Cross Sound Ferry presented Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch with a $10,000 donation this morning at the ranch in Riverhead.
Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch was the major beneficiary of Cross Sound Ferry’s annual fireworks cruise, which took place on July 12. Each year, Cross Sound Ferry sponsors a cruise to New London, where a spectacular, 30-minute fireworks display takes place during the city’s “Sailfest” event. This year was the ferry company’s 25th annual fireworks cruise, an event that’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities across the East End.
“Thank you for sponsoring the ranch this year,” organization founder the Rev. Jerry Hill said to Cross Sound Ferry’s Orient terminal manager Andy Binkowski.
Hill and his wife and co-founder Fern Hill accepted the check on behalf of the ranch, which opened in 1980 and provides a full-time residential treatment program for boys 10-21, a marriage and family counseling center, and a summer day camp for kids 3-14 on its 70-acre, farm-style campus. The ranch is named for their son, who dreamed of opening a home for boys who needed a home and a family. Timothy was killed at age 13 in an unfortunate motor vehicle accident while riding his bicycle to school in Riverhead.
“What you do here is absolutely a wonderful thing,” Binkowski responded, “and we’re proud to support your endeavors.” Binkowski said he has been inspired by the impact the ranch has on the youth who live there. “You see them start to prosper and mature into men. It sure must be rewarding.”
