Your generosity can make a kid's summer
That means it's also time to help needy families give their kids a camping experience they will never forget.
For the 45th summer, the annual Free Press Sunshine Fund is kicking off with the hope that thousands of generous readers will help children who deserve a break from their studies in an outing that normally would be out of reach financially for their families.
SUPPLIED
L to R: Audrey Hicks (manager, training & risk management True North Youth Fdn), Kim Scherger (executive director MCA), Kayla Yakielashek (community outreach coordinator, MCA), Nancy Paschke (Standards & Accreditation Coordinator, MCA), Lexi (RRBC staff) and Duane Goertzen (executive director RRBC)
'The Free Press is again counting on our readers to help make the Sunshine Fund a reality for as many children in our province as possible,' Free Press editor Paul Samyn said.
'We know how generous you have been in the past and we are hopeful that tradition of giving will again enable kids to experience summer camping memories they will always cherish.'
Kim Scherger, executive director of the Manitoba Camping Association, said children have a choice of 31 accredited camps this year including a new one — Beaver Lake Camp near Dryden, Ont.
'That's the furthest to the east we go,' Scherger said.
'They mostly do family programs so we would assist the children, not the adults, to go to this camp. Most of our camps are focused just on children, but three of them are family ones.'
The Sunshine Fund has already signed up 465 children for camp while another 50 applications are being processed.
Scherger said the association expects to help about 600 children realize their summer dreams this year. Last year,
603 children were funded by the
Sunshine Fund.
'I'm a big proponent of camps,' she said. 'Camps educate the whole child. It's different than at school. At camp they get new social skills and they make new friends. They learn ways to be with nature.
'Camp just builds a foundation and a structure for life.'
Scherger noted that the smoke from wildfires in the province has affected some of the camps. She said the fires forced staff at eight camps in Whiteshell Provincial Park, along with other residents and cottagers, to evacuate. Staff at five of the camps have since been allowed to return.
SUPPLIED
At Turtle Mountain Bible Camp, from left: Daniel Zylstra (co-executive director, TMBC), Dan Ingram (executive director Circle Square Ranch), Kayla Yakielashek (community outreach coordinator, MCA), Kim Scherger (executive director, MCA), Steve Klassen (assistant executive director), Chelsie Zylstra (co-executive director, TMBC)
A camp near Flin Flon was also evacuated.
Sundays
Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba.
'There is still time, before summer comes, so the hope is everybody will be back at camp soon and doing preparations for the summer,' Scherger said.
'I've found in the past, being on evacuation standby, that these are the years where the staff are stronger because they have had to go through this together. So, that's what I feel will happen this year. We will see more leaders.'
But, to make the dreams of all these children come true, they will need help and, in this case, it is through the generosity of readers.
With your help, we can give children memories that will last a lifetime.
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Kevin RollasonReporter
Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press's city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.
Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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