The Northeast Campground Association (NCA) is hosting its annual Conference on Camping this week at The Wellsworth Hotel in Southbridge, Mass.
The show typically attracts more than 70 parks and approximately 55 vendors, serving as a regional conference for New England states.
This is the 60th year the conference has been held, and attendees arrived early on Wednesday to celebrate the milestone with a dinner.
During the dinner, Kathy Dyer, the executive director of the Maine Campground Owners Association (MECOA), was honored with NCA’s Curtis Fuller Award, which honors individuals who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to the campground community. Marcia Galvin of Normandy Farms Campground told attendees that Dyer has devoted decades to advocating for the industry at the state, regional, and national levels.
“Throughout her career, Kathy has been an outstanding advocate not only for Maine’s campground owners but for the broader outdoor hospitality industry,” she explained. “She has served on state, regional and national boards, bringing thoughtful leadership, strong research and a deep understanding of the issues affecting campground operators.”
NCA also recognized Kandyce Botelho, of Circle C Campground, with a $500 scholarship to help with future college costs. This year’s recipient will graduate from high school and attend Curry College, with a focus on forensic science. She hopes to one day be a medical examiner or a crime scene investigator.
Today, attendees will attend a variety of educational sessions, including topics such as technology, legal issues, safety, management, and more.
A trade show is scheduled for Friday.
You can view an agenda by clicking here.
There is always a lot to keep track of, and App My Community has built a conference app that helps attendees navigate all the events and activities planned for the conference.
With the conference app, attendees can:
- View the full schedule of sessions and events
- Favorite sessions and receive reminders before they start
- Access the tradeshow floor map
- Browse the list of exhibitors and speakers
- Receive important conference updates through push notifications
