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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Camp an escape after loss
Kim McGregor was able to send her son Ryan to camp last year through the Sunshine Fund. He's on the wait-list this year. (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Summer has been difficult for the McGregor family. All 13-year-old Ryan wants to do is get away for a week.
Ryan is one of 16 Manitoba children still on the Sunshine Fund waiting list who couldn't afford to go to camp without the charity's help.
"I'd be disappointed if I can't, because I want to go to camp and get out of this house," he said.
The family is still dealing with the tragic loss of Ryan's older brother, Alex, 25, who died suddenly in April at the family's home.
It's been a tough couple of months for Ryan, said his mother, Kim McGregor.
"It's been a long summer for him not to be doing anything," she said. "It's mostly to get out of the home because Alex passed here."
Ryan was originally supposed to go to an army cadet camp in July, but when that fell though McGregor scrambled to get funding through the Sunshine Fund so he could go to camp.
McGregor is a single mother on disability leave because of a severe arm injury and couldn't afford to send Ryan to camp without assistance from the Sunshine Fund.
"It would make me disappointed and very sad if he couldn't go because he needs it, especially after this experience with Alex," she said.
Ryan has been able to go to Camp Arnes over the last four years through the Sunshine Fund. He has lots of good memories of camp, he said -- such as making bannock around the fire, playing capture the flag and jumping into the swimming pool with all his clothes on.
He has another fond memory of a camp activity where you "sneak out" of the cabin.
"One night, you're allowed to sneak out into the bush and people can talk about if they've lost someone or had a tough childhood," Ryan said.
He's looking forward to this group fellowship so he can share what happened with his brother.
McGregor remembers going to Camp Arnes when she was younger and how it helped her.
"I had a really rocky childhood, and camp made me the person I am," she said.
Ryan is also looking forward to making new friends and playing sports.
"I do a lot of physical stuff there, and I'm not usually a physical guy," he said. "I can just get out of the house and do stuff."
To donate to the Sunshine Fund, send cheques to the Winnipeg Free Press Sunshine Fund c/o 302-960 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3T 0R4.
You can also donate in person or online by going to www.mbcamping.ca and following the CanadaHelps donation link. For more information on the Sunshine Fund, call 204-784-1130 or email sunshinefund@mbcamping.ca.
Donations as of Aug. 15
Anonymous$50In memory of Allison Watson Ellis
Ross and Anne McIntyre$50Gerald and Elaine Bentley$200
Grace Nunn and Family$200In memory of Archie Nunn
Mary Beth Shields $25Anonymous$250
Anonymous$100In memory of Donnie and Roy Miller
Anonymous$100Anonymous$100Craig and Mary Fardoe$75Sharron and Alvin Corne$100
Anonymous$100In memory of Neill McCall
Gorgie and Ian Manson$100
Arvilla Brown$300In memory of my son, Warren Ross Brown
Brendan and Liam Muirhead$50Anonymous$40Anonymous$300Doheny Securities Limited$250Eugenia Ekiel$25Timothy and Mary Anna$100
Bev Duthoit$50In memory of Frank and Bertie Jennings
Nancy Read$100The Entz Family$100Barry Gibson$100Diane Tetley$200D.R. Johnson Financial Ltd.$250
Donations This Week$3,315
Campers Placed730
Campers Waiting16
Year-To-Date Donations$218,741.59Campership Cost$262,514.38
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 18, 2012 B2
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