Colin’s Crew Polar Dip to Benefit Camp Sunshine Set for Saturday, Feb. 23 in West Haven

Freezin’ for a Reason event to help send more families to Camp Sunshine, a one-of-a-kind retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (January 25, 2013) – The third annual Colin’s Crew Polar Dip to benefit Camp Sunshine is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 23 at the Savin Rock Conference Center beach in West Haven, Conn.

Participants will take the plunge into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean to raise money to help send more families from Connecticut to Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org), a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

New this year, the Colin’s Crew Polar Dip has partnered with CrowdRise, a popular online fundraising platform, to make it easier for the entire community to unite, support and fundraise for Camp Sunshine. To start raising funds, form or join a team, and donate online, visit http://www.crowdrise.com/ColinsCrewPolarDip. For more information, call (207) 655-3800.

Organizers have set a goal to raise $20,000 – enough to send 10 Connecticut families to Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org). Plungers are encouraged to create a plunge team of four or more people, consisting of co-workers and classmates and from civic groups or places of worship.

Each participant who raises at least $100 in pledges for Camp Sunshine will receive a coveted “I DID IT!” t-shirt. The Savin Rock Conference Center is located off CT-162W in southern Connecticut at 6 Rock Street in West Haven. Registration begins at 1 p.m. with the plunge set for 2 p.m.

Colin’s Crew was inspired by friends and family of Colin Westbrook of Wallingford, Conn., who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in October 2009, just days after his second birthday. Colin’s Crew was formed to provide financial support to Colin and his family, who first attended Camp Sunshine in 2010. As Colin continues to do well, Colin’s Crew remains committed to assisting other families in the same situation as the Westbrook’s. Learn more by finding Colin’s Crew on Facebook. 

“Camp Sunshine holds a special place in my heart and having the opportunity to help other families share the unique experience Camp Sunshine provides is something I am proud to be part of,” said Heather Westbrook, Colin’s mother.

Nestled alongside the shores of beautiful Sebago Lake in Casco, Maine, Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed on them on a daily basis.

The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers.  It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family.

“Colin’s Crew deserves a ton of credit for making a difference,” said Michael Smith, Camp Sunshine’s Director of Special Events. “The reality of this event is that the discomfort our plungers feel for just a moment will never compare to what our families go through during the course of their child’s illness.”

He added, “It’s for the families and children that we plunge – we call it Freezin’ for a Reason.”

Those unable or not willing to submerge in near-freezing water can still participate in the Chicken Dip. Chicken dippers are still required to raise the minimum of $100 to participate, but only need to get their feet wet – a perfect opportunity for some of Camp Sunshine’s children to take part, Smith said.

Since Camp Sunshine opened in 1984, it has provided a haven for more than 35,000 family members from 48 states and 22 countries. In 2012, for example, 30 Connecticut families participated in Camp Sunshine’s program. Sadly, even with multiple sessions being added annually at Camp Sunshine, there are still many more children from Connecticut being newly diagnosed each year.

Camp Sunshine’s program continues to be recommended by the following Connecticut treatment centers: Connecticut Children's Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital & Medical Center, and Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital.

About Camp Sunshine

Camp Sunshine offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week, and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed upon them on a daily basis. The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family – the ill child, the parents and the siblings. Since its inception in 1984, Camp Sunshine has provided a haven for more than 32,000 individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition to providing 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support, the camp offers a variety of daily activities, including swimming, boating, archery and soccer, and special events such as bonfires and cookouts; and also hosts fall and winter programs. To support Camp Sunshine, call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

#  #  #

Event listing

WHAT: Third annual Colin’s Crew Polar Dip to benefit Camp Sunshine

WHEN: Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 2 p.m. (registration begins at 1 p.m.)

WHERE: Savin Rock Conference Center, 6 Rock Street, West Haven, Conn.

WHO:   Event to raise money to send more Connecticut families to Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org), a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families

MORE INFO: Participants are encouraged to raise a minimum of $100 in pledges and plunge into the Atlantic Ocean to receive an official “I DID IT” long-sleeved t-shirt.  All proceeds will benefit Camp Sunshine. The goal is to raise $20,000.

WEBSITE: http://www.crowdrise.com/ColinsCrewPolarDip

FACEBOOK: Colin’s Crew Polar Dip - https://www.facebook.com/events/378687158879670/

CONTACT: Michael Smith, Camp Sunshine (207) 655-3800 msmith@campsunshine.org

Photos from 2012 & 2011 Colin's Crew Polar Dip

Here is more news and information about Camp Sunshine