Foxborough campground celebrates 40 years of supporting the Jimmy Fund

Normandy Farms, a luxury camping destination in Foxborough, Mass., for families from New England and beyond, has been run by the Daniels Family since 1971. Throughout the years, as recreation administrator, Doris Daniels has been creating memorable vacations for visitors ever since, striving to create fun activities for visitors of all ages, while integrating meaningful ways for guests to give back through charities like Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund.

Normandy Farms has raised over $482,000 for Dana-Farber’s mission since 1983. Now in their 40th year of partnering with the Jimmy Fund, the Daniels have multiple generations of family members involved, including Doris; her husband, Albert; and their daughters, Krissy and Marcia, who are starting to take the lead on many resort events and activities. As she begins to step back from those day-to-day duties, Doris has hope that the family’s longstanding support of Dana-Farber patients and families will continue for years to come, thanks to her whole family’s dedication to this worthy cause.

Normandy Farms began fundraising to support the Jimmy Fund after the Daniels Family met and were inspired by a handful of cancer patients and their families who were visiting the resort after traveling to Boston for treatment at Dana-Farber. “We felt that we could make a difference for all patients and families who have been directly impacted by cancer, while honoring these resort guests specifically,” Doris shared.

Doris focuses on creating fun, enjoyable fundraisers for children and adults throughout the camping season. She also strives to educate guests about the importance of giving back and supporting philanthropic causes like the Jimmy Fund. The Normandy Farms Jimmy FundRaiser efforts include a variety of smaller events and fundraisers throughout the season that add up to make a powerful difference. “We have various events to attract our camping guests to participate, like jail day arrests, ice cream socials, strawberry festivals, plant sales, casino nights, haunted walks, and opportunity drawings,” she explains. “We also introduced Normandy Farms skunks during COVID-19 to allow us to continue to raise money for the Jimmy Fund during difficult times when guests couldn’t be in close proximity to one another.”

Doris’ advice to those who are considering starting a Jimmy FundRaiser event is to spread the word as much as possible. The Normandy Farms team creates awareness by encouraging staff to share information with guests, in addition to including all fundraising activities and special events on their website and in their guest newsletters. The team also sets a strong example for guests by donating any tips they receive throughout the season back to the Jimmy Fund.

The Daniels Family has adapted through the years to create fundraisers that are appealing to guests and manageable for their team to handle amongst many other resort priorities. “I am delighted to know that even as I step back from actively working on all of our Jimmy FundRaiser events, the next and future generations of our family have the same excitement and commitment to raising money for this worthy cause,” Doris says proudly.

If you are interested in hosting your own virtual or in-person event for the Jimmy Fund, fill out our online inquiry form or contact our Jimmy FundRaiser team at JimmyFundEvents@dfci.harvard.edu.

Support Dana-Farber patients and families by joining The Dana-Farber Campaign, our ambitious, multi-year fundraising effort to prevent, treat, and defy cancer. The Dana-Farber Campaign will accelerate the Institute’s strategic priorities by supporting revolutionary science, extraordinary care, and exceptional expertise. As a community, we have the power to create a more hopeful, cancer-free future—in Boston and around the world. Together, we can defy cancer at every turn. Learn more about The Dana-Farber Campaign and how you can get involved at DefyCancer.org.