Although Hurricane Irene weakened to a tropical storm before
she passed through New York this past weekend, the rainy and ultra-windy conditions
still caused destruction across the state. —
Frost Valley YMCA,
a 6,000-acre property established in 1901 as one of the nation’s first summer
camps, was greatly affected by the storm. The Claryville, NY, YMCA, located
in the “forever wild” Catskill Mountain Preserve, has asked for help and
support due to flooding in its camp and conference center. Irene’s waves
engulfed Frost Valley’s historic Pigeon Lodge building and damaged it beyond
repair. The roads leading up to the YMCA are currently impassable, and the
directors were forced to cancel the week’s family camp and day camp because of
the restricted access.
Frost Valley directors aren’t sure when the roads will be
accessible again, and there’s still damage to be assessed. Staffers have begun
the cleanup process, but it can’t be done alone. This is where you come in! Consider helping to get this community center, which serves more than
40,000 visitors each year, back in business.
You can see photos, read about the devastation and learn
about Frost Valley’s
Hurricane Irene Relief Fund here.
In order to restore the camp, the YMCA will gladly accept any monetary donation
that you’re willing to make. You can also follow Frost
Valley’s coverage on Twitter and Facebook to stay updated about
the rebuilding progress and to see what help is still needed.
