EDISON – A new pilot program started by the Township of Edison allowed children to attend YMCA’s Oakcrest Camp, located on Inman Avenue in Edison.
Local businesses were asked to sponsor children so they could have a camp experience, according to information provided by the YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge & South Amboy (MEWSA). Several businesses sponsored from one and three campers, including BCB Community Bank of Edison, the law firm of McManimon, Scotland and Baumann, MASER Consulting, Moghul Catering, India Grocers, Indian Groceries Outlet, Avenel-Iselin Medical Group, East Coast Emergency Vehicles and Columbia Bank.
The sponsorships enabled 16 children to attend camp for four weeks with their experience culminating in a field trip to Adventure Aquarium in Camden.
Mark Rellinger and Adriana Linder from Columbia Bank, the largest sponsor for the pilot program, presented a check for $2,500 to Michael Campbell, Youth Opportunity coordinator for Edison Township, according to the statement. Also on hand were Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey; Cindy O’Neill, director of Operations of the Edison YMCA; and Eric Meshirer, Oakcrest Camp director.
“We are so proud to partner with Edison Township on this new initiative and gratified that so many businesses stepped up to support this program,” Rose Cushing, president and CEO of the YMCA of MEWSA, said in the statement. “We are grateful that they were able to provide these children with a camp experience that they will never forget.”
For more information on Oakcrest Camp, contact Meshirer at [email protected].