New “legacy” cabin dedicated at Bryerswood Youth Camp

Investment made by Windsor-Essex Community Foundation

By Donna Tuckwell

A local camp that helps to foster leadership, confidence, life skills and self esteem in youth is now the proud home of a new “legacy” cabin.

In 2018, the not-for-profit Bryerswood Youth Camp began providing children aged four to eighteen with outdoor experiences and educational programs.

Local woman celebrates her 104th birthday

By Ron Giofu

A woman from Amherstburg has celebrated her latest birthday and it’s another big one.

Margaret Hunt was greeted by friends and family last Sunday on the occasion of her 104th birthday, which was actually this past Monday. Wellwishers made their way to Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home where they greeted Hunt and had a small party for her.

Margaret recalled her own father had a long life and was a hard worker.

“He had his own business,” she said, adding that she remembers her father doing tinsmithing work as well.

Her son David Hunt said his mother has always had a love of family and that is one of the reasons he attributes to her longevity.

“It was always family with her,” he said.

David added his mother would also have a bowl of porridge every morning, but her oldest granddaughter Jennifer Brown joked that Margaret’s longevity was due to her love of gossip.

Margaret has three children, seven grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. Some of them were on hand Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a large family,” she said.

Margaret is originally from Windsor while her husband was from Amherstburg. David remembered stories where his mother said they had one of the first homes on Pillette Road and the road was mud when she was a child.

Among her gifts was a cake to mark the occasion and a plaque from Mayor Michael Prue to help the mark the occasion.

“I’ve asked her before how do you live to 104,” said David. “She said ‘one day at a time.’ I guess it is true. How else do you do it?”

Great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren were part of Margaret Hunt’s 104th birthday celebration last Sunday afternoon at Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home including Taylor Beaudoin (holding Harrison) and Aleeah Beaudoin (left). Margaret’s son David helps her look over a congratulatory plaque that came from Mayor Michael Prue (below).

The 25-acre camp on Texas Road in McGregor offers year-round structured programs in an outdoor setting focusing on leadership and life skills, outdoor skills, and environmental education.

A new “legacy” cabin was unveiled on July 25 thanks to a $25,000 investment from the Windsor Essex Community Foundation (WECF).

The investment is one of several projects being supported by the WECF as they celebrate 40 years of “community supporting community” in 2023.

The new six-bunk cabin will be insulated, with heat pumps installed to heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

Additional cabins and structures on the property are undergoing renovations to make the entire camp more accessible and eventually open to the public for events such as weddings or family reunions.

“We are very grateful and thankful that WECF has chosen to support us in such a significant way, showing that they believe in our vision for Bryerswood and the youth of Windsor, Essex County and Chatham-Kent,” Bryerswood Youth Camp Optimist Club president Kathi Poupard said.

Lisa Kolody is the executive director of the Windsor Essex Community Foundation.

“The foundation is celebrating 40 years of legacy giving, and as part of that we wanted to invest in a cabin at this camp because they build a sense of community and a sense of belonging, and it’s a great way to create legacy and honour from 40 years of inspiring philanthropy,” she said.

For more information on the Bryerswood Youth Camp or to donate, please visit their website at www.bryerswood.com.

Rtt Photos By

RON GIOFU