WYRZ.org 98.9 WYRZ – The Voice of Hendricks County
The David H. Kiebach Smile Fund, a fund of the Hendricks County Community Foundation (HCCF), awarded Jameson Camp a $10,300 grant to help support 20 campers for the 2018 summer season.
Established in 1928 as a “fresh air” camp for children at risk for tuberculosis, Jameson Camp has grown into a year-round youth development agency sitting on nearly 130 acres in Central Indiana and offering overnight and day summer camps, outdoor education, youth leadership and specialty camps to support the growth of children. The camp offers programs that promote skills such as teamwork, leadership, empowerment and conflict resolution.
This grant from the Community Foundation will subsidize the fee for the camp’s youth so they can attend at little or no cost to their families. In 2017, approximately 80% of the youth who attended Jameson Camp came from families that were financially insecure. Without supporters like HCCF, these children would not have the opportunity to have a summer experience at the camp. Jameson Camp’s Program Director Tim Nowak commented, “It’s exciting to have the support of our local Community Foundation. The weather may be cold now, but here at Jameson we spend all year thinking about our summer activities, and generous organizations like HCCF help make our programs possible.”
In addition to planning summer 2018 activities, Jameson Camp is also in the midst of its year-round Youth Leadership and Outdoor Education programs which together serve approximately 7,500 children. This grant from HCCF enables staff to continue to provide camp that is meaningful, impactful, and most of all, fun.
The David H. Kiebach Smile Fund is a permanent donor advised fund at HCCF that was established by David’s wife and children after his sudden death in 2007. David ‘s legacy through this fund has spread smiles and happiness in our community, granting over $140,000 since 2008 to outdoor programming for children and adults in need, including annual grants to Jameson Camp. HCCF President & CEO William Rhodehamel expressed the value of funds like the Kiebach Smile fund, “In times of loss, families like David’s can count on memorial funds here at the Community Foundation to honor their loved ones by impacting their community every year for the better.”
The Hendricks County Community Foundation partners with generous people to realize their charitable goals while addressing community needs in meaningful and lasting ways. The Community Foundation manages assets of over $13 million in a collection of funds created by individuals, families, businesses and organizations for charitable purposes. In 2017, the Community Foundation gave over $547,000 in grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to local students. For more information, call 317-268-6240 or visit www.hendrickscountycf.org.
