Happy Campers

Deciding whether or where to send your child for summer camp can be an overwhelming process. For more than 20 years, the Merriam School PTO in Acton, Mass., has hosted a Camp Fair to help area families preview their options, with more than 90 camps typically participating. The fair is also a lucrative fundraiser that represents a win for the camps, families, PTO, and surrounding community: Camps pay a fee consistent with other types of camp shows—with options ranging from $75 to $300—to set up a table at the school gym, and the event is free for families. The Camp Fair typically draws about 400 families from Acton and nearby towns and offers inexpensive concessions, as well as free babysitting for families with small children. “It serves the whole surrounding community, which is why we like it,” says Merriam PTO cochair Tina Hamilton. “It’s the best kind of fundraiser.”