Camping Program FAQs
Please refer to the questions below to learn more about The Fresh Air Fund's Camping program.
What is the age and gender group served at each camp?
Where are the camps located? How far is this from NYC?
How do the children get to camp?
Are there bathrooms in the cabins?
Is there electricity at the camps?
How do I get my child into Camp Mariah?
Who owns The Fresh Air Fund camps?
Who supervises the children?
How many kids are in a cabin?
Where do children swim?
What do they eat at camp?
Does a child need money at camp?
What things should a child NOT bring to camp?
What if my child gets sick at camp?
How do I reach my child by phone at camp?
What is the age and gender group served at each camp?
Anita Bliss Coler (ABC) – Girls only ages 9-12
Hayden-Marks – Boys only ages 9-12
Tommy – Boys only ages 12 ½-15
Hidden Valley – Girls and Boys ages 8-12 (serves children with and without special needs).
Camp Mariah – Girls and Boys - admission is restricted to children who are currently in the 6th grade.
Where are the camps located? How far is this from NYC?
All five camps are located on Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, New York (20 minutes south of Poughkeepsie and an hour and a half north of NYC).
How do the children get to camp?
Buses are chartered by The Fresh Air Fund to take children to and from camp. Children and parents meet on the day of departure at the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal located at 178th Street and Broadway. You will receive a letter of confirmation a few weeks before the date of departure stating the date, location and time of departure. Camp Mariah’s departure takes place at the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue.
Are there bathrooms in the cabins?
Hidden Valley and Camp Mariah have bathrooms in the cabins. ABC, Hayden-Marks and Tommy have shower houses with bathrooms that are located a short distance from the cabins.
Is there electricity at the camps?
Camps Hayden-Marks, Hidden Valley and Mariah have electricity in all buildings and cabins. Many cabins at Camps ABC and Tommy do not have electricity.
How do I get my child into Camp Mariah?
Your child must be finishing the 6th grade and ready to enter the 7th grade next fall. For further information, please call Michael Clarke, Director of Camp Mariah, at 212 897-8915.
Who owns The Fresh Air Fund camps?
Sharpe Reservation and the five summer camps on it are owned and operated by The Fresh Air Fund.
Who supervises the children?
College-age counselors supervise the children at all times. The minimum ratio of counselors to campers is one to six. Counselors spend one week in intensive training before children arrive at camp. Additionally, each camp employs a number of instructors/specialists and senior staff including head counselors, assistant directors and a director.
How many kids are in a cabin?
There are four to 12 children, depending on the camp and cabin.
Where do children swim?
Camp Hidden Valley has a pool (with a pond used only for boating and fishing). All other camps have lakes for swimming, boating and fishing. All swimming is supervised by Red Cross certified lifeguards. All children are swim tested on the first day of camp and wear a colored wristband that designates in which level of water they are permitted to swim.
What do they eat at camp?
All foods are child friendly. Breakfast generally includes cold cereal and a hot food such as pancakes, french toast or waffles. Lunches include hero sandwiches, pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers, with sides such as french fries, carrot and celery sticks, fruits, vegetable salads and pasta salads. Dinners include roast or fried chicken, meatloaf, roast beef, lasagna and BBQ beef. All meals are United States Department of Agriculture approved. Campers are encouraged to try different items on the table.
Does a child need money at camp?
No, there is nothing to buy at camp. Children should not bring money to camp.
What things should a child NOT bring to camp?
Cell phones; valuable items including jewelry; electronic equipment such as portable games or music players; and hair dryers, and candy and/or other food items that might attract animals to the cabins. The Fresh Air Fund cannot be responsible for securing these items and will not be held responsible for anything lost or damaged.
What if my child gets sick at camp?
Each camp has at least one full-time nurse who lives at camp. The nurse is responsible for dispensing any medication a child might take. If a child needs treatment by a doctor, there is a nearby clinic. Parents will be phoned if a child must be seen by a doctor or is in the infirmary for more than 24 hours.
How do I reach my child by phone at camp?
Your child does not have access to a phone at camp.
You are encouraged to write to him/her. All children love receiving letters from home. If you have concerns, please call the camp office. Phone numbers can be found in the Summer Camp Handbook. In addition, someone can be reached by calling The Fresh Air Fund office (Support Services) 24 hours a day.
Where do I send mail to my child?
Name of Child
Name of Camp
Sharpe Reservation
436 Van Wyck Lake Road
Fishkill, New York 12524
Camping Program FAQs
Please refer to the questions below to learn more about The Fresh Air Fund's Camping program.
What is the age and gender group served at each camp?
Where are the camps located? How far is this from NYC?
How do the children get to camp?
Are there bathrooms in the cabins?
Is there electricity at the camps?
How do I get my child into Camp Mariah?
Who owns The Fresh Air Fund camps?
Who supervises the children?
How many kids are in a cabin?
Where do children swim?
What do they eat at camp?
Does a child need money at camp?
What things should a child NOT bring to camp?
What if my child gets sick at camp?
How do I reach my child by phone at camp?
What is the age and gender group served at each camp?
Anita Bliss Coler (ABC) – Girls only ages 9-12
Hayden-Marks – Boys only ages 9-12
Tommy – Boys only ages 12 ½-15
Hidden Valley – Girls and Boys ages 8-12 (serves children with and without special needs).
Camp Mariah – Girls and Boys - admission is restricted to children who are currently in the 6th grade.
Where are the camps located? How far is this from NYC?
All five camps are located on Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, New York (20 minutes south of Poughkeepsie and an hour and a half north of NYC).
How do the children get to camp?
Buses are chartered by The Fresh Air Fund to take children to and from camp. Children and parents meet on the day of departure at the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal located at 178th Street and Broadway. You will receive a letter of confirmation a few weeks before the date of departure stating the date, location and time of departure. Camp Mariah’s departure takes place at the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue.
Are there bathrooms in the cabins?
Hidden Valley and Camp Mariah have bathrooms in the cabins. ABC, Hayden-Marks and Tommy have shower houses with bathrooms that are located a short distance from the cabins.
Is there electricity at the camps?
Camps Hayden-Marks, Hidden Valley and Mariah have electricity in all buildings and cabins. Many cabins at Camps ABC and Tommy do not have electricity.
How do I get my child into Camp Mariah?
Your child must be finishing the 6th grade and ready to enter the 7th grade next fall. For further information, please call Michael Clarke, Director of Camp Mariah, at 212 897-8915.
Who owns The Fresh Air Fund camps?
Sharpe Reservation and the five summer camps on it are owned and operated by The Fresh Air Fund.
Who supervises the children?
College-age counselors supervise the children at all times. The minimum ratio of counselors to campers is one to six. Counselors spend one week in intensive training before children arrive at camp. Additionally, each camp employs a number of instructors/specialists and senior staff including head counselors, assistant directors and a director.
How many kids are in a cabin?
There are four to 12 children, depending on the camp and cabin.
Where do children swim?
Camp Hidden Valley has a pool (with a pond used only for boating and fishing). All other camps have lakes for swimming, boating and fishing. All swimming is supervised by Red Cross certified lifeguards. All children are swim tested on the first day of camp and wear a colored wristband that designates in which level of water they are permitted to swim.
What do they eat at camp?
All foods are child friendly. Breakfast generally includes cold cereal and a hot food such as pancakes, french toast or waffles. Lunches include hero sandwiches, pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers, with sides such as french fries, carrot and celery sticks, fruits, vegetable salads and pasta salads. Dinners include roast or fried chicken, meatloaf, roast beef, lasagna and BBQ beef. All meals are United States Department of Agriculture approved. Campers are encouraged to try different items on the table.
Does a child need money at camp?
No, there is nothing to buy at camp. Children should not bring money to camp.
What things should a child NOT bring to camp?
Cell phones; valuable items including jewelry; electronic equipment such as portable games or music players; and hair dryers, and candy and/or other food items that might attract animals to the cabins. The Fresh Air Fund cannot be responsible for securing these items and will not be held responsible for anything lost or damaged.
What if my child gets sick at camp?
Each camp has at least one full-time nurse who lives at camp. The nurse is responsible for dispensing any medication a child might take. If a child needs treatment by a doctor, there is a nearby clinic. Parents will be phoned if a child must be seen by a doctor or is in the infirmary for more than 24 hours.
How do I reach my child by phone at camp?
Your child does not have access to a phone at camp.
You are encouraged to write to him/her. All children love receiving letters from home. If you have concerns, please call the camp office. Phone numbers can be found in the Summer Camp Handbook. In addition, someone can be reached by calling The Fresh Air Fund office (Support Services) 24 hours a day.
Where do I send mail to my child?
Name of Child
Name of Camp
Sharpe Reservation
436 Van Wyck Lake Road
Fishkill, New York 12524