Canoe Heads for Kids raises more than $1 million to help kids attend summer camp

Amici Camping Charity, which helps to send children in financial need to summer camp, says it has reached a major milestone in its flagship fundraising effort — Canoe Heads for Kids.

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"This year, our goal was to raise $170,000 which we have clipped," event co-chair Stuart Snyder told CBC Toronto.

"We have crossed the $1-million threshold, which is extremely exciting for us, and we're very happy. This is going to provide lots of kids the opportunity to do some things that they perhaps couldn't do, like going to camp for two weeks or longer during the summer."

Snyder says it takes about $1,000 to send one kid to camp for the summer.

Canoe trip held Saturday

And in Saturday's event, some 160 former campers strapped a canoe to their backs in a head-turning downtown canoe trip to benefit the charity.

The volunteers then embarked on an epic 15-kilometre urban portage and paddle starting at the Harbourfront Canoe & Kayak Centre.

Among the volunteers today was Team Canada Olympic snowboarder and Amici Camping Charity supporter Calynn Irwin.

She told CBC Toronto that she gained a lot from camp while growing up and she is happy to be part of something that provides similar opportunities for other kids.

"I think through going to camp I was able to have so many great role models in my life," she said.

"I was able to try so many different things, and I was encouraged in every single thing that I tried."

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