ACA Resources About War and Terrorism
Key Messages to Communicate to the Media

The Impact of War & Terrorism on Camp

• Even more so during times of war, Parents understand the value and need of the camp experience as it protects and preserves childhood, providing children with a safe, fun educational experience.
• "It may help us to all remember when our minds are so focused on all that is wrong with the world that camp is a living example of what is right" said a camp mother.
• Feeling safe and secure in a world that seems unstable and threatened is critical to positive child and youth development.
  

How Safe are Camps During War & Terrorism

• Camp directors are continuously responding to the health, safety, and security needs of their campers in an ever changing society.
• Health and safety have been the corner stone of the ACA camp. ACA has been accrediting camp for over 50 years.
• The camp experience is a partnership between the camp director and the parent, especially during difficult world events.
• "What is the greatest service camps can render in a crisis? Adherence to peace-time camp educational principles and practices bolstered with the belief that inherent in such practices were adequate provisions for meeting the needs of children in these days." Camping Magazine, 1942

The Effect that War & Terrorism has on Camp Enrollment

• Millions of children and youth will once again go to camp this year.
• It is true that combined with the fears of war and terror, many parents are faced with tremendous economic challenges.
• On the other hand, the dollar parents spend on their children is the last one they cut from their budget and preserving the opportunity for their children to experience, what we know as a rite of passage,’ childhood', is a tough dollar to cut.
• Although, we anticipate a number of parents will be faced with that regrettable choice, fewer than one might expect will cut that dollar.
• Conclusion: Camp is a respite from our tumultuous world and provides hope for humanity.