Campsite Kudos – Alumni of Camp Courant express thanks
- Today Magazine Online
- 12 hours ago
- 5 min read
• Alum of Nation's Oldest Free Summer Camp Offer Thanks and Kudos
Bruce William Deckert
Editor-in-Chief
Today Magazine Online
• This feature is the second in a series — the link to the first is below
Hartford’s Camp Courant has provided a free summer-fun experience for the children of Hartford for over 130 years. The nonprofit is the oldest and largest free-of-charge summer day camp in America, according to the Camp Courant website.
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Nestled in Farmington on Batterson Park Road, Camp Courant has roots that can be traced to 1894. This July, the United States is poised to celebrate its 250th birthday. For more than half of the nation's lifespan — 53 percent, to be specific — Camp Courant has been a mainstay in Connecticut.
Many families in Greater Hartford are able to financially afford a summer camp for their children. For these families, there are plentiful options around the state and throughout New England.
The rationale for offering a no-cost summer camp is simple: The staff and supporters of Camp Courant believe that providing the benefits of a camp experience for families struggling to make ends meet is simply the right thing to do.
The camp serves children from the ages of 5 through 12.
The camp's first home was in West Hartford. In 1960, Camp Courant moved to its current Batterson Park Road location. Farmington is the namesake town of Connecticut's Farmington Valley, a five-town region west of Hartford, the state's capital city.
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Former campers and staff have voiced appreciation and commendation connected to their firsthand experience at Hartford’s Camp Courant and the constructive role this noteworthy nonprofit has played in their lives — in alphabetical order by last name, here are five direct quotes aka testimonies:
Thomas “TJ” Clarke
• Hartford City Council • Majority Leader • City Council president
• former Camp Courant counselor
• Quote — "As I look back I can say how grateful I was to be a part of a great organization that treated every employee as if they were family. Being a camp counselor has equipped me with the skills I need ... in order for me to succeed on my job on a daily basis. As a camp counselor, the job taught me patience, customer service, building relationships, working in hostile environments, and conflict resolution to name a few. All of these skills are necessary competencies for being [in a leadership role] for the city of Hartford."
Luis Martinez
• former Camp Courant camper
• Quote — "As a child, I grew up in one of Hartford’s roughest projects, and was raised by my grandparents who didn’t have much money. ... Camp provided a place for me to stay off the streets and it was free. It also helped me stay away from the drugs and violence which were on the streets. At camp, I was able to reconnect with my friends who I didn’t see in the summer because they did not live in the same neighborhood. ... Things could have turned out differently if I did not attend Camp Courant. ... We learned things that I still use today as an adult, such as teamwork and respect."
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Je’Quana Orr
• University of Connecticut School of Law • Doctor of Law: J.D.
• former Camp Courant camper
• Quote — "As a North Carolina native, I hadn’t arrived in Hartford until age 9. My first year in Connecticut was a major adjustment. Not only had I moved to a new area and was attending a new school, but I had also just lost my mother to a brain tumor. ... This made that first summer with Camp Courant all the more important. ... I am just one of thousands of Hartford kids who benefited from the opportunity to attend Camp Courant. During the summer months, families from all across Hartford, particularly low-income families, struggle to find activities for their children. Camp Courant alleviates that stress for Hartford residents, providing a free day camp for their children that includes a range of fun and educational programs."
Natalie Patterson
• former Camp Courant camper and junior leader
• former Camp Courant board member
• Quote — "When I was 7 years old I began going to Hartford Camp Courant while my parents went to work during the day. I attended the camp with my older brother and my twin brother. When I first started going to camp I was very shy and quiet ... every summer I attended camp and I began to become more and more comfortable in going and making new friends. So when the time came to apply for the junior leadership program ... I was determined to get accepted and make it through the interview process. The day they announced the new junior leaders under the art pavilion and I heard my name be called I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to tell everyone. ... I was also excited because my twin brother was accepted as well and I knew I had someone there to be by my side through this program."
Hector Rivera
• President and CEO • Our Piece of the Pie
• former Camp Courant camper
• former Camp Courant board member
• Quote — "Like many other youth in the early 1980s, my mother always struggled to find meaningful activities for me to participate in during the summer months. As a single parent whose first commitment was to earn a living in order to support me and my siblings, she was always trying to expose us to opportunities that would expand our knowledge of the world. For her oldest son it was also about seeking out positive experiences in contrast to the perils of growing up in one of Hartford’s worst housing projects: Stowe Village. The opportunity to attend Camp Courant allowed me to meet other youth from other Hartford neighborhoods. ... I believe that my early experiences as a Camp Courant camper helped shape the passion and advocacy that I possess today." +
Source for alumni quotes — Camp Courant website: Alumni webpage
• This feature is the second in a series — here is the first:
Camp Courant – Nation's oldest free camp delivers for Hartford youth
The Hartford Courant is widely recognized as the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States — founded in 1764 as the weekly Connecticut Courant, the publication became a daily paper in 1837
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