Donated bicycles give freedom to J-1 camp counselors in Mashpee

Before dozens of students with J-1 visas join Camp Farley's ranks this summer, Sophie Fosdick said the children's day and overnight camp is looking for bicycle donations.

"Having bicycles opens up opportunities for J-1 students who are coming here to work," said Fosdick, office manager for Camp Farley. "It gives them the freedom to explore the area."

About 25 J-1 students will come from as far as the United Kingdom, Ireland and Turkey to attend Camp Farley in Mashpee as camp counselors, said Fosdick. Each student has obtained a visitor visa to travel to America — many for the first time, she said.

"We don't have enough American staff to drive each of them everywhere they need to go or to do the fun activities they want to do," said Fosdick. "That's where the bikes come in."

The camp has already obtained several bike donations, but they need more. The goal is to gather enough bicycles so international and local camp counselors can experience the area together, said Fosdick.

Retiree will volunteer his time to help fix bicycles for the camp

When Ken Voorhees of East Falmouth saw Camp Farley's requests for bicycles posted on social media, he decided to volunteer his time to fix bicycles Camp Farley already has on its property.

A retiree, Voorhees began fixing up bicycles during the COVID-19 pandemic as a hobby. During that time, people were cleaning out their homes, and garages and many bicycles were being thrown away and discarded.

From bike to bike, Voorhees tinkered and tweaked hundreds of cycles, and sold them at a low cost on websites such as Craigslist. He also gave them away to people who said they really needed them.

But after several buyers who received bikes from Voorhees re-sold the bicycles at inflated costs on Craigslist, he began forging relationships with local thrift stores. In 2021, Voorhees fixed up about 40 bikes and gifted them throughout the year to Hand in hand Thrift Shop in East Falmouth. The idea, he said, was to make sure that those who really need bicycles could find one at a reasonable price.

"I've always liked fixing bikes and it's become my way of giving back. It fills a void for me," he said.

As the weather warms up, Fosdick said she is looking to host Voorhees on camp property so he can help staff tune up their bicycle stock.

"It's always great when someone makes a time donation," she said. "That kind of giving back goes a long way."

Post-COVID camp

The donations are even more appreciated, said Fosdick, because this will be Camp Farley's first summer operating at full capacity since the pandemic began. During the summer of 2020, the camp was completely shut down, and the facility opened at reduced capacity in 2021. J-1 students were reintroduced during the summer of 2022, but the camp still had limited staff and campers. A summer camp founded in 1934, the establishment hosts children between the age of 6 and 15, and offers day and overnight camp to local, national and international families.

"We are trying to give the kids a really fun summer — and we want it to be our big comeback," said Fosdick. "These kids have lost so much outdoor and socializing time with the world we've been living in."

Beyond bicycles, Fosdick said community members can also donate time during the camp's volunteer day, which will be held May 20. The camp is also looking for camp sponsorships, for families, who may not be able to afford camp for their children.

"These allocated campership donations help families get access to camp," said Fosdick. "It's so helpful to receive those kinds of donations."

For Voorhees, the act of helping a camp, which is, in turn, helping children from the community, the honor is all his, he said.

"I've been that person before — the one in need. And now I can help others," he said. "It makes me happy to find these different connections. It's a big deal for them — and it feels good to me."

*For those who wish to donate bicycles, call 508-477-0181 or email office@campfarley.com.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Camp Farley is looking for community bicycle donations