Patriot Day: A Day of Service and Remembrance – How Maine Camps Give Back

September 11th will forever be one of the most significant days each year in America. Patriot Day, as the day is now known, commemorates the events of September 11th - those who lost their lives, and those who came and provided whatever aid they could in the wake of tragedy. Patriot Day has become a day that celebrates the spirit of social action, and the importance of giving to others in a situation of need. It’s wonderful to see that many families honor this day of service and remembrance by volunteering to help causes in their communities and beyond. This spirit of helping others and giving back is present at Maine Camp Experience (MCE) Camps. MCE Camps are dedicated to creating positive change, and they engage campers in these efforts. The camps partner with a variety of local and national programs to make a meaningful impact. One MCE camp, Camp Sunshine, has a mission of supporting children with terminal and life threatening illnesses and their families. Camp Sunshine provides a no-cost haven for these kids and their families to relax and enjoy the beauty of life at  camp sessions in Maine, and supports them through an incredibly trying time. Another social action project supported by MCE Camps is World of Change, a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting loose change to make an impact in the areas of housing, food security, childhood literacy, children’s play, financial literacy, and health. In addition to these and many more national social action projects that MCE camps contribute to, our camps also strive to make an impact on the local level. Food pantries, conservation groups, animal shelters, local farms, toy drives, homeless shelters, and libraries are just a few examples of important causes and community service programs that MCE Camps support either financially or through volunteer efforts. Social responsibility is a core tenant of MCE Camps, and supporting important causes is vital to who we are as a community. We hope you will take a moment this Patriot Day to reflect on the ways that you can support your communities, and we are incredibly grateful to those who sacrifice to make our country a better place. — Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

You can share your own Maine camps memories & expressions of gratitude on our Memories of Camp section of our  website.

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.

Next, be sure to  to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.