THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. HOST A CHILD
Thanks to host families who open up their homes for one or two weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air vacations.

More than 65% of all children are reinvited to stay with their host family, year after year.

There is no such thing as a “typical” host family. If you have room in your home – and your heart – to host a child, you could be one too. Fresh Air Fund Children are boys and girls, six to 12 years old, who reside in low-income communities in New York City and are eager to experience the simple pleasures of life outside the city. More information about hosting a child or donation is available at http://freshairfund-newsrelease.com/.

If you’re a dad with a daughter, you know that dancing with her is a magical moment for both of you, whether she is just three and you’re giving her a twirl, or if you’re dancing at her wedding.

Knowing this, moms put on this father-daughter dance to raise money for a village in Africa. It’s a nice idea.

In contrast to “The Chicken Dance,” “The Macarena,” “The Twist” and “The Electric Slide,” there was “Imagine.”

Little girls in their fanciest party dresses paused, lifted their faces and watched the pictures projected on the wall of the gym where they had been dancing with their dads.

» Click to enlarge image

Four-year-old Amelia Hebel of Naperville dances with her father Matt during the Daddy Daughter Dance on Saturday at the Community Life Center in Naperville.
Corey R. Minkanic / For The Sun

John Lennon’s song accompanied a slide show that reminded everyone why they were there: A village in Africa needs clean water, and they were raising money to provide it.

Ticket sales from Saturday night’s Daddy-Daughter Dance, sponsored by Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Naperville, will benefit the children of Derre, Mozambique, and their families through the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision. Pictures of the sponsored children decorated the tables around the dance floor.

Doug Clermont and his 4-year-old daughter Lily made an evening of it.

“We grabbed dinner beforehand, kind of like a date,” Doug said. “Colonial (Cafe). High class. Pancakes and bacon.”

[From Dads and daughters enjoy chance to dance :: Naperville Sun :: News]