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Honored

Elaine Nelson and Barry Rider were honored at the recent 4-H annual meeting. Courtesy photo.

 

 

 

POMFRET — The Windham County 4-H Foundation President Jane Rider recounted many “Foundation  Firsts” at the foundation’s annual meeting.

“Firsts” included: The first year of enjoying the new front porch facing the lake in front of the lodge, the flagship of the completion of phase one of the lodge renovation project; the first year of the “Camper Scamper”  5K walk/run to benefit the newly created Jim Logee Campership fund;  The second “Camper Scamper” is already scheduled for April 15; the first year of funding from the Ossen Family Foundation to help Latino boys from the Windham area to come to camp as Latino girls do through the Women and Children’s Fund and the receipt of an additional $500,000 from the State Bonding Commission to support Phase 2 of the Lodge project which is currently underway. 

Youth Program Director Heather Logee reported that in  2014,  

campership fund donations  increased by 30 percent which resulted in 15 percent of all campers receiving  some campership support in 2014.  Overall there were 135 more campers in 2014 than in 2013, a trend that the Foundation hopes to continue in 2015.  New in 2015 is a family camp overnight, August 14 and 15.

Foundation members Barry Rider and Elaine Nelson were recognized for their voluntary professional contributions in support of the lodge project by being named co-recipients of the 2015 Founder’s Spirit Award.  Barry has contributed countless hours and expertise as Building Committee chair and has volunteered  his professional  services as  clerk of the works for the lodge project, while Nelson manages the bookkeeping end for the project.  

The current slate of officers was elected unanimously to continue in 2015; Jane Rider, president; J. Marlies Thomen, vice president; Eileen Fritz, secretary and Sandra Ahola, treasurer.    In addition, one new full foundation member and four new associate members were voted in to join the 38 current active full and associate members.  Aili Galasyn and Irene Hutchinson moved from full membership to Honorary membership status and were recognized for their many years of service (44 for Aili and 51 for Irene!!) to the Foundation.  Aili was a 4-H leader and Irene served as camp nurse for 15 years before they became Foundation members.  Their children attended camp and Aili’s grandson will be a counselor in 2015.  Many other Foundation members started out as campers and some are related to the original Foundation members who started the camp in 1954.