Camp Ingersoll ready for 2021 Chill for Change

The event has a larger goal this year of $15,000, which will be used for financial assistance.

MIDDLETOWN — As the seventh annual Chill for Change nears, Camp Ingersoll families, Northern Middlesex YMCA staff, and local supporters are coming together to provide camp experiences for children this summer.

“In a year that has been filled with stress, unpredictable schedules and isolation, camp is more important than ever,” the organization said in a press release. “Even though this year’s Chill for Change may look a little different, there are still plenty of opportunities for community members to get involved.

“Whether you would like to fund raise and jump into the pond on Feb. 20, support the jump by donating, or volunteer at the event you will be creating lifelong positive change in your community,” the news release said.

Last summer, more than 600 campers attended amid a global pandemic. Camp Ingersoll leadership worked closely with state and local organizations to ensure campers were as safe as possible. Procedures were adjusted to create a clean, welcoming, socially distanced and engaging atmosphere, the release said.

Camp gifts provide over $120,000 in financial assistance every summer. Over the past five years, the Chill for Change has added over $60,000 to the funds, which has supported camp scholarships for over 230 children, the release said. Each year, the individual who raises the most money will receive a certificate for a free camp session.

The 2020 Chill for Change raised almost $14,000, and the 2021 goal is to raise over $15,000. In light of COVID-19, the event is limiting spectators, live streaming the event, creating designated, socially distance, spaces for each participant to wait in, checking in before exiting vehicles, and increased sanitation protocols after participants change after jumping, the release said.

Register at campingersoll.org. For information, contact Ben Silliman at bsilliman@ midymca.org or call 860-342-2267.

Contributed photo / Northern Middlesex YMCA The Northern Middlesex YMCA’s Camp Ingersoll in Portland has participated in the Chill for Change for the past five years, raising over $60,000 to support camp scholarships for over 230 children.