Season of Change
Autumn - the season of change is upon us. The color creeps into the maples in the forest and the sassafras out my window has stains upon its leaves. Roadside oaks show off their crimson scarves of Virginia creeper. While these are the hallmarks of the season (along with pumpkins!), ...

Spiders - Out THERE and in the home
We are going out this dewy morning to visit some of the spiders from Friday's Creepy Spicer Hunt. Emerson (almost 5 years old now) is particularly interested in the large black and yellow garden spider, also known as the writing spider. We stop at the meadows behind the Buttinger Nature Center ...

Spiders . . . Again
It's that time of year again when we venture out at our Nature Center with families to celebrate the world of spiders. Our exploratory walk, at night, is known as the Creepy Spider Hunt. As we hunt in the dark with our flashlights, we hope to encounter an assortment of ...

A BIG Family Trip
Sorry for the quietude here - I was AWAY on a BIG trip with my family . . . When I was sixteen years old, my parents took my younger sister and I on a BIG trip, a cross-country trip to visit family on the west coast and to see the ...

More Bat Watching
When my oldest son Max was not even three years old, we would walk out into the backyard and wait for the bats to emerge. I would lie in the grass and he would lie right on top of me with his back upon my chest and we would look ...

In Celebration of Bugs
Well, last week I encountered a Moth Day, worthy of permanent inscription in my annual calendar for celebration like any other holiday. July 27. These types of days come by with some frequency and usually linger in the memory for quite some time, stirred and reactivated in moments of engaging ...

URGENT CALL TO ACTION – International Camp Staff Issue
Your advocacy is needed by November 23, 2009! The U.S. Department of State has issued proposed changes to the J1 Visa program. J1 Visas are the most common type of Visa granted for international camp counselors. The proposed rule changes would have a negative impact on the camp community's ability to use international staff. Find out the details and advocate today.

Open letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Read open letter to Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, discussing camp's role in the "Race to the Top"

Celebrate ACA's 100th Anniversary
Preserving the rich history of the camp experience is essential for the future. The American Camp Association (ACA) is proud to celebrate our 100th Anniversary in 2010 and the 150th Anniversary of Organized Camping in 2011, and to honor our past with this Web-based tribute.

The Fall 2009 Issue of The Campline Is Accessible Online
The CampLine provides camp-specific knowledge on legal, legislative, and risk management issues and is published three times a year covering topics such as: legal perspectives, regulatory matters, risk management, personnel management, and current legislative issues. The digital issue of The CampLine is not only environmentally friendly but allows you to utilize The CampLine resources more readily. Click any of the links throughout The CampLine to be sent directly to a Web browser where you can research and learn more about specific topics. It's just one more way The Campline can help you.

Reframing the Issue: ACA’s Messages to Parents Regarding the Year Round Education Reform Debate
The American Camp Association® (ACA) believes the organized camp experience is a vital component in the development and education of the whole child. ACA supports year-round educational opportunities and actively supports the extension of organized camp experiences to all children.

Say It Big Coast to Coast!
Because of Camp…™ Coming to a Highway Near You! Because of Camp…™ is going coast to coast! ACA will begin placing billboards nationwide beginning in February 2010 — delivering camp’s positive message to millions of families. Find out how you can “Say It Big” with ACA in 2010.

September 11, 2009 is the First National Day of Service and Remembrance
Join the first “United We Serve” National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor the heroes of September 11, 2001, and our nation’s brave men and women in uniform. The camp community has always supported local, regional, and national service initiatives.

August Inside ACA Now Available
Social Networking and Camp - As the summer camp season wanes, campers and staff alike may be feeling "campsick" for the friends, and for all practical purposes the "family," they have to say good-bye to. And, while modern technology is a friend to those wishing to stay in touch — it can quickly become tricky and murky waters to navigate. Also, beginning with the Fall 2009 issue, look for The CampLine online!

New CDC Recommendations for the Amount of Time Persons with Influenza-Like Illness Should be Away from Others
CDC recommends that people with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.