For more than 145 years, The Fresh Air Fund has been enriching the lives of New York City children through free summer experiences in nature. Each year, thousands of children leave the city behind to spend time at one of the Fund’s six overnight camps or participate in summer programs that offer adventure, learning, and joy.
BluEdge is proud to support The Fresh Air Fund in making these transitions from city to camp seamless and inviting.
A Relationship That Grew from Managed Print Services
Our partnership with The Fresh Air Fund began when they selected BluEdge as their Managed Print Services (MPS) provider, entrusting us to support their document and printing needs across their organization. As our relationship grew, they turned to us for creative solutions to a unique challenge: helping families and campers navigate the bustling drop-off locations at Riverbank State Park for the 2025 summer camp season.
The Challenge: Clear, Multilingual Wayfinding for Thousands of Campers
On designated drop-off days, Riverbank State Park becomes a hub of excitement, activity, and movement. With hundreds of families arriving to check in, drop off luggage, and find the correct buses for their children, The Fresh Air Fund needed a clear and visually engaging wayfinding system. The signage had to:
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Direct parents, guardians, and campers to check-in areas, luggage drop-offs, and specific bus pick-up locations.
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Be welcoming and kid-friendly, reflecting the spirit of summer camp.
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Differentiate between camp locations using color and imagery.
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Withstand outdoor use but also remain reusable for future camp seasons.
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Communicate clearly in three languages: English, Spanish, and Standard Chinese.
BluEdge’s Solution: A Comprehensive Wayfinding Program
Our team worked closely with The Fresh Air Fund to deliver a full-service solution, including:
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Wayfinding Program Development: Designed a clear, intuitive flow for families navigating drop-off locations.
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Graphic Design & Visual Language: Created a cohesive design language that used color and imagery to differentiate between the six camp locations, making navigation easier and visually engaging. We also worked with Fresh Air Fund's translators to ensure that the directions were perfectly clear in all three languages.
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Print Production: Produced high-quality, durable signage to stand up to outdoor use while ensuring vibrant visuals.
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Hardware & Delivery: Provided robust hardware solutions—such as A-frame sign holders, Mightee Mounts, and pedestal sign frames—and managed delivery to ensure timely installation.
The signage included:
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Welcome & Registration Signage: Vibrant 24x36” polystyrene panels with outdoor A-frame hardware.
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Check-In Signs: Oversized 24x60” panels on sleek Mightee Mount hardware.
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Bus & Luggage Signs: 72 custom-printed 11x17” signs on 130# card stock, displayed in Perfex Pedestal SignFrames™ for clear, location-specific direction.
Every element was designed to be reusable year after year, maximizing value and reducing waste for future summer seasons.
A Seamless Experience for Families
The graphics transformed Riverbank State Park into a thoughtfully organized environment where families could navigate with ease and confidence. Parents and campers were greeted by cheerful, multilingual signage guiding them through each step of the process, from check-in to boarding buses for Camp ABC, Camp Hayden-Marks, Camp Tommy, Camp Mariah, Camp Hidden Valley, and Camp Junior.
As Kristin Short, Director of Program Management and Operations at The Fresh Air Fund, shared:
“The signs have been a huge help in elevating our family’s experience at check-in and departure. [...] THANK YOU BLUEDGE!!!”
Making a Difference for a Meaningful Mission
Supporting The Fresh Air Fund in creating a stress-free, welcoming first impression for campers and families aligns perfectly with BluEdge’s commitment to community and impactful design. We are honored to contribute to an organization that brings so much joy and opportunity to New York City children.
Learn more about The Fresh Air Fund and their life-changing programs at freshair.org.
