Every kid deserves time away from city
After months of isolation, I’m dreaming of nights spent under the stars
My sons think I’m overprotective, but I’ve got nothing on my parents. I was thinking about this when the Star announced its 119th campaign for the Fresh Air Fund, which provides financial support for camp experiences to underprivileged children.
Like many immigrants, my parents kept a close watch over me and my brother. We were never sent to babysitters who weren’t also family. My mom drove us to and from school every day, and even brought us home for lunch for years.
As an adult, I realize that this style of parenting came with a large price tag: My mom was a stay-at-home-parent for most of my childhood, my parents went on date nights rarely and sleepovers at friends’ homes were unheard of.
The first time I was away from family and on my own was in Grade 6, when I spent a week at the Scarborough Outdoor Education School, Camp Kearney. For five days, my classmates and I slept in log cabins, played camp games like “predator and prey,” told stories around a camp fire and ate every meal together.
I loved every minute of it, although I’m not an outdoorsy person in general. I didn’t even mind the hours-long hike through mud and rain, which left our entire class soaked and chilled, because it was fun to warm up with hot chocolate by the huge fireplace.
But it was the nights that I remember most vividly. There was something about the quiet beauty of nights spent far from the city that thrilled me as a child. I had never seen the stars so bright, had never experienced the enveloping hush of so much greenery. That peaceful stillness has stayed with me, a calming memory during more chaotic times.
A few years later, my brother went to Camp Kearney, and came back with funny stories and fond memories he still talks about to this day.
After that, I went to camp a handful of other times. In my late teens, I was a volunteer counsellor at MYNA camp, a time-honoured tradition for Muslim youth in the GTA.
It is now one of the camps that the Star’s Fresh Air fund supports. This year’s goal is to raise $650,000 for the Fresh Air Fund, and if camps are cancelled because of COVID-19, the funds will be added to next year’s tally.
I still remember the song I made up for the girls-only talent night on the last day, sung to the tune of “YMCA” — “At camp M-Y-N-A/ You have ev-er-ything that you need to enjoy / You can look at the trees / But not at the boys!” The song was a hit with my fellow campers; we sang it on the bus ride home. As someone who did not grow up with the tradition of camping or cottaging, the few opportunities I have had over the years to attend camp were filled with moments of joy, a chance to try new activities, and to spend entire days outdoors — all opportunities I would never have had otherwise.
The Fresh Air Fund has upwards of 109 accredited programs, 56 residential camps and 53 day camps. It includes local programs put on by the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs and overnight locations where kids can learn about living outdoors. There’s sports camps, including some for the physically disabled, religious or non-denominational camps, crafts-based ones … something for just about everyone. I’m not sure what summer will look like this year. We’re looking forward to spending time in our small “social bubbles” of 10 or fewer people, of course.
And as things slowly start to open up again, we anticipate once again enjoying the things we took for granted, like hugging family and friends, and having company over.
The months of forced seclusion have made me grateful for many things, but I’m also daydreaming of long-ago days spent on a dock, of camp fun and beautiful nights spent under the stars. With the help of Star readers, kids might have an opportunity to experience camp life, too.
If you are able, please give generously, and help kids build beautiful, lasting memories.