Maine Summer Camps Held its 12th Annual Fair at East End Community School This Afternoon.

A Sign in Front of East End Community School, 195 North Street, Announcing the Maine Summer Camp Fair.

Pine Tree Camp, Rome, Can be Contacted at ptcamp@pinetreesociety.org (207) 386-5990

Ryan LeShane, of The University of Maine, Repreenting Two Camps – Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove, Lincolnville.  umaine.edu/tanglewood 207 – 789-5868.

“Camps respond to what children need.  Camps are great additions to the education children are getting at school. They compliment and fill-in where needed,” said Lucy Norvell, Executive Director of the Portland-based Maine Summer Camps, this afternoon at the East End School where the 12th annual summer camp fair was in session.

Twenty-five camp representatives signed up for this year’s fair – a number that has dropped gradually since the first camp fair was held twelve years ago.  One of those camp vendors was Ryan LeShane, representing The University of Maine, Cooperative Extension, based in Lincolnville. LeShane represented two camps based in the Lincolnville area; Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove.  These camps focus on developing outdoor skills as well as supporting the environmental and ecology interests of campers between the ages of 4-17.

The staff of these two camps now work year round.  That’s because they provide daily, after school programs at their summer sites.  “More and more summer camps are partnering with schools to do after school programs.  I think this is becoming a trend nationwide,” said LeShane.  (See below right photo of LeShane in Front of His Booth at the Fair Today.)

Pine Tree Camp, Rome, is Maine’s only American Camp Association accredited camp for people with disabiities, said Dawn Robinson, camp director.  It is located on North Pond in the Belgrade Lakes on 285 acres.  It began as a camp for children with polio.  It’s  owned by the non-profit Pine Tree Society.  PIne Tree Camp provides access to outdoor activities such as swimming, boating, archery and much more.  Tuition assistance is available and there are still slots open for children.  “Parents are really looking for summer programming for their children,” said Robinson.

“A lot of camps are already full,” said Lucy Norvell.  Many of them didn’t need to attend this fair because of that.  Norvell recently replaced Ron Hall who retired after years as Executive Director for the Maine Summer Camps.  Formerly, she was with the American Camp Association, New England.  As a child she attended camps, served as a camp counselor and an administrator of them eventually..  “Every child should have the opportunity to attend camp,” she said enthusiastically at the fair which ran from 1:00 pm – 3:30 on Munjoy HIll.

Several participants at the Fair suggested there may be fewer camps than in past years.  One of the reasons for this reduction could be that summer camps are often     on lakefront property with lots of land surounding it.  Some camp owners have sold this desirable property to developers or single home buiders because they are looking for privacy.