Summer camps have tremendous impact on young lives and the region’s economy

Mentone has been synonymous with summer camps for a century. And the impact of these unique businesses is as far-reaching as the mountain they’re nestled on — not only changing lives but also bolstering the local economy.

Shaping young lives
The activities, the atmosphere, the lasting friendships, and the mentoring relationships come together to create a positive impact on campers.

Glenn Breazeale, director at Alpine Camp for Boys, emphasizes that the staff they hire is critical to the experience.

“As a Christian camp, we feel that the most important way we have an impact on campers is through our staff hiring. The 80 cool college guys we hire represent Alpine to our campers,” he says. “Boys need to catch a vision of what they could be like in a few years. They need mentors. We hope that our counselors provide that and show them what it looks like to be a Christian, not just in what they say but in how they live out their life daily in front of the boys.”

Alpine campers who’ve gone on to higher education often come back to camp as leaders.

“We have many campers who return to be counselors once in college,” Breazeale says. “Almost all of them mention wanting to give back to their campers what they were given at Alpine. And like any opportunity in life, when you serve others, you end up gaining just as much or more as the one you serve.”

Susan and Larry Hooks have been the owners and directors of Riverview Camp for Girls since the late 1990s, and their campers are eager to share how the summers in Mentone have strengthened them.

Emily Sontag of Louisiana is the mother of Riverview camper Taylor Ann. She sought a summer camp that could foster independence and provide a nurturing environment for her daughter. Taylor Ann began attending Riverview at age 6 and is now one of its leaders. She “grew up” there, her mom says.

A counselor introduced Taylor Ann to archery and a love of Auburn University, and she pursued both with a passion. She enrolled at Auburn, but did not leave Riverview behind. “Now she’s on the camp leadership team,” her mom says. “This is where she found her faith, partly from Susan and Donna (Bares, assistant director). This place is magical.”

Taylor Ann adds, “The camp gives girls a chance to become strong, independent women … to have a love for themselves and their community through learning to collaborate and be exposed to the word of God, along with activities like horseback riding, archery, and swimming.”

Ainsleigh Campbell of Tuscaloosa is in her thirteenth year at Riverview and is now on the leadership team. She recently graduated from The University of the South, Sewanee.

“I did not have self-confidence as a child,” Ainsleigh says. “After being at the camp, I began walking with my head held high. This place allowed me to become comfortable with myself and know that there is a place for everyone.

“I wrote my college admission essay about being able to find my joy through the eyes of the kids here, as their counselor,” Ainsleigh adds. “The girls find their joy and find that you determine your outlook.”

Susan Hooks explains that the Christian influence of the camp is not something leaders push, but rather it is and always has been the “flavor” of the experience. So often, the girls say their time at camp has brought them closer to God, she says. And so many return year after year. In fact, at each session’s end, the camp hosts a celebratory banquet, in which those who have attended for 10 years receive a toast in the form of a poem about their lives and accomplishments at camp. The number of these longtime campers speaks to the deep connections formed there: 25 to 30 10-year campers are celebrated each summer.

“It is truly humbling,” Susan adds.

Taylor Ann and Ainsleigh are just two of an untold number who look back to their camp experience as transformational. This includes a young lady who would go on to hold several statewide elected positions, and who currently leads the state.

“For generations, Alabama’s summer camps have had a profound impact on young people,” says Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. “I can personally attest to this, because for me, there was nothing better than being at Camp Skyline during the summer. I had the opportunity to be on staff and teach horseback riding, which was a wonderful experience. From teaching girls how to walk closely with God to getting in the saddle of a horse to fostering lifelong friendships, Camp Skyline continues offering that same high-quality experience it offered me and so many other girls. It is truly a good-spirited camp, and I would recommend it and Alabama’s other fantastic camps to our young people.”

Supporting the economy

Summer camp is so ingrained in the region’s culture that it is easy to overlook the economic impact of the season. While it only encompasses the months of June and July, the effects are felt throughout the year.

“It would be difficult to maintain year-round services without the boost from summer camp traffic,” says Mike Norris, who owns and operates Mentone Market with his wife, Kathryn. He points out that businesses in other towns that rely heavily on tourists often close for the winter entirely.

“We are able to sustain a level of service throughout the year,” Norris adds. That is good news for the local citizens who are employed by the market, along with the community that depends on the store as a convenient location for food and necessities.

Kevin Dunlap sees a similar impact. He has created a business model at Elevation Bistro that offers a unique dining experience particularly attractive to couples looking for a nice evening out. Add to that his focus on locally sourced ingredients, and it is the perfect destination for parents visiting the area in the summer.

“With our Elevation concept, we see a flux on drop-off days,” he says of the weekend when parents visit Mentone to bring their children to camp. “When the parents are settled and the kids are scheduled at camp, they are often looking for a date-night spot.” The influx of business to his restaurant has a ripple effect throughout the region, as Dunlap relies on local farmers for meat, vegetables, and fruits for his menu.

The economic impact is also felt by the camps themselves. “To get through the winter, the camps have to make their living in the summer,” says Rob Hammond, who owns and operates Camp Laney and also serves as Mentone’s mayor.

“Summer camp is a seasonal thing, but it has a year-long impact,” he explains. “All camps keep full-time people in the winter, and they depend on the summer season.” Hammond adds that some camps conduct retreats in the fall, bringing in school groups for special events. This would not be possible without the influx of campers during the summer.

The economic impact extends to support services that may not readily come to mind. “We average 10,000 pounds of laundry per week over the summer,” says Philip Baxter Brown, owner of Brown’s Cleaning and Laundry in Fort Payne. Brown’s team uses a unique system involving mesh bags, key-cut metal pins, and numbered identifiers to process tons of laundry for several summer camps in and around Mentone, returning clean clothes to their rightful owners in quick fashion.

Brown says the influx of work comes at a time of year when dry cleaning services tend to drop off, helping the business maintain a steady workflow. The laundry from camps creates 10 local part-time jobs at Brown’s alone. “Summer camps help other suppliers, as well as hotels and restaurants,” he says.

“Our numbers rise significantly when camps are in session,” says John Dersham, executive director of DeKalb Tourism. “Our lodging fills on those weekends when parents deliver their kids and pick them up. They spend the night and make a mini vacation out of it.”

This drives up lodging taxes, Dersham says, but sales tax collections also go up in Mentone and Fort Payne. “Our lodging occupancy goes up to the 90 percent range during camp season,” he says. While it is not known how much of that is directly attributed to summer camp traffic, since it is DeKalb County’s busiest season for tourism, the state reports that visitors who paid for lodging in DeKalb County last year spent $159 million.

“This includes lodging, food, gas, retail shopping, and event spending,” Dersham says. “It does not count sales tax collections by local municipalities.

The area’s camps form a vibrant life cycle in Mentone, transforming young lives with supporting an economically viable community they can return to as leaders and even residents.