NORWICH – Families stood in the parking lot of Weiler Park, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Fresh Air Fund bus and the children who would become part of their families for the next two weeks.
Thirty-seven children set out from the Port Authority in New York City for destinations in Sidney, Bainbridge and Norwich. The Fresh Air Fund is a not-for-profit organization that provides free vacations to New York City children from low income communities. The children, ages 6 to 18, spend time in the summer with a host family residing in a small town, “friendly community” in one of 13 states.
Five children will be residing with Norwich families for the next two weeks. For some of the families this is a new experience. For others, it is a tradition they look forward to year after year.
For Elizabeth Garry and Betsy Von Mechow, this will be the fourth year they have hosted a Fresh Air Fund child, and for the fourth year, they have elected to spend the two weeks with the same child who made the trip out the first year.
Garry explained their family decided to become involved after seeing a story in the paper. “We got Manny the first year and we’ve kept with it. He’s part of our family. We stay in contact through out the year,” Garry said.
Von Mechow explained how different the experience is for children living in the city, saying things we take for granted are often new to them, like climbing a tree, riding a bike, learning to swim or walking bare-foot in the grass.
“If you can take that leap (bringing a stranger into your home) it’s a wonderful thing for a family to do,” Von Mechow said.
Tonya Lamphere agrees the experience is wonderful. In her second year participating as a host family, Lamphere will be hosting two children, one of whom her family hosted last year.
Speaking of last year’s experience, Lamphere said, “the fresh air kids loved it and my kids loved it. They compared their lifestyles and had a blast together.” Lamphere, who has three children of her own and two foster children, with ages ranging from one to eight, said the children got along and enjoyed their time together.
Although Kylee Borden has never hosted a child before, she remembers her mother hosting the same two Fresh Air Children for five years when she was a child. Borden, who has a big heart for children, said there are always children in her home – whether it be foster children, her son’s friends or fresh air children – and that she looks forward to the experience.
Sandra Follett, the new chair person for the program will also be hosting her first child this year. Waiting eagerly with the other families, Follett explained the plans she has arranged for the next two weeks, which will include camping at Bowman Lake, fishing and baseball.
The bus full of excited children pulled into the parking lot shortly after 8 p.m., and five excited New York City children climbed out, anxious to enjoy their new surroundings. The fresh air fund kids and the children of the host families quickly began playing together in Weiler Park.
Helen Regenbogen chairperson of the Bainbridge Friendly Town, accompanied the children on their trip. As a former fresh air child, Regenbogen hopes interest in hosting fresh air children will grow before next summer. “We have a wonderful new chair person, Sandra Follett, who is helping to make the Norwich Friendly Town grow,” said Regenbogen.
Another group of fresh air children will be coming to the area in August, for a two week time span. Anyone interested in becoming a host family in August or next summer should call Follett for more information at 336-9622.

e-mail: jlewis@evesun.com