Berks County natives may take for granted the rolling hills dotted with cattle or wide blue skies rimmed with the Blue Mountains. But the sights and sounds we experience each summer are a welcome change for children visiting from New York City.
These young visitors arrive by bus over several weeks of the summer to spend a week or two with host families as part of the Fresh Air Fund.
This summer marked the fourth year the Daczewitz family of Blandon welcomed Brenda Ponciano to visit them. Brenda is now 10 years old and lives in Queens, New York, with her mother and siblings. Admittedly shy and sometimes hiding her face behind a curtain of dark hair, Brenda shared what the past four summers have meant to her.
“I like that we have fun,” she began. “We go to the beach or we go swimming in their pool.”
The Daczewitz family includes parents Phil and Jackie and their children, Brooke, 16; Brady, 14, and Bridgette, 11. The family heard about the Fresh Air Agency from a neighbor.
“We saw they really enjoyed doing it as a family, so we decided to give it a try,” Jackie said.
Like many Fresh Air visitors, Brenda said her first trip to the Daczewitz home in Blandon was a bit overwhelming.
“I was nervous and shy,” she explained, but added that she became more comfortable as the days passed. Each year was easier, and this year as she prepared to travel to Blandon, she said, “I was excited.”
Thinking back to meeting Brenda in 2014, Jackie said, “We were a little nervous, too. We didn’t know what to expect but then she came and it was great. And from our side of it, it’s an eye opener for all of our kids.”
Jackie’s oldest, Brooke, agreed. “It feels cool. It’s always exciting when she comes.”
“And it’s always neat to see how much she’s grown,” Jackie added.
During the week-long visit, the family packs in lots of fun experiences. On the top of their list is a trip to the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey.
“Brenda has learned how to swim here over the past few summers,” Jackie said. “This summer, she was in the water and actually boogie boarding.”
They also visit local fairs, catch fireflies, go fishing and trek to Blue Marsh Lake. Since Brenda’s mother speaks Spanish, the 10-year-old has taught her host family a fair bit of Spanish over the years.
In many ways, Brenda and the Daczewitz clan agree, they have formed a family bond. Their week together speeds by, and at the end of this summer’s visit the group was already talking about plans for next year.
Brenda’s older sister visits a Fresh Air family in Massachusetts. Jackie explained that two older siblings were not able to participate in the program simply because their mother did not know about it until they were too old.
Getting word out to urban NYC families is key. So, also, is finding willing host families. Jackie said the application process is fairly easy and involves a background check and home visit. Fresh Air children do not need their own room at a host home, just their own bed.
Each year, Fresh Air intern Charlotte Marratta states, thousands of children travel from low-income communities in New York City to enjoy a rural or small town summer experience in communities in the northeastern United States as well as parts of Canada. The non-profit agency has been in operation since 1877 and has included over 1.8 million children. For more information about the Fresh Air Fund, visit them online: freshair.org.
