This op-ed was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader on July 21, 2020.

For over a century, camp has been a summertime staple, nowhere more so than in New Hampshire. Every year, as camps help shape the lives of over 150,000 young people, New Hampshire’s camp industry generates millions of dollars in revenue and supports countless jobs. In 2020, however, every camp in the state is either shuttered or profoundly constrained due to COVID-19. Without direct and measurable support, the survival of this vital industry and cherished tradition is in serious doubt.

Assalonian steel. Frostfire guild. Kal Torak. The Battle of Vulcan. In 2019, Kabeyun was abuzz with new jargon, joining the traditional camp lexicons of sailors (mizzen, half-hitch) and archers (fletching, flu-flu). Kal Torak and those other intriguing new words came courtesy of Kabeyun’s newest activity: Dungeons & Dragons.

This is the time of year when the envelopes start arriving. Even before holiday cards, you’ll find your mailbox filled with fundraising letters. They come from all sorts of non-profits: educational, environmental, religious, political. Hospitals. Arts organizations and veterans’ groups. With so many worthy groups vying for your philanthropy, why should you give to Kabeyun’s Annual Fund? Here are four reasons why my family contributes.

Kabeyun campers and staff ate a half-ton of ground beef and drank more than a thousand gallons of milk this summer! We calculated these and all sorts of other numbers to give you a snapshot of our summer, Harper's Index style. Enjoy!

When a new camper signs up for Kabeyun, often his parents joke that they would like to sign up as well, or stowaway in their son’s duffel bag bound for our boys summer camp. The response is always the same – “Come to Family Camp!”

You can learn a lot about boys summer camps from websites, personal recommendations, and conversations with camp directors, but there is no better way to evaluate an overnight camp than visiting while it is in session. How do you make the most of your visit? Here are a few suggestions for visiting Kabeyun and other boys summer camps.