Your generosity can make a kid’s summer

In a few short weeks, children will be able to trade school books and assignments for the possibility of jumping in a kayak, getting on a horse, or racing down a zip line.

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.

“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.

A camp near Flin Flon was also evacuated.

“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