About Amici

Attending summer camp at YMCA Wanakita introduced me to a network of lifelong friends and (most importantly!) my wife. Camp inspired a love of the outdoors in both of us which we pursued by working at camps in Ontario and in Europe. Participating as campers and staff provided us the opportunity to put the values of respect, co-operation and inclusiveness into practice; values that we are now trying to pass along to our children. It is a privilege to work with Amici and help young people have the chance to experience summer camp in Ontario – I know for a fact that it can change your life.

I believe passionately in the power of camp to help kids become the best version of themselves.

My life would have taken a different and less aspirational trajectory if not for the power and magic of camp. From my first experience as a nine-year-old camper at Camp Gay Venture, I knew that camp was something that brought joy, connection and direction. For the next 14 years, I was a camper, staff and then senior staff. But it was the day as a counsellor when I learned that a camper in my cabin was sponsored by Amici that I realized that the privilege of camp should not be just for the economically comfortable – and that many smart, compassionate people felt the same.

I support Amici because I see first hand the difference I can make. Amici is a terrific organization made up of people that really want to improve the lives of the children and families we support. We find ways to make every hour, and every dollar count, and it is a pleasure to be part of an organization that is so passionate about helping kids reach their full potential.

Working in Consulting for Adobe Systems, I am passionate about using technology to solve business challenges. What is clear to me though, is that leadership skills and emotional intelligence are what really drive solutions and success. I’m proud to support an organization that understands the value of teaching kids to take personal risks and believe in themselves, to look people in the eye rather than communicate through screens, to listen and speak with kindness to different points of view, and to work and succeed together as part of a team.

Camp is in me for life. I don’t know anything else. My father bought Kilcoo in 1956 and it was here that I learned self resilience, self reflection, confidence, leadership and most importantly, how to communicate and live with compassion. These are my guiding principles. Being able to provide these life lessons through the power of summer camp makes me so proud of what we are doing at Amici. I am so grateful for the support we receive to be able to provide this experience to hundreds of children every summer.

Thanks Amici!

Through many years of witnessing the life-changing impact camp has had on my three children, I have developed a passionate belief in the power of camp. I am very proud to serve as a Director of the Board for Amici Camping Charity, an organization I have long supported and believed in. Amici provides lifelong and critical skills to children facing financial and social barriers through the magic of camp, and it is an honour to be part of this meaningful work.

Camp is with me every day, in my personal and professional life. I was a camper and canoe tripper at several camps in my youth, and the joy and confidence that developed in those years will remain for life. I believe wholeheartedly in the uplifting magic that camp brings to kids’ lives. I love Amici Camping Charity for recognizing the value of summer camp and dedicating itself to making summer camp available to all kids regardless of their background or means.

I have worked with the Canoe Heads for Kids steering committee for the last 6 years, helping to spread awareness and provide value for event sponsors. My passion for the power of camp is rooted in my own experience spending 8 summers at Camp GayVenture. Learning core skills like leadership, collaboration and a desire to try new things has helped me throughout my career and I am grateful to be able to help other children have this same opportunity. 

Attending summer camp is a life-changing opportunity to learn skills, such as teamwork, independence, and confidence, that will last a lifetime.  I am grateful for my twelve summers at Glen Bernard Camp where, in addition to those skills, I developed a  passion for the outdoors and made life-long friendships. I support Amici Camping Charity to give more young people the opportunity to attend camp and develop to their full potential.

I am who I am because of Camp. Camp has shaped me in so many ways as a person, and has helped me develop skills and perspectives that I use every day in my career. I'm forever grateful for the years I spent at Camp as a camper, leadership participant, staff member and, most recently, as a Camp Director. I believe it is so important to provide Camp experiences to as many deserving kids and youth as we can, so that they can experience the magic of Summer Camp - and so that they can make lifelong friends, develop new skills, create everlasting memories, and be their real and true selves in Summer Camp communities that celebrate them and cheer them on.

I attended summer camp in Ontario for eleven years, and in addition to gaining a lifetime of memories, the experience allowed me to build friendships, gain independence, and develop a passion for the Canadian wilderness and outdoors.

The skills and personal values I learned at camp have remained with me and will always be relevant, even in a rapidly changing world. I believe strongly that summer camp can benefit, and should be accessible to, anyone, and I am proud to serve on the Board of an organization that has such a long and distinguished track record of providing summer camp experiences to so many children.

Executive Director

I spent my formative years on the shores of Lake Kashagawigamog fostering life-long friendships at Camp Gay Venture. The experiences, and valuable life lessons I learned in those years have immeasurably shaped who I am today. I am passionate about the power of camp, the outdoors, giving back and providing all children, no matter their family's financial circumstances, with the life-changing experience of attending camp.

Manager, Fund Development and Communications

I endlessly credit my 14 summers spent at Glen Bernard for the person I am today. The power of camp is boundless and I am grateful to share a passion for camp, children and making the world a better place one smiling camper at a time with the incredible Amici community.

Development Coordinator

I feel extremely lucky to have grown up attending and working at Glen Bernard Camp, a place that shaped me into the person I am today. The lifelong friendships, leadership skills and passion for the outdoors are things that every child should get to experience, regardless of their financial position. I am grateful to be a part of the Amici team and to give more children the chance to experience the magic of camp!

Program Manager

I started attending Camp Kawartha the summer I turned 9 and I cannot imagine who I would be without camp. I learned to be independent, advocate for myself and met some of my closest friends and role models. I later found myself working at Camp Kandalore as the full time Administrator which is where I first learned about Amici. Being Program Manager at Amici is incredibly rewarding as I get to play a role in helping children reach their full potential at camp!