Cady Hollow Campground
Every time I sent an email or asked a question, within minutes or hours—but definitely the same day—The Progress Fund got back to us.”
People
Teaching music during the week, camping on weekends: That was the rhythm of life for Charissa and Rian Chiaravalloti. Then COVID-19 hit. “How heartbreaking it was to try to have singers singing in masks, or not singing at all,” says Charissa, who was a college music department chair and choral director. The couple started mulling a change in tempo, and happened upon a campground-for-sale listing. Eventually they came across Cady Hollow, whose owners wanted to retire. “The feel, the energy of being here, was just gorgeous,” says Charissa. “To hear the stream trickling down, and to see the fields and the green mountains—wow, this was perfect.”
Progress
Banks saw it differently. One wouldn’t lend to campgrounds, another balked because the couple didn’t have employment in the area. Finally, a banker suggested The Progress Fund, which loaned them $399,000.
Impact
The 87-acre campground has 86 sites, three cabins and a house/store in which the couple will live. Their initial plans include building the campground’s online presence and revamping the store and cabins. Next on the list: building a stage on which they hope to host live music on weekends, and perhaps festivals. “I would think it would have a huge positive impact on the community, culturally,” says Charissa. Sounds like the couple’s new rhythm could have everybody singing again.