STEP 3: EXPLORE YOUR REGION
Beyond your circle of family, friends, and community organizations, there are many regional sources of information on overnight camps. Here are some ways to gather information on camps in your state
and neighboring states.
Regional Offices of the American Camping Association
Call or write to your regional office of the American Camping Association (ACA). Ask them to send you a listing of overnight camps in your area. You may also be able to request listings of a certain type of camp, such as a specialty music camps or environmental education camps. Your regional ACA office is an excellent source of information on camps near you. However, their listings may not include some camps that are not affiliated or accredited by the ACA. Therefore, you should also gather information from other regional sources.
Local Newspapers
Local and regional newspapers can be a good source of information on overnight camps. Some local papers print camp advertisements in the classified section; other papers actually publish listings of camps in your area or state. These ads and listings are most prevalent in the winter and spring, when camps are trying to fill their sessions, but we see them all year round in some papers.
Camp Fairs
Regional secondary schools, colleges, universities, scouting groups, YMCAs, and various community organizations sometimes sponsor “camp fairs.” These fairs are usually held in a school cafeteria, gymnasium, or community center. Generally, each camp will have a representative at the fair who sits at a booth or table, hands out literature on the camp, and answers questions from parents and children. Feel free to ask any questions you have about the camp, including the type, location, length of stay options, gender mix, and activities.
We like camp fairs for two reasons: you get to talk to a person from the camp, and you get to compare many camps simultaneously. Even if your child is not interested in going to overnight camp this year, it’s a good idea to go to a camp fair, to learn about what kinds of camps are around. Pick up literature and ask questions. Then, next year, if your child shows interest in camp, send for new, updated brochures. To find out about camp fairs, look in your local newspaper (especially the classified section), call the school district, ask around at community organizations when you visit them, or call your regional ACA office.
Visit Local Camps
If you have time, visiting a local camp in the off-season can teach you a lot. Visits are a great way to gather information. Just be sure to call ahead. If the camp is in session, random visits from interested families can be disruptive. If the camp is not in session, remember that it’s not going to look as good as when it is in session. The off-season is when camps do their maintenance, so there’s likely to be some construction going on, and most equipment will be put away. Still, a visit will give you some idea about the beauty of the property, the facilities, and the overall structure of the camp.
Referral Sources
You can gather regional information, and maybe save some time, by talking to a referral source. There are two kinds: freelance consultants and organized services. Freelance consultants—who may or may not charge a fee—are people who offer to find you a matching camp by interviewing you and then making a recommendation. Some consultants are excellent; others are less skilled. None of them has any kind of official certification in selecting camps, and their level of experience varies. Be sure to ask a lot of questions. For example:
Organized referral services are an alternative to freelance consultants. Some of the organizations listed above, such as American Camping Association’s regional offices, will make free referrals. Camps pay membership fees to belong to either organization, so neither is unbiased.
Finally, you can call any camp you’re interested in and ask for a short list of veteran parents in your area with whom you can talk. Many camps will provide you with the names and numbers of families who are happy to talk about their experience with that particular overnight camp. Many referral families will have had experiences with other camps, too, and can tell you why they prefer one camp over another.
Beyond your circle of family, friends, and community organizations, there are many regional sources of information on overnight camps. Here are some ways to gather information on camps in your state
Regional Offices of the American Camping Association
Call or write to your regional office of the American Camping Association (ACA). Ask them to send you a listing of overnight camps in your area. You may also be able to request listings of a certain type of camp, such as a specialty music camps or environmental education camps. Your regional ACA office is an excellent source of information on camps near you. However, their listings may not include some camps that are not affiliated or accredited by the ACA. Therefore, you should also gather information from other regional sources.
Local Newspapers
Local and regional newspapers can be a good source of information on overnight camps. Some local papers print camp advertisements in the classified section; other papers actually publish listings of camps in your area or state. These ads and listings are most prevalent in the winter and spring, when camps are trying to fill their sessions, but we see them all year round in some papers.
Camp Fairs
Regional secondary schools, colleges, universities, scouting groups, YMCAs, and various community organizations sometimes sponsor “camp fairs.” These fairs are usually held in a school cafeteria, gymnasium, or community center. Generally, each camp will have a representative at the fair who sits at a booth or table, hands out literature on the camp, and answers questions from parents and children. Feel free to ask any questions you have about the camp, including the type, location, length of stay options, gender mix, and activities.
We like camp fairs for two reasons: you get to talk to a person from the camp, and you get to compare many camps simultaneously. Even if your child is not interested in going to overnight camp this year, it’s a good idea to go to a camp fair, to learn about what kinds of camps are around. Pick up literature and ask questions. Then, next year, if your child shows interest in camp, send for new, updated brochures. To find out about camp fairs, look in your local newspaper (especially the classified section), call the school district, ask around at community organizations when you visit them, or call your regional ACA office.
Visit Local Camps
If you have time, visiting a local camp in the off-season can teach you a lot. Visits are a great way to gather information. Just be sure to call ahead. If the camp is in session, random visits from interested families can be disruptive. If the camp is not in session, remember that it’s not going to look as good as when it is in session. The off-season is when camps do their maintenance, so there’s likely to be some construction going on, and most equipment will be put away. Still, a visit will give you some idea about the beauty of the property, the facilities, and the overall structure of the camp.
Referral Sources
You can gather regional information, and maybe save some time, by talking to a referral source. There are two kinds: freelance consultants and organized services. Freelance consultants—who may or may not charge a fee—are people who offer to find you a matching camp by interviewing you and then making a recommendation. Some consultants are excellent; others are less skilled. None of them has any kind of official certification in selecting camps, and their level of experience varies. Be sure to ask a lot of questions. For example:
• What is your personal camping experience?
• How long have you been in the consulting business?
• Have you visited many camps, including the ones you recommend? Or, are you basing your recommendations only on what you’ve heard about different camps?
• Can you provide names of other satisfied clients? If not, why not?
• Do you work only with some camps and not others? If so, why? What kind of special agreements do you have with camps?
• Do you work on commission? If you’re taking a percentage of the camp tuition, are you only recommending expensive camps?
• If I have to pay you, is my satisfaction guaranteed? If my child and I don’t like the camp, must I still pay?
• How long have you been in the consulting business?
• Have you visited many camps, including the ones you recommend? Or, are you basing your recommendations only on what you’ve heard about different camps?
• Can you provide names of other satisfied clients? If not, why not?
• Do you work only with some camps and not others? If so, why? What kind of special agreements do you have with camps?
• Do you work on commission? If you’re taking a percentage of the camp tuition, are you only recommending expensive camps?
• If I have to pay you, is my satisfaction guaranteed? If my child and I don’t like the camp, must I still pay?
Organized referral services are an alternative to freelance consultants. Some of the organizations listed above, such as American Camping Association’s regional offices, will make free referrals. Camps pay membership fees to belong to either organization, so neither is unbiased.
Finally, you can call any camp you’re interested in and ask for a short list of veteran parents in your area with whom you can talk. Many camps will provide you with the names and numbers of families who are happy to talk about their experience with that particular overnight camp. Many referral families will have had experiences with other camps, too, and can tell you why they prefer one camp over another.
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