Article content continued

“There’s parts of Ottawa where there’s not a lot of wealthy people, and they don’t get to give their kids an opportunity to go to these camps, have fun with their friends. I think it’s just an all-around great experience for kids, and a lot of them should experience it,” Ceci said.

“You learn a lot of life skills that you don’t necessarily learn at school. You’re out there interacting with new people for the first time,” he said. “Normally you just stick to your school friends or your hockey friends and that’s about it, so they get a chance to talk to new people and to learn different life skills and be independent for the first time away from their parents, so they kind of get a taste of the real world in that sense.”

Ottawa-based partner organizations include the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa’s Camp Smitty, Christie Lake Kids, the City of Ottawa’s City Champions’ Camp and Youth Sports Camp, and the YMCA’s Camp Otonabee.

A bright-eyed, nine-year-old AJ Osman had a lot of fun last summer at Camp Smitty and he hopes to return on his 10th birthday this year so he can celebrate it there.

“My mom doesn’t have lots of money, but the Boys and Girls Club helped her pay for me to go,” he said. “I made lots of friends and I can’t wait to go back and see them.”

AJ wants to become a camp counsellor when he’s older.

The other five camps receiving OSF grants are Tim Horton Children’s Foundation programs based in Tatamagouche, N.S., Quyon, Que., Parry Sound, Ont., St. George, Ont. and Pinawa, Man.

The camps were selected based on their records of building self-confidence, personal development, physical activity, nutritional awareness and teamwork, leadership and fair play skills.

Robinson said the foundation hopes to expand the program over time.

“Hopefully we’ll have even more money than the $200,000 next summer to be able to help more kids,” she said.

Since 1992, the foundation, with its partners, has put more than $100 million into the region.