Seeking Fresh Air Hosts-Welcome A City Child To Newtown This Summer
Seeking Fresh Air Hostsâ
Welcome A City Child To Newtown This Summer
By Kendra Bobowick
She is sharing Newtown.
To the child from New York City who will again visit resident Marie Athansâ home this summer, âIt is a whole other world,â she said.
As a Fresh Air Fund volunteer, Ms Athans hopes the young man, âArturoâ can take advantage of not only the outdoor beauty the town offers in its trails, lakes, and parks, but wants to share the comforts of home.
She also hopes other residents will give a city child a taste of the country in coming weeks. âOne more [volunteer] is one more, right! Hopefully weâll get one more,â she said. As a local Fresh Air representative, Ms Athans encourages residents to learn more about the program. âYou donât need a lot of money. You really donât see a change [in budget],â she said. While some families may opt to take day trips to amusement parks, for example, just a simple week or two spent around town will be a change for a child accustomed to an inner city.
Fresh Air Executive Director Jenny Morgenthau explained, âWe stress to host families that they donât necessarily have to do anything elaborate. Do what you normally do because thatâs a new experience for the Fresh Air kids who donât have a backyard or a community pool.â
Offering an example, she described what at first appears to be an ordinary event. The family was out for a ride in their convertible and the child had been looking up. The child started screaming. âHe had never seen stars,â she said. Making her point, she explained, âItâs education and itâs letting kids know that itâs a big world out there.â
Families often tell Ms Morgenthau, âYou get as much as you give â itâs important for a child to get out of the city and the hot apartment and be a child.â Ms Athans speaks first-hand about even the simple, small ways in which a city childâs eyes are opened. âFor them to even play in the grass is something.â Speaking of her own guest who will arrive next month, she said, âThere is nothing like that where Arturo lives.â Even a tag sale proved to be a big difference. Coming from someone who values each possession, she explained, âHe thought it was funny that people would sell their things.â
Ms Morgenthau also offers insights into the childrenâs perspectives. âTheyâll say, âNo guns?â âNo drugs?â âNo one stole my baseball glove?ââ And bar none, she said that the children love swimming. âThere is not a lot of opportunity to swim in a city, and for the younger children there is not a lot of opportunity to go out by yourself.â
Ms Athans can vouch for the swimming. âIt was obvious the day [Arturo] went I the pool that he could not swim, but the next day when he was swimming; he was so happy.â
This summer she is planning on nature walks and catching crawfish in the river. In the past she has taken him to a farm and stopped for ice cream. With two daughters who no longer live at home, she said, âI have a nice home here; itâs almost like an empty nest and I have no one to share it with and no children to use all this.â Several years ago Ms Athans had learned about the Fresh Air Fund and decided to volunteer as a host. âWhat better way to share what I have with someone who doesnât?â she asked.
âOpen your home to an inner city child,â states a brochure publicizing the program.
Get In Touch
A family can contact Newtownâs Fresh Air representative Marie Athans at 203-426-7137 or the New York office at 800-367-0003 to express interest in hosting a child. Applicants will fill out paperwork and an employee or volunteer from the organization will conduct an interview at their home. Applicants are subject to a background check.
Dates of upcoming visits are July 8 to July 22 and August 6 to August 15. The two closest towns where children will be dropped off and picked up are Monroe and Danbury.
For residents who would like to host this summer in July, it is best to have the application in by the beginning of June. Applications should be in by the beginning of July for those who would like to host in August. Ideally, it is best to register as soon as possible, for a better chance of being matched with a child who fits best with your family.
There are no financial requirements to host a Fresh Air child. A family must simply have an extra bed for the child to sleep in during their stay.
Approximately 44 families hosted in the Northern Fairfield County area last summer. The Fresh Air Fund employees aim to increase the number of community members from Newtown who can host this summer. Hosts may request the age group and gender of their Fresh Air visitor.
The Fresh Air Fund provides transportation and arrangements for payment of any medical expenses for children without insurance. The fund also provides liability insurance for hosts and committee volunteers. Since 1877, more than 1.7 million children growing up in New York Cityâs neighborhoods have experienced the Fresh Air Fund vacations. The fund is a not-for-profit agency. Visit freshair.org.