As we wrap up RAC 2024, we reflect on the time shared and the amazing memories created for campers, Leaders in Training (LITs), and camp staff this year. With camp spaces filled beyond capacity, this summer we hosted over 400 campers from diverse backgrounds, ensuring inclusion for local low-income, 2SLGBTQIA+, and other families in our community.
This summer has flown by, and we’ve done so many cool things over the past eight weeks. We planned plenty of fun in the sun around the Riverside Community, visiting local parks, schools, and pools! We trekked to the Toronto Zoo, Ripley’s Aquarium, and the ROM, where campers were challenged to a scavenger hunt once inside. We also hosted a fun and fascinating visit from Mad Science, learning that science is indeed magic!
Swim days were a blast! We were thrilled to add the newly reopened outdoor Donald D. Summerville Olympic Pool at Woodbine Beach to our swimming schedule. Mid-summer, we quickly adapted to the sudden closure of Jimmie Simpson Pool by visiting new pools (Matty Eckler & Pam McConnell) in our community.
Our Leaders in Training (LITs), a group of 13 youth from our Rivertowne, Blake/Boultbee, and Walpole neighborhoods, participated in two weeks of leadership training and completed 960 hours of placement at one of our three partnering camps (Applegrove, Eastview, and RAC Camp). These young adults are making a difference in our communities and taking positive steps toward their future by building leadership skills, which they can continue to develop through our youth programming throughout the year.
In 2022, the Summer Mentor Program was integrated into our recreational RAC Camp to further enhance inclusion and diversity. We have continued to build upon this concept. This summer, the Mentor Program hosted 13 Chinese newcomer children who spent mornings at RAC Camp, participating in recreational activities, trips, and arts & crafts, and afternoons attending English mentoring sessions which featured Individualized Lesson Plans (ILPs) and was supported by dedicated volunteer mentors. The children spent a total of 48 hours in classroom learning during the afternoons, complemented by group games where they they were able to apply their learnings in practice. This blended approach provided a balanced experience, combining friendship-building and summer camp fun with targeted English language support.
This amazing summer would not have been possible without the dedication, care, and support provided by our counselors. This year, we provided jobs and leadership-building opportunities for 25 young people. We had a great mix of new and returning staff, and we even welcomed two LITs onto our staff team! Although we are not an art camp, our Specialist in Art is an integral part of our weekly programming. They introduced various artists and techniques to campers during each week’s “TIME 4 ART” sessions. They planned amazing activities that incorporated the children’s interests—SLIME was a popular request from the campers and provided hours of fun!
To our RAC Camp families, we thank you for being a part of our programs and hope to see you again in 2025!