Posted on by Guest Writer
25
Aug

EASTER SEALS RAISES $40,600 THROUGH CAMP TO CAMP CHALLENGE

Local Windsorite Renaud Finishes 1st in the Province at the Birthplace of Easter Seals – Windsor, Ontario

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Trekking on the Trail. Easter Seals’ Regional Ambassadors Alex Bondy and Brigid Kidd enjoy a fun kids’ trek along Ganatcho Trail this past Sunday in support of the organization’s Camp to Camp initiative.

Easter Seals Ontario (Windsor-Essex), in collaboration with its fellow regional offices throughout the province, delivered its first-ever fully-virtual fitness challenge, Camp to Camp, to raise funds for urgently needed accessibility and mobility equipment.

“Collectively, $40,600 was raised, which surpassed our campaign goal by $600 with more funds anticipated,” says provincial Easter Seals Camp to Camp Challenge organizer, Lauren Squizzato. “With the majority of our usual fundraising events in Ontario on hold due to COVID-19, this initiative generated awareness while raising dollars to help support the vital needs of the vulnerable children we serve throughout Windsor-Essex County and across the province.”

Camp to Camp challenged individuals to run, walk or roll 50 km by August 23 while raising funds for Easter Seals kids. The length of the trek on the MoveSpring app is symbolic of the distance between Easter Seals’ two fully-accessible camps that are unable to operate this summer due to COVID-19.

For local Windsorite, Jeremy Renaud, it was an opportunity to go the distance around the region of Windsor-Essex County on his own unique One with the Earth Tour, powered by the generous donations of local Rotarians. Jeremy’s tour was broken down as follows:

  • The Anne Chetty Trek – Windsor to Belle River (Tuesday, August 18)
  • The Monique Dugal Trek – Belle River to The Town of Essex (Wednesday, August 19)
  • The Sandra Stanciu Trek – Belle River to Stoney Point (Thursday, August 20)
  • The Jeremy Renaud Trek – Stoney Point to Point Pelee (Friday, August 21)
  • The Margaret Prince Trek – Leamington to Amherstburg (Saturday, August 22)
  • The Susanne Bergeron Trek – Amherstburg to LaSalle (Sunday, August 23)
  • The Debra Harshaw Trek – LaSalle to Windsor (Sunday, August 23)
  • The Easter Seals’ Birthplace Trek Dedicated to Terry Cloutier and Rotary – Windsor West to Windsor East (Sunday, August 23)
  • The Easter Seals Ambassadors Kids’ Trek – Ganatcho Trail, Windsor (Sunday, August 23, 2020).

Renaud travelled 933.93 kilometres throughout the campaign, which ranked him 1st overall in the province. He also finished 2nd overall in terms of fundraising close behind his work colleague in Toronto, though he surpassed his fundraising goal by 1089%.

“I am extremely grateful for this unique opportunity to help kids with physical disabilities while challenging myself along the way. I was also excited to see the tremendous support of Rotarians regionally and other donors who came on board to help Easter Seals’ kids!” – Jeremy Renaud

Renaud joined Regional Ambassadors Alex Bondy and Brigid Kidd along with their families at Stop 26 for a fun kids’ trek along Ganatcho Trail this past Sunday to cap the tour. “I couldn’t keep up with the kids, but we had lots of fun,” said Renaud.

Originally established by Rotary Club members in Windsor in 1922, Easter Seals Ontario has been a champion of children and youth with physical disabilities from all ethnic and religious backgrounds for the past 98 years. Funds generated support essential mobility and accessibility equipment, such as wheelchairs, walkers, ramps and lifts, for kids with physical disabilities, as well as opportunities for kids to experience fun, friendship and participation at fully accessible Easter Seals camps. Easter Seals is only able to provide its programs with the generous support of its donors and sponsors.

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Guest Writer