(The Westfield News) State Sen. John C. Velis gathered Representative Kelly Pease, Mayor Michael McCabe, members of the Westfield YMCA Board of Directors, administration and campers at Camp Shepard on Aug. 19 to present a check for $100,000 in state funding for infrastructure improvements at the camp.
The funding was included in the recent fiscal year 2027 state budget that was passed by the Senate and the House and signed into law in July.
Velis said his “partners in funding,” Pease and McCabe, were an important part of the announcement, as was YMCA Director Andrea Allard, who did such a good job of talking about the needs at the camp.
“One of the committees I chair is Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery,” Velis said that he wanted to talk about mental health. Putting his arms out to indicate the surroundings, he added, “Kids are exposed to being outside, away from cellphones, being in nature.”
Velis said he knew how important the camp is to the community by asking the staff how long they’d been involved; many said 12 to 15 years or more.
“Look around. There are beautiful things happening,” Velis said.
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