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Date: 8/10/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – When help was needed, local businesses and individuals stepped up to assist in the reopening and sending off of kids to camp at the YMCA of Greater Springfield, Camp Weber. In an effort to thank and recognize all of those who donated to the Camp Weber project, Donna Sittard, development director of the YMCA of Greater Springfield called everyone together on Aug. 4.
Camp Weber is a day camp, located at 79 Great Plains Road. Uriah Rodriguez, executive director, said the camp is on 77 acres of land in which they utilize two sides. Typically, the camp serves between 300 to 450 kids annually. This year, Rodriguez said the pandemic has decreased those numbers to about 150 to 200.
At Camp Weber, kids can partake in a variety of activities – both physical and social – including swimming, archery, rock climbing, playing sports, making crafts, STEM projects, going on field trips, making friends, and so on. Sittard explained that the Y’s core values are caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. “We instill this in campers who come to the Y.”
Through a press release from the YMCA of Greater Springfield, “Over the course of a few months this spring, various projects were completed to upgrade Camp Weber including paving, new roofs, painting, landscaping, consulting, new equipment, and more.”
The YMCA received both donations and grant awards to assist with additional project expenses. “Some community friends came together for yet another year and helped raise enough money to send kids to nearly 300 one week sessions of camp,” continued the press release.
“Ondrick Materials & Recycling of Chicopee, Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding of South Hadley and Eastman Chemical Company of Springfield were among several businesses that, without hesitation, stepped up to help.”
Additional assistance to make improvements came from the Agnes M. Lindsay Trust, the Big E Trust, Town of West Springfield, Anonymous Donors, Construction Dynamics, Excel Dryer, Graybar Electric Supply, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Kelly Building Group, Kittredge Foodservice Equipment & Supply, Noonan Energy, Nora Roberts Foundation, Szlachetka Dubay, P.C., West Springfield Rotary Club, and West Springfield Rotary District 7890.
Those in attendance during the recognition included YMCA of Greater Springfield President and CEO Dexter Johnson, Mayor William Reichelt, Town Council members, Ondrick Materials and Recycling, Adam Quenneville Roofing and Siding, Eastman Chemical Company, the Friends of Jean Gailun team, and several others.
Sittard informed Reminder Publishing that Jean Gailun gathered about a dozen friends and “they asked all their friends to send a child to camp by donating to the YMCA.” As an active volunteer of the Springfield elementary schools, Gailun wanted to help send them and others to camp. “She is a volunteer at the Y for this fundraising effort,” said Sittard.
“The YMCA of Greater Springfield is so appreciative of all the hard work and donations from everyone who came together to help us with many of the projects needed at Camp Weber and raising funds to send kids to summer camp, culminating this spring,” said Johnson. He added that Camp Weber is now better than ever before. Last year, the camp was closed, however, he claimed, “It was a blessing in disguise,” because this allowed for more time to plan and roll out the capital improvement.
He, along with several others, extended their gratitude to Jean Gailun and her friends for their continued efforts over the past decade – raising funds to help send kids to camp.