Allegany County: Teen Will Attend Rushford Environmental Education Camp This Summer For Free

Pete Patrick, Canisteo

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the winner of the annual Timbrook environmental camp scholarship award. The award was created in memory of Emily Timbrook, a former Camp Rushford attendee and volunteer from Alfred Station, Allegany County, who died tragically in a car accident in April 2009. Pete Patrick of Canisteo, Steuben County, was selected for his essay about his experience at DEC's Camp Rushford in Caneadea, Allegany County.

"Each and every camper essay submitted this year was filled with enthusiasm about their camp experience at Rushford and detailed their achievements and new friendships," Commissioner Seggos said. "While selecting one winner is challenging, Pete Patrick's essay reflected Emily Timbrook's love for camp. I know that Pete will enrich the camp experience for all the campers at Rushford this year."

Barbara and Tim Timbrook, Emily's parents, worked with DEC and the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) to create a summer camp scholarship fund in Emily's name to encourage other young people to get outdoors and appreciate nature. The funds collected are used for "camperships" (camp scholarships) to send one returning camper to Camp Rushford for free.

Campers who excelled at Camp Rushford in 2019 were invited to submit an essay about their camp experience and its impact on their lives. The award-winning campers were chosen for their demonstrated interest in building upon their outdoor recreation experiences and sharing their knowledge of the state's natural resources with other campers.
Barbara and Tim Timbrook said, "We are delighted to honor Emily's memory by supporting one returning camper each summer at Camp Rushford. Our daughter's love of nature and commitment to environmental stewardship was nurtured at a DEC camp, and we are pleased that Pete demonstrated a similar excitement about protecting the environment and enjoying the benefits of being outdoors. We are so happy to remember Emily in this way."

Pete, who will turn 15 in April, attended Camp Rushford for the first time last summer. He loved the opportunity to learn more about the environment and how important it is to protect it. At camp, Pete reports that he feels he is a part of something much bigger than himself and sees Camp Rushford as an opportunity to teach other young people about how to care for the environment for future generations. DEC's unique residential camp program offers week-long experiences in conservation education and environmental stewardship for children ages 11 to 17. There are four residential camps for youth ages 11-13 or 14-17: Camp Colby in Saranac Lake, Franklin County; Camp DeBruce in Livingston Manor, Sullivan County; Camp Rushford in Caneadea, Allegany County and Pack Forest in Warrensburg, Warren County. Visit DEC's website for more information about all four DEC summer camps and to find out what weeks remain open for campers to register.
Donations to support future camp scholarships can be made by visiting DEC's summer camps page and looking for the "Donate to DEC Summer Camps" button. Funds are managed by the Natural Heritage Trust, a public benefit corporation that receives and manages gifts, grants and contributions to further public conservation programs. A description of NHT is available at the NYS Parks website. To donate to the Emily Timbrook fund, send a check made out to: NHT-DEC Camps, with Emily in the memo section to Summer Camps Scholarship, c/o Director of Management and Budget Services, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-5010.