Frogbridge Day Camp was the home once again to a private Halloween party and fundraiser offered only to their campers, families and friends,along with the students and families of the Tadpole Village Preschool, which is also found on the Frogbridge property. This annual event, known as the FROGTOBERFEST, is most importantly an annual toy drive, helping to raise awareness and toys for local children in need this holiday season. The day features fun and goodies for kids young and old, from ages 3 to 93! There are magic shows throughout the day, a petting zoo, Halloween themed ice cream and toppings at Ribbits Ice Cream Parlor, pumpkin picking and decorating, and churros and hot chocolate at Frogaritas. But the fun and excitement certainly does not end there.
Among the best festivities found at the event was a live haunted house featuring a dozen of the camp’s team members dressed in the spookiest costumes imaginable. Appropriately known as “the scariest place in camp”, the haunted house is over 300 feet long and takes it’s guests through some of the darkest and narrowest halls and tunnels you will find anywhere. The crew at Frogbridge turns the camper’s locker rooms into an asylum, where the patients freely roam the halls and come at you from everywhere—including from above! “We warn even the bravest of visitors that this is very much a scary place, made to rival any of the haunted houses and attractions throughout the country.” Designed by JR Pugliese and built by our on-site general contractor and his team of craftsmen, this attraction takes over one month to build. “The feedback was incredible this year. Guest after guest confirmed that this year’s attraction was the scariest of our 16 year history by far!
Also featured is the “Not-So-Haunted Hayride.” This decorated ride takes it’s guests for a tour of our property, riding along the lakeside and through the open fields until they are greeted by some not so scary team members along the way. “These characters are much friendlier and manage to get a smile from all of our riders!” says Frank Pugliese, the camp’s owner. “We wanted to create something for everyone, and the hayride gives the younger and less thrill seeking guests a chance to explore the grounds while at the same time getting a friendly spook from time to time.”
Over at “Windows on the Water,” the facilities on-site catering hall, guests were treated to an endless buffet fit for a king or queen, or more appropriately on this day, a ghost or goblin for that matter. It featured pasta stations, barbeque stations, pizza, chicken specialties, and even filet mignon with vegetables for children and adults of all ages! There was even a dessert station, which included freshly baked assorted cookies, ice cream, coffee and hot chocolate, all graciously offered by the Windows on the Water Catering Team.
But the very best part of the day without question was the fundraising aspect of it all. The price of admission to the day’s festivities is nothing more than a new, unwrapped toy, which will be donated to local groups and charities that don’t receive the recognition of the bigger national toy drives. Throughout the camp season Frogbridge teaches it’s campers about giving back to those less fortunate than themselves all summer long as part of it’s “Campers Helping Kids” campaign. To read more about all of the groups that the campers and their families have raised money, awareness and even food donations for, visit their website at www.frogbridge.com.
The Frogtoberfest is something that Frank Pugliese and his son JR offer to their Frogbridge Family members as a way of saying thank you for choosing Frogbridge this summer. The food, the staff and all of the giveaways are all donated by the Pugliese family as a token of their appreciation to the families that have chosen to call the Tadpole Village Preschool and the Frogbridge Summer Day Camp as their home. “Parents are faced with many challenging questions and have several options to choose from when making their children’s summer plans, and we truly appreciate the trust they have put in us,” Pugliese explained. “The Frogtoberfest represents yet another event that is unique to Frogbridge and at the same time keeps the campers and their friends connected throughout the school year. It’s our way of giving back to the community while at the same time raising awareness about the hundreds of local families in need this holiday season. Today, we collected over 500 toys for children to help put a smile on the faces of hundreds of kids that otherwise may not have had much to smile about this December!”