York grads paddle it out with Canoe Heads for Kids

Lewis Chaitov
Contributor
Former York graduate students Alex Baxter and Matt Chamberlin were two of the 64 volunteers that embarked on a 40-kilometre paddle and portage along Toronto’s waterfront for Canoe Heads for Kids. The event occurred on Saturday, June 4^th under stormy 10-degree temperatures, but that didn’t stop the fundraiser from meeting its annual goal.
The fourth annual event saw eight teams of former camp pals raise over $5,000 each in pledges, together giving a total of $45,000 to the Amici Camping Charity, which sends underprivileged children to summer camp. Last year, they sent 140 children.
The groups started off at the Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre on Queen’s Quay south of the Rogers Centre. They were led by a core group of devoted volunteers, who are inspired by the positive impact that summer camp has on children and youth.
Amici is a registered charity that helps send children from low-income families to over 26 different Ontario summer camps. This group is now in their fourth year. To date, the Canoe Heads have raised $53,000 and provided 50 kids with a summer camping experience.