Camp Day excites youth agency

All five Tim Hortons restaurants in Lloydminster are still in party mode after celebrating the corporation’s annual Camp Day.

Special sales proceeds and donations from the July 19 fundraiser go to Tim Hortons Foundation Camps for youth.

It’s all smiles at Big Brothers Big Sisters Lloydminster too, which works with local franchisees to select local youth to attend the Tim Hortons Children’s Ranch in Kananaskis Alberta each year.

A festive mood inspired customers to buy into Camp Day at the north and south end outlets that owner Kristine Whitney and her staff decorated with balloons and banners.

“It’s exciting. It’s lots of fun good vibes, it’s awesome. It’s great knowing you are helping kids in the community,” said Whitney.

Balloons and decals also greeted customers at the three franchise locations owned by Jeff and Jeaninne Spencer to promote Camp Day.

The two local franchise owners send camp applications in the spring to Big Brothers Big Sisters to select eligible youth ages 12 to 16 from low-income families for camp.

“We pick the kids that fit in the age range for that year to go,” said the agency’s director of service delivery Jacqueline Weed, who is over the moon about Camp Day.

“We’ve had some fantastic opportunities over the years to be able to send kids that are part of our agency to camp,” said Weed, who says it makes a huge difference to the kids that go.

“It exposes them to new opportunities; they’ve made a ton of friends they wouldn’t normally meet and just the opportunity to leave our community and do different things.”

There were just two applicants this year and one of the youths headed to summer camp about 10 days ago.

“In the past, we’ve had as many as six or eight,” said Weed.

“It just depends on how many applications we receive from Tim Hortons. They tell us how many spots are available.”

She says those who are selected fully understand the opportunity.

“For a lot of these families, it wouldn’t be possible without the Tim Hortons Camp Day and the proceeds from that supporting the camp. It’s a life-changing opportunity for them,” said Weed.

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