Impact

This summer celebrates the 43rd Annual Rittner Run, benefiting The Fred Rittner Pemi Campership Fund. The Fund was established in 1983 in honor of long-time Pemi camper and legendary counselor Fred Rittner who died of cancer at age 23 that same summer on July 23rd, just two summers after his final season at camp as a counselor and soccer coach extraordinaire.

Through 2026, we have granted over 325 camp scholarships in Fred’s memory to kids from the USA and around the world, making extra efforts to increase the diversity of the camp community. The Fund provides tuition support to dozens of campers each summer! Campers receiving assistance from the Fund have had a profound impact. They include Achievement Award winners, Divisional Citizenship Award winners, and recipients of the Founders’ Citizenship Award. We can proudly say that the Fund has had a hugely positive impact not only on the kids who receive assistance but also on the camp community as a whole.

While Fred left us far too soon, his legacy is incredibly strong, and he continues to have a positive impact on our lives and many of those around us. His inspiration has had a profound impact on so many, and it carries forward.