This year Fellowship Place established The Birgitta Johnson Campership Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. As a long time Fellowship Place Board member and supporter, this fund was established in memory of Birgitta’s years of dedication to the agency, her commitment to philanthropy, and her love of travel and adventure. The fund will award three camperships annually, for Fellowship Place members to attend Camp CONNRI, an adult retreat and vacation center operated by the Salvation Army located on over 250 acres overlooking a lake in eastern Connecticut. The existence of a Campership Fund presents our members with an opportunity of a lifetime; most have never taken an overnight trip outside of the city, let alone an activity-filled vacation in the country fresh air. Camp activities range from swimming and boating to miniature golf, archery, arts & crafts, and theme dances. In March 2014, Fellowship Place’s Board of Directors conducted the first annual Campership contest. Interested members were asked to submit an essay or piece of artwork describing why they wanted to go to camp. Awards were given for Best Essay, Best Art Work, and Best Overall Entry. Our 3 campership winners joined 14 other Fellowship members and 3 staff at CONNRI from July 8-11. For most of the members in our group, the trip to CONNRI was their first overnight vacation. The opportunity to leave the inner city for a few days and enjoy the natural beauty of the camp builds confidence and recharges their batteries to cope with the many challenges they face at home.
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Post trip testimonials: “When I wake up in my apartment in New Haven, I hear constant noise from police sirens & emergency vehicles. At CONNRI, I woke up to peace & quiet. It felt wonderful.” “This was my first opportunity to go swimming in 15 years. I loved it.” “The chance to get away to a peaceful place revived my spirits and makes me feel ready to deal with my many challenges.” “I have never had a vacation before. It felt wonderful to get out of the city.” “I loved the dance and meeting people from another agency. We all got along and it was so much fun.” “I loved shuffleboard. I have never played before.” “I hope I can go again next year. This was the best trip ever, everyone was so nice.” Click here to make a Donation to The Birgitta Johnson Campership Fund for Fellowship Place Or mail a check, payable to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven at 70 Audubon Street, New Haven CT 06510; please write Campership Fund in the memo line.
On Tuesday March 18, from 9:30am-11:30am, Fellowship Place hosted our annual Education Fair. This successful event, open and free to the public, offers opportunity for individuals to meet with community educational representatives for information about resources, programs, and financial aid.
