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4-H awarded
3-year grant
POMFRET — The Windham County 4-H Foundation was recently awarded a three-year challenge grant from the Jeffrey Ossen Family Foundation. The award is for a 1:1 match up to $12,000 a year for three years to support camperships for Windham boys and girls to attend overnight summer camp at the Foundation’s Pomfret location on Taft Pond Road.
Board members and Camp Director Heather Logee worked throughout 2017 to raise matching funds prior to the end of the year. The last contribution for 2017 was received on Dec. 13, just in the nick of time, to hit the $12,000 challenge amount to the penny! This amount of money will allow the camp to offer 25 weeks of camp to those youngsters from the Greater Windham area who wouldn’t be able to attend without this support.
Logee said: “Our camp program is designed to empower. It is our desire for campers to learn about themselves while they are at camp. Camper choice is a key component we offer to help them become more independent. That means trying new things, going home with new found confidence in a new skill, or displaying some new talent developed such as horseback riding, kayaking, or canoeing, improved swimming, new interests, and gaining new friends from other towns. Every camper takes part in team building, whether it is through role playing exercises, sports, singing with the cabin during meals or the entire camp around the campfire. Contributing, participating and having fun are all encouraged, to the best of the camper’s abilities. Leadership is encouraged in every way and all are urged to try to develop new skills and interests. The camp experience can be a life changer.”
The challenge continues in 2018 and 2019. If you would like to make a contribution, please send a check made out to Windham County 4-H Foundation, 326 Taft Pond Rd., Pomfret Center, CT and note “Ossen Matching Grant” in the remarks section of your check.