Thursday afternoon, June 11, over 150 friends - old and new - gathered at Girls Inc's Winthrop House for a CELEBRATION event. We honored Dr. Jean King and Linda Cavaioli as our 2009 Advocates for Girls, dedicated The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation Aquatics Center and unveiled the beautiful Giving Tree mural, handcrafted for us by Jennifer Paradee. "I saw so many old friends that it was like a family reunion," said Maureen Gray, Board member at the end of the event. "They were so glad to be back."
Sponsors for the Girls Celebration - DCU for Kids, Emerson Investments, Kiwanis Foundation of Worcester, Powers Insurance and U Mass Medical School provided the leadership for the event to raise funds for scholarships for Girls Inc summer programs at Camp Kinneywood and the Intown Program at Winthrop House. Combined with funds raised through the annual Camp Appeal, led by the Providence and Worcester Railroad, and a staff/volunteer production of Nunsense 2, our camp scholarship fund has so far raised over $22,000. Almost $20,000 of those funds have already been awarded to dozens of children and families in full and partial scholarships.
"The need for financial support this year is unprecedented," remarked Cathi Coridan, Executive Director. "Families that we have offered 3/4 scholarships to have turned us down, due to being unable to pay the balance. Parents are out of work, some are making arrangements to leave their kids with older siblings. Parents are frustrated that they cannot afford to provide them the enriching opportunities that a summer program can afford them. We cannot afford to make up that difference without the additional support of the community."
"We are asking our friends - old and new - to look deeper, be more generous. We hope to raise at least another $15,000 which will let us give over 100 more full and partial scholarships for Worcester's kids to participate in our programs this summer."