“I have degrees in psychology and human relations, and am currently the director of a camp for children with special needs and their families. It’s the first of its kind in Canada. We started it because we wanted to offer these families an opportunity to be at camp and not be concerned about their challenges, but focus on being in nature and having full access to the Y Country Camp’s incredible facilities. They have a chance to swim, socialize and make friends. Two years ago, we started with 8 families, and this past summer we doubled to 16, which is a pretty big deal! This summer we hope to grow even more, without sacrificing the individual attention that each family receives.

I’m a strong believer in inclusion and integration. Firstly, children with special needs will model the behaviour that they see in their peers. But it’s also a great thing for other kids to develop awareness about what amazing things this community has to contribute. It teaches them that when they’re walking down the street, and they see someone who is different than they are, not to move away from them, but towards them. It makes all of us better people.”

Category: People