Dianne Gibson
Some Dreams Last Many Lifetimes
Tybee Island was home to the very first Days Inn Motel. It has since closed down, but the founder’s generosity continues to provide a room at the beach for area children each summer. During a stay at Tybee Island the summer of 1971, Cecil Day read an article about a local charity in need. The Fresh Air Home had been providing needy children with ten days at the beach each summer for over 70 years. Due to a loss in funding, the camp was going to have to close down.
In 1897, Nina Anderson Pape created a club of women known as the Froebel Circle. Their mission was to increase the health and happiness of Savannah’s underprivileged and at risk youth. There were many children in Savannah and the surrounding counties who never had the opportunity to see the beach, though some lived less than twenty miles from the shore. The club conceived a plan to open The Fresh Air Home on Tybee Island. The camp would enable less affluent children to enjoy a week at the shore, playing on the beach, hearing Bible stories, and making crafts. The circle sought to build character in the children and help them grow physically and morally.
That summer, the circle members opened their first season in a little rented cottage at the beach. They took in six children each week on a total budget of $100. The railroad provided transportation, and the circle members all contributed, as did local businesses, to furnish everything needed to care for nearly fifty children over those six weeks. For the next thirty years The Fresh Air Home was able to operate on money raised by sponsoring oyster roasts, rummage sales, other local fundraising events, and membership dues.
By the late 20’s, The Fresh Air Home had developed a good reputation in the area, and the circle started to receive bequests from local estates. They were able to purchase land, erect buildings, serve more children, and continue to operate. It was not until Mr. & Mrs. Day met with board members from the camp that summer in 1971, however, that The Fresh Air Home acquired an income they could count on. Mr. & Mrs. Day met with board members and offered to provide them with an annual income, if matched by board members. Upon Mr. Day’s death, an endowment was established that continues to this day.
From those eight members, the Froebel Circle has grown to fifty. Membership consists primarily of legacy members. Those are defined as the mother, sister, daughter, granddaughter or daughter-in-law of members in good standing. Five buildings now house close to 400 children each summer. The Fresh Air Home has operated for eight weeks each summer for over 100 years. The circle members continue to strive to provide a place where children can enjoy a week at the beach, playing in the fresh salt air, enjoying music, sports, crafts and unconditional love while supervised by counselors of strong moral character.
When asked what was notable about The Fresh Air Home, Carter Eagle, a circle member, pointed to this longevity. “The fact that we have managed to operate every summer for 114 years is just remarkable to me.” Nina Pape would be delighted to know her dream is still alive today through the devotion of the Foebel Circle members. They continue to expose children to the magic of summer, the beauty of Tybee Island, and create memories that will last a lifetime at The Fresh Air Home.
Tybee Island, GA Summer 2010
The Fresh Air Home is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization whose mission is “to improve the health and well-being of low income children, while building character and helping them grow into better men and women – both morally and physically”. Donations and contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
The Co-Wordinator 