A new partnership is helping give every child in the community the chance to go to camp.
KidSport North Bay and the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario are teaming up with the North Bay Battalion as part of the Y’s Fill the Bus campaign.
Proceeds from the Oct. 19 game will be shared between KidSport and the YMCA.
The partnership with KidSport aligns so nicely with the YMCA,” says Nicole Beattie, Senior Vice President Strategic Growth and Advancement, YMCA of Northeastern Ontario. “We have aligned values, aligned mission as far as ensuring every kid who wants an opportunity to play sport or have recreational opportunities is not impeded by their financial needs.”
Beattie says those needs are on the rise too.
“We’ve actually seen a 40% increase in need for financial assistance,” she says. “We’re really grateful for all the support of the sponsors and local donors to be able to not have a cap at the YMCA for the number of kids we can help.”
Beattie says last year they raised $87,000 and sent 289 kids to camp.
Dave Mendicino, KidSport Board Chair, says thanks to sponsorship, the 50/50 jackpot in Oct. 19 will start at $2,000.
He says tickets for that game will go on sale Oct. 14.
“We’re really wanting to get this jackpot up as high as we can so we can give half the proceeds to the Fill the Bus campaign and allow these kids who families who could not otherwise afford it to enjoy amazing camp experiences,” says Mendicino.
He says thanks to their partnership with the Battalion, KidSport has gone from supporting 40-50 kids a year to about 350 this year.
Funds raised through the YMCA Fill the Bus campaign help cover the cost of registration, running shoes, sleeping bags and other camp supplies, as well as camp equipment and upgrades.
