Experience

Give a child an experience. DONATE TODAY to the Hamilton Community Foundation. Please reference the "Experience Fund". https://experiencelifeconnected.com/donate/

Experience is the bridge between the Boys & Girls Club of Hamilton and organizations such as The Fitton Center for Creative Arts, The Cincinnati Zoo, Brick Street Experience, Miami University, the Great Miami Valley YMCA, and many more. Experience helps open up a child’s world and allows them to be a part of opportunities that they may not otherwise have had a chance to enjoy. It can help them see

themselves in a new light and make them aware of endless possibilities for their future. The sky is the limit as far as what these children are able to accomplish. Every child at the Boys & Girls Club of Hamilton can have the opportunity to earn their experience by:
• consistent attendance in after school
educational programs
• active participation in the
homework/reading club
• demonstrating positive behavior

Experience helps to fund, organize, and create new adventures that plant seeds in the minds and hearts of children. We can all get involved with Experience by giving the gift of our time, talent, or donating to the Experience Fund through the Hamilton Community Foundation. For opportunities in which you can connect by volunteering, call Angela Pontious, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Hamilton, at 513-893-0071. To learn more about how to give to Experience please call Krista Parrish, Experience Co-founder, at 513-675-6128. Coming Together Through Experience. What encourages people to come together? What increases relatability, which in turn starts conversations and true relationships? Shared experiences promote feelings of unity that create common interests, build background knowledge, encourage friendships and strengthens feelings of connectedness. What if we felt more connected to those around us? What if, instead of looking at ourselves as ‘us’ and others as ‘them’, we started building the idea of ‘WE’? If we become involved with each other through shared experiences, similarities and differences may be celebrated and enjoyed. We begin to connect and relate to one another. Becoming connected to the children of our community is the idea behind the donor designated fund at the Hamilton Community Foundation called Experience. Experience was founded to expose children from the Boys & Girls Club of Hamilton to activities they otherwise would not have the opportunity to enjoy, such as:
• experiencing camp
• taking archery lessons
• learning how to canoe
• exploring the wilderness
• experiencing zip lining
• enjoying horseback riding
• going swimming
• sitting around a camp fire
• experiencing the theater
• taking a tennis lesson
• participating in an art class
• visiting the zoo
• going to watch a FC Cincinnati, Reds, or Bengals game
• touring a college campus

These Experiences build background knowledge that help to promote school success. Research shows that increased background knowledge helps students make connections in the classroom and puts them at an advantage. That is what we want for the children in our community.

09/02/2026

EXPERIENCE takes on FC Cincinnati!

Thanks to Kristi and Kevin Campbell, children from the The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton enjoyed an unforgettable night of soccer, cheering, and time with friends. But this experience was about more than attending a game. For many of the kids, it was their first time inside a major stadium, an opportunity to discover something new, feel the energy of the crowd, and make memories together.

“I had a great time at the soccer game! I had never been inside such a big stadium before. Everyone was cheering, and it was exciting to be part of the crowd when the team scored!”

These are the moments that build confidence, strengthen friendships, and show children a world of new possibilities.

Experience is life connected. 🧡💙

If you would like to sponsor an experience please visit >
https://www.hamiltonfoundation.org/about/our-impact/experience-life-connected/

08/26/2026

A gift to the Experience Life Connected Fund can give a child the chance to step outside their everyday routine and experience something completely new.

For one camper, that meant trying canoeing for the first time, taking aim at archery, making connections with counselors, and finding a favorite memory swinging and dropping into the water.

Through the Experience Life Connected Fund, children are given the opportunity to attend camp, with the cost of their experience covered and essentials like sleeping bags and toiletries provided.

It’s more than a trip to camp. It’s a chance to try something new, build connections, and discover experiences they’ll want to come back to again and again.

Learn More: https://tinyurl.com/4pb6wt4a

08/21/2026

We’re excited to see Experience featured in the Hamilton Community Foundation (OH) ’s Summer Newsletter!

Through the Experience Fund, kids from the The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton have the chance to step outside their everyday routines, discover new places, try new things, and create memories that can stay with them for a lifetime.

A day at camp. A first canoe ride. A trip to the zoo. A live sporting event. A college visit. These experiences may seem simple, but for a child, they can open the door to new confidence, curiosity, connections, and possibilities.

If you would like to support the Experience Fund and help create more of these opportunities for local kids, we would love to have you be a part of it.

Experience Life Connected. 💙🧡

Support the Experience Fund Here >> https://tinyurl.com/bp7d4w2e

08/18/2026

Sometimes, a gift opens the door to an experience a child may not otherwise have.

Through Experience, donors helped cover the cost for local children to attend summer camp, while also providing essentials like sleeping bags and toiletries so they could arrive ready to enjoy everything camp had to offer.

Your gift can give a child the chance to go somewhere new, try something different, and make memories they’ll carry with them long after camp is over.

Give to the Experience Fund and help make the next experience possible. 🧡💙

Learn More: https://tinyurl.com/4pb6wt4a

08/05/2026

Waving hello from YMCA Camp Campbell Gard ! 👋🏕️

Our Experience campers packed a lot of adventure into one unforgettable week, from campfires and canoeing to archery, swimming and plenty of laughter along the way. Thank you to the donors who helped make this week possible. Your generosity gives young people the opportunity to try something new, spend time outdoors and create lasting memories together.

To learn more about how you can help give an Experience, visit: https://tinyurl.com/bp7d4w2e

07/22/2026

Our Experience campers had an unforgettable week at overnight camp at YMCA Camp Campbell Gard! From campfires, swimming and canoeing to archery, games and more, campers had plenty of fun while building self-reliance, developing leadership skills and discovering a deeper appreciation for nature.

Thank you to the generous donors who make this experience possible each year. Your support gives these incredible kids the opportunity to explore, grow and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Experience is life connected. 💙🧡

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton

06/19/2026

Our Experience campers are heading to YMCA Camp Campbell Gard with brand-new sleeping bags of their very own, thanks to the generosity of Joe and Whitney Oliver.

Camp has always held a special place in the Oliver family’s heart, and now they are helping young campers feel prepared, comfortable and excited for their week away at camp. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Joe and Whitney. We are so grateful for your kindness and for the generous community that makes moments like this possible!

Experience is Life Connected. 🧡💙

05/28/2026

A special thank you to Kendra Smith for organizing the generous donations from the Presbyterian Church Women’s Bible Study. Because of these thoughtful gifts, each Experience camper will receive a bag filled with the necessary toiletries they need for their weeklong overnight camp at YMCA Camp Campbell Gard .

Experience is life connected.🧡💙

05/14/2026

What a great day at YMCA Camp Campbell Gard! 🌲☀️

We recently spent the day at camp with 3rd–6th grade students from Highland Elementary through our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton, and the excitement for overnight camp this June is already building! From ziplining and map reading to crafts and outdoor adventures, the day was full of confidence-building moments and new experiences. 💙🧡

“Making tin punch art was really fun because I got to make my own design and take it home to show my family.” – KW

“The zipline at Camp Campbell Gard made me feel nervous at first, but now I want to do it again!” – IM

“The activities today helped me try new things I never thought I could do.” – IK

“We got lost in the woods but were able to find our way out.” – BS

“Going today to Camp Campbell Gard makes me excited to get to go to the overnight camp.” – AP

What started as a simple belief — that every child deserves meaningful opportunities beyond the classroom — has grown into a community-powered mission helping kids build confidence, friendships, and lifelong memories through experiences that expand their world.

Learn more and support what’s next at experiencelifeconnected.com. 🌟

05/02/2026

A dashing Derby Party that raised funds for Experience! 🌹🐎 Love these throwback memories from 2019… and stay tuned about our next fundraising event coming this fall! Details coming soon!🥳

For 10 years, we’ve been opening doors, minds and connections through experiences kids earn through good behavior, attendance and completed school work. From concerts and theater to arcades, go-karting, Cincinnati Reds games, FC Cincinnati matches, college visits, and summer camp.

What started as a simple idea is now a community-powered mission fueled by supporters, volunteers, and partners who believe in our kids.

Help us keep it going. Donate or sponsor an experience at experiencelifeconnected.com 🌟

Address

319 N 3rd Street
Hamilton, OH
45011

Telephone

(513) 863-1717

Website

https://experiencelifeconnected.com/

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