WATERBURY, Conn. — The Greater Waterbury YMCA received a helping hand Monday, thanks to the Chase Michael-Anthony Kowalski (CMAK) Sandy Hook Memorial Foundation.
“It's tough, it's really tough,” said Rebecca Kowalski, Chase’s mom. “This year in particular, the shooting in Maine just sparks old memories.”
Tuesday, Oct. 30 would’ve been Chase Kowalski's 18th birthday.
Chase was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT, but nearly 11 years later, his memory lives on through the preschoolers at the Waterbury YMCA.
“We didn't get to see Chase grow up, but we get to see the impact in these other children,” Rebecca said.
For the eleventh year in a row, the CMAK Sandy Hook Memorial Foundation is once again donating $20,000 to benefit hundreds of kids.
“It ensures that all kids have access,” said CEO of the Greater Waterbury YMCA, Jim O’Rourke. “The beauty of the Y is that we make sure all families are not denied, so when they come to us and there’s a hardship there, we’re able to say, ‘Yes, bring your children here.”
Rebecca says Chase struggled through preschool with a speech delay, but with the support of his teachers, he succeeded. She wanted to give that same foundation to other students.
“A 6-year-old that started the program, who's now in high school, contacted me to write a letter of recommendation for the National Honor Society,”' Rebecca explained. “Through the years I've watched him grow up.”
The CMAK Foundation has donated $220,000 to the Waterbury YMCA.
“We know that it's so important and the legacy that we're leaving for Chase has been immeasurable,” said Rebecca.
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