Lexington, Mass. – The American Camp Association, New England (ACA New England) is pleased to announce that its Camp Champions Fund has offered financial aid in the form of “camperships” to more than 1,000 campers since it’s inception in 2011. One hundred and sixty ACA accredited camps in New England received campership funding to help support these children in need, all of whom ranged between the ages of 6-16. Thirty-four camperships were devoted to New Hampshire camps.

Local camps include:

• Naticook Day Camp in Merrimack. Run by the Merrimack Parks and Recrecation Department, Naticook Day Camp is held at Wasserman Park and offers children in kindergarten through age 14 the experience of an overnight camp in a day camp. Activities include swimming, boating, group games, archery, drama, nature exploration, sports, arts and crafts, special events, presentations and more. For information, visit merrimackparksandrec.org or call 882-1046.

• Camp Tevya in Brookline. Taking place at 1 Mason Road in Brookline, Camp Tevya offers activities for children in third through 10th grade. Children participate in swimming, boating and other athletic-type activities, as well as arts and crafts and visual and performing arts. For information, call 673-4010 or visit camptevya.org.

These camperships were a result of fundraising efforts from six years of Camp Champions celebrations and numerous other fundraising activities including swim-a-thons. These celebrations, held at Fenway Park, honored a different “camp champion,” which over the years included actress Eliza Dushku, Jordan’s Furniture founder Eliot Tatelman and singer Lisa Loeb. Each year, the funds raised for each camper go directly to the camp they will be attending.

“At ACA New England, we believe there is a camp for everyone, and that all children deserve the chance to have a summer camp experience,” said Bette Bussel, executive director of ACA New England. “This was the motivation for the establishment of the ACA New England Camp Champions Fund. Campers have the opportunity to attend every type of camp available in all six New England states: including day and overnight camps, specialty camps offering programs such as computer programming and outdoor wilderness, sports camps, theatre camps and so much more, which is the true spirit of what this fund is all about.”

For more information or to donate to the Camp Champions Fund, visit www.acanewengland.org/donate.

The American Camp Association, New England is a501(c)3 organization that accredit summer camps and serves as the leading source for camp information and resources in New England. ACA New England is a community of camp professionals who, for more than 100 years, have joined together to share knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs throughout the region. Visit www.acanewengland.org or call 1-781-541-6080 for more information on the organization, the Camp Champions Fund and the camp search process.