AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION, NEW ENGLAND • NOVEMBER 2008 the COMMUNICATE FINDING CAMP ON eBAY Gaile Schafer, who went to and worked at Camp Wawenock in Maine and sent both of her sons to Camp Pemigewassett in New Hampshire, 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 New England Music Camp; 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 SWIMMING 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.