WATERBURY — Three new members to the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund’s board of directors have embraced the cause of making sure as many Greater Waterbury children as possible enjoy summer camp.
The trio have joined the effort as the final two months of the 2023 calendar year fundraising cycle unfold, and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo, Quassy Amusem*nt and Waterpark co-owner George Frantzis II, and Francine Nido, development coordinator for the St. Vincent dePaul Mission in Waterbury, each look toward a refreshed, exciting 2024 Campership effort.
“I am familiar with the Campership Fund and the Big Green Truck Pizza party, and me and Anne Karolyi were talking about the program recently,” Spagnolo said. “I think it’s a very important thing that you’re doing for the community, and it’s great that the paper is behind it. This provides opportunities for kids who normally don’t get a chance to go to camp to do so, and every kid should have a chance to go to summer camp at least once.”
Karolyi, managing editor of the Republican-American, The Sunday Republican and rep-am.com, serves as president of the Campership Fund.
Frantzis has been an enthusiastic bastion of support for the Campership Fund for decades, as assisting charitable causes is in the well-known family’s DNA.
“Quassy Amusem*nt Park and the Campership Fund have been aligned together for as long as I can remember, with my dad and Mr. (Willian J. II) Pape Sr. working together on this for more than 50 years.” Frantzis said.
“The things that we do philanthropically are always geared to helping children, and we’re happy to continue to do so. The Campership Fund provides great opportunities for the kids.”
When the name Francine Nido enters a conversation, it frequently is associated with her organizing, backing and injecting fun into a worthwhile activity or program, and the Campership Fund will be no different.
“I’m really happy to be on the board, and be part of a program that has meant so much to the community,” she said. “I’ve seen all the benefits it has provided for the children of the community, having had a son who was in the camping program.”
The three new directors have already attended their first meeting, with plans hatching for 2024.
“We’re so grateful and excited to welcome our new directors,” Karolyi said. “They each believe in our mission, they each bring different talents and experiences to the board, and I cannot wait to see how we can incorporate their skills, ideas and passion into next year’s effort.”
The board is digesting the final attendance and tuition from the 2023 Campership Fund season that concluded at the end of August.
Of the 331 eligible applicants for campership scholarships (39 more than in 2022), 285 actually attended one of the 13 participating camping venues that welcomed the fun-seeking charges. The attendance number is down seven from the 292 who attended camp last year.
Tuition costs topped off at $125,702 for the season, or $8,477 more than the $117,225 that has been raised so far through contributions and special events. The target goal for the year, established by the board in early spring, was $160,000.
The board will consider how to cover the deficit, although there still are eight more weeks of accepting donations before the books close for the year.
Contributions to the Campership Fund are graciously accepted all year round as the program knows no down time.
Tuition fees are never assessed to the families and the children involved in the program for any given year, so they do not have to worry about financial concerns and can focus solely on creating lasting memories from spending one or two weeks at summer camp.
Camperships are available to children ages 5 to 18 who are members of low-income families residing Bethlehem, Cheshire, Middlebury, Prospect, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott and Woodbury.
Large and small businesses and industries, civic clubs and church groups, schools and philanthropic entities lead the list of primary group resources that bolster the fundraising efforts each year. They are joined by the hundreds of individual donors who add their contributions to the cause, many on an annual basis.
It’s never been easier to make a donation to the Campership Fund as the new online portal at greaterwaterburycampershipfund.org is available to make an instant contribution, any time day or night.
For those who still prefer traditional methods, checks can be mailed to the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund, 389 Meadow St., Waterbury, CT 06722, or dropped off at the Republican-American building.
The Campership Fund is a 501(c) 3 organization, so gifts are tax-deductible.
New donations amounting to $700 recently were received from:
Sterling Security Systems, Waterbury, in memory of Michael P. Regan, $500
Lakewood Lanes, Waterbury, in memory of Mike Regan, $100
Louis and Joan Perugini, Wolcott, in memory of Dom Jannetty, $100
