photos courtesy of the Ridgewood Police Department
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, on August 16, 2022, Ptl. Bigos and Ptl. Van Dyke along with members of the Ridgewood Fire Department dropped in on Camp Sunshine to show the campers our Emergency Vehicles. Ptl. Bigos and Ptl. Van Dyke explained the functions of Patrol as well as gave a tour of our vehicles allowing the campers to sit in the cars and even make a few arrests!
Ridgewoood NJ, This weekend you will see members of the Knights of Columbus Council 1736 around town asking for donations for their annual collection for people with intellectual disabilities. One of the recipients is Camp Sunshine, which holds events at their Ridgewood Duck Pond site all summer long for this population. Thank you in advance for your support.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Council #1736 recently presented donations to three local charities: Ridgewood Social Service Association, Camp Sunshine, and Good Counsel Homes. Representatives from each organization were on hand to give speeches to the Knights that highlighted their organizations’ good works and service toRidgewood and the surrounding community.
Denise Vollkommer of the SSA described the many services offered to families in the area, such as food through vouchers and their on-site food pantry, as well as emergency rent and utility assistance. She explained how many families have been affected during the economic crisis. SSA’s goal is to provide ongoing support to families in need, made possible with the help of generous donors.
Camp Sunshine and Camp Snowflake provide year round programs for multiply disabled young people in and around Ridgewood. Sal Schifano, a board member and father of one of the participants, spoke movingly about what the Camp has meant to him and to his family.
President and Executive Director Chris Bell represented Good Counsel Homes, which is celebrating their 30-year anniversary. Good Counsel is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader and innovator in creating supportive residential care and community-based services for homeless, expectant, and new mothers and their children.
“The Knights are proud to be helping out such praiseworthy organizations”, said Mark Stappenbeck of the Ridgewood Knights.
JULY 17, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Camp Sunshine, held each summer at the Duck Pond on East Ridgewood Avenue, is a great place for children and young adults with special needs to spend time. The well-organized camp, under the direction of Cathy Telerico, gives participants the opportunity to experience the kind of fun and freedom that other young people enjoy.
The camp features a variety of activities for its attendees, including swimming in the facility’s pool, playing in the field, doing arts and crafts, and helping to make lunch, among other things. Camp Sunshine also has themed days in order to keep things lively. A recent one, for example, was Italian Day, when that country’s food was served.
While the camp is structured in a way to keep the participants safe, it is also a relatively free environment where the campers are encouraged to enjoy themselves during their time away from school.
“I think it’s important that the campers have a break, because in school, everything is so structured, and we do have some structure here, but it’s a little bit more limited,” Telerico said. “I mean, they’re kids too … they want to come here and have some fun, and that’s what we’re all about.
