DECADE OF DONATIONS
Ravi Ravishankar says his parents and his experiences at camp are to thank for teaching him the value of charity.
It has been many years since Ravi Ravishankar’s parents passed away, but the life lessons they taught him are a lasting legacy.
“Whatever I am, who I am, is due to my parents and the values they taught me,” the retired engineer says of his mother, Sivakamu, and father, Jayaraman.
“They taught me to be nice to others, to help those in need and be thankful for what you have.”
Ravishankar has been paying it forward in memory of his parents, donating for a decade to the Star’s Santa Claus and Fresh Air funds.
“I chose the charities because they support kids and the Toronto Star directs all of the donations to the children,” the 70-year-old said.
The Toronto Star picks up all administrative expenses related to the operation of the charity, and, “as a result, 100 per cent of donor dollars are directed toward subsidizing the camp fees for children who, otherwise, cannot afford to pay,” said Barb Mrozek, the Star’s director of philanthropy and charities.
This year, the fund will help send 25,000 underprivileged kids to camp.
“I chose the charities because they support kids and the Toronto Star directs all of the donations to the children.” RAVI RAVISHANKAR
“Children are our future,” Ravishankar said, mindful that a helping hand can change lives.
Ravishankar remembers blissful days as a Boy Scout in India, working as part of a team to pitch tents for a sleepover and then having to dry them out after torrential tropical rains soaked everything and everyone. The ground was wet, even inside the tent, he recalls of those soggy days and nights.
No matter the weather, it was all about having fun with friends and roughing it in the woods, “away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” he said. While some camp memories are a bit hazy — “it was so many decades ago” — Ravishankar remembers how liberating it was to be at camp and that the adventure provided a unique opportunity to make new friends.
Looking back, Ravishankar said, “camp also prepares you to be selfsufficient.” The experience was an education like no other, he added.
He supports the fund so youngsters today can make their own memories. Donating to the Fresh Air Fund and other charities, he said, “is my way of giving back.”
His parents would be proud. Goal: $650,000 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 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. Follow us at facebook.com/thestarfreshairfund and use #StarFreshAirFund on Twitter.