Established in 2024
In October 2023, Camp Awakening, a camp for children and youth with physical disabilities, and a partner camp of Amici Children’s Camp Charity for close to 20 years, closed its doors after 41 summers. Camp Awakening provided meaningful camp experiences, allowing their campers to become more independent, make life-long friends, develop their confidence and accomplish things they had never thought possible.
Thanks to a generous gift from Camp Awakening, the Camp Awakening Legacy Fund has been established at Amici Children’s Camp Charity. The fund is invested to generate income each year to support children and youth with physical disabilities to attend overnight summer camp.
We are thankful Camp Awakening chose Amici to further their mission. We are grateful for the opportunity to honour the legacy of Camp Awakening, its founders, board members, donors, volunteers, and staff team, who have provided the magic of camp to children and youth with physical disabilities, by continuing to provide camp experiences for years to come.
Summer 2024 marked Amici’s first summer supported in part by the Camp Awakening Legacy Fund, and we are delighted to share that several children with physical disabilities, many of whom are former Camp Awakening campers, attended Amici partner camps.
One such camper was Samuel. He attended Camp Kawartha for the first time, supported by the Camp Awakening Legacy Fund. As a former Camp Awakening camper, Samuel and his family were looking for a camp that could not only accommodate his physical needs, but a place where he could grow and be himself while developing life skills. With Camp Director Emma’s pre-summer guidance and the Kawartha staff’s exceptional support, Samuel and his family found that and much more at camp.
“Samuel came back from Camp Kawartha completely filled with stories, joy and belief that he belonged,” says Catherine, Samuel’s Mom. “Everybody around us heard about how he didn't want to leave Camp Kawartha.”
Apply for Camp
For families/guardians of a child/youth with physical disabilities interested in applying to camp for summer 2025, please click HERE to learn more about our application process.
If you have any questions about applying to camp, please be in touch with Amici’s Program Director, Jodie Adams, at jodie@amicicharity.org or 416-588-8026 ext. 203.
Camp Awakening Legacy Fund Taskforce
We would like to acknowledge and thank our dedicated Camp Awakening Legacy Fund Taskforce, whose support has been instrumental in ensuring children and youth with physical disabilities can experience that magic of camp with Amici’s support:
Jodie Adams, Program Director, Amici Children’s Camp Charity
Erin Brandon, Paediatric Nurse Practitioner, Complex Care Program, The Hospital for Sick Children
Sari Grossinger, OT Reg. (Ont.), Co-owner/Director Camp Robin Hood, Co-owner Camp Walden
Shantal Kennedy, Program Coordinator, Amici Children’s Camp Charity
Judy MacGowan, Executive Director, Amici Children’s Camp Charity
John Medland, Head of Canadian Technology Investment Banking, Scotiabank
Dolly Menna-Dack, Senior Director (Interim) Collaborative Practice & Clinical Education, Senior Bioethicist and Manager, Youth Engagement Strategy, Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital
Tracy Morley, Former Executive Director, Camp Awakening and Assistant Director of Operations, Kilcoo Camp
