We can hardly believe it: ‘Camp’ Camp 2014 is only a week away! For the fourth year in a row, Camp will host a sold-out crowd of over 240 people from across the U.S., plus Canada, Spain, Mexico, and the U.K. – all of them geared up and ready to have the best time ever! Forty of this year’s Campers have been with us for an unbelievable 10 years or more, including this year’s 15th-Year Campers, Nick D. of Caldwell, NJ, Darcy G. of Brooklyn, NY, and Michael L. of Tucson, AZ. As we’ve done the past four years, we will be donating $100 in each of their names to the It Gets Better Project in honor of their noteworthy Camp anniversary.

Additionally, we will continue our ongoing support of the GLBT community even further with our “Camp Gives Back” campaign, now in its third year. With this campaign, we collect donations from our Campers & Staff and, in combination with our own donation of 10% of our Camp Store sales, make a donation to an organization benefitting the GLBT community. In 2012, we raised almost $1100 for Mainers United for Marriage, one of the organizations instrumental in helping Maine become the first state in the country to pass marriage equality by voter referendum. Last year, we raised $1435 for Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund which aims to inspire and engage everyone, especially straight people, to become active participants in the advancement of equality for all and, most importantly, helps to raise awareness about and bring an end to GLBT youth homeless.

In recognition of the proud fact that one of the strengths of ‘Camp’ Camp is that it is multi-generational, we are pleased to announce that this summer’s Camp Gives Back campaign will benefit SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders).  SAGE, which was originally Senior Action in a Gay Environment, was founded in New York City in 1978 by a group of activitists who recognized that GLBT seniors often did not have adequate social and financial resources and support. Over the past 36 years, SAGE has grown from a tiny NY-centric organization to a national support and advocacy organization that is working tirelessly to address the needs of older GLBT folks.

If you are attending Camp this summer, you can help SAGE in their efforts by just buying an extra Camp t-shirt or souvenir or two (or three) in the Camp Store. You’ll also be able to make additional donations to SAGE via your Cashless ‘Camp’ Camp account. Not coming to Camp this summer? Well, then we suggest popping over to SAGE’s website and making a donation. Let’s face it: none of us are getting any younger. (Alas!) But, with SAGE leading the way in offering supportive services and consumer resources for LGBT older adults and their caregivers, as well as advocating for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT older people and providing training for aging providers and LGBT organizations, we can help make sure – if only in a small way – that all of us receive the support and care we may need in our later years.  So, won’t you join us and make a donation today?

Well, it’s almost time… ‘Camp’ Camp 2013 is just a few days away! We’re hosting a sold-out crowd of 242 people from all over the country, plus Hungary and the U.K., each of them ready to have the best time ever! Thirty-eight of this year’s Campers have been with us for an unbelievable 10 years or more, including this year’s 15th-Year Campers, Cheryl S. of Medford, MA, Phil C. of Quincy, MA, and Vicki H. of Ann Arbor, MI. This year, we will again be continuing our (recent) tradition of donating $100 in each of their names to the It Gets Better Project in honor of their noteworthy Camp anniversary.

Last year, we stepped up our efforts to support the GLBT community even further with our new “Camp Gives Back” campaign. With this campaign, we are donating 10% of our Camp Store sales each year to an organization benefitting the GLBT community. Last year, we were able to donate almost $1100 to Mainers United for Marriage, one of the organizations instrumental in helping Maine make history last November when they became the first state in the country to pass marriage equality by voter referendum. Yay, Maine!

This year, we have chosen The True Colors Fund as the recipient of our “Camp Gives Back” campaign. The True Colors Fund was co-founded in 2008 by musician Cyndi Lauper and, through their Give a Damn Campaign, aims to inspire and engage everyone, especially straight people, to become active participants in the advancement of equality for all. Their Forty to None Project helps to raise awareness about and bring an end to GLBT youth homeless. Both worthy causes, don’t you think?

Those of you who will be attending Camp next week can help the True Colors Fund in their efforts by just buying an extra Camp t-shirt or souvenir or two (or three) in the Camp Store. You’ll also be able to make additional donations to True Colors via your Cashless ‘Camp’ Camp account. If you aren’t able to attend Camp this summer, we suggest popping over to the True Colors Fund and making a donation. Being a teenager is difficult enough, yet each year between 500,000 and 1.6 million youth find themselves homeless in America. As many as 40% of these youth find themselves homeless because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Camp hopes our efforts will help at least a little in raising awareness of their plight and getting some of these kids the assistance, education, and empowerment they deserve.  We encourage you to join us – and make a donation today.