The East Haven Rotary Club is proud to announce our partnership with Camp Rising Sun in Colebrook, CT. We made a commitment that beginning this summer, the Club will sponsor a deserving local child each year allowing them to attend the camp. The goal of our Pet Photo Fun Contest is to raise the $2,000 necessary to send one camper for the week.
Camp Rising Sun welcomes any child aged 5-17 who has faced a diagnosis of cancer to a week of fun and friendship. Campers can be in treatment, in remission, or anywhere in between. Camp is held in the beautiful hills of Colebrook, Connecticut at the facilities of Camp Jewell, a YMCA campground. Campers stay in heated cabins with other children in their age group along with a dedicated staff. Thanks to generous supporters there is no cost to attend camp.
The East Haven Rotary provides "Service Above Self" to local, state, national and international communities, with events such as, Haitian food relief efforts, Thanksgiving Dinner deliveries, the Clothe the Children campaign, and this new send a child to camp fundraiser! Now in our 83rd year, our Rotarians have been involved in thousands of projects helping East Haven residents.
Meet Bear
K-9 Bear, the event's official mascot is a full ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Certified Service Dog, that is celebrating his one-year anniversary with the Middletown Police Department. K-9 Bear is partnered with Officer Jay Bodell who serves as Community Relations Officer. Bear's primary role is officer wellness for the Middletown Police Department as well as surrounding agencies and towns. He is trained to assist Police Officers, Firefighters, and Military Veterans who suffer from severe PTSD, anxiety, and other effects resulting from exposure to trauma.
Bear, an amazing black lab, is one of only 4 service canines in the State of Connecticut and has over 10,000 hours of socialization. Bear was chosen by the Club because recently he and his human, Officer Jay Bodell, were inducted into the Middletown Rotary Club, making
K-9 Bear the first ADA Certified Service Dog Rotarian!