberly takes a moment between activities and classes to reflect by the pond.

I had the pleasure of attending the 5th annual Camp APP this past year in Oregon. Usually, this event is held in Georgia, however, Bethrah Szumski decided to go above and beyond and organize this event entirely on the other side of the country! I honestly can’t thank her enough for facilitating what was one of the best experiences of my life.

Matthew Masterton, Ryan Tantay, (back, Aaron Solomon and Kelly Carvara), Jay Johnson, and Cale DiFrancesco

It was held at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp right outside of Portland, Oregon, so it was a very easy and scenic drive for me. The weather was exactly what I hoped to get camping in Oregon humid, cold, and rainy. These conditions may not sound super ideal for some, but it was MORE than perfect for me. Any walk or hike that I was a part of was just gorgeous. Moss was everywhere, there was a waterfall not far, and I was in my element.

A group collaborates during a Needle Improvement techniques
workshop discussion led by Becky Dill

Where do I even start with this amazing experience? The beginning of the first day was intense for me; mainly because there was an opportunity to introduce yourself in front of everyone at Camp. I’ve always opted out of things like this, so this made it nerve-racking for me. That said, I did it and this paved the way for an incredible week actually making new friends and memories. My personal goal was to not hide in my room the entire time like I do at Conference and actually start being able to integrate myself into our giant piercing family.

Directional sign at Mt. Hood
Kiwanas Camp

All of the classes were so fun and constantly kept my attention with intriguing information. I’ll start with my favorite class, Charging Windmills and Slaying Sacred Cows with Jef Saunders. This class was impressive in its goal and execution. Cale DiFrancesco is an aesthetic genius and had a million tips and tricks on achieving your goal results for multiple piercing placements.

The workshops were well planned out and very fun to be a part of because of how hands-on they were. Rob Hill helped me get over being a little spooked by polishing wheels. Pablo Perelmuter showed us things about Statim cassettes that I went home and immediately applied to our cassette at our studio. I love improving/modifying needles, so it should go without saying that Becky Dill’s Needle Improvement workshop was my favorite. John Johnson, Cale DiFrancesco, and April Thomas’s workshop for Web Design, Content Sharing, and Email Newsletters definitely opened my mind to ways to appeal and be seen by my local community. We also had a team-building exercise where each group got on a huge seesaw and you’re supposed to stay balanced at all times while other people get on. My group was the only group that crawled onto it to make it work. I truly don’t understand how the other groups stood up the whole time.

Randy and the Crushers discuss team strategy as they prepare for the Piercing Ninja Warrior competition.

Monica Sabin is an absolute angel. They came up with the idea to put together the Piercing Ninja Warrior Relay Race. This race was so much fun and I’m not just saying that because I was on the winning team (Goldemorts 4 lyfe). It was very dead on with the tasks that we deal with on a day to day basis being piercers. I have awful social anxiety (bless everyone involved for their patience), anyone that knows me can tell you that. This race showed me that my peers are just people and I shouldn’t be so intimidated to make those connections with them and just be myself.

Monica Sabin prepares to see their idea for the Piercing Ninja Warrior competition come to life for the first time.

Each night ended with something very fun that involved everyone. The first night was bingo, the second night was a Campfire Talk APP session, and the third night was a raffle and closing ceremony. The Campfire session with John Johnson, Bethrah Szumski, and Paul King was such an eye-opening experience. I wish I could thank them more than I already have for sharing themselves with so many people. The closing ceremony was essentially a follow up on your introduction at the beginning of the week and if you got what you wanted out of Camp. A lot of people got way more out of camp than they intended and it was lovely hearing everyone’s experiences. There were so many feelings during the closing ceremony and I thank everyone that shared themselves.

Matt Bavougian rests after serving delicious home cooked food for all 70+ Campers

The last thing I want to express my gratitude for: the food. Everything that was made was delicious and incredibly accommodating to anyone with dietary restrictions. Seriously, I ate better this week than I have all year. After going back and forth on attending Camp, I’m so happy I did. I will see y’all every year I can because Camp is not something I’m willing to skip anymore. Thank you again to everyone involved in facilitating such a life-changing event.

Pablo Perelmuter explains Statim cassette maintenance to a small group during a workshop discussion

Point 89: Covid & APP Events

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APP CONFERENCE 2020 COVID-19 UPDATE

APRIL 30, 2020, 2:00PM PDT

25TH ANNUAL APP CONFERENCE (ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED JULY 5-10, 2020)

After a long and complicated process the APP has finally come to an agreement whereby we will not be penalized the $200,000+ for cancelling the 2020 Conference.

We have felt strongly that cancelling this year’s conference is the very best action for our association, our attendees, and for the industry, worldwide. Piercers, studio owners, jewelry/counter specialists, and manufacturers face numerous challenges from the impact of this health crisis. Not only is this in the interest of health and safety, but this will also allow all of us to focus on business and family at home and to make sure we are opening under safe protocols.

We will miss all of you and the positive energy we all get from our Annual Conference and Exposition. We appreciate that you have remained steadfast in face of uncertainty.

ATTENDEES
  • The APP has sent an email to those who have registered for the 2020 Conference. If you need a refund now, or did not receive the email we ask that you complete a very brief form to request a refund (in full or in part).
  • If you did not request a refund by May 15th we will roll over your payment to next year. Attendees who rollover their fees will need to register next year but will use a code to apply their credits at the time they register. If you rollover your registration fees, at any time between now and next year, May 1, 2021, you may request a full refund without penalty.
  • The annual Conference is the primary source of income for the Association. Should you be financially able to contribute any part of your fees towards this year’s APP operating expenses, we would greatly appreciate it. Please use the same form to designate your contribution amount.
VENDORS
  • The APP has sent an email to vendors who have registered for the 2020 Conference. If you need a refund we ask that you respond to the email and request the refund (in full or in part). If you didn’t receive the email, please contact the office at info@safepiercing.org
  • If you did not respond to this email by May 15th we will roll over your payment to nextyear. Vendors who rollover their fees will need to register next year but will use a code to apply their credits at the time they register. If you do a rollover, and at any time between now and next year, May 1st of 2021, decide you need a refund, the APP will honor that.
  • For those companies who contributed to the Al D. Scholarship fund we ask that if you are able, to leave those funds with the APP. The APP has informed the scholars that their scholarships will rollover to next year. These scholars will fill our slots—if all scholars are able to make it next year—we will not take on additional scholars for 2021.
  • The annual Conference is the primary source of income for the association. Should you be financially able to contribute a portion of your fees for this year to the APP, we would greatly appreciate it.

Regardless of your decision know that we are all a part of a really awesome community and we will get through this.

HOTEL ROOM BLOCK

Planet Hollywood will automatically cancel any room reservation booked in the Association’s room block, which will trigger the refund of any deposit/payment. It will usually take 7-10 business days before you see the credit in your account. You will get an email confirmation from Planet Hollywood.

2020 APP MEMBERS’ RETREAT/CAMP APP & IN-PERSON MEETINGS

In addition, we have cancelled the 2020 APP Members’ Retreat / Camp APP and all in-person APP gatherings including board meetings and committee workgroup meetings. For questions regarding Camp cancellation, please contact Marina at mpecorino@safepiercing.org.

Please stay healthy and financially well as the world moves forward through this crisis.

We look forward to seeing you June 6-11, 2021 at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas for Conference and the APP Members’ Retreat in 2021!

  THE NEXT SCHEDULED APP IN-PERSON EVENTS:                                           

2021

  • Annual Conference & Exposition
  • Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas — June 6 11.
  • APP Members’ Retreat
  • Atlanta, Georgia — Dates to be determined.

2022

  • Annual Conference & Exposition
  • Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas — June 12 17.
  • APP Members’ Retreat
  • Atlanta, Georgia — Dates to be determined.

2023

  • Annual Conference & Exposition
  • Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas — June 11 16.
  • APP Members’ Retreat
  • Atlanta, Georgia — Dates to be determined.

Point 88: Upcoming Educational Conferences

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Outreach Committee

Upcoming Educational Conferences

The 5th Annual APP Members’ Retreat

Portland, Oregon: October 1–5, 2019

With the theme of ALIENS, the five year anniversary of Camp APP will be taking place at Mount Hood in the Pacific Northwest! Spaces are limited so register soon. Learn more about this amazing retreat on Facebook or by using the Member Login at safepiercing.org.

The 4th Annual UKAPP Conference

Manchester, United Kingdom: October 6–8, 2019

Join piercers from the UK and surrounding countries for another astounding educational conference at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel and Convention Center. Find out more information on Facebook or visit ukapp.org.uk.

Point 85: Camp APP, 2018

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A LETTER FROM SHORTY

photos by April Thomas

Shorty is ecstatic about taking home a bottle of
Surrender the Booty hot sauce from the Camp raffle.

Dear Momma Duck,

This week has been a blur! Piercer Camp is so much fun. I’ve met so many new people and had a lot of fun with my friends from last year. Unfortunately most of the “Boat Bois” couldn’t make it this year, but that hasn’t stopped John Robberson and me from recruiting some new ones. I got the same cabin as last year and everything was still set up the way we left it. My cabin-mates were John (of course), Frankie “3 Pens” (aka Frankie Diamonds), Pauly “Slippaz” from Staten Island, Sosa (he’s from Venezuela, but now lives in Ohio), and Barron from Illinois. Barron and Sosa didn’t end up sleeping in our cabin though as they joined Hammock City in the Activity building. Hammock City is comprised of about 30 or 40 hammocks that are hanging from the rafters all over the place. It’s pretty rad! Everyone hangs out in their hammock during class, then hangs out in their hammocks at night until they just fall asleep.

Brian Skellie enthusiastically explaining techniques

The weather has been so all over the place. The week started off hot and humid, then rainy and dreary. Then, overnight, we had Hurricane Michael blow by us about 2 hours south. It wasn’t bad except the power went out at 3 am; I woke up and my air conditioner was off. I know, I know, Momma… you know I’m a bit of a Princess. I need my air conditioning at night or I can’t sleep. It wasn’t all that bad though, the wind blew my window shutters open so I had a constant misty rain blowing across me which kind of kept me cool until the power came back on around 8 am. Beside the rain and some gusty winds, it was pretty much a non-event which lead to the most gorgeous weather for the rest of the week!

I’ve been learning so much great stuff from all these really cool instructors. We had a class all about finances and money stuff. I know, sounds kind of boring right? It really wasn’t! Chrissy Shull, the instructor, had a lot of great tips on how to make credit cards and loans work for you and actually save money while getting lots of free stuff. Pretty cool, I mean who doesn’t like free stuff?

Elayne Angel and Sara Johnson enjoying conversation and engagement in the great outdoors.

Also there was this guy, Rob Hill (funny story: I actually thought he was a shaved sasquatch when I first saw him, because we’re in the middle of the woods and this dude is huge) who talked to us about security. I’m pretty sure he’s a ninja! He actually showed how easy it was to bypass common security protocols by breaking into another camper’s shop right before he got to Camp, with her permission and knowledge of course! He gave us so much good information and so much to think about. Momma, we’ve got to tighten things up a bit more at the shop when I get home.

Cale Belford teaching a class on social media techniques

Cale Belford did a bang up job on her social media class; she’s always so good to listen to. Jef Saunders taught about how to teach. This was especially great and funny at the same time because after his class all the other instructors were instantly questioning their own classes and presentations -even though they were all excellent, it still made them squirm a bit. I definitely enjoyed Ryan Ouellette’s Thunderdome class, it was a buffet of quality information on some wide ranging topics. There was a ton of interaction and it seemed like all the campers really loved this class style and the topics he presented.

Jef Saunders sporting a Camp APP 2015 shirt

Beside classes, there was tons of chill time. Of course you know I spent most of my freetime by the lake fishing. I caught soooo many catfish. John and I have a little fishing contest going and he’s winning with a score of 26 to 22, but I swear he cheated more than once by catching the same fish twice. We also had a rad game of kickball; I got to be pitcher and my team won! Bethrah Szumski also organized a long walk in the pouring rain. Everyone put on bathing suits (or birthday suits) and they hiked all around in the rain. I skipped this to go fishing, but all the campers that went said it was so nice. We had a huge campfire on the last night and told scary piercing stories. We even roasted marshmallows and made s’mores!

Pat Pierce and Matt Bavougian working hard in the kitchen

There was a really terrifying moment at the campfire where we heard some growling from the woods. It started kind of far away and slowly got closer and louder. Everyone was swearing there was an actual sasquatch in the woods watching us so Paul, John and I all ran into the woods to look. Turns out there wasn’t a sasquatch, but there was a European Hornet’s nest that apparently didn’t like us, because all three of us got stung. It was pretty painful, but at least we all can say we got pierced by a hornet at Piercer Camp! There were also very large wolf spiders (some of them looked like baby tarantulas, but were actually like kitties) and this crazy daddy long leg that liked pie and crawling on people randomly. I also saw a cute little millipede in my room that was moving super fast. On the way into Camp, John and I saw a deer run across the road. A few other campers said they saw a sasquatch in the woods just past the Activity building, but I never saw it. We didn’t see any armadillos or scorpions this year though.

Erika Gomez looking fancy in the forest

The food, OMG, Momma, the food is exceptional and there was so much of it! I don’t think I ever eat this much. It seems like all I’ve done is eat. Our Head Chefs, John Johnson and Matt Bavougian, really are talented and did a great job accommodating all of our special diets. A few of the other instructors and campers even jumped in and made some special snacks. Jef made some really yummy pizzas; you know how much I LOVEEEEEEE pizza, so this was extra special!

We had a raffle where everyone is supposed to donate something. It could be anything, a shirt from the shop, a rock from a hike, something silly from back home, something super special, something homemade, pretty much anything. Bethrah put everyone’s names into a bucket and then she pulled names until all the prizes were gone. I won some Professor Phardtpounders Colon Cleaner Hot Sauce and a slingshot! Pat Pierce was the winner of my raffle prize! I was super excited, and apparently he’s a huge fan of it already! Pretty rad.

The main classroom becomes a hammock city during the week as piercers kick back during the learning process.

I’m so sad that everyone will be leaving tomorrow and Camp will be over. This is honestly my favorite trip every year. So much laughing, so much learning, and so much time to just be in the moment. It’s always hard that first day to adjust to “roughing it” with not always being connected, but then it’s actually kind of nice to just be away in the middle of nowhere with a group of really good people. The cool thing though is that I won’t have to wait very long to see everyone again since APP Conference 2019 is in May. We will be doing our closing talks here in a few minutes and then I have to pack up. Tomorrow we clean up our cabins and turn in our bedding and then we’re done. I think we’re driving the Pauls to the airport early in the morning too, so it’ll be an early night for me.

Whelp Momma, I hear the meeting whistle now, so I’ve gotta run! I’ll be seeing you real soon though! — Shorty

The Point – Issue 85

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Point 81: Camp APP, 2017

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By Marina Pecorino, Photos by April Thomas

Tea and the art of decompression – taking a moment to relax amid the stresses of modern life.

On a warm week in October, in the woods of Georgia, piercer collected.  It started as a slow trickle, with the camp organizers and early arrivals. I puttered around Camp Daniel Morgan, getting familiar with my surroundings, claiming my bunk, and waiting for the others to arrive. To kill time, Shorty, John Robberson, and I took the boat out for its maiden voyage; we explored the shallows and coastlines of Lake Rutledge, making plans for fishing and island exploration. We had expectations that the boat would be mostly abandoned as it has been in past years, but to our surprise, this year it quickly became a favorite for many campers including the Boat Boys.

Quote from Olivia Theriault: “Camp was actually eye opening for me. Not in the same way as usual, with knowledge and action like Vegas. Although I learned more at Camp than I ever could in Vegas, I also connected to our industry in a deeper way than I knew possible. I found my spirit. I found a way to connect to altering bodies in a way deeper way than aesthetics. And I’m so ecstatic.”

Brian Skellie

That evening, campers arrived and we all sat together for our first communal dinner and an orientation meeting. The first class, Tinkering with Statims and Anodizing, took place after dark in the screen porch style classroom. In the days to follow, the classroom would morph into a hammock city, allowing campers a comfortable space to kick back during class. On this particular night, folks were tired from travel, but still remained attentive as Brian Skellie went over the dos and don’ts of Statim maintenance.

The next morning, we all awoke for breakfast followed by personal introductions. This is where we started really getting to know one another and reconnecting with our cross-country colleagues. More classes followed; our first day was themed around the topic of jewelry, with classes ranging from The Extra Terrestrial Origins of Body Jewelry and The Rise of Artisan Jewelry to New Materials for Initial Piercing. After dinner, we were joined by the Atlanta Astronomy Club. They shared their knowledge and telescope collection, allowing us to take a closer look at the rings of Saturn and craters of the Moon.

Our second full day of Camp started with breakfast and an introduction to genital beading by Ryan Ouellette. Below the belt talk and coffee; a great way to start the day. This was immediately followed by a class about estate planning presented by a local Attorney at Law, explaining the importance of making thorough arrangements. After lunch, the Atlanta Audubon Association led a workshop about Cultivating Outside Interests with a focus on bird- watching. The afternoon was filled with a Studio DIY class from Randy Smyre and roundtable discussions about industry terminology and involvement. I took some time to myself throughout the afternoon, reading in my hammock by the shore; it was blissful. The night culminated in a large and colorful bonfire courtesy of the fire team, with stories from around the circle. There were, of course, movies and games available in the  common  buildings as well. The final full day of classes began with First Aid Narcan Training directed by Atlanta Harm Reduction – with Members coming from all over the country, for many the opioid crisis is hitting particularly close to home. Lightening the mood, we all gathered after class for the group photo and swimming. Afternoon workshops started with Piercing Techniques, where we split up into small groups to discuss needle crushing, paired piercing placement, and genital piercings. The final Camp class was The Art of Decompression with Paul King and a traditional tea ceremony lead by John Johnson; what a perfect way to end classes and reflect on the Camp experience. After another delicious dinner from the kitchen team, we joined together in the main hall for raffle prizes provided by campers. Then we laid in a huge circle in the cool grass under the stars, sharing our closing thoughts, laughter, and tears; many of us have experienced a lot this year, and being together in the wilderness was a much needed retreat.

Our farewell breakfast had an almost somber tone, as folks prepared their belongings, getting ready to travel home and return to daily life. The bus departed for Atlanta and a small group stayed behind for final clean up. One final small group goodbye, and I was back in the car. I had a short drive to Atlanta with Brian Skellie, talking about industry history and our personal journeys. After dropping him off, I had several hours of alone time in the car, thinking back on the week of learning, networking, and nature. Feeling suddenly lonely and nostalgic, I listened to a few piercing podcasts and eagerly thought about the next time I’ll be able to spend quality time with piercing family.

Paul and Elayne share a relaxing moment
Shorty bemused

The kitchen crew hard   at work
Attendees discovering life outside the piercing studio
The group soaks up the sun river- side

The Point – Issue 81

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Point 80: APP Happily Announces 3rd Annual Members Retreat

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Camp APP is a great alternative for people who can’t attend Conference or for anyone who wants to add to their educational experience. It is a week filled with great food, new friends, hands-on educational opportunities and summer camp style fun. To find out about registration first join the Facebook event page. (Make sure you are logged into Facebook before you click the link)

Location: Hard Labor Creek State Park 5 Hard Labor Creek Rd.

Rutledge, GA 30663, USA

Contact: Bethrah Szumski

curriculum@safepiercing.org

(phone: 404-315-6925)

Point 79: Update from the Secretary

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Aaron Pollack
APP Secretary

The APP has a lot going on this summer, and we want you to join us! Read through for all the latest updates on Conference, Camp APP, important changes to our Membership Standards, and the Members’ Meeting Notice.

Members’ Meeting Notice

The APP’s Members’ Meeting will be held Wednesday, June 14, 7-8pm at Bally’s Las Ve- gas. This meeting will cover all current APP business for the membership. Voting members will sign in to determine if the meeting has met the required quorum. Non-voting members are welcome to attend, as well as one representative from each APP Corporate Sponsor. If you wish to address the Board and membership, you may reserve a time slot by emailing secretary@ safepiercing.org.

There will be a Members’ Mingle before the meeting from 6:30-7:00pm. Refreshments will be served.

This is shaping up to be the biggest APP Conference ever! You do not want to miss it!

Conference Photography Update

This year at Conference we will have a ded-icated portrait photographer available on Wednesday and Thursday near the registration booth. Portrait time slots will now be available for purchase for $20.00. You can purchase your time slot at the merchandise booth and schedule your time with the portrait photographer at the portrait booth.

This time slot will allow for multiple shots, and you are free to bring a friend and do quick group shots. This fee will guarantee you one or more professionally shot and edited photo(s) for private use.

For those of you who wish to use your photo for business purposes, you may purchase the rights to use your photo however you wish for an additional $30.00.

We are excited to offer attendees a smoother portrait experience and an inexpensive way to obtain a professional quality headshot for their business needs.

New Environmental Criteria for Membership

All piercers working at an APP Member studio, members or non-members, will only use appropriate jewelry for initial piercings as listed in the current APP minimum standard. Any use of non-compliant jewelry for initial piercing by any person, member or non-member, in the studio is considered a breach of environmental standards and can be grounds for losing membership.

All studios will have until Jan 1, 2018 to become compliant with this new environmental standard.

Standards Update: Initial jewelry & Rose Gold This change was made after input from our membership, information provided by a workgroup at Camp APP, and consultation with major gold manufacturers. Please review the updated standard below:

Gold (yellow, white, or rose) is appropriate for initial piercings if it is solid 14k or 18k, alloyed for biocompatibility, and free from nickel or cadmium. Gold higher than 18k is too soft for body jewelry because it can easily be scratched or nicked. Gold lower than 14k, gold plated, gold-filled, or gold overlay/vermeil jewelry is not acceptable for fresh piercings.

3rd Annual Camp APP Members Retreat Registration for Camp APP 2017 will be opening soon. Camp APP will be October 3-7, 2017  at Hard Labor Creek State Park in Rutledge, GA.

Camp APP is a great alternative for people who can’t attend Conference or for anyone who wants to add to their educational experience.  It is a week filled with great food, new friends, hands-on educational opportunities and summer camp style fun. To find out about registration first join the Facebook event page

Point 78: Update from the Secretary – Aaron Pollack

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This has been an exciting year so far for the APP. First off, thank you to everyone who participated in our 2016-17 Elections. These elections were to fill four positions on the Board of Directors. Steve Joyner, Jef Saunders, and Cody Vaughn will all be returning for second terms on the Board. Brian Skellie will be joining the Board at the conclusion of Conference 2017. Congratulations!


Camp APP hosted a great group discussion on the potential to add rose gold to the initial piercing jewelry standard for Membership. After discussion with APP Members, past board members, and jewelry manufacturers, the Board voted to include the following in the Initial Piercing Jewelry Standard for Membership:

“Gold (yellow, white, or rose) is appropriate for initial piercings if it is solid 14k or 18k, alloyed for biocompatibility, and free from nickel or cadmium. Gold higher than 18k is too soft for body jewelry because it can easily be scratched or nicked. Gold lower than 14k, gold plated, gold-filled, or gold overlay/vermeil jewelry is not acceptable for fresh piercings.”

Registration is now open for the 22nd annual APP Conference & Exposition! Check your email for your invite, or through our website at www.safepiercing.org to get registered.