Kids discover independence at Project Canoe

Program offers ‘life-changing’ adventures to Algonquin Park for thousands of youths

It wasn’t until Project Canoe brought 17-year-old Thomas Baartman on one of its Algonquin Park excursions that he was independent for the first time.

A cavernoma, which his mom Jill Clements describes as a bulge of arteries “like a blackberry or a bunch of grapes,” has led to one enlarged vein rather than multiple ones connecting to his brain.

He battles severe ADHD, anxiety and a learning disability, making him nervous to leave his neighbourhood in Whitby. It also forced him to drop out of school in Grade 11, as he was unable to stay in class for more than 20 minutes. But his mom also says he’s “like Teflon he’s so resilient.”

“All he wants in life is to have friends. He wants a family, he wants a job to support a family,” Clements says. “Thom is a Duracell bunny. We always joke that the best friend he ever had was a set of twins. He could wear one out and then he’d go and hang out with the other one.”

Clements has been waiting for spinal surgery for three years and hasn’t been able to be as active with her son as she’d like. Project Canoe helps fill a void.

“Going and being so successful with all of his challenges, they have done a phenomenal job where most others have failed,” Clements said.

“It’s a judgmental-free environment,” Baartman said, the morning after returning from an eight-day excursion. With Project Canoe, he gets to fish, see moose, canoe, portage Goal: $650,000 To date: $594,698 How to donate: With your gift, the Fresh Air Fund can help send 25,000 disadvantaged and special needs children to camp. The experience gives these children with 200 pounds of gear, build campfires and cultivate friendships — which he says can be hard.

“They have the best outlook on how to treat kids, they’re always there if much more than relief from summer heat: it gives them a break in life and memories to last a lifetime. Our target is $650,000. > By cheque: Mail to The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund, One Yonge St., Toronto, ON M5E 1E6 > By credit card: Visa, MasterCard, AMEX or Discover, call 416-869-4847 > Online: For instant donations, use our secure form at: thestar.com/freshairfund The Star does not authorize anyone to solicit on its behalf. Tax receipts will be issued in September. you need help,” Baartman said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself and a lot about how I work with others. I find that if someone needs help carrying something or they just need a day to get picked up or a pick-me-up, I’m really good at that.”

The project has served more than 4,000 youth in 40 years. Executive director Tim Richardson says it gives those in need a chance to learn and contribute in ways they didn’t know they could.

This year, a grant from the Fresh Air Fund will send out three canoe trips the project couldn’t otherwise afford.

“It’s a large grant for a grassroots organization like us,” Richardson said, crediting all the people who contribute to the fund.

This summer, Baartman served as a counsellor-in-training. At the project’s last fundraiser, he was asked to be the keynote speaker, and he made the crowd cry.

“They’ve helped me through a lot of rough times,” he said. “This is a lifechanging experience.”