The Rotary Club of North Bay and the YMCA are looking to Fill The Bus to send kids to camp.
On Thursday, Kevin Oschefski from Country 90.5 FM and Mike Monaghan from 106.3 Jet FM are hopping on a bus to travel around and take part in a series of camping competitions, raising funds for the campaign.
Nicole Beattie, VP of Philanthropy, Marketing & Communications at the North Bay YMCA says the Fill The Bus campaign helps ensure kids can get a camp experience.
“If kids need financial assistance to get out to camp, we’ll do that,” she says. “We’re not just making sure kids can get to camp we’re making sure that their experience is the best it can be. If they need help getting sleeping bags, camping gear, whatever it might be to enjoy a full week at camp, the Y is raising money to make that happen too.”
Officials say every $275 raised adds a kid to the bus.
Dave McKenney, former camp director at Camp Tillicum, says camping is the ultimate outdoor experience and this gives kids the chance to try new things.
“A lot of kids have never been in a canoe, never fired an arrow at an archery target, never done orienteering, just running in the woods. They have a ropes course out there,” he says. “It’s just a great opportunity for kids to experience things that they wouldn’t get in downtown North Bay.”
Steven Wright, Rotary Club of North Bay President, says hundreds of kids got to experience camp this year.
“I believe they had over 600 kids attend this camp this past summer and over 80% of them required financial assistance,” he says.
The fundraising campaign will also be at the Battalion game Thursday night.
