Pine Tree Camp is proud to be Maine’s only American Camp Association accredited camp providing services exclusively for people with disabilities. ACA Accreditation serves as an assurance to families that our camp cares enough to submit to a transparent, thorough review of our entire operation.  Our voluntary participation in the professional development and accreditation process of the American Camp Association demonstrates our commitment to providing the best possible camp experience. That means that Pine Tree Camp has successfully completed the peer-review process, which includes a visit by an ACA-trained team of standards volunteers, signifying that we meet the standards that help ensure that current practices at our camp reflect the highest and most up-to-date, research-based standards in camp operation.

We Set Our Standards High

Earning and maintaining ACA accreditation takes time and commitment. We set our standards high, in an effort to provide our campers with an environment where they are having fun and are unaware of all of the work related to safety and learning, which has been carefully incorporated into the daily routine.

ACA-Accredited® Camps meet up to 300 health and safety standards. Accreditation is a family’s best evidence that Pine Tree Camp is committed to the health, safety, and overall well-being of their loved one.

To be accredited by ACA, we had to demonstrate sound practices in every aspect of camp management and operation, including:

• Site: Fire protection, food service, sleeping quarters, utility and maintenance systems.
• Transportation: Procedures concerning drivers, vehicles, and traffic on site.
• Health and Wellness: Staff qualifications, facilities requirements, record keeping, storage and distribution of medicines, contact information, and health forms.
• Operational Management: Safety regulations, emergency communication systems, procedures for intruders, and personal property regulations.
• Human Resources: Staff qualifications, screening and training, supervision ratios, and procedures.
• Program Activities: Aquatics, adventure/challenge, and staff qualifications for special programs.

Mandatory standards also include requirements for staff screening, emergency exits, first aid, aquatic-certified personnel, storage and use of flammables, emergency transportation, obtaining appropriate health information, among others.

The American Camp Association is a community of camp professionals, who, for more than 100 years, have joined together to share knowledge and experience to ensure high quality camp programs for children, youth and adults. As the only recognized accrediting body for the camp experience in the United States, ACA accredits approximately 2,400+ diverse camps nationally.  However, that number represents only 25% of the camps that operate in this country.  ACA’s goal is to continue to grow the number of accredited camps to ensure a safe and positive camp experience for more campers.

For more information about ACA Accreditation, visit the American Camp Association website at www.ACACamps.org.

“Amazing People. It’s very athletic, on the go, every day. I love to be outdoors hanging around people.”

Sitting in the shade of a tree near the waterfront, Caleb Truman, Session 2 camper, talks about what makes him want to come back to Pine Tree Camp each summer.

Everywhere you look, clusters of campers are enjoying a beautiful, breezy day at Pine Tree Camp.  For many of them, this is their only opportunity of the year to enjoy activities such as boating, fishing, nature trails, archery, or just sitting on the waterfront watching the sky turn pink as the sun sinks on the other side of North Pond.

The beautiful scenery and recreational opportunities are only part of the magic though.  As Caleb, and others quickly point out, the amazing people are at the center of what makes Pine Tree Camp great. People who accept you the way you are as “just one of the gang.”  No staring.  No judgment. Just friends who get together for six special days each summer for a restorative break from the stresses of everyday life.

Tonya Reeves has been coming to Pine Tree Camp for the past 10 years.  She says she remembers what it was like to come for the first time.  She said, “I was a very scared, very timid, little girl looking for a place that can accept me for who I am.”

She says she found that place at Pine Tree Camp.

During her stay at camp, her favorite things to do are drama and arts & crafts.  She said she likes anything that “gets us involved as a human being.”  She explains that society’s attitude toward people with disabilities can create a barrier to participating in such activities in her everyday life.

She says, “We get a lot of stares. We can’t do as many things in the community as we can at Pine Tree Camp.”

Each summer, 650 campers like Tonya experience the impact of the judgment-free zone at Pine Tree Camp.  As campers enter the clearing, with North Pond in full view, they are welcomed with cheers from staff.  Immediately campers “belong.”  This isn’t something they are used to.  From that moment on, campers are part of the Pine Tree Camp family.  Through the support of their new, lifelong friends, they challenge themselves to try new activities like kayaking, archery or sleeping overnight in a tent.  They enjoy Maine’s beautiful outdoors and don’t have to worry about barriers.  For those six days, they are not different.  They are just one of the gang. And their families get a much –needed break from the sometimes overwhelming demands of caring for a loved one with a disability.

“Pine Tree Camp symbolizes love, and friendship and freedom.”

That’s what Session 2 camper, Paul Ryan told us when we asked about the t-shirt he designed during Arts and Crafts.

“The rainbow symbolizes everything wonderful. Bright colors are just happy and free.”

If you walk around Pine Tree Camp during Session 2, you will find that most other campers echo Paul’s thoughts about how their 6 days at camp are their chance to spend time with old friends, make new friends, and get a break from the stresses of their day-to-day lives.

At Pine Tree Camp, while the sessions for children involve action-packed programming, our adults tend to like to have down time, connecting with nature at their own pace.  They appreciate the time to just be present in their surroundings.  This is a session that reminds us of the power of nature.  For many, Pine Tree Camp is their vacation.  Traditional vacations present too many barriers.  This is their time away.  Thanks to adaptive equipment and attentive, highly-trained staff, they enjoy barrier-free outdoor activities such as swimming, boating, archery, sleeping in a tent and fishing.

Look around and you will see small groups of campers everywhere you look, just relaxing and hanging out with friends on the swings, benches and picnic tables, smiling into the cool breeze that comes off North Pond.  You will also notice that everyone is welcome to join these groups. Nobody is excluded.

Love. Freedom. Friendship.  Thank you, Paul. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

The drizzle stopped and skies cleared just in time as more than 150 paddlers set out from Evergreens Campground in Solon for a dry, cool, seven-mile kayak trip down the Kennebec to North Anson.

They were paddling for a purpose with a goal to raise funds to support Pine Tree Camp in the 21st Annual Bath Savings Institution Paddle for Pine Tree Camp.

One of those paddlers was Senator Nate Libby from Lewiston.

“Paddling is a change to our very busy lives. It’s a chance to slow down, be reflective and do something for a good cause.”

For the third year, Nate’s friends and family paddled together as Team Jude. His eight-year-old son Jude attended Pine Tree Camp for the first time last summer.

“We actually paddled the year before Jude attended camp. We heard about Pine Tree Camp’s outstanding program and wanted to support it.”

After their first paddle, they toured the camp with Jude.

“Once we saw the facility and how much the staff cares, we felt very comfortable and knew it would be enriching for him. The staff was so professional and caring.  It felt good.”

All proceeds from the Bath Savings Institution Paddle for Pine Tree Camp directly support the Campership Fund, and are a critical part of the Camp’s open door policy. Since 1945, Pine Tree Camp has welcomed all who could benefit, regardless of their ability to pay. Ninety-nine percent of campers cannot afford to pay the tuition and this paddle is a major fundraiser to ensure they can attend not just this summer, but for years to come.

The smooth operations of the paddle were supported by the Maine Warden Service and a team of volunteers who ensured all aspects of the event ran efficiently – from registration and logistics to water safety to the post-paddle celebratory barbecue.

Fifteen-year-old camper Tristan Bouchard from Farmington was one of those volunteers. He was there early helping direct traffic. Then he and his family hit the river for the paddle.

“He loves being part of the volunteer crew. If somebody has on an orange vest and a radio, that’s what he wants to do,” said his mother, Amy.

Tristan started coming to Pine Tree Camp when he was in elementary school and Tristan’s Terrific Team has been paddling ever since.

“He feels that by raising money at the paddle to help other kids attend camp, he will always be able to meet new friends and see old friends when he’s there.”

Paddlers will continue to turn in pledges and donors can support the Bath Savings Institution Paddle for Pine Tree Camp until July 1st.

https://www.firstgiving.com/pts/paddle-for-pine-tree-camp-2017

 

Every June, hundreds of people head to the Kennebec River to paddle with a purpose. One of those paddlers is 15-year-old Tristan Bouchard of Farmington.  He’ll be there early, volunteering to help direct traffic. Then he and his family will hit the river for the Paddle for Pine Tree Camp.

Tristan started coming to Pine Tree Camp when he was in elementary school and Tristan’s Terrific Team has been paddling ever since.

Before they hit the water, he loves being part of the volunteer crew.

“If somebody has on an orange vest and a radio, that’s what he wants to do,” said his mother, Amy.

The impact of the Pine Tree Camp experience is what motivates Tristan and his family to get involved.

“He loves going to camp so much that he talks about it all year long. And once he gets back from a week at camp, he wants to go right back.  I tell him ‘You have to wait until next year, bud.’”

Then he starts counting down the days.

“He feels that by raising money at the paddle to help other kids attend camp, he will always be able to meet new friends and see old friends when he’s there.”

While at camp, Tristan enjoys spending time with his best friend, Nicholas, who he sees every year. He looks forward to driving the boat and having the chance to use the camp’s two-way radios with Nicholas.

“Tristan has also gotten close to a lot of the counselors. They are amazing people.  I never have any hesitation sending him to camp.”

His passion for Pine Tree Camp started when he was just six-years-old. He inspired a Hop-N-Ing at his elementary school and he and his classmates donned bunny ears and hopped in the gym – raising thousands of dollars for the camp everyone knew Tristan loved.

Pine Tree Camp opens its doors to anyone who can benefit, regardless of their ability to pay. No camper is ever turned away.  Funds raised from the Paddle for Pine Tree Camp keeps the camp’s open door policy firmly in place, allowing camp staff to focus on making sure campers are actively participating in activities like hiking, playing basketball, kayaking, fishing and camping in tents under the stars. All things Tristan and Nicholas enjoy together every summer.

It all started with a discussion about caterpillars and butterflies, spring, new growth and changes in the environment. One child expressed interest in watching eggs hatch and the next thing we knew, the Early Learning Center was incubating 10 chicken eggs!

We have spent the last month learning all about chickens! About a week in, we were able to shine a flashlight under the eggs and see the eyeball developing inside the egg. We also talked about other animals that hatch from eggs (some of the children were really hoping our eggs had dinosaurs inside).

We patiently colored in an egg a day on our 21 day egg calendar while we waited for the babies to hatch and then they came, right on time! The children are very excited now that the babies are here and we will continue to talk about them as they change and grow.

To see more photos, click here to go to the album on our Facebook Page.

 

Cast your vote before May 31 to help Pine Tree Camp win a $4,000 grant!

Pine Tree Camp is a finalist in the Summit Natural Gas of Maine 2017 Community Giving and Sponsorship Program.

http://summitnaturalgasmaine.com/community-sponsorship/

This is an easy one-click vote…you are not asked to fill out a contact form.

Your vote can help Pine Tree Camp win a $4,000 grant to benefit the Campership Fund to send people to camp! Each year, we must raise $1 million keep our Open Door promise in place for our campers and their families.  Since 1945, no camper has ever been turned away due to inability to pay tuition.

At Pine Tree Camp, the barrier-free setting, along with an amazing staff, ensure that activities like swimming, fishing, kayaking, hiking, and boating are completely accessible to all.  Participating in activities that take people beyond their disability has a tremendous impact.  It builds self-esteem and self-confidence.  That experience coupled with meeting friends who understand and experiencing the feeling of acceptance is transformational.

Tell everyone you know to vote! Thank you for your support.

Pine Tree Society recently named Jim Marc-Aurele to its board of directors.

Marc-Aurele has a BS in Occupational Therapy and an MBA. As the Director of Materials Management at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, he is an experienced leader with a reputation for results-oriented, ethical leadership in the healthcare industry. With robust progressive experience in hospital operations and systems, financial management and strategic planning, he is adept at bringing together diverse individuals, maximizing the growth and potential of others to identify and achieve collective goals. In addition to his professional experience, he has served on the boards of other organizations that serve people with disabilities including MPower Adaptive Equipment Loan Fund, American Occupational Therapy Association, and Easter Seals Maine.

Pine Tree Society is pleased to welcome Marc-Aurele to the board.