American Camping Foundation 1994 annual report.

The American Camping Foundation has completed its fourth year as a separate organization. The foundation, previously known as the ACA Trustees, was separated from the American Camping Association to increase the invested and endowed funds available to support educational and charitable activities of ACA, and to provide leadership to ACA's financial development. The foundation Board of Directors meets twice each year as a full board to conduct foundation business, and its committees meet frequently to engage in work on behalf of the foundation.

This report was prepared by Fred Miller, who became the foundation's acting chair of the board upon the untimely death of its chair, Morry Stein.

Morry Stein served for nearly two years as chair of the foundation's Board of Directors. He was tragically taken from us on October 31, 1994 in the crash of American Eagle Flight 4184. Morry was returning to New York from the foundation's fall meeting, which had concluded at noon that day. Those of us on the foundation board, as well as the thousands of camp colleagues, children, and families whose lives Morry impacted, continue to experience the profound loss of his presence while we affirm the significance of his life and the extraordinary way in which he touched so many.

Morry is deeply missed by the foundation board and it is in tribute to his leadership as board chair that we share this annual report.

Morry Stein Memorial Fund

Many people have called foundation board members, ACA's New York Section office, the ACA national office, leaders of the Association of Independent Camps, and friends to ask what can be done to honor Morry Stein. Working cooperatively with many of the groups in which Morry was an active participant, willing worker, and major leader, the foundation has established the Morry Stein Memorial Fund to honor his contribution to children, families, the camp industry, and ACA at its local. and national levels.

The fund will be under the foundation's stewardship and a committee comprised of the Stein family, New York Section leadership, and the foundation Board of Directors will meet annually to determine the use of the income from the fund.

Fund raising efforts for this fund are being directed by four co-chairs: Jean McMullan, representing the foundation; Doug Pierce, representing the New York Section and the adjacent metropolitan area; Lon Babby, representing the foundation and the Camp Echo Lake family; and Saul Rowen, representing the Association of Independent Camps. The entire ACA family is invited to contribute. Contact any of the four co-chairs, the New York Section office, or the ACA national office to make your gift.

Morry was a visionary leader of immense stature in the camp industry. It is only appropriate that we continue to honor what he has meant to so many of us. As one of his closest friends has said, those who love Morry Stein are committed to raising a significant memorial fund that will do justice to the stature and memory of this giant among us who had such an enormous heart and generous soul.

Endowment/Public Awareness Campaign nears goal

A major portion of the recent foundation board meeting was devoted to a review of the endowment and public awareness campaign, as well as plans to successfully complete the endowment campaign before the national conference in Orlando. Morry Stein and the energetic endowment campaign chair, Joe Kruger, announced at the fall meeting that the campaign was within $250,000 of the $1.2-million goal and that many individuals and sections have given at significant levels. As a result, the board is taking action to provide an opportunity for those who have not made a gift to do so, and for those who have given, to consider increasing their gifts to close the remaining $250,000 gap.

The first $200,000 of the endowment campaign is dedicated to jump-starting ACA's nationwide public awareness campaign. Income from the $1 million being raised through multi-year pledges will be used to support public awareness and other major activities of the association. It is through the foundation that ACA is building a capital resource for the long-term benefit of children and camp.

Investment management firm engaged

Excluding the current endowment campaign, the foundation now has stewardship responsibility for nearly $600,000 of unrestricted funds, and $600,000 of funds held in trust as memorials, scholarship funds for specific camps, and section funds invested on their behalf by the foundation. With the projected growth of the assets through the endowment campaign and the increasing use of the foundation as an investment resource for sections, the foundation acted to place its funds under professional management.

After the careful review and consideration of several firms specializing in the management of nonprofit funds, the foundation Board of Directors approved Fidelity Tax-exempt Services Company as the manager of its funds. Consistent with the foundation's strong fiduciary policies, the board's investment committee will meet annually with the investment manager and routinely review the manager's performance.

Section investment program

The foundation has a strong financial track record, which has led a number of sections to consider investing their reserve funds with the foundation. The board approved a program for such investment. Six sections currently have funds invested with the foundation. If your section is interested in exploring this opportunity, please contact the ACA national office for details.

Planned giving 

As with all organizations responsible for assuring long-term financial stability for others, the foundation has developed a variety of planned-giving options through which individuals can support the future of camp. Individuals who have named ACA in their will and trust instruments become members of the Acorn Society. This group meets annually for dinner in conjunction with the ACA national conference.

Additionally, the foundation is prepared to work with those who wish to use insurance or charitable remainder trusts for their personal estate purposes to benefit camping. The foundation is currently the trustee for the Robert Hansen Charitable Remainder Unitrust.

Board organization

To assure the highest levels of fiduciary and leadership responsibility, the foundation's board is nearing completion of a board orientation process; has prepared reference materials for current and future board members; has reviewed its longstanding policies; and has initiated a multi-year process of board recruitment. Its goal is to continue to assure strong, effective leadership to safeguard and increase the financial assets available to benefit ACA, nationally and locally, and to provide continuing financial counsel to the association.

The foundation continues to be engaged in other activities of benefit to the association such as operating the "I Believe" program and awarding grant funds to support programs such as the 1994 Day Camp Conference. The foundation, through its board, is committed to the importance of camp and the value of ACA, and continues the fierce commitment and pledge of its recent chair, Morry Stein, to build resources for the benefit of camps in America.

TABULAR DATA OMITTED