Mermaid dreams do come true in Whiteshell

In another life, Annaleia was a mermaid and this summer she gets to live her dream aquatic life.

Darlene Monette, mother of two, is grateful for the Sunshine Fund as she’s able to send her oldest to camp. Seven-year-old Annaleia and five-month-old Airiella keep their parents busy especially during the summer months.

“Just recently I’ve been on maternity leave so obviously my wages have gone down. We were looking for ways to still give our kids a good summer that stay within our means,” Monette said.

In just a few weeks, Annaleia will be off to Camp Nutimik, her first time staying at a sleep away camp.

“(Annaleia) went to a spring break camp at my sister’s church, it was just a day camp. At the wind-up dinner they had somebody from Camp Nutimik come down,” Monette explained, saying her daughter’s interests were piqued and she quickly looked online to learn more about the camp.

Soon after, she found the Sunshine Fund, which helped knowing the camp was going to be around $400. The process to apply was not only easy, but her daughter was included in explaining why she wanted to go to camp.

“I liked how the Sunshine Fund has the children be part of the process. They asked my daughter to draw a picture and write out a little paragraph of why she wants to go to camp,” Monette said.

“She had so much fun doing that. She was able to talk about all the things she’s excited for.”

Annaleia wrote the following in a letter: “I want to go to camp to make friends and learn about Jesus. I’m excited because camping is my favourite summer activity plus swimming.”

“My child loves camping and the outdoors. She becomes more sociable during the summer and this experience will be good for her. I am pregnant and will have a newborn so camping may not happen for her this year,” Monette added to the bottom of the letter.

In March, Monette found out that she was approved and that Annaleia would be on her way to camp. Out of the hundreds of dollars for camp, Monette only had to pay $65 — a huge relief. After finding out, she immediately told her daughter. Annaleia’s response was to start packing, five months early.

Annaleia is most excited for the water activities.

“They have an inflatable water park and she’s a water bug. She’s excited for all the swimming,” Monette said.

The camp also offers fishing, canoeing and kayaking — a water filled dream for her little one.

Having been to camp once before as a young child, Monette is looking forward to Annaleia experiencing sisterhood.

“I remember having my camp leader braiding all our hair and then we made these little dances together. We did things together as young girls and I think that is an important memory,” she said.

With Camp Nutimik being a religious camp, it checks all of Monette’s boxes. Growing up going to church herself, this was a camp that was also recommended in her youth but was never an option.

“It was always something that I wished my parents could afford to send me to,” Monette said. “It works out that I can send my daughter, that’s even better.”

grace.penner@freepress.mb.ca