District Foundation

The 2018 Kamping season is now under way and we hope it will be bigger and greater than past ones.
The kamp is in great shape thanks to all the hard work and donations provide by our board members and friends. As always the usual people who go above and beyond and donate so much of their time and resources to help with the maintaining of the Kamp every year.
This year, thanks the funds raised at our 50th Anniversary gala, we were able to do much needed repairs to the Kamp such as the parking lot/play area paving that was in such bad shape it started to become dangerous, our water system pump was starting to gives us many problems after 20+ years of service so we replaced it. Thanks to the generosity of Herb Chan, 2 more cabins have metal roofs and thanks to Vice President Joe Battista and his family, we now have a much-needed cabin to house our Kamp cook so he/she can be on site for the total Kamping season.
Seven years ago, the Patchogue Club sponsored a brand new cabin, this year they provided the funds to build an ADA compatible bathroom in that cabin which is now 90 percent complete. Of course, there is always the normal repairs that need attention every year due to age and harsh conditions at the Kamp during the winter months.
Kamp Executive Director Rebecca Clemence tells me that to date as compared to last year, our number are significantly higher so I’m hoping that this trend continues throughout the rest of the Kamping season. I would like to thank Gov. Candace Corsaro for her commitment to our Kamp as she goes around the district promoting Kamp Kiwanis and all of the district foundations.
At our opening weekend, Gov.-Elect Hank Baker has also made a commitment to YOUR Kamp, he and his team of Lt. Governors have promised to underwrite possibly up to 100 Military Kampers.
You might have noticed that I emphasized the word “YOUR” in the previous sentence, I would like to remind everyone who has taken the time to read this article and is a New York District Kiwanian in good standing, that you own this Kamp.
As you may remember, we developed a special limited-edition Gold VIP Award for the 50th Anniversary Gala, we only made 50 and 21 well-deserving Kiwanians are golden VIP recipients. We now have the remainder and the board has decided that if you would like to honor someone special with a very special District Kiwanis Foundation Award, this is what you should think about awarding to that Kiwanian or Non-Kiwanian. With this award, you will be given a week at Kamp Kiwanis for any child you choose to attend, just think about it, you can honor a Kiwanian or friend and at the same time give a child the gift of a week at Kamp Kiwanis, what’s better than that!
Finally, I would like to wish all a very happy, healthy and safe summer 2018 and I’ll see you at DCon in Syracuse.

Column Posted on Web Site July 17, 2018