Reflections on Reimagining My Favorite Camp Conference

I knew it was coming. I knew that based on our traditional conference timeline that there was no way we could move forward with a typical Tri-State CAMP Conference in 2021. Even still, the day that the Conference Leadership Team gathered on Zoom and got the official word that we would be moving to a virtual format for this year’s conference, it was another disappointment in an already overwhelmingly disappointing year. Like so many others, I always look forward to our annual pilgrimage to Atlantic City to engage in meaningful professional development, reconnect with colleagues and friends, and kick off the upcoming camp season.  

Digesting the news that we’d miss out on it this year was hard. Having to deliver the news to our larger committee was even harder. Seeing the faces of friends and colleagues look deflated (again) was a really sad moment for me. But it didn’t last long. With the cancellation of Tri-State 2021, the Northeast CAMP Conference was born, and there was work to be done. A lot of it!

Having the opportunity to work with new colleagues from New England, challenge ourselves to do things differently, and reimagine what exactly our conference would look like amidst a pandemic will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on me personally, and also a lasting impact on our larger organization. When I look towards the Spring and kicking off the Northeast CAMP Conference, I am excited about what the committee has put together. I feel great about being able to offer high quality professional development to a wider range of camp professionals from different parts of the country and the world. I am relieved that we still get to provide learning experiences despite not being able to gather in person. It’s also important to acknowledge that I still have some feelings of sadness. 

There are things about Tri-State that we will not be able to recreate by hosting the Northeast CAMP Conference. We will miss out on the energy you feel when you walk into General Session. There won’t be the spontaneous conversations you strike up with the person you’re sitting next to while waiting for your session to start. We won’t be able to laugh with old friends about previous Tri-State experiences. And for this year – that’s okay. We have the opportunity to challenge ourselves in new ways – to create new memories, to engage professionally in different ways and to be a meaningful part of this moment in history. I hope that you’ll join us for the 2021 Northeast CAMP Conference. I know it’s an experience none of us will soon forget!

Jackie Brethel is the Northeast CAMP Conference Program Co-Chair. Besides being a superstar ACA, NY and NJ volunteer, Jackie is the Associate Director of Camp Danbee, an all-girls overnight camp in the Berkshire Mountains in Western, MA.