As the oldest 4H Camp in Massachusetts, Camp Howe has always been rustic, but it is really showing its age. Camp Howe, a not-for-profit, is now conducting the Building for the Future Capital Campaign to upgrade its facilities and create an endowment to help fund maintenance and camp scholarships. Pledges, payable over three years, are being sought from Camp Howe alumni, friends, interested individuals, concerned businesses and foundations.

Our first priority is replacing Cummins Hall, built in 1939. It is a vital program area for rainy weather and indoor activities. The replacement building will house a large program area, ECHO Office, Camp Store, a cool down space, laundry and rest rooms.

All upgrades will be 100% handicapped accessible to allow all campers to enjoy all camp areas.  Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2010, and to be completed prior to the 2011 camping season.

The world was a very different place 40 years ago-- a quart of milk for 33¢; 24¢ for a loaf of bread and a pound of steak was less than a dollar. The Beatles were calling it quits and splitting up. Ten years after Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and there was a new view of ecology taking off.  The first "Earth Day" was celebrated. The Supreme Court ordered “bussing” to achieve a racial balance of school children. Congress passes the Urban Mass Transportation Assistance Act, declaring a national policy that elderly and handicapped persons have equal access to mass-transit services. 

Camp Howe will be celebrating the 40th season of the Echo program – the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in a traditional summer camp. Initially the program was targeted towards the inclusion of youth with physical disabilities and has broadened to incorporate youth with a wide range of developmental disabilities. Very few residential camps in the whole country offer such a rewarding integrated experience. 

All are invited to attend the celebration and join in the festivities

If you don't know what Camp Howe is all about, come find out how this program has helped shaped a community that is accepting of differences in others! Join our camp directors, staff and past campers. You'll have a chance to tour our camp grounds, learn more details about our different programs and activities, ask questions, and enjoy being in the out of doors.

Camp Howe has been awarded the 2009 Eleanor P. Eells Award by the American Camping Association (ACA). The award is the highest programming award given by ACA. The award recognizes Camp Howe’s commitment to working with youth in the foster care system in our “Teen Adventure Program” (TAP) that follows our summer season . Camp Howe is the first camp in the country to be recognized twice with the award. The tap program is a joint venture with Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Children. MSPCC is one of the oldest child welfare agencies in the United States dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights and well being of children and families. 

In 2008, our inclusive Echo program was honored with this award. We view this as an affirmation that our programs continue to be ahead of their time, creative and serving youth in unique ways that meets their needs. The Eleanor P Eels award is to give recognition and honor to those whose programs exemplify these objectives; motivate staff to develop effective, creative responses to the needs of people through camp, encourage the development of creative responses to societal problems through camp, stimulate the exchange of creative ideas with others and promote, in and out of camping, the positive contribution camp makes to the well-being of individuals and society. The executive director will be heading to Denver, CO February 15 to the American Camp Association National Conference.

With the leaves turning and falling from the trees, the thoughts of winter is on everyone’s mind. At Camp Howe, we are in the process of closing down the facility for the winter. This is also the time of year that we reflect back on the past summer. We are busy reading staff reports and the parent and camper evaluations to help us plan for the summer. We think about what needs to be done to make Camp Howe better. Typically, everything points to practical physical things – like paint the cabins or get more canoes but there is little suggestion on how to change the Howe community and culture or how to make a bigger impact on the lives of our campers. This is what Camp Howe focuses on! The winter newsletter is in the works and there you will be able to read all about the evaluations and plans for the upcoming season but last night via text, IM’s, emails and facebook, campers and staff were telling me to read a college entrance essay written by one of our counselors in training. This essay verbalizes what a Camp Howe experience means to a camper and I think it is worth sharing.  Following is just one paragraph.
To read the full essay please click HERE.

"The five weeks that I spent at Camp Howe during the summer of 2009 most definitely changed my life. I am still not exactly certain how, but I know that it greatly affected who I am today and who I will be in the future. To tell the truth, last spring I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a CIT and then go on to be a counselor, but with the experience that I had at camp this summer, I am without question applying to work there next summer. I know that it would be sacrificing most of my last summer after high school, but it has had such a great influence and impact on me that I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t go back."

We at Camp Howe are delighted to announce during the summer of 2009, we were visited by The American Camp Association. This is a verification from the American Camp Association, that our camp, during a visit in August, complied with all applicable standards related to our operation. These standards are industry-established health and safety standards, which are recognized by courts of law and government regulators as the standards of the camp industry.

The ACA-accreditation program has a fifty three-year history and is continually evaluated and updated to reflect current best practice in camps. ACA collaborates with experts from many fields such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth-serving agencies to be sure required practices are current and sound. ACA standards are revised based on research in the public, legal, youth development, and camp arenas.

Camp Howe was first accredited in 1958 under the supervision of Arnold J Buckley, the director at that time. Today, we continue to recognize that ACA camps set the standard for the industry and it is a regular, independent health and safety audit of camp operations. For families, the ACA-accredited camp sign symbolizes excellence and our accountability and ongoing commitment to the children we serve.

We are very proud of our accomplishments as a camp, and we hope you can see the benefits of our hard work to become ACA-accredited. Congratulations must go to the Director, Heidi Gutekenst and the staff of 2009 for their efforts in ensuring that Camp Howe continues to place health and safety as a number one priority. If you have any questions about our status or the accreditation process, please let us know. We're happy to share the value of accreditation with you.

As part of the American Camp Association's (ACA) Because of Camp…™ Public Service Announcement campaign, ACA has created a number of billboards to advertise the value of camp. These billboards will be distributed along roadsides around the country. One of the six billboards displays campers from Camp Howe. Be sure to let us know if you see happy Camp Howe faces beaming down at you around the country!

Our billboard has been seen in large cities and international airports. Please send us any photo's of places where you see campers smiling down at you. To find out where you may find one of the billboards you can check out the ACA website http://www.acacamps.org/becauseofcamp/billboards/map.php

Every week at Camp Howe is filled with all of the fun filled activities you will find in our brochure and on our website. All campers each week have the opportunity to have fun at swimming, boating, arts and crafts, hiking, farm life, archery, sports, climbing wall, high and low ropes courses – just to name a few of the many great activities. In addition to these, campers also get to enjoy our all‐camp events, such as talent shows, dances, and other events, involving the total camp body. Typically, each week is given a theme that carries throughout the week from the opening to the final camp fire.

For the first time, after repeated requests from many campers, we are announcing the themes of these events, weeks in advance to allow campers ample time to plan, prepare and think about dress up days prior to attending.

Come find out what we're all about! Join our camp directors, staff and past campers at Camp Howe's Open House. You'll have a chance to tour our camp grounds, learn more details about our different programs and activities, ask questions, and enjoy being in the out of doors.

Each year, Markel Insurance recognizes camps/ clubs that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to safety. Award recipients meet stringent criteria to qualify for the Safety 1st designation. They must:
* retain a proven safety record for at least three consecutive years
* undergo formal assessments and inspections
* participate in continuing education and certification programs
This award is affirmation that we value the health and safety of our campers, staff and volunteers and make safety a priority in all areas of our program and operations.