Sen. Schumer pushes for federal funds

BRANCHPORT--Sen. Chuck Schumer (D--New York) visited Camp Good Days in Branchport to seek a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designation for camp repairs. He urged FEMA to designate Camp Good Days - a year-round recreation facility and service provider for children, adults and families who have been affected by cancer and other life challenges - a "Private Non-Profit Critical Services" organization. Schumer explained this designation will help Camp Good Days recover from the May floods that hit Yates County and caused severe damage to the camp.
Schumer said Camp Good Days requested FEMA reimbursement for flooding damages totaling an estimated $540,000, but in order for the camp to be eligible for this funding, it must be designated a "critical private non-profit." Schumer said because Camp Good Days is a private nonprofit organization that provides educational opportunities and respite care, and is staffed by licensed doctors, registered nurses and social workers who provide care, it should receive this special designation. Schumer noted other similar Yates County organizations like the ARC of Yates that suffered significant flood damage have received this designation as well and under FEMA regulations private non-profits such as libraries, zoos, performing arts centers, as well as emergency, medical and educational entities can be designed as "critical private non-profits" to receive FEMA grant reimbursement funding. Schumer also said he had called FEMA's Federal Coordinating Officer Steven Ward, the ultimate decision-maker regarding the designation, to weigh in on behalf of Camp Good Days.
"The devastating flooding that swept across Yates County hurt homeowners, farmers, renters, businesses, towns and community organizations," Schumer said. "All deserve every available assistance to help them recover, and that's why I pushed to secure federal disaster assistance to aid the recovery. But that effort is far from complete. Camp Good Days is currently working to recover but, because FEMA does not yet recognize it as a 'critical services' organization, it is not eligible to apply for the funds necessary to be reimbursed for repairs it had to make this summer to open and serve local families and children. Camp Good Days is a special organization, on the front lines of helping those who have been impacted by cancer or other challenges, and it is tragic that it suffered from such serious flood damage back in May. We should not add insult to injury by making the camp ineligible to receive the funding it deserves and needs. That is why I am urging FEMA to provide this 'critical services' designation to Camp Good Days, because it not only provides the educational and wellness services required by FEMA, but also provides the good days and special times that families and children suffering from cancer need to remember that they will not have to face their battle alone."
According to Camp Good Days, all of its programs and services are provided free of charge for the families and participants. Schumer said, however, Camp Good Day's non-profit status and commitment to offering services for free so any family may participate, has made it hard for the camp to swallow the cost of repairs necessary to recover from the damage done by the May 2014 flooding in Yates County. The flooding in Yates County last May damaged facilities and flooded buildings across Camp Good Day's grounds on Keuka Lake. The damages, ranging from building repair and debris removal to emergency protective measures and road and utility repair, totaled an estimated $540,000.
Thus far, Camp Good Days has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars repairing its facilities and grounds. Camp Good Days has requested FEMA reimbursement for 75 percent of the total $540,000 in estimated flooding damages. However, in order for Camp Good Days to be eligible for this funding, the camp must be designated as providing a critical service to the community.
Schumer noted securing this reimbursement is important since Camp Good Days faces up to an estimated $200,000 additional cost to build new flood mitigation infrastructure after a localized flood again inundated parts of the camp grounds in August. Since this flood was not caused by the May storms, Camp Good Days must shoulder the cost of this new work to further shore up their areas prone to flooding.
"This summer, which was our 35th anniversary, was significantly put in jeopardy by the floods," said Gary Mervis, founder of Camp Good Days and Special Times. "Although we were able to hold all our residential camping programs, we still need to find a permanent solution to shore up the areas that continue to be problematic."