THUNDER BAY -- Safeway shoppers have the opportunity to help send local children to camp this summer.
The grocery store is asking its customers between now and Monday to donate $2 at the cash register, the money collected being given to the local Easter Seals chapter, who plan to use it to cover the costs of sending children to accessible camps in southern Ontario.
Alex Siciliano, manager of the Dawson Road Safeway location, says Easter Seals is a special charity and the annual fundraiser is something the company has been doing for the past 10 years.
“Our staff and our customers all get behind it because it’s really for a great cause, getting everybody to send kids to camp, which is a special thing for those kids,” Siciliano said on Thursday morning.
“Our employees rally around. We raise our money at the tills and we have some events. We have a barbecue, we do all sorts of different fundraising events at the store during the (campaign).”
Customers who donate $2 will also receive a bonus five Air Miles, he added.
Rhonda Harrison, senior development officer with Easter Seals Ontario, said the kickoff to the campaign began with an invitation to local dignitaries to create pieces of art representing what going to camp means to them.
Harrison said it’s unfortunate there isn’t an Easter Seals camp in this part of the province, but the fundraising effort helps ensure children with disabilities can spend time at an accessible camp and enjoy all the outdoor activities involved.
“It’s so unique because everything is so accessible and for 10 days, everyone there are all Easter Seals kids. They all have a physical disability. So it’s a great opportunity for the kids to feel just like everyone else,” Harrison said.
“They come back after 10 days with a great experience. They got to do canoeing and camp fires and sledge hockey. And they look forward to going back next year.”
The campaign runs through July 4.
