Impactful outdoors

The sweet summer anticipation of tasting a cool new brew has an additional pleasure kick this year.

In July, Lake of Bays Brewing Company in Baysville is introducing Birch Blonde, a refreshing blonde ale. However, sales of the new ale will do more than please beer lovers’ palates.

Lake of Bay Brewing Co. is raising funds for Project Canoe through a collaborative brew with @AlexisOutdoors (a.k.a. Careena Alexis), a well-known Ontario outdoors enthusiast and YouTuber with followings on Instagram and Facebook. A portion of the proceeds from the collaboration will support Project Canoe, an organization that has provided camping and canoe experiences to marginalized and disadvantaged urban youth since 1977. In addition, Algonquin Outfitters in Huntsville will match all donations made to Project Canoe by the brewery.

On her Alexis Outdoor website, Alexis says her mission is to encourage everyone, especially women and young persons, to get outside and learn the skills needed to be comfortable in the great outdoors.

“When @AlexisOutdoors introduced us to Project Canoe, we were super excited to support an Ontario charity whose mission is to provide youth with opportunities to build self-esteem, self-awareness, and selflove through the power of educational and therapeutic outdoor programming,” says Lauren Young, marketing manager at Lake of Bays Brewing Co.

Since Project Canoe’s launch 45 years ago by Dr. Herb Batt, the organization has helped over 4,000 marginalized and disadvantaged urban teenagers to experience camping through their wilderness canoe programs in Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park. This year, the organization is offering five-day canoe trips on July 1-5 and Aug. 22-26, and eight-day canoe trips on July 21-28 and Aug. 8-15.

The goal of Project Canoe’s camping trips goes beyond fostering the campers’ appreciation for nature’s beauty. The program is designed to teach important skills that the participants will use throughout their lives. As well as learning basic canoeing and wilderness camping skills, campers become team members who learn cooperation and relationship building. They build a supportive community around themselves while, importantly, having lots of fun amid the spectacular landscapes and lakes of Algonquin Park.

Since Project Canoe’s launch 45 years ago, the organization has helped over 4,000 marginalized and disadvantaged urban teenagers to experience camping through their wilderness canoe programs in Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park.

Project Canoe staff use the outdoors as a transformative environment where kids have a chance to develop the resiliency needed for future success, often despite significant barriers in their lives. Campers come to Project Canoe through children’s aid societies, mental health agencies, schools, community organizations and recommendations from friends and family. These children would otherwise be unable to go camping because of financial, social, emotional, learning and behavioural limits. Children are never disqualified from applying or going on camping trips because of finances. Project Canoe has bridged that gap for thousands of kids over the years and given them access to the Canadian wilderness that they might never have experienced otherwise.

The organization has an industry-leading staff to youth ratio of one staff for every two youth. This helps create connection between all campers during trips and gives them opportunities to develop social skills. All staff is trained in Advanced Wilderness First Aid, CPR and have National Lifesaving Society certification as well as Therapeutic Crisis Intervention certification.

Project Canoe’s summer wilderness canoe trip program is the organization’s core program, but educational nature hikes and special single day nature programs for youth in High Park are also offered in Toronto during the year. Volunteers help run events, fundraising and summer programs, and also reliably donate gently used outdoor gear and clothing for the campers.

“Our company’s heart and soul started with a love for the great outdoors, so we really felt their mission reflected our values in promoting people to take a step back from their busy lives and enjoy the great outdoors and what it has to offer,” says Young. “We know how impactful the outdoors can be to one’s life and are proud to be able to support a charity who understands that as well.”