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Fresh
Air Fund
TheStar.com - Fresh Air Fund
Leslie Ferenc
Staff Reporter
Marygrove is a "feel-good" place
Girls may be made of sugar and spice and everything nice
but they sure do make a heck of a lot of noise when they're
having fun.
And it was downright deafening when one camper
inadvertently plunked her elbows on the table during lunch.
Quick to spot the faux pas, her camp mates started a "rumble"
– wildly drumming their hands on the table. Their wooooos rose
to a crescendo to remind her the action is a no-no in the
dining hall. Seconds after the ruckus, the elbows were off the
table, which led to a rousing round of applause and uproarious
laughter.
A rumble is a Marygrove tradition that's as much a part of
the camp as the campfires and talent show. At camp, everyone
is a star.
All the hoopla left little Madeline, 8, in stitches. "I'm
here with my sister Teresa (who's 15)," she said, her eyes
twinkling with glee. "She's the best (and only) sister I
have." Fact is, all the girls at Marygrove are like
sisters. It's what makes the camp such a magical place to be.
Madeline, 8, gets
ready to paint the face of Kerry Watters at Marygrove Camp
near Penetanguishene.
With lunch finished, Madeline made a beeline to the craft
shack for some creative face painting. The would-be Picasso
deftly brushed a bright red flower on the cheek of her good
friend Kerry Watters, who's in charge of first aid at the
camp. "I got green paint on my finger," Madeline said laughing
before wiping it off on her T-shirt.
That's allowed at camp.
For Madeline and the other girls, Marygrove offers a
much-needed break from city life and a vacation they might not
otherwise enjoy.
All of the campers are subsidized because of economic or
family challenges. Some come from group homes, shelters or
foster care. Their needs are as varied as their personalities,
but some are oh-so-easily met at camp where there are lots of
hugs, smiles and, when needed, a comforting shoulder to lean
on. A few days at camp makes a world of difference for these
disadvantaged youngsters.
"This is such important work for the Society and our
biggest concentrated outreach serving 1,200 kids in need,"
said camp director Louise "Curly" Coutu, who is also director
of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Toronto where she focuses
on work in shelters and recovery homes.
"This is feel-good stuff."
And it sure does feel great at Marygrove – like visiting a
best friend's cottage. The girls swim and play, dance and
sing, canoe and create. And their imaginations soar.
The girls are devoted to their dedicated counsellors, like
Doris So, 33, who make every day at camp more amazing than the
last.
"I come because of the kids," said So, a child and youth
worker who is the camp's program director. She's spent 18
glorious summers at Marygrove making wishes come true for
thousands of little pixies.
"The kids make me laugh and I look forward to camp every
summer. This is the best part of my job because at camp you
can be who you want to be."
Lori-Ann, 13, has never been to a co-ed camp and isn't that
interested in going. "Boys are so competitive and it would be
weird if they were here," she said. "The girls wouldn't act
the same with them around."
And summer wouldn't be the same for the girls if not for
the Fresh Air Fund.
"The Fresh Air Fund helps us a lot," said Coutu, adding
that, thanks to the generous support of donors, this year's
grant will help pay for camp programs. The bulk of the funding
comes from an annual collection from churches in the
Archdioceses of Toronto.
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