Eleven-year-old Connor McKinnon loves feeling the wind in his air when he’s tearing around on an ATV.
In 2008, Connor was diagnosed with cancer and when Gerry and Jo Ann Witiluk of J&J Sports heard of his condition, they lent him an ATV to use between treatments.
“One of the things with pediatric cancer is that kids have to grow up pretty quick and he’s missed out on being a kid,” said Connor’s mother Kelli Gothard McKinnon.
“Being out on a quad lets’ him have a little bit of that back again. It’s given him his independence,” McKinnon added. “It’s an escape for him.”
When the Witiluks saw what the ATV did for Connor, they thought they would donate one to Camp Quality to be raffled off in support of the charity.
First prize is a youth-sized 2013 Polaris Sportsman 90.
Camp Quality offers various supports for families with children with cancer, most notably a summer camp program.
McKinnon said both the Witiluks and Camp Quality have been incredibly supportive to Connor and the whole family.
“Connor really looks forward to camp when summer comes,” she said, adding the money raised will be used to have more kids involved and put on more events and activities at the summer camp.
Connor still has cancer but is stable. But the McKinnons still travel to Toronto every six months to check on Connor’s condition.
Raffle tickets are $2 each or three for $5 and can be purchased at J&J Sports on Tungsten Street.
The draw date is Oct. 16.
