WATERBURY — Loyal and generous to the cause, Frank and Sandy Monteiro of Prospect are not going to let a pandemic dampen the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund’s fundraising season.
In March, as the state slid into a coronavirus shutdown, the Monteiros and the Campership Fund’s nonprofit board agreed to suspend the couple’s annual fundraising challenge.
This year, Frank and Sandy, a Campership director, had offered to match $5,000 raised, and another $2,500 raised would be matched by Drew Marine, the Whippany, N.J.-based company Frank J. Monteiro heads as president and chief executive officer. It meant $7,500 raised during a two-week stretch would have doubled to $15,000.
Before the challenge was suspended, $1,075 had been raised toward the match.
More than a month later, with the state still in total shutdown until at least May 20, the Monteiros made a decision: They’re holding up their half of the bargain, regardless of whether a match could be made.
“I’d rather put it toward the Campership Fund and have it in the bank” so the campaign can keep rolling, Frank J. Monteiro said. “We’ll put in our five (thousand) and two and a half (thousand) from Drew. But if people have the means to donate still, then please do.”
If supporters would like to note a donation as part of the suspended match, they can still do so, even though the Monteiros are doing their part regardless.
Gov. Ned Lamont has said he will start to gradually lift state restrictions starting May 20. It is still unclear what fate awaits camps this summer. The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) has told camps that they may be allowed to open with a limited number of campers, with social distancing, and with health and safety procedures in place.
Because of the ongoing uncertainty of the times, the Campership Fund directors on Friday voted to cancel this year’s fundraising party with the Big Green Pizza Truck, which had already been postponed from its planned May date. All tickets already sold to the party will be honored when the party returns in 2021.
Frank J. Monteiro echoed the sentiments of other donors to the 2020 campaign that if camps do not open, the contributions can be applied to the 2021 effort.
“It’s all for the kids,” he said.
Every penny raised by the nonprofit Campership Fund’s all-volunteer board of directors goes toward sending accepted applicants to camp.
This year’s target goal is $165,000. As of Friday, the campaign has raised $90,651.
True to Campership Fund practices, the challenge donations from Drew Marine and from the Monteiros will be added to the total when they arrive, pushing the total next week to $98,151 without any other donations added.
During the Campership Fund’s 50th anniversary year in 2019, supporters raised $157,457 for tuition that paid for 434 children from the 10-community region serviced by the United Way of Greater Waterbury to attend camp.
Applications for this summer are available now through the United Way of Greater Waterbury, by searching “campership” on rep-am.com.
Donations may be sent to Greater Waterbury Campership Fund, 389 Meadow St., Waterbury, CT 06722.
Regular donations totaling $650 received last week included:
• Women’s Fellowship of the North Congregational Church of Woodbury, Woodbury, $300
• Ion Bank Foundation, Community Awards Program, $200
•Mr. Peter Merriman, Prospect, $100
•Mr. and Mrs. Donald and Diann Ensero, Prospect, $50