200 miles for 200 smiles....
Posted by Stephen Rhodes
The Heart Lake Rotary club put smiles on the faces of 26 children stricken with cancer in their 200 miles for 200 smiles campaign this year. It's a fundraising event for Camp Oochigeas, a cancer camp for kids in Muskoka.
Organizer Karol Komar hopes this grassroot initiative by the Heart Lake club will grow into a major event..
"Our goal is to raise community awareness about the cancer camp and to raise funds to help send children to Camp Ooch," he told our club last Monday.
Karol along with Stephen Jones and Sharon Ingle, former Canadian National triatheletes, cycled the course from Toronto to the camp near Rousseau in the Muskokas in July.
At Camp Ooch, children with cancer have a chance to experience the outdoors, acquire new skills and meet new friends. Medical professionals, business people and former camp attendees volunteer their time for two weeks each summer. There are three - two-week sessions.
"We have 200 volunteers on site over the summer," Karol said.
In addition to pledges, the Heart Lake club raises funds through sponsorships and encouraged our Rotary club to get involved.
"It costs $2100 per child to send them to camp. This year we hoped to be able to send 11 kids and in fact we raised $56,000, which funded 26 children," Karol said.
Karol is asking Rotary clubs to get behind the project so more children will get an opportunity to attend Camp Ooch next year.
Pictured is Karol with the welcome sign he received along the route.
"Our goal is to raise community awareness about the cancer camp and to raise funds to help send children to Camp Ooch," he told our club last Monday.
Karol along with Stephen Jones and Sharon Ingle, former Canadian National triatheletes, cycled the course from Toronto to the camp near Rousseau in the Muskokas in July.
At Camp Ooch, children with cancer have a chance to experience the outdoors, acquire new skills and meet new friends. Medical professionals, business people and former camp attendees volunteer their time for two weeks each summer. There are three - two-week sessions.
"We have 200 volunteers on site over the summer," Karol said.
In addition to pledges, the Heart Lake club raises funds through sponsorships and encouraged our Rotary club to get involved.
"It costs $2100 per child to send them to camp. This year we hoped to be able to send 11 kids and in fact we raised $56,000, which funded 26 children," Karol said.
Karol is asking Rotary clubs to get behind the project so more children will get an opportunity to attend Camp Ooch next year.
Pictured is Karol with the welcome sign he received along the route.