Most of the families waiting at Christ Our Light Catholic Church for the Fresh Air Fund bus knew the routine, having already hosted children from the southern end of New York, but others were new.
“This is our first year hosting,” said Melissa Faustel of Slingerlands. She waited with her 7-year-old niece for Grace, a New York City child the same age as Faustel’s niece. They held a handmade sign welcoming Grace and a large balloon with Disney princesses.
“I had never heard of the program before. I saw a sign while I was out and asked about it. And I thought, isn’t that the coolest program ever?” Faustel said.
Faustel’s was one of several families waiting for the Loudonville-bound bus that departed from New York City Monday morning, June 29. Over a dozen children from the five city boroughs, aged 6 to 18, will spend from one to two weeks with the Capital District families through the Fresh Air Fund.
The non-for-profit organization provides free bus trips to children from low-income families from New York City, so children can spend parts of their summers outside of the urban landscape in a suburban or rural environment.
Families hailed from Schenectady, Bethlehem, Colonie, Ballston Spa and East Greenbush. The plan, many said, was just to make sure the children got to spend as much time outside as possible. Since the trip came just in time for Independence Day, plans included family barbeques and picnics.
Faustel said that after Grace got off the bus, they would head to The Crossings of Colonie. Later in the week, she scheduled a pony ride for Grace and her niece. In between, the two would swim and play in the backyard.
Lynne Cuva, of Colonie, whose family was hosting 15-year-old Tatayana, planned trips to the Great Escape and Schroon Lake, along with bike riding and trips to the park.
“Just things that she would never have the opportunity to do at home,” said Cuva. They would also be going to get their nails done. Tatayana has stayed with the Cuvas for four years, but the family has been hosting for nearly twelve.
“Out first child aged out,” said Cuva, who had been hosting a now-22-year-old college graduate. “We decided back after 9/11 that our family needed to do something to help people in need. We started looking around. How could we help a child? We came upon the Fresh Air Fund and have been doing it ever since.”
Laura Vazquetelles of Bethlehem had a similar story. Dominic Canesh first stayed with her family when he was 10 years old and still does five years later.
“Ours is the one coming up with a big full beard,” said Vazquetelles, who waited with a video camera, her twin daughters and her son. She began to tear up when a Fresh Air Fund chairperson announced the bus was only minutes away.
She said her family participated in the program when she was a child, and she and her husband hosted before taking a break to have kids of their own. They started hosting again once their kids were old enough.
“We taught him how to ride a bike,” said Vazquetelles, reminiscing about Canesh’s stay with them. She said they usually take Canesh biking, hiking and camping. And, like true older brothers, he and Vazquetelles’s son Andrew tease her twin daughters, she said.
Also like family, Vazquetelles said she speaks to Canesh and his mother regularly about academics. “I talk to his mom about how school is going. That’s contingent. He has to keep his grades up,” she said.
For information about the Fresh Air Fund or to donate, go to www.freshair.org.