Michelle Mann’s fond childhood memories of church camp left her wanting nothing more than to provide her children with the same positive experience.
But hefty registration fees were far more than the then-single mother could afford eight years ago.
She then learned about the Youth and Volunteer Centre of Red Deer’s Campership program, a subsidy that made it possible for Mann and her kids to join other families for a weekend of campfires, crafts, swimming, singing and socializing at Camp Alexo.
Her three children — 13-year-old Chelsea Mann, eight-year-old Shaylene Gustafson and five-year-old Cory Gustafson — have been active participants in the youth organization’s programs ever since.
“Anybody being in these programs helps out hugely,” said Mann, who is now engaged.
“For one, it gets kids doing things that are positive and inspires other people, as well as themselves . . . and their self-esteem boosts big time because of this.”
Mann has watched her daughters and son make friends, and become more confident and responsible because of their involvement with the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Camp Alexo, located 70 km west of Rocky Mountain House.
The whole family now helps out so other children can enjoy similar experiences at the Youth and Volunteer Centre, one of the 32 organizations that the United Way of Central Alberta supports through its annual campaign.
Mann joined the centre’s board of directors in March and volunteers at various fundraisers.
The family helps set up the Boys and Girls Club’s annual haunted house and Chelsea plans to undergo training to be a counsellor at Camp Alexo next summer.
“It feels like she’s in the right spot and going towards positive things,” Mann said of her oldest child. “Hopefully when she hits high school, she’ll stay on this path and blend in with the right people.”
The Youth and Volunteer Centre, through its various programs, strives to give kids positive opportunities to flourish, said executive director Dave Murphy.
“As children transition into adulthood, they just want to be able to have that self-confidence that they’ve developed some skills along the way so when they do have challenges, they’re able to deal with that,” he said.
“And to just know that they have caring people around them that are going to help them as they try to achieve their goals.”
Funds that the United Way provides ensure that the centre can offer its Big Bothers Big Sisters and Boys and Girls Club programs at an affordable rate, Murphy said.
It also allows the organization to help families with limited finances. Of the 300 kids who went to Camp Alexo this year, more than 100 received help from the Campership program, he said.
“If it wasn’t for (the United Way), we’d have to look at other ways to raise that money or at decreasing the number of kids that we can serve in our community,” Murphy said.
The campaign goal this year is to raise $1,960,000 for 32 community agencies that help one in three Central Albertans.
Jennifer Forrest, United Way resource development director, said updated donation numbers are not expected until early next month, but the campaign has been going well.
ptrotter@www.reddeeradvocate.com
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