A history of empowerment.
Committed since 1998.
Fiver was founded in 1998 by Tom Tucker, current Chairman of the Board. While searching for the perfect location for Camp Fiver, Tom received a call about the Keefe Family Farm, located five miles from Colgate University, his alma mater. The Keefe brothers felt strongly that they wanted to sell the 129-acre piece of property to someone who would avoid dividing up the property and would use it for a positive purpose. After experiencing the Keefe Family Farm’s rolling hills, cornfields, woodlands, wetlands Tom knew he had arrived at his new second home, Camp Fiver.
Inspired by Richard Adams’ celebrated work of fiction, Watership Down, Tom named the organization after the character Fiver, a rabbit who foresees that his community is in danger. Fiver is not the biggest or strongest rabbit among his peers, but he is courageous, and leads them to a safe new home where they can thrive. Like Fiver, our students come from environments likely to present them with critical decisions early in their lives.
Originally launched as a summer camp program, Fiver has since evolved to meet the needs of the youth we serve. Today, we are an award-winning, youth development organization serving approximately five hundred youth participants, twelve months a year, for ten years.
