Berkshire Fresh Air Fund Host Families Needed
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Williamstown twins Elliot and Clarissa Louis flank Avelisse Hernandez, who visited their family in 2014 through the Fresh Air Fund. |
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Two summers ago, the Louis family of Williamstown was eagerly anticipating the arrival of a very special guest.
An 8-year-old boy whose family was originally from Nepal but now lived in New York City had signed the child up for the Fresh Air Fund, a nonprofit that provides free summer experiences to New York City children by sending them to places like the Berkshires. The Louis family had corresponded with the boy and his family, and the two Louis children - twins Elliot and Clarissa, also 8 at the time - were excited to show the boy around their hometown.
But then they got the bad news when the bus arrived in the Berkshires.
"He didn't get on the bus," Rachel Louis said. "It happens."
The Louis family immediately turned their disappointment into action, and the Fresh Air Fund was able to match another child - a 7-year-old Palestinian girl who had been on the fund's long waiting list - and by the next day she was on a bus to Bennington, Vt.
"She was like this little firecracker," Louis said. "We had so much fun with her because she was so super excited about everything."
They had a great week with her, stayed in touch with her and invited her back the following summer. But lightning struck twice: As they waited for her in 2014, the found out that this year, she was the one who hadn't gotten on the bus.
"We were sad because we really adored her," Louis said - but once again, they turned to the fund and were immediately matched with another child, a 10-year-old girl from the Bronx whom an intern accompanied north on a Peter Pan bus.
"We just lucked out again. She was fabulous," Louis said.
And that is why Louis decided to undertake the challenge of being the Northern Berkshire co-chairwoman for the Fresh Air Fun and has made it her mission to recruit more families to host children this summer.
"It's just because we had such a great experience," she said.
Northern Berkshire County used to be a busy hub for hosting Fresh Air Fund kids, but Louis said last year only three kids had been able to stay in the area. This year, she ramped up recruitment efforts by handing out information and fliers at Williamstown events like the elementary school's camp fair and clothing sale. So far her efforts have not paid off.
"We've not really been very successful in getting new families," she said.
Some of the objections she hears are "I'm too busy" (to which she responds that local summer camps often are happy to offer scholarships for Fresh Air Fund children to attend at no cost) or "My kids are grown" (to which she responds that families don't have to have kids at home to host kids) or "I don't have the space" (to which she responds that a separate bedroom is not necessary).
Louis said she answers all the objections patiently and then offers the best reason of all to take the plunge and host a child.
"Hosting these kids has reminded everyone in our family what a great place we live in and how good we have it," she said. "It gives the reminders to the kids.
"We benefited from it, too. It wasn't charity."
Indeed, that's what Bridget Spann of Williamstown discovered when her family hosted a child last summer at their home, Caretaker Farm. They hosted a 10-year-old girl, which was a good match for her kids, 10-year-old Gabriela and 7-year-old Micah.
"(They) really enjoyed doing activities with her, showing her around Berkshire County, and seeing their home environment through another child's eyes," Spann said. "It made them realize what they took for granted in our community and what was different about living in a city versus living in the country.
Spann told the story of taking the girl and another Fresh Air Fund visitor to the top of Mount Greylock, where they met a few hikers who were attempting to hike the entire trail.
"As we shared our cookies with them, the girls peppered them with questions about life on the trail, their trail names, wildlife encounters, and what they would do when they reached their destination, Mt. Katahdin in Maine," Spann said. "The expression on their faces was priceless as the one hiker explained, 'Well, then I will go home.' To which they responded, 'That's it? You will hike all that way, and then just turn around and go home?'
"It was a funny interview for both parties, and got the girls really interested in this experience of hiking the trail."
Spann said her family is looking forward to hosting another child this summer. And it's not to late for other families to sign up: There are two trip dates scheduled for the area this summer: June 30-July 7 (one week) and Aug 1-11 (10 days). Interested familes should call Berkshire County coordinator Lelia Bruun directly at 413-528-6701 or 413-429-7546 for more details. Host families typically have to host an interview with everyone in the home to make sure there are no "red flags" and submit to a background check.
As for the Louis family, they are waiting for last year's guest to return this summer after talking and e-mailing all year round. And this time, they have her word they won't be disappointed again.
"She said, 'I promise I'll get on the bus,'" Louis said.
Tags: children & families, family,
