‘Fresh Air’ by way of a bus ride from New York

Local host families greet their young Fresh Air Fund guests for the summer

By: Katie Wagner
   WEST WINDSOR — Anton Whyte calmly waited in the Southfield Retail Center parking lot Tuesday afternoon for friends he hadn’t seen since winter.
   The sun beat down on him, but Anton was too busy thinking about his two-week-long vacation in Princeton to complain about the heat.
   The 11-year-old from the Bronx, N.Y., said he was looking forward to playing all kinds of sports with Sophia Monaghan, 11, and her two siblings.
   "I’ll play football, basketball and baseball," Anton said. "I’ll try soccer. I’ll also try squash."
   This is Anton’s third summer leaving home to stay with the Monaghans. "It’s a fun experience every time," Anton said. "Every time I come, it’s always something new.
   "And I need a break from my brother once in a while," he added.
   Anton is one of seven children from New York City that traveled to West Windsor by bus Tuesday to meet a summer vacation host family from Mercer County.
   The pairing up of each child with a family was arranged through the Fresh Air Fund, an independent, nonprofit agency that has been providing free summer vacations to children since 1877. Each summer, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 northeastern states and Canada through the fund. Last summer, the fund brought 16 children to Mercer County and this summer a total of 21 are expected to vacation with a family in the region.
   Some children arriving with Anton had less of an idea of what to expect.
   It was Quenisha Parsons of Queens, N.Y., first day ever being away from her family. It was also the 11-year-old’s birthday. But she wasn’t scared, only excited to meet her host family.
   When they greeted her with balloons, Quenisha was all smiles.
   Ken Forgash, one of the members of Quenisha’s host family asked her if she knew how to swim and Quenisha said no.
   "Well you’re going to learn," Mr. Forgash of Robbinsville said.
   This made Quenisha smile even more.
   "We’re all very excited," said Quilgia Forgash, mother of two teenage girls and wife of Mr. Forgash.
   A pool party and barbecue and trip to a Trenton Thunder baseball game are two events that the Fresh Air Fund Mercer County Committee have planned for the New York City vacationers.
   Members of host families also have a lot in store for the children, with some plans more formal than others.
   Eileen Mannix of Lawrence said her daughter Gianna will be taking art classes with their guest, Aieyla Santaella, 11, of the Bronx.
   The Monaghans usually take Anton swimming and biking.
   "He likes to go for bike rides around the neighborhood," Ansie Monaghan said. "He’s really very aware of the stuff we take for granted."