Welcome
to 20/20 News, our e-newsletter about the American Camp Association’s
vision for the future. This issue discusses how we will reach the
20/20 Vision with concerted effort and a Strategic
Roadmap to 2020
and also introduces a new ACA National Board
Member.
ACA’s 20/20 Vision: 20 million campers and 20,000 participants
engaged in ACA by the year 2020.
This e-newsletter is intended to keep you informed about your
association’s plans and actions toward reaching this vision
and to update you on how we’re doing.
Growing the Concept of Camp
ACA’s 20/20 Vision is to have
20 million children benefit from the camp experience on an annual
basis and 20,000 participants engaged with ACA and the camp community
by the year 2020. Today, our most current ACA estimate is 10 million
children and youth go to camp each year. To reach 20 million young
campers we have some work to do. We will need to fill beds, encourage
new camps, expand available sessions, and maybe even more importantly,
grow the concept of camp. In terms of participants, many have said
certainly with all of our parents we already have 20,000 participants.
But, look at the operative word — engaged — engaged
donors, customers, and advocates who are actively contributing time
and resources . . . that is the participant we seek.
A
Strategic Roadmap to 2020
With the 20/20 Vision in mind, your
national board has adopted a plan that details how we will reach
our preferred future. Just as a driver would not set out upon
a long trip without a roadmap (or at least a good GPS), our
board has looked closely at where we are and where we want to
be by the year 2020. The Board has developed a plan on how we
will get there, which we call our Strategic
Roadmap to 2020 (PDF). |
Introducing Posie Taylor
So how does the ACA Board contribute
to 20 million campers and 20,000 participants? By cultivating and
recruiting the best people with skills, voices, and resources to
make this goal attainable. In the last e-mail blast, we shared how
the ACA National Board of Directors is committed to a three-year
transition to a more public board, one that is more reflective of
the public we serve. This work is important while still paying attention
to the skills, voices, and resources we already know. Posie Taylor
of the Aloha Camps in Vermont has been appointed to the Board by
the president in 2008 to provide just this perspective. Aloha Camps
have a long history of providing camp experiences to those who can
afford the experience and those who cannot. Posie’s experience
advocating for children and youth to have access to the camp experience
will be critical to our efforts to expand our reach. She will bring
an important voice to the ACA Board as we pursue the 20/20 Vision.
How do we create our preferred future? By mixing our stories, skills,
voices, and resources in new arrangements to move us ahead.
Questions or comments? E-mail the task force at 2020@ACAcamps.org.
20/20 Task Force |
