What a treat it was to be with all of you who attended ACA’s National Conference in Dallas last month.

I always find it energizing and motivating to connect with so many of you in person and feel your passion and commitment to the work we do to serve children across the country. For those of you who were unable to make it, I hope that you will have a chance to take advantage of the many resources from the conference that we have made available online.

Knowing that you are in the final planning months of the year before the summer season arrives, we have focused this issue of Camping Magazine on practical information that we hope will enhance your ability to deliver safe and impactful experiences to so many campers this summer. We find ourselves in an unpredictable and challenging environment, and our goal is to provide focused insights to strengthen your operations.

Within these pages, you will find a number of articles focused on supporting various aspects of the business of operating a camp, starting with strategies for directly tying your financial performance to your organization’s mission. You’ll also find strategies for increasing your food service sustainability and for positioning your camp to provide the best support for a variety of camper needs. 

In addition, I hope you will appreciate another strong case study that emphasizes the ability of camps to develop the bonds of friendship and skills needed to empower today’s youth to be the successful business leaders of tomorrow. The founders of the app Pepper had just that experience, which actually landed them a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

While we recognize the timing can be challenging, we also invite you to participate in our Camp Hill Days this year. Once again, we will gather with camp professionals from across the country May 6 through May 8 to educate our elected officials on the critical community impacts the camp industry provides. This outreach and education may be more important this year than ever before.

Our Camp Hill Days are just one of the many ways in which ACA works to represent your needs and concerns to key decision-makers at the federal and state level. Given the complexity of our business, ACA has increased our focus on the education of and engagement with our elected officials. Even if you are not able to make it to DC this May, we have numerous ways you can get involved in this effort.

While I know that these last few months before summer can be hectic and stressful, I hope that you will take a moment to pause and reflect on the immeasurable impact you will have on so many individuals and our broader communities this summer.

This work is hard but so incredibly important. Thank you for the work that you do!