37th Annual Rittner Run Date: MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

Greetings:

The Fred Rittner Pemi Campership Fund (Rittner Fund) was founded in 1983 in honor of long-time Pemi camper and legendary counselor Fred Rittner, who died of cancer that same summer.  Fred was a uniquely charismatic counselor who touched the lives of all who knew him.  One of the greatest soccer coaches in Pemi history, Fred loved Pemi and—more broadly—the summer camp experience.  The Rittner Fund was established to provide children with the opportunity to share in what Fred so treasured.

The goals of the Fund include increasing the diversity of the camp community through new families as well as identifying children of alums who would be unable to attend summer camp without Rittner assistance.  To date, the Fund has granted over 300 camp scholarships in Fred’s memory to youths from around the country and all over the world.  This summer, the Rittner Fund is providing tuition aid in excess of $60,000 to more than 32 deserving campers, which is on par with last years’ record season!

Campers receiving assistance from the Fund have had a profound impact on the Pemi community.  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.

Every August, the Fund hosts its annual Rittner Run both to remember Fred and to raise money in support of the Fund. Hot or cold, rain (including Hurricane Bob) or shine, a group of alums, friends of Fred Rittner, and other Pemi family members make the trek to Fryeburg, Maine, where Fred’s family used to vacation during the summers while Fred was away at Pemi.  Relay style, the group negotiates the 75 miles back to Camp Pemi.  The route—over the Kancamagus highway, through Lincoln, over the shoulder of Mt. Moosilauke, through Warren, and back to Pemi—is both scenic and challenging.  Participants run as much or as little as they wish, and the spirit inspired by Fred’s example is infectious. We’ve even had bikers and rollerbladers join us!

In 2019, we have set goals to expand our donor base and to seek more recurring online donations, while hopefully continuing to further grow the capital of the Fund for decades to come.  We are seeking at least 150 new (first-time) donors to the Fund this year.  If you have not given to the Fund in the past three years, then you are considered a “new donor” this year!  And any amount can make a big difference in the life of a young child hoping to spend the summer along the shores of Lower Baker Pond, enjoying a camp experience like the fabled ones alumni have shared tales of with their loved ones over the years.

We encourage you to join us this August at the Run.  If you cannot attend, please consider a generous donation to support our efforts as we log our miles in the August heat!  Our online donation system is fast and very easy to use—simply visit www.RittnerFund.org and follow the DONATE link to our PayPal page.  If you would rather contribute via mail, more information and instructions can be found on our website.  Each and every donation will help develop our next generation of Pemi citizens, sure to be part of the inspiring future leadership of communities well beyond our little mountain valley.  We thank you for your continued support over the years!

With warm regards and best wishes on behalf of the Trustees of the Rittner Fund,

― Peter Cowles, Trustee and Run Committee Chair