20 Years of Canoe Heads for Kids
By: Amici Children's Camp Charity
July 7, 2026
On Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, 176 camp enthusiasts joined us along Toronto’s waterfront for the 20th annual Canoe Heads for Kids. Due to torrential rain, unseasonably cold temperatures and heavy winds, participants completed a 10km urban hike in lieu of the usual 15km urban canoe trip. Despite this change, participants could be seen laughing, singing, and thoroughly enjoying the chance to reunite with their camp friends. This is the magic of Canoe Heads for Kids, magic that has been felt by participants and supporters every year since 2006. If you ask the founders of Canoe Heads for Kids, Stu Snyder and Willie Macrae, it's the magic at the heart of this event.
Stu and Willie didn’t set out to build a legacy. Rather, they wanted to try something different to raise funds for Amici. In 2006, when a camp friend asked them to join Amici’s board, they instead looked for a creative way to get involved. They could’ve organized a walk, run, bike, or even a fundraising gala, but instead they came up with a rigorous 40-kilometre portage and paddle across Toronto. Somehow, they convinced six of their camp friends to join them, with everyone sleeping in Willie’s living room the night before to prepare for their 6:00 am start. Over the next few years, they convinced some other brave camp alumni to join them, but soon realized that to grow the event, it would have to become more accessible while maintaining the challenge.
From those early years, Canoe Heads for Kids began to find its shape. What started as an ambitious challenge among friends gradually evolved into something more inclusive, a 15km portage and paddle that welcomed a wider circle of participants while holding on to the spirit that made it special. Stu and Willie recently reflected on the moment they looked around the event and realized they didn’t know everyone anymore and that the event was becoming much bigger than themselves. As the format adapted, so too did the community, growing year after year as more people were drawn in not just by the event itself, but by the opportunity to reconnect, build friendships, and support sending kids to camp.
At its heart, Canoe Heads for Kids is a community. For many, it serves as a camp reunion, a chance to reconnect with camp friends and spend time portaging and paddling, things many former campers no longer have time for. Over time, this community has expanded, with participants now spanning generations. There’s an energy you can truly feel on event day, from opening ceremonies to the after-party, where warmth, enthusiasm and friendliness bring participants together. People return to the event year after year because of how the event makes them feel, a return to camp friendships, a chance to be outdoors and enjoy Toronto from a different vantage point, all while supporting more children to experience the same camp traditions they value and cherish.
Over the past 20 years, Canoe Heads for Kids has raised almost $3 million, enabling thousands of camp experiences for children from low-income families. Camp teaches children the life skills that Canoe Heads participants continue to use each year, like teamwork, resilience, and the ability to navigate challenges together. Learning that sometimes it rains, and that’s okay! While the world has changed dramatically since Amici was founded in 1966, the core values of camp remain unchanged. As the world becomes increasingly divisive and children spend more time on screens and less time outside, Canoe Heads and Amici reflect a simple, enduring truth: you can’t replace real human connection, and this is what camp continues to offer across generations.
When Stu and Willie reflect on what Canoe Heads for Kids has become and the most successful event to date in 2026, raising $363,488, they admit it can be a little overwhelming. What began as a day among friends raising $10,000 for Amici has become much bigger. With each participant who braves the challenge of Canoe Heads for Kids, even in torrential downpour, it is a reminder that the founding belief of Amici still resonates today: camp has the power to change a child’s life. To every participant, donor, sponsor, and volunteer who demonstrated the lessons camp teaches you by showing up to Canoe Heads for Kids 2026 with a smile, thank you. Your generosity is what continues to bring Amici’s mission and the magic of camp to life. Lastly, thank you to Stu and Willie for bringing Canoe Heads for Kids to life 20 years ago and for your steadfast commitment to and passion for Amici.
