ACCREDITED CAMPS ONLY! Over 2,100 listed. The only directory where camps earn accreditation before being listed. A mere 1/4 of all camps in the U.S.A. are accredited. These camps have met or exceed nationally recognized standards of safety, program quality, staffing & healthcare. When you choose a camp from this GUIDE, you can be certain that 300+ important questions have already been asked & answered in ways that show the camp cares. Each camp's listing includes summer & winter addresses, sponsoring agency, director's name, fee ranges, session lengths, age groups, boy/girl/coed, ten primary activities offered, & camp special comments. Alpha by state. Camps for all budgets & interests. Indexes list camps by 50 activities & by 20 special groups served. Activities include: archery, academics, backpacking, caving, ceramics, sports, aquatics, music, horseback. Special programs listed: cancer, diabetes, learning disabilities, single adults, seniors, youth at risk, gifted. Great for teachers & other youth service professionals seeking alternative employment. Also look for great tid-bits to help know when a child or parent is ready for camp, questions to ask the camp director, how to pack, & how to combat homesickness. Order from: American Camping Association, 5000 State Road 67, North, Martinsville, IN 46151-7902, 800-428-2267 or Independent Publishers Group, 1-800-888-4741. Look for 1997-1998 edition coming in January 1997 (0-87603-153-X).

The 2,400+ camps accredited by the American Camping Association have met or exceeded the highest nationally recognized standards for health, safety, staff training, and program quality in camps.

There are approximately 8000 camps in the U.S., & this is the only complete listing of the 2,000 camps which have earned American Camping Association accreditation by meeting over 300 standards that apply to health, safety, program quality & operating practices. The Guide, published annually, features special indexes that allow a parent to find a camp by activity, special need, special group or location. The American Camping Association has been setting standards for camps since 1935 & has been accrediting camps since 1965. It is the recognized voice of camps in the United States. This directory will play a prominent part in an intensive public relations campaign to promote the camping experience beginning in February 1997. The campaign includes a satellite media tour featuring members of RADD (Recording Artists Against Drunk Driving) Kids - a group of child celebrities who speak out for safe causes. Buyers can order the book directly from American Camping Association, Inc., 5000 State Road 67 North, Martinsville, IN 46151-7902, 800-428-2267, or from Independent Publishers Group, (800) 888-4741. Look for the 1998-99 edition coming in January 1998.

Gaining an understanding of the recreation and parks profession is crucial to success in the field and to effective leadership within the field. Recreation and Parks: The Profession is a one-of-a-kind resource that delineates the components that make this complex field a profession. Written by well-known recreation authority Betty van der Smissen, this book: defines the marks of the recreation and parks profession and identifies the steps involved in becoming a professional in the field; profiles 62 professional organizations within the profession; outlines a comparative history of 15 categories of the recreation and parks field in the United States and Canada; and presents a classic-to-contemporary bibliography of resources that showcases an inclusive body of knowledge on the profession. Part I describes recreation and parks as a profession and provides students with steps to lay a solid foundation to become a professional. Part II grounds readers with a comparative historical overview of the recreation and parks field from the 1500s to the present day. The author divides the field into 15 categories and offers suggestions on how to use the time line. Part III profiles 62 professional organizations. Each profile includes the organization's mission, goals, structure, history, publications, services, and professional credentialing information. In addition, it lists the organization's Web sites, contact information, and other vital information that students use in completing course work, in applying for internships, and in researching various aspects of the profession. Part IV contains a bibliography of selected resources on recreation and parks, from classic to the present. Recreation and Parks: The Profession is a unique resource for students, professors, and professionals in recreation and parks. The text brings together the important aspects of the field as a profession.

The camps listed in this directory have met or exceeded industry standards for safety, programming, staffing, health care, food service, and more. Camps are available for children of all ages, as well as families, seniors, single adults, and other groups who need a facility for a reunion, business seminar, or retreat. The 2000-plus camps referenced are listed by state, clientele served, and special activities and programs offered. Each listing includes information on length of sessions (day or residential), religious affiliations (if any), types of housing provided, fees, and transportation available.

This trusted resource covers 2,000-plus camps that have been accredited by the American Camping Association, helping find the best locations for the readers' interests, pocketbooks, and busy schedules. 30 photos. Map.

Winner of the New England Sociological Association Sociologist of the Year (2008) Life in contemporary American society requires that children spend considerable time in the care of "other people." These people include teachers, coaches, babysitters, camp counselors, ministers, neighbors, friends, and extended family. While most people who work with children do a good job, some caregivers fail to adequately care for kids, while others actually put them in harm's way. Parents may assume that caregivers of all kinds are uniformly evaluated and "approved," but this is not always the case. American society, despite a superficial rhetoric of concern for children, has not instituted strong national, state, or local safety nets to protect them. And because there is no comprehensive commitment to ensure child safety, there is no systematic, or even partial, oversight of adults charged with their care. As a result, parents are put in the difficult position of deciding whether caregivers of all kinds are sufficiently skilled and responsible to look after children. How to Keep Your Children Safe is essential reading for any parent concerned about child safety. It takes a hard look at the hidden side of children's lives--the times when they're in contact with caregivers who aren't doing their jobs properly. It provides detailed information on places where children are under the care of others, including day care, recreational settings, religious and civic organizations, schools, and summer camps.Vissing investigates the potential perils of each setting and enumerates ways in which parents can better monitor, or take control of, their child's safety. By writing a realistic assessment of commonplace settings that every parent and child can relate to, and offering a road map to child safety,Vissing empowers parents to make critical decisions about their children's lives.