Greater Waterbury Campership Fund Update: Application deadline extended to June 15

WATERBURY — With camps given the option of opening June 29, and donors who note “there’s always next year,” support continues to pour in for the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund’s efforts to send local, underprivileged children to summer camp. And there’s still time to apply.

The deadline for families to apply for camperships this summer has been extended to June 15, a month later than its original deadline, at the news that camps will be able to open to at least some campers. The nonprofit Campership Fund’s all volunteer board voted for the extension last week.

The United Way of Greater Waterbury, which screens applicants for eligibility, reported that at least 20 applications had been approved so far, and they were submitted on hope alone for the season, before the state said camps could open.

Applications can be obtained from the United Way, by searching Campership on rep-am.com, and for the first time, directly from the participating camps from throughout the state that assist the Campership Fund.

Donations to the current campaign have the $93,201 mark. The 2020 target goal is $165,000. And still to come are a $5,000 grant from the Ion Bank Foundation, and $7,500 pledged by Frank J. and Sandra Monteiro of Prospect and Drew Marine of Whippany, N.J.

Every penny raised by the Campership Fund, a 501(c)3, goes toward sending accepted applicants to camp. Money not spent this summer will be put toward tuition in summer 2021.

The Campership Fund celebrated its 50th anniversary year in 2019, when supporters raised $157,457 for tuition that paid for 434 children to attend camp.

Donations may be sent to Greater Waterbury Campership Fund, 389 Meadow St., Waterbury, CT 06722.

Regular donations totaling $2,100 received last week included:
•Mr. and Mrs. James and Lillian Davis, Prospect, $500
•JHD Corp., Prospect, $500
•Davis Auction, Prospect, $500
•Mr. and Mrs. Joel and Nancy Becker, Wolcott, $200
•Mr. and Mrs. Henry and Susan Kustosz, New Milford, $100
•Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Carol Gagnon, Waterbury, $100
•Mr. and Mrs. David and Jacqueline Mulhall, Middlebury, $50
•Mr. and Mrs. John and Velma McKenna, Watertown, $50
•Mr. Dale C. White, Woodbury, $50
•Mr. David Kaufman, Watertown, $50