HCN News & Notes

Businesses Pull Together to Help YMCA of Greater Springfield, Camp Weber

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The YMCA of Greater Springfield reached out to several local business for their help with upgrades at its Camp Weber in West Springfield this past year. Ondrick Materials & Recycling of Chicopee, Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding of South Hadley, and Eastman Chemical Co. of Springfield were among several businesses that, without hesitation, stepped up to help. Over the course of a few months this spring, various projects were completed to upgrade Camp Weber, including paving, new roofs, painting, landscaping, consulting, new equipment, and more.

The YMCA was also fortunate to receive donations and grant awards to help with other expenses on the project. In addition, some community friends came together and helped raise enough money to send nearly 300 kids to one-week sessions of camp.

“The YMCA of Greater Springfield is so appreciative of all the hard work and donations from everyone who came together to help us with many of the projects needed at Camp Weber and raising funds to send kids to summer camp, culminating this spring. It allowed us to open camp on a strong foundation, providing our campers and staff with a better Camp Weber than before the pandemic,” said Dexter Johnson, president and CEO. “Because of COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines, we were not able to open Camp Weber last summer. It was a blessing in disguise because it gave us more time to plan and roll out our capital improvements at the camp. I would also like to thank Jean Gailun and her friends, who, for another year in nearly a decade, have raised funds to help send kids to camp.”

Among those who helped the YMCA make improvements at Camp Weber are Adam Quennville Roofing & Siding, anonymous donors, the Agnes M. Lindsay Trust, Big E Trust – Town of West Springfield, Construction Dynamics, Eastman Chemical Co., Excel Dryer, Graybar Electric Supply, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Kelly Building Group, Kittredge Foodservice Equipment & Supply, Noonan Energy, Nora Roberts Foundation, Ondrick Materials & Recycling, Szlachetka Dubay, P.C., West Springfield Rotary Club, and West Springfield Rotary District 7890.