With great excitement, I anticipated the virtual meeting with Vice President Pence scheduled for May 28, 2020. I was invited to join the call by Tom Rosenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Camp Association (ACA,) and Henry DeHart, Chief Operating Officer of ACA. They were convening a “leaders’ call” during which camping professionals would discuss with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force the challenges that “threaten the ability of camp professionals to provide essential summertime learning experiences… in this unprecedented economic crisis.” The Vice President and his team wanted to learn about how they could help us “preserve the continuity of our camps and respond to the educational needs of children, youth and young adults in this pandemic.”

So I got ready. Dressed better than usual from the waist up (in the new normal of working from home,) and to appear more professional, I followed the instructions to log onto the call early to get in the queue for the meeting. Much to my surprise and amusement I found the instructions to a conference call rather than a Zoom call! I giggled at myself for the vanity of getting dressed up and proceeded to log into the number, punch in the meeting code and record an announcement of my name.

  

After a roll call of those present, Tom Rosenberg spoke about the camp industry and identified perspectives represented on the call, including faith-based camps, non-for-profit, for-profit, those serving special needs campers, day camps, and overnight camps. He also spoke of the impact of the camp experience and the fact that each summer, camps in America serve over 20 million children and youth.  

Vice President Pence then introduced those who were on the call with him, including Dr. Deborah Birx, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, and Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy of the Treasury Department Dr. Michael Faulkender. Pence extended his gratitude for our efforts in what we provide for families across the United States. He shared that he was a counselor at a summer camp in Louisville, Kentucky, and that even today, as a father, he appreciates us for what we do.  

Vice President Pence appeared well informed about the difference camps make on lives in the “great outdoors” and our plight over the last few months during the coronavirus pandemic. He spoke about the efforts toward opening up America and referenced the CDC Guidelines and the ACA Field Guide as supplements to state and local laws.

Dr. Deborah Birx spoke and acknowledged camps’ abilities to respond to this pandemic and support children coming to camp. She talked about being a camper back in the day and the impact she experienced. Dr. Birx is supportive of camps and confident that we already have health and wellness protocols in place to deal with communicable diseases. She noted that most have medical staff supporting our summer camp operations. She also spoke about referring many of her patients over the years to summer camps, as she knew first hand our ability to serve even campers with serious medical needs. Dr. Birx recognized camps for the “extraordinary work [we] do.”  

Dr. Michael Faulkender talked to us about the economic impact the pandemic was having nationwide, the camping industry being no exception to the economic damage. He also told us that on May 24^th, the Treasury Department “fixed a disparity in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)” in that they added the 12-week period of May 1-September 15 as another look-back period to determine maximum loan amounts. This added period took into consideration the “high season” of the camping industry. Faulkender also anticipated that there would be another round of legislation for families and small businesses.

After about an hour and several questions posed to the Vice President and his team, Vice President Pence closed the time together by saying, “The best thing to do is get our camps back open….”  To that, we all agreed, and Tom Rosenberg thanked the team for their time, insight, and input. 

 

I can’t help but believe that this conversation with Vice President Pence, Dr. Deborah Birx, and Dr. Michael Faulkender was time well spent. On at least two occasions, VP Pence made note to include items of interest in a meeting agenda he and this very team were attending after our call. At the very least, I believe that the camp industry was put squarely on their radar and that the numbers affected each year by the camp experience are enough to get their attention for further conversations down the road.  

I want to thank Tom Rosenberg and Henry DeHart for organizing the call and including me in the invitation. I, along with many of my colleagues, am deeply appreciative of ACA’s advocacy in Washington and their efforts to include the voices of camping from across the United States in conversations like this.  

Dail Ballard is the Executive Director of the North Carolina United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries, Inc.  She oversees Camps Chestnut Ridge, Don Lee, and Rockfish.

View the White House's "Readout from the Vice President's call with Summer Camp Owners and Operators"