Siblings count down to Yonge Street Mission camp
What do cardboard boxes, garbage bags and duct tape have in common?
Why, they’re all the supplies that Madelina Perez Quezada and her mutant ninja monkeys construction crew needs to build a boat, of course.
Getting it to float at Yonge Street Mission (YSM) summer camp is another thing all together. Still, it was a blast trying, says the 13-year-old Grade 8 student at St. Dennis Catholic School, who is counting the days when she’ll be out and about with her pals at camp this summer.
It will be her third adventure at the day camp that attracts downtown kids when the heat is on.
“I was a little nervous the first year I went to camp, but the counsellors were so nice and made me feel really welcome,” says Madelina, whose 11year-old sister, Geraldina, “Gigi,” will be there again this summer. Brother Santiago, 9, is going for the first time. Sister Quillen, 7, is a tad too young but will surely hear all about the adventures.
Their days will be spent swimming at local pools, making cool art and crafts such as designing graphics for their camp T-shirts, honing their computer skills at media camp, exploring neighbourhoods in the city and going on field trips visiting popular attractions such as Canada’s Wonderland. Some campers simply wouldn’t be able to enjoy such outings because there is not money in the family budget. Grants from the Fresh Air Fund help subsidize fees.
Madelina is also anxious to see the old friends she met at camp in previous years and meet new ones. The highlight will be the three-night adventure out of the city and in the fresh air.
“It is so much fun,” says Madelina who loves camp games such as Capture the Counsellors. “They hide in the forest, but it’s not too dense and you can’t get lost. Some are hard to find because they cover themselves in twigs and branches.”
Mom Catherina Perez Quezada is as excited as her children about the YSM summer camp. “It gives them a chance to be kids,” she says, adding she’s confident knowing that when her children are at camp, they’re in excellent hands.
“Staff really care about the kids and offer well-planned activities. They put a lot of time and effort into making sure the kids are well cared for and having a great time.”
She’s proud that daughter Madelina has been asked to do some leadership training this year. “It’s a great opportunity and also a great sense of pride for her,” Catherina says, adding her eldest daughter already does volunteer work at YSM on weekends, working with the younger children. If you have benefitted from the Fresh Air Fund or have a story to tell, email lferenc@thestar.ca or phone 416-869-4309.