What Camp does for kids
The Canaccord Genuity Great Camp Adventure Walk, presented by Sport Chek, is a SickKids fundraising event that brings the fun and spirit of camp – the archery, campfires, and watching-the-stars-at-night kind – to the city. For some insight on what the camp spirit means, and how that spirit comes to life in the Great Camp Adventure Walk, we went to the shores of Lake Manitouwabing (well, his office in Toronto) to talk to one of the most enthusiastic campers we know: Mark Diamond, a co-owner and Director of Camp Manitou. Giving back is central to his philosophy, and it’s central to life at Manitou.First, we asked him about the camp experience. Says Mark, “I actually grew up at summer camp. Camp gave me self-confidence, self-esteem, and lifelong friends.” We take his word on this. He is Manitou’s co-owner with his best friend, Jeff Wilson, Manitou’s other Director. Who he met at camp.
“Camp defines people, camp brings the best out in people,” says Mark. If you’ve been, you know what he means. And, if you’ve looked around and taken in the sea of smiles at the Great Camp Adventure Walk’s Fort York flag-raising ceremony, you know his observation applies equally to the Great Camp Adventure Walk. He continues, “Camp grows independence, resilience, empathy, tolerance, and inclusiveness. Life should be like camp. We’re doing something right if campers can put that into their daily lives.” On September 23 (the day of the Great Camp Adventure Walk), those values are all on display. Yes, Mark, life should indeed be like camp.
“If you think about it, the Walk and camp are one and the same thing, because SickKids nurtures children.”
This plays out at Camp Manitou. Fundraising activities are integrated into camp life, with the camp writing the cheque. Every cabin participates. “One activity could be while kids swim,” says Mark, “every minute they tread water, that’s a dollar for the charity we’re supporting. Or 20 cabins go to main field and ask the whole camp to meet them. For every handstand that’s done, its 25 cents for the charity.” This is actively giving back, but it’s also fun. Which is exactly what the Great Camp Adventure Walk is.
Here’s Mark on why camp is fun: “Camp is fun because it’s spontaneous. In the end, what kids talk about is ‘I went to an activity, but then it started raining. So we ended up mud-sliding.’” In other words, fun is what happens along the way. Which is certainly how it works at the Great Camp Adventure Walk.
Mark sees this too. “I love the Great Camp Adventure Walk, and I love the way it combines camp, fun, growth of kids, and supporting SickKids in general. If you think about it, the Walk and camp are one and the same thing, because SickKids nurtures children. SickKids allows children to, hopefully, grow up into healthy beings. SickKids has a culture that is nurturing, empathetic, and fun. When you think of camp, that's what camp is: it's empathetic, nurturing, fun – about growth – turning kids into healthy adults.”
So come out and participate in Camp. You heard it from the Director.
