Quassy, Post teaming up for fun event April 28 to benefit Fund
BY TOMMY VALUCKAS
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
WATERBURY — A new, fun-filled event next month will kick the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund’s 2024 fundraising season into high gear.
Quassy Amusement and Waterpark in Middlebury, Post University and local philanthropists including Post’s newly named chief financial officer, Frank J. Monteiro, are teaming up to offer thrillseekers the opportunity to enjoy a special day at the park and help the Campership Fund change kids’ lives through the opportunity to attend summer camp.
Campership Fund supporters can buy a special ticket for Sunday, April 28 to enjoy a day of rides and a Campership- exclusive lunch from noon to 2 in Quassy’s renovated pavilion, featuring hot dogs, burgers, wings, salad and a cash bar where part of the proceeds also go to the fund. Representatives of participating camps who accept Campership Fund campers will be invited and available to ask questions about their camps.
The special Campership ticket purchased in advance includes parking, and it’s the same day as the park’s popular spring Easter egg hunt.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We’re happy to support Campership and glad to work with Quassy,” said Monteiro, who is joined in his personal support by the Spectre Foundation, a nonprofit group of businessmen in Greater Waterbury who support local causes.
Monteiro has been a staunch backer of the Campership Fund for years, individually and through his industries, while Post University has come on board in recent years as a regular supporter of Campership, part of the university’s efforts to become more involved with the community and various charitable initiatives.
“Thanks to this sponsorship from Frank and Post University, all expenses for Quassy are paid, so every penny spent on tickets for this day goes directly to camp tuition,” said Anne Karolyi, president of the Campership Fund and managing editor of the Republican-American, Sunday Republican and repam. com. “We’re looking forward to a fun day and are excited to see how much camp tuition we can raise.”
The daylong fun extends Quassy’s historic support for the Campership Fund.
“Quassy Amusement Park has had a special and long relationship with the Campership Fund,” said George Frantzis II, co-owner of the park and as of this year a new member of the Campership Fund’s volunteer board of directors.
“The paper and Quassy have been working together for generations to promote the program,” Frantzis said. “It’s a great cause, and we’re excited to have this event kick off the new season.”
The event tickets are available on the park’s website (quassy.com) and as of Monday at the Republican-American, 389 Meadow St., between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets for the Campership event must be purchased in advance. They are $35 per person, or four for $100. That special price is lower than regular admission that day, which is $45 per person and does not include food or parking.
The Campership Fund’s tuition account has climbed to $130,825 so far this year. The board additionally will be able to tap into a $152,166 gift from
2024
the estate of Angela LaMoy, who wanted some of her generous bequests when she died to help send children to camp.
Tuition costs in 2023 topped out at $125,702, which by last summer’s end were all paid for by the Campership Fund. The 285 eligible campers who were approved for campership slots, and their families, did not have to worry about picking up any of the expenses as participants never are charged for their memorable fun in the sun opportunity.
Numbers of campers declined during and since the COVID-19 pandemic, but the fund’s directors are hoping for a return to pre-pandemic numbers of campers served, which had climbed as high as 470 children, Karolyi said.
Children ages 5 to 18 who are members of low-income families from Bethlehem, Cheshire, Middlebury, Prospect, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott and Woodbury are eligible to apply for camperships. The 10 communities comprise the United Way of Greater Waterbury’s service area.
United Way lends free staff assistance to help guide the application screening process that will begin later in the spring, and coordinate communications with camping facilities throughout the region that will welcome the eager charges once schools end their academic years in June.
Church groups and schools, large and small businesses and industries, civic clubs, fraternal organizations and others team up with the hundreds of generous individual donors who annually contribute to the Campership Fund to give it solid financial footing — as they have done so since 1969 when the program was launched.
While the summer camping season is only a precious three months before schools resume in September, the Campership Fund accepts donations all year round; it has no offseason. An easy way to contribute for those who are internet savvy is to simply log onto greaterwaterburycampershipfund. org and make a secure contribution electronically.
For anyone still preferring traditional methods, checks can be mailed to the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund, 389 Meadow St., Waterbury, CT 06722 or dropped off at the Republican-American building.
The Campership Fund is a 501(c) 3 organization, so gifts are tax-deductible.
Thrilling rides, and less scary rides like this classic carousel, will be featured April 28 as Quassy Amusement Park and Post University team up to host a new, daylong fundraiser for the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/QUASSY AMUSEMENT PARK
Post University and Quassy Amusement Park have teamed up to make possible a new, daylong fun event to benefit the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund on April 28.
