“Camp this year was amazing,” Greta Brown wrote to the Maine Community Foundation. Reporting on her experience at Wavus Camp for Girls in Jefferson, Maine, she described paddling the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. “It was an experience unlike any other. I learned about leadership, LNT [Leave No Trace], responsibility, and kindness, all thanks to you.”
Well, actually, thanks to Joey and Carol Donnelly of York Harbor and their children. They set up the Tenny Donnelly Fund for Youth Enrichment at the foundation to honor two of their daughters' favorite things: camp and Maine.
“Summer camp is so important for kids,” says Joey, pointing to the learning that takes place and how campmates often become friends for life. They gain self-confidence and learn about teamwork and perseverance.
The Donnellys chose the community foundation because of its “excellent” investment performance, but also for its expertise. Says Carol, “The foundation has the networks to make the most of this opportunity.”
And they love receiving the occasional thank-you note, forwarded by community foundation staff, from young people like Greta Brown. “The pleasure of providing these opportunities is far greater than we ever expected,” Carol states. Her words echo Greta’s: “Thanks to the community foundation, this fund has developed into a wonderful experience.”
The Maine Community Foundation manages more than 400 scholarship funds that pay for traditional college or university education, graduate school, workshops and seminars, private high school tuition, and much more.