AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION, NEW ENGLAND • NOVEMBER 2008 the COMMUNICATE

FINDING CAMP ON eBAY

Gaile Schafer, who went to and worked at Camp Wawenock in and sent both of her sons to Camp Pemigewassett in , was at her computer in Ohio one day, browsing eBay. “I don’t know what made me do it in the first place,” she said, “but I typed in ‘Wawenock.’” What began as a whim has since become her own personal challenge to find Wawenock ephemera to give back to the camp for its archive. “Once you have one lucky find, you can’t let it go,” said Gaile. On eBay, the aphorism ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure’ comes alive. Taking Gaile’s lead, I went trawling through eBay for merchandise from our accredited camps and came up with plenty of small tokens, including a luggage tag from Pinecliffe; postcards from O-AT-KA, Alford Lake, and ; a yearbook from Fernwood; a staff tank top from Kingsley Pines; a 1921 magazine ad for Luther Gulick Camps for Girls; a 1929 application for Timanous, filled out; and a book called The Camp Fire Girls at Camp Keewaydin; or, Down Paddles, by Hildegard G. Frey. I contacted several of the sellers, and few of them knew anything about the camps from which they’d collected paraphernalia. Herb Oberman, who had posted a 1941 camp photo from Walden, said he had no personal connection there, though he had attended YMCA and Boy Scout camps as a child in Michigan. Randy Meador, of Texas, who was selling the aforementioned tank top, said, “T-shirts are like currency — they circulate. Some purchase [them] because of the connection they have, and the regret they have for not purchasing a memory item when they were there. Others buy them for pure fashion statement, particularly in Japan.” Gaile Schafer found two treasures in particular that turned on her enthusiasm for eBay hunting. One was an 8 x 10 photo of a woman on a horse on a beach from 1941. It was signed by the woman in the photo, whose last name Gaile recognized because she’d been a counselor for the woman’s three daughters at Wawenock. Andy and Cat Sangster, Wawenock’s current directors, were able to give the photo back to the family of the woman, who’s still alive, at a camp reunion in California. The camp kept a horse ribbon that came with the picture, which goes back to the ‘40s and says ‘Wawenock Owaissa,’ the camp’s old name. The other find was a pewter medallion with the name ‘Medawisla’ on the back, which appeared to be awarded for a horse event in 1910, when the camp was all boys (it’s been all girls for years). Gaile had to go jump some unusual hurdles to procure that item, because she lost the bid to a man who had thought the medal was a watch fob. “I was horrified, but then I dug around and found the guy and begged him for it,” she recalled. And once she’d bought it from him, Gaile returned it to Wawenock. “They have so much of a history, but it’s the personal connection that really interests me,” noting that she’s known Wawenock’s legendary June Gray for over fifty years. (continued on page 12)

Inside This Issue... Standards Update - p. 14 The Economy & Camp - p. 2 Theatre Camp Exposé! - p. 15 State News - p. 5 Reminders from Josh - p. 6 Conference Updates - p. 7 Speaking PEAK - p. 8 Member News - pp. 9-10 Annual Fund Launch & Thanks - p. 13 ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 2 From the Home Office Type to enter text

Bette Bussel, x. 11 Donna Johns-Thomas, x. 17 Josh Fischel, x. 15 Executive Director Director of Member Services Public Information Associate [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Lucy Norvell, x. 14 Stephanie Baker, x. 16 Jenny Clark, x. 10 Director of Public Information Member Services Associate Finance and Operations Manager [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] General Contact Information: [email protected] 781-541-6080 BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY... Paulson & Bernanke agree: the economy stinks. Banks, mortgage and insurance companies, the auto industry, and several municipalities are asking the federal government for bailouts. Our community of camp professionals is fortunately a bit more self-sufficient. Before last summer, as the prices of food and fuel skyrocketed, summer camps adjusted to make themselves more efficient and more environmentally friendly besides. Now, the recession is looking to impact enrollment figures for next summer. We asked several members of our Board what they were doing to keep their camps full in 2009. Below are plenty of ideas (largely paraphrased) to consider if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the recent doom and gloom headlines. Danita Ballantyne, Camp Hazen YMCA: We extended a tier-pricing system that we instituted last year so that it now covers our resident and day programs, as well as our teen programs and trip programs. The system allows families to choose from three different prices for camp: Tier 1 is based on the full cost of camp, and we ask families who are able to pay this amount to please do so. Tiers 2 and 3 are subsidized rates that enable other families to also send their children to camp. Tier 4 is our Open Doors Financial Assistance Program, for families whose financial need is greatest. This policy was well-received, and made the difference for a number of families who are struggling just a little, but do not qualify for financial assistance. Ron Hall, Camp O-AT-KA: I have created an 80% budget based on 2008 income and expenses. Until I feel enrollment will not be adversely affected by the economy, this will be my operational budget. (I also have a 2009 regular budget that I certainly hope to be using by next spring!) I’ve evaluated my camp fair schedule, adding four in different parts of North America and dropping others that have not been effective. I’m also reaching out more to current camp families to host gatherings of friends and neighbors who are considering sending their boys to camp. On that same recruitment note, I’ve increased O-AT-KA’s web exposure through additional web optimization, pay per clicks with Google, and more focus on pay camp search websites instead of paper advertising. (continued on page 4) ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 3

A Message from our Board President, Eric Arnold

In mid-October, thirty dedicated volunteers gathered in Lexington for a series of meetings. Committees, dedicated to informing the Board of Directors, met in the morning; the Board met in the afternoon. As always, there was fantastic discussion about ACA New England and how we can continue to grow and further our efforts towards our goals. What goals? Well, the Board of Directors agreed to focus on two prime objectives going forward: • Increase membership and the number of ACA accredited camps in New England. • Increase visibility of the camp experience and of ACA New England, internally and externally. Fortunately, we have been achieving these goals. Our membership numbers continue to rise, and as we evaluate our media ‘hits’ and incoming inquiries, it’s obvious that we’re expanding the visibility of ACA New England. Parallel to our efforts is the ‘20/20 Vision’ that has surfaced from the great work of the volunteers and staff at the ACA national office in Indiana. 20/20 Vision? Well, the Board of Directors of our national association adopted the following two goals: • 20 million campers • 20 thousand ACA customers, both by the year 2020. Our work as volunteers is now geared towards weaving these two parallel tracks together, and succeeding in both objectives. You will hear more about this work — and you are invited to join us in our efforts. In the coming year, we’ll be putting concrete objectives to our visionary objectives. Then, the fun will start as we see our work come to fruition. Hope you are enjoying a fantastic fall! Eric

NEW POOL REGULATIONS channel type Congress has enacted the Virginia Graeme Baker drain with a Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007. This new federal diagonal law was enacted to help prevent suction open area of entrapment injuries and becomes effective at least 29 December 19, 2008. Virginia Graeme was the late inches. granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker; she drowned tragically after becoming trapped by the suction force at the bottom of a hot Single tub. Dave Peterson of Cape Cod Sea Camps passes and two along the following information, relevant to all drain camps with swimming pools. The requirements for systems less than 3 feet apart public swimming pools, spas, and wading pools are that fail to meet one of the above requirements summarized below and must be met before these must be updated by adding (a) Safety Vacuum facilities can be operated after that date. Release System (SVRS), (b) Suction-Limiting Vent Drain Cover Requirements: New drain System, (c) Gravity Drainage System, (d) covers certified to ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 Automatic Pump Shut-Off System, (e) Drain must be installed. Disablement, (f) other systems determined by the Backup System Requirements: Suction Consumer Product Safety Commission to be piping for each pump must be inspected and will be equally effective. Another option is to split the considered in compiance with the federal law if: (1) single drain into a dual system with at least 3 feet no submerged drains connect to the pump, or (2) of separation. there are two drains at least 3 feet apart, or (3) For more information about the Virginia there is a single ‘un-blockable’ drain. An un- Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act and how to blockable drain includes a sump under the cover comply, review the US Consumer Product that is larger than 18 inches by 23 inches, or a Safety Commission’s interpretation. ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 4 ECONOMY (continued from page 2) Eric Arnold, Hale Reservation: We’re creating Craig Whiting, Emagination Computer more opportunities for our day camp director to Camps: In addition to our early enrollment meet with families. We’re also looking into adding discount offer, which requires payment of a deposit more programs and bringing special events to camp in the fall and 100% of tuition by the end of instead of traveling as much. February, we have this year added an installment Jen Cavazos, Camp Thoreau: We’ve payment option whereby families can pay tuition in consolidated some bus routes for this coming year in six installments from December to May and still order to save on our transportation costs and to receive the early enrollment discount. maximize transportation revenue. We have also Scott Brown, Camp Winding Trails: As a day expanded our after-camp program to create a low camp, we saw an increase in attendance this past overhead revenue stream for families who are in summer of 3%. In our area, it appears that families need of after care but are interested in quality are avoiding the big family trip and/or resident enrichment. We’ve also promoted giving the gift of camp and are staying home. We plan to continue camp this holiday season: we hope families will business as is. consider gifting camp rather than dropping it in Amanda Zoellner, Wildwood: While we’ve order to buy gifts. Camp is, after all, the gift that found that our enrollment for 2009 is pretty well keeps on giving. keeping pace with 2008, we’ve done a few things a little differently. A lot of it has to do with communication. We’re doing one early bird discount this year, rather than two, and reminding families of the deadline in order to encourage them to commit to camp. We also offer a member discount, so we suggest that they become Mass Audubon members, too. We’re publicizing our payment plans as a way to make camp more affordable, paying in three budgeted chunks rather than all at once. We’re also encouraging families that have applied in the past for financial aid to do so as early as they can, so that we’ll be able to meet the needs of the families who are already within our circle. Some families with parents that have lost jobs or families suffering from housing insecurity have led to a surge in early registrations for our family camp programs. I spoke to a parent just today who said that family camp would be their vacation in the coming summer. Steve Sudduth, Wyonegonic: Camper enrollment is the same now as it was at this time last year, but deposits have been more frequently on credit cards than by check. Not as many families have taken advantage of early payment discounts compared to last fall, so we’re finding that many For more ideas, consult Prensky’s Pointers on page families are delaying the tuition payment rather eleven of this Communicate. Please send your thoughts than pay now at a discount in hopes of an on camp and the economy to Josh. improving economy. ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 5 State Association News

There’s lots of news from half of the states of our great their yearly meeting to learn about any new regulations or region. requirements they need to address for the upcoming camp season. “This is a well-attended meeting that helps to ME: Mary Ellen Deschenes let us know about two acts nurture a strong partnership between the licensing affecting Maine camps. (1) An Act to Ensure Fair Wages division and the camps,” Dana said. Take note, by the passed recently, raising the minimum wage from $7.00 to way: the top state licensing violation for camps last $7.25 per hour; after next summer, it will increase to $7.50 summer was the failure to have staff with current CPR per hour. The act also eliminated the exemption for and First Aid certifications. persons working for non-profit organizations. “We were concerned when the Department of Labor contacted two According to the Connecticut Youth Camp Advisory of our member non-profit day camps to say that, Board, 157 thousand children attended beginning on July 17th, they would have to pay their camps in Connecticut during the counselors at minimum wage,” Mary Ellen wrote. “Since summer of 2008. the new law did not repeal the existing minimum wage exemption for camp counselors, our counsel, Jack Erler, is MA: Will Rubenstein reported that working the Department of Labor to point this out and the Mass Camping Association held seek a clarification.” The Department reversed course its Fall Fellowship and BBQ on and agreed not to impose the change this October 16th at the Cedar Hill past summer, but MYCA’s new Girl Scout Center in governmental relations organization will Waltham. 35 camping continue to advocate for the exemption at professionals showed up all camps. and, after hearing an update from Lucy Norvell about trends from last MYCA is also planning to submit a bill summer, participated in two roundtable to the legislature to once and for all define discussions on topics ranging from lice, nursing ‘youth camps.’ “The designation ‘camps’ recruitment, the economy, staff behavior, CIT & LIT is found in many areas of Maine’s programs, camper transportation, and parent relations. statutes, and not always in reference to Attendees were rewarded with a delicious BBQ lunch summer children’s camps,” wrote Mary afterwards. Ellen. “The bill calls for Maine to recognize children’s youth camps as a “On the regulatory front, things are quiet,” Will separate entity, different from other said. “We expect the Department of Public Safety kinds of recreational camps, logging to hold a second hearing in January on increasing fees for camps, summer cottages, etc.” Challenge Course inspections. If you hear of any other issues or concerns, please email me.” CT: Dana Sears was excited to announce that Connecticut’s state association page is up and The next MCA meeting will be at the ACA New England Conference in March. “The all-important running. “Our annual meeting and holiday dinner are Spring Meeting that will, for the 3rd year in a row, offer scheduled for December 4th at YMCA Camp Hazen,” the required CORI training session for camp directors, she wrote. “We will have our usual work party to count will take place in early May,” said Will. The Department and pack 2009 Camp Directories for distribution to all the of Public Health will also make a presentation at the May libraries and many other organizations in the state.” meeting, so make sure to look hygienic. Connecticut is also working with the staff at the Department of Public Health, Youth Camp Licensing division, to set a date (tentatively March 3rd, 2009) for ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 6

MY KINGDOM FOR A 100-CHARACTER BLURB!

This dream will be in haiku form: HIKING STORIES Perhaps you have not This dream will be in limerick form: written a blurb yet about camp; yours, specific’lly. Let stories of mountains be archived, Your camp can get digit’lly high-fived. You should do that soon In far yonder hill so it can go in the Guide lies another tale still and get your camp known. to be told on the ACA website. But! Oh please, oh please — Here’s how it works, all you climbers — make it under one hundred be you couns’lors or kids or old timers — characters. For real! recall your fond tales of hitting the trails Characters aren’t words. with your camp — no need to be rhymers. They’re letters, punctuation, and spaces. Know this. Then email your story to me, folks. and see what your memory evokes. It’s short. What to do? We’ll post it online Well, what’s your camp like? Describe. (with photos? divine!) Briefly. Much Love, Josh. see what’s there now — ain’t no hoax! (Submit your 100-character blurb to Josh if you haven’t already.)

(Heck, fill out the whole Camp Information Form if you haven’t already!)

When Josh dreams, he dreams in poetry.

PS: YOU SHOULD SEND US YOUR BEST CAMP PICTURES SO WE CAN USE THEM IN THE 2009 GUIDE TO SUMMER CAMPS. DO IT NOW. ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 7 2009 Conference! Planning for the 2009 ACA New England Conference is well on its way! The program and steering committees have been meeting and are hard at work finding new and exciting speakers, sessions and networking opportunities for you.

The keynote speaker is Ed Gerety. Ed is one of the top professional youth speakers and leadership trainers in the United States. He has spoken to audiences in all fifty states, Canada, and Europe, reaching over one million people and counting. An experienced keynote speaker and leadership trainer at national youth leadership conferences, colleges and universities, and schools across the country, Ed is recognized for his unique ability to connect with audiences about real issues. Through his personal experiences, humor, and insights, Ed teaches the principles and skills that are essential to the development of leaders. His powerful programs leave a lasting impact.

Ed is the author of Combinations: Opening the Door to Student Leadership and a contributing author to four more books on leadership and personal development. Learn more about Ed at www.edgerety.com.

Expect to see your favorite presenters at this year’s conference: Chris Thurber, Jen Harber, Jim Cain, Susan Yoder, Ethan Schafer, Jack Agati, and many more. With intriguing session titles like Six Tips to Surviving the Teenage Years, Extreme Makeover: Staff Training Week Edition, and Keeping the Brain in Mind — well, you just can’t go wrong.

Check out our website! We’re constantly adding new and exciting information, including conference updates, new exhibitor contacts, speakers, and registration information.

Start thinking ahead and reserve a hotel room before they are gone! Contact the Radisson Hotel Manchester, at 700 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03101. Call for reservations: (800) 333-3333. Call the hotel directly: (603) 625-1000. Make reservations online. Under ‘Search for Special Rates,’ enter Promotional Code ACANE9.

Interested in advertising in the Communicate?! You can buy an ad or even sponsor an entire issue! E-mail Lucy for more information. ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 8

PEAK Performance

REI awarded $12,500 to the American Camp Association, New England; to the left is the photographic evidence. Awarding the grant is Joel Bottesini (center), Outreach Specialist for REI’s Framingham and Reading stores. Accepting on behalf of ACA New England are Eric Arnold, President of the Board and Executive Director of Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA, and Bette Bussel, Executive Director of ACA New England. The initiative that REI’s generosity funds, called Speak PEAK, will be introduced at 100 New England camps in the summer of 2009. You can find out more about the PEAK program here. We’re well on our way to reaching our 100-camp goal. Here are the camps that have already committed to speaking PEAK in 2009: Canonicus Camp and Conference Center, Fernwood Cove, Wyonegonic Camps, Nobles Day Camp, Fleur-de-Lis Camp, Camp O-AT-KA, Summer Fenn Day Camp, Brantwood Camp, Camp Arcadia, The Summer Camp, Camp Walden, Chickatawbut Hill Summer Camp, Wohelo-Luther Gulick Camps, Mount Ida Summer Day Camp, Avoda, Camp Yavneh, Delaware Outdoor Adventure Center, Concord Academy Summer Camp, Camp Hawkeye, Hulbert Outdoor Center, Wildwood, New England Aquarium, Wawenock, Camp Bernadette, Camp Foss, Drumlin Farm Camp, Camp Mi-Te-Na, Camp Howe, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Camp Ketcha, Camp Chenoa, Camp Farnsworth, Center Day Camp, Camp Laurelwood, Center Church Camp Asto Wamah, Maine Golf & Academy, Mansfield’s Holiday Hill Day Camp, Camp Menotomy, Camp Nashoba Day, Camp Nashoba North, Hale Reservation...and you??? Full Speak PEAK packs will be distributed to the first 100 camps that demonstrate interest in and commitment to the project. Each Speak PEAK pack (retail: $50) contains completely reusable modules, introductory and follow-up sample letters to parents, a Speak PEAK incentive item for camper participants, a data collection tool and more! Just as important, you can customize your pack! Need a program addressed to younger kids? Ask for the original Speak PEAK pack. Need to inject fresh material for your teens? Request the teen Speak PEAK pack. Need a little of both? Go for the family Speak PEAK pack. Don’t miss your opportunity — as you can see from the list above, these free packs are going fast. How do I join? How do I increase my campers’ Environmental IQ? All you need to do is sign up. Click the link and fill out the form. E-mail it to Jenny, fax it to (781) 541-6084, or call her at (781) 541-6080 and she’ll be thrilled to speak with you. Get yours today! They’re going fast!!! ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 9 Arrivals

We figured we’d spread this picture of Shana Grace around — she’s the heart-melting new daughter of Tel Noar director Molly Lourie Butter, born October 8th and weighing in at 6 pounds, 15 ounces. We’re churning with good will for Shana and her parents, Molly and Mike.

Kate White Lewis, of Demont & Associates, who was integral to the success of our capital campaign, was rewarded for her efforts with a brand new daughter, Alethea. We don’t have any other specifics, like birth date or birth weight, but Lucy Norvell guesses from this picture that she entered the world at 8 pounds, 3 awwwwnces. Redirected Flights

Transitions are healthy things, we think; the following people would likely agree, too: Rob Grabill, you’ll be glad to know, is the new Chief Operating Officer for Windridge Camps. Beth Johns-Thomas (pictured) is now the Director of Summer Programs at the Fenn School. Captain Ahab was recently named Director of Seafaring at Camp Penobscot’s Whale Watching Adventures. I’m kidding about this last one, but not the first two. Just makin’ sure you’re reading this thing. Congratulations to Rob and Beth, as well as to their respective camps (all accredited, by the way). ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 10 Departures

We grieve alongside the Nashoba Camps community for the loss of Robert Seaward, who passed away on October 25th. He was a true patriarch to the New England camp community. He grew up attending and/or working at Camp Becket, Camp Frank A. Day, and Camp Idlewild, and eventually directed four camps: Frank A. Day, Passaconaway, Abnaki, and Nashoba. He and his wife Jean founded Nashoba in 1957 on the shores of Fort Pond in Littleton, MA, and re- established Camp Nashoba North on Crescent Lake in Raymond, ME. When camps wasn’t in session, he spent 33 years as a teacher, coach, and guidance counselor in Concord, MA. Robert is survived by Jean, his wife of 58 years, and three daughters: Marcia Marcantonio and Janet and Sarah Seaward. A scholarship fund has been established for the Nashoba Camps in his memory; if you wish to make a donation, you can write a check payable to the American Camp Association, with a note in the memo line saying ‘In memory of Robert W. Seaward,’ and mail it to Nashoba Day Camp, 140 Nashoba Road, Littleton, MA, 01460.

We’re also sad to report the death, at 94, of Hannah “Hadassah” Blocker, former Pembroke director Jeff Blocker’s grandmother. She herself was the director Camp Pembroke for 32 years, starting in 1944. According to her obituary in the Boston Globe, Hadassah “staffed it with counselors from Israel, Argentina, and England, to widen the horizons of her campers.” She will be fondly remembered by the thousands of campers and staff who she guided. Her influence, as one of the leading women in the Conservative Jewish movement in New England, in establishing the equality of women as full participants in synagogue life was groundbreaking. First Class Perks REI has been remarkably generous, not only in becoming a Speak PEAK partner with us (see story, page 8), but in awarding grants or donations to individual camps. Winding Trails, in Farmington, CT, is the recipient of a $5,000 grant and equipment donation from REI to launch the Trails Leadership Collaborative there, which will be a leadership program centered on personal development cultivated through overnight camping, outdoor living skills, and leadership training. Hale Reservation received $6,000 worth of camping equipment from REI to support a local year- round teen leadership program, as well as overnight programs during the summer for inner-city youth. If you’re looking to receive funding, and if you don’t mind if REI doesn’t give it to you, the Haymarket People’s Fund is accepting applications from throughout New England for its Sustaining Grant program for grants between $5 and $15 thousand, which would “support grassroots, social change organizations that share Haymarket’s vision of an equitable, peaceful, and humane world free of racism and other oppressions.” Applications are due by December 1. ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 11 Prensky’s Pointers National News There is no denying that families everywhere Prepare yourself. Bullet points from Indiana are facing unique economic challenges right follow. now. We have long said that camp is not a luxury — it is an essential part of a child’s development, self-esteem, and happiness. It’s been a message we’ve communicated through the media and through direct-access to parents for years. But these are not normal times.

• Don’t miss ACA’s Summer 2009 Enrollment Survey results.

• Check for important updates for the 2009 ACA National Conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL — February 17-20, 2009.

• A new eInstitute course targets youth outcomes. Check out all the eInstitute offerings! This could be the year that camp starts to feel a bit like a luxury to parents who’ve lost their • ACA is creating new places to recruit camp jobs or at least a big chunk of their retirement staff. Read about the partnership with funds. How do we respond? If you don’t do it College News that will direct thousands to the already, outreach your list of families and offer ACA Employment Center. a special incentive for parents to sign up now. For example, “Sign up for camp now and • Publicizing your camp? Here is helpful receive 10% off our normal summer rate” or information. “Sign up for camp now and we will lock in this 2008 price for 2009” or “Sign up for camp • Remember to enter the J. Wendell and Ruth now and your second child receives 20% off T. Howe Golden Lens Photography our normal summer rate.” There are many Contest. This may require you to get serious ways to show that you “get it,” that you and stop using your camera phone for a bit. understand that your key demographic — the family — is hurting right now. It’s good will, • Access the November Inside ACA news it’s good business, and it makes good sense. online. ACA New England’s Communicate • September 2008 12 Awards! At our Fall Professional Seminar, ACA New England recognized five of our best volunteers for their service to the camp community. Three people received Leadership Awards, given to ACA members for dedicated service to ACA New England. It’s given to individuals whose volunteer activities are considerable and deserve recognition. The three recipients were: • Jason Silberman, a member of our Board of Directors, the chair of the Public Outreach Committee, a Standards visitor, and an enthusiastic visionary. • Alex Thomas, who serves on various conference committees and formerly worked on the Board Stewardship Committee, and Award winners Alex Thomas and Jen Hargrave are flanked serves as both a Standards visitor and instructor. by Board members Liz Young and Sherry Mernick • Jen Cavazos, who’s hosted many ACA New England meetings at Camp Thoreau, and has served on various Board committees, as a member of the Board, and as a liaison to the ECP Committee. Two more camp professionals were given Appreciation Awards, presented for outstanding involvement in ACA New England activities, awarded to individuals who have been involved for less than 3 years in ACA New England activities. Kelly See served on the ACA New England Membership Committee, was instrumental in the creation of the ECP Committee, is an eager Standards visitor, and is a newly-trained Standards instructor. Jen Hargrave has been a conference presenter and volunteer, and has done innumerable Standards visits in the last few years.

ACA New England Board of Directors

Executive Committee Eric Arnold, President eBAY (continued from page 1) Pam Cobb, Past President Gaile, who is unsurprisingly the historian for her church outside Cleveland, said that Rob Grabill, Vice President Wawenock’s lodge now houses space to display Emily Parker, Vice President historical items. “They asked people to send Sarah Seaward, Vice President stuff when they built it,” she said, explaining that Danita Ballantyne, Treasurer most people probably sent personal items; Marijean Legnard Parry, Secretary instead, Gaile made it her mission to root out Wawenock ephemera online. “I take it as a challenge,” she said. Board Members For those of you getting ideas, Gaile offers two Scott Brown, Jennifer Cavazos, Ellen Flight, Ron pieces of advice: (1) Don’t get your hopes up. Hall, Sherry Mernick, Gregg Pitman, Gus There aren’t necessarily a wealth of rare items Planchet, Nat Saltonstall, Jason Silberman, Steve from your own camp waiting patiently to be Sudduth, Posie Taylor, Lani Toscano, Craig snapped up. (2) Look at least twice a week — Whiting, and Amanda Zoellner most auctions are five or six days long, so it’s worth it to search that frequently. ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 13 ANNUAL FUND LAUNCHES 2008-09 CAMPAIGN

ACA New England members will soon be receiving letters inviting them to participate in the Annual Fund, which has been an integral component of the support necessary to continue our mission. “We’re proud of the historic generosity of the New England camping community,” commented Rob Grabill, Chair of the Resource Development Commitee, “and we hope that this continues, given the exciting work that we have ahead of us this year.” Keep an eye on your mailboxes, and let us know if you don’t receive our mailing, or if you wish to be added to the list! No salespeople (especially the relentless Rob Grabill) will call.

DONORS TO LAST YEAR’S Camp Cedar Whit Ryan ANNUAL FUND Diane Haessler Nat Saltonstall/Beaver Summer Ron & Susan Hall Programs Meadowbrook Day Camp Sarah Seaward/Nashoba North Bourdon’s Institutional Sales Nancy J. Hartmann Camp Nashoba Day Eric & Hildi Arnold Sharon Country Day Camp Camp Matoaka Susan B. Baird Pat Smith Stephanie Baker Vivianne Holmes, PhD Diane Smith Danita A. Ballantyne Dan & Marcy Isdaner - Camp Kawanhee Allen Beavers Mataponi Barbara Steward Putnam Blodgett Donna Johns-Thomas Robert Strauss Scott Brown Hidden Valley Camp Carol Sudduth Richard C. & Donna L. Brown Camp Sunshine Steve Sudduth Darrow Wilderness Trip Camp Michael & Lori Katz Colin Burgess Coffee Pond Photography Jim Talbot/Camp Tecumseh Nan E.B. Burns The Laurel Camps Posie Taylor Bette Bussel Takajo/Tripp Lake Camp Davis & Louise Van Winkle, Betsey Cox/Sangamon Tripp Lake Camp CCDs Diane S. Chaisson Marijean Legnard Parry Camp Wawenock Richard Chamberlain & Bill & Martha Lerman Camp Med-O-Lark Associates Pearl & Phil Lourie Emagination Computer Camps YMCA Camp Belknap Molly Lourie Butter Jeanette Wiggin Ben Clements Center Church Camp Asto Kingswood Camp Pam Cobb/Camp Runoia Wamah Liz Young Camp Walden Camp Wa-Klo Amanda Zoellner Anna Crew Sherry Mernick Holiday Hill & High Meadow Carla Messer Donations to the George N. Paul G. Davis - Camp Avoda Camp Moosilauke Sudduth Endowment: Barbara Davis Fred Miller/The Chatham Mary Ellen Deschenes Group Jill Gasperini Toni Carros & Diane Lasher Brown Ledge Camp Joel Eberlin Lisa Durrell Lucy Jackson Norvell Wyonegonic, in memory of Blue Hill Society for Aid to Robert W. Patterson, Jr. Helen O. Cobb Children Gus Planchet Joel Eberlin Fenn Summer Programs Jane Cooper Fall David A. Platt/Fenn Summer Abbott Fenn Program Josh Fischel Ed Pletman William B. Ford Camp Thoreau Sara Foster Camp America Maine Camp Outfitters Laura B. Richards Summer’s Edge Day Camp Will Rubenstein Rob & Debra Grabill ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 14 YOUR STANDARD STANDARDS CONGRATULATIONS A Message from Nancy Hartmann, Your Standards Chair

Congratulations to our 14 new ACA-accredited camps and to the 111 camps that were successfully re- accredited last summer. ACA New England is proudly serving over 370 ACA-accredited camps. Please join me in welcoming the following camps with brand new ACA accreditation: CT: Camp Farmington Valley, Channel 3 Summer Camp, and Waterbury YMCA Camp Mataucha MA: Camp Kingsmont, The Brimmer & May Day Camp, and YouthCare Summer Camp ME: John’s Boys & Girls Camp and Center Day Camp NH: Hornet’s Nest Day Camp RI: Boys & Girls Club of Warwick, Newport County Day Camps, Norman Bird Sanctuary, and Teen Explorers

Congratulations to Terrie Campbell of Westfield, MA, and Kelly See of Leominster, MA, who have successfully completed ACA Instructor Training for Standards! We are proud to have 14 instructors to help deliver Standards courses in ACA New England. Thank you, instructors!

Congratulations to the following new Associate Visitors who successfully completed our fall AVT course!: Alexander Bandtu, Matthew Black, Christine Boucher, Bobbie Crump-Burbank, Liz Dozier, Becky Gilles, Heidi Gutekenskt, Matt Hanson, Jennifer Harber, Susan Hurn, Katherine Lampley, Steve Larsen, Brenda Mercure, Jack O’Dell, Christine Peterson, Rick Ross, and Nora Sullivan.

If your camp is planning to be visited in the summer of 2009, check out the ACA New England website for a list of upcoming Standards and Standards Update courses.

Jobs Day Camp Director at Hale Reservation Westwood, MA Here are just a few of the most recent job Contact: Steve Larsen postings; for details and even more jobs, check E-mail: [email protected] out the year-round and seasonal administrative pages on our website. Camp Director at Center Day Camp Executive Director at Geneva Point Center Windham, ME Moultonborough, NH Contact: Emily Chaleff E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Camp Director at Camp Joslin Youth Program and Camp Director at Teamworks Charlton, MA Acton, MA Contact: John Latimer Contact: Bob Rojee E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 15 Lucy Norvell, ACA New England’s public information director, contributed a piece to the November/ December issue of Camping Magazine. We’re proud to reprint it here. THEATRE CAMP IS WHERE THE ARTS AND CHILDREN THRIVE It happened again at George’s theatre camp last summer! He arrived home feeling great, having learned so much about himself as a unique individual, about the role he’s capable of playing in a group, and really ready for the various roles he’ll play in the school year ahead — in classes, casts, and choirs, and as a brother, son, friend, and citizen. It’s a great privilege for me to see my own child thrive at summer camp after devoting so many camp summers to the children of others. Some of last summer’s highlights included sitting in the audience spellbound by the performances of my child and those of his friends whom I’ve watched grow up on the stage summer after summer; mingling afterwards in the glow of a New England sunset with families who have become our good friends over the last five years; connecting the counselors whose tremendously positive impact on George’s life and future seems immeasurable; and witnessing the first of several significant goodbyes he’ll say in his senior year of high school. Arts camps, like my son’s theatre camp, offer campers the same benefits as general and other specialty camps offer their campers; they just do it in ways that resonate for artistic kids. Growth at any camp happens as a result of safe risk-taking. Arts camps actually provide numerous opportunities for taking risks, for putting yourself out there, for flirting with various kinds of potential failure. Standing alone on a stage. Submitting your work to a camp or town art show. Creating and serving a recipe of your own devising. Auditioning. Trying a new artistic process for the first time often involves the risks of working in a new medium, holding different materials and foreign tools: a loom, a potter’s wheel, a kiln, brushes, a microphone, knives, circular saws, sewing machines. But artistic risk-taking is as thrilling and promotes as much growth for campers as zipping down the zip line of a high ropes course, summiting a mountain, navigating Class IV rapids in a canoe, or shooting the winning goal. Camp professionals know that campers learn from taking these huge risks — and through taking much smaller ones, too. George’s theatre camp has inspired similar growth for him. I asked him recently how these last five summers at theatre camp have influenced him. I couldn’t possibly paraphrase his words: “Because of camp I know more about who I am. Camp encourages me to be me — to be my best self. I’ve become more aware in my relationships. I’m a better human being because of acing camp!” How touching to hear him articulate this sentiment. It was stunning because it’s so true. And he’s gained all this in addition to solid acting and performance skills. His camp workshops focused on memorizing lines, stage leadership. He relies on this camp knowledge and practice each year when he returns to the highly competitive public school theatre program that executes a dozen productions annually. While my husband and I recognize and appreciate the development of various concrete acting skills honed at camp, we join George in valuing the larger impact of his camp experience. His deepening appreciation for all the arts is apparent on a daily basis. George’s extemporaneous tribute to his grandmother at her recent 90th birthday party literally brought tears to our eyes. He was poised, eloquent, authentic, and extremely comfortable expressing love for her in front of a large group of family and friends. Teachers remark about how well this shy guy now speaks up in class and how thoughtful, engaging, and confident he is in school. Living and working so intensely with peers at camp has enabled him to navigate the choppy waters of adolescent friendship. He knows his camp friends are lifelong friends and what he’s learned and experienced within the context of these friendships has made him a better friend to so many outside camp. Theatre camp has empowered George’s sense of himself as an individual and as part of his camp community, which he considers an additional family. The benefits of George’s camp experience are so integrated into his current life, it’s impossible to imagine how he could have grown up without camp. My family is so grateful to the camp professionals who influenced our son’s growth and development so profoundly. Because of camp, he entered his last year of high school at the top of his game. Because of camp, we’re confident that he’s positioned to face the many transitions and adjustments ahead next fall at college — positioned to be a fully contributing member of a residential educational community. George told me the greatest new recently. At the end of his freshman year in college, he’s certain of the work experience that stands to teach him the most and help him to prepare for the future. He plans to be a summer camp counselor! ACA New England’s Communicate • November 2008 16

Calendar of Upcoming Events

November 27: Happy Thanksgiving!

December 4: Connecticut Camping Association meeting 6: Standards Course [register] 16: Standards Update Course [register]

January 8: Board committees and Board meeting 21: THE Summer Camp Fair at Clarke Middle School in Lexington, MA, from 5 to 8 pm

March 2009 27-28: ACA New England Conference & CampEXPO [register as a vendor] or [register as a guest]

New England 80 Westview St. Lexington, MA 02421 781-541-6080 [email protected]