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Six teens to canoe over 2,000 km to raise funds for Canadian food banks

They will make a stop in Espanola in Aug. 4
Screenshot 2020-07-03 at 1.39.07 PM
Canoe4Covid crew. Supplied photo

Six Toronto teens are in for the canoe trip of a lifetime this summer, and they plan to raise $60,000 for Canadian food banks while doing it. 

On June 26, Cailan Robinson, George Kirijian, Nolan Aziz, Tim Mulligan, Will Vyse, and Jacob Heisey left Wabakimi Provincial Park, 240 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, with one tent and two canoes to embark on an epic 60-day canoe trip across Ontario to raise money for Food Banks Canada. 

The Canoe4Covid team will be traveling over 2,000 kilometres south to Ottawa. The goal is to raise $1,000 for every day of their trip – and they have already reached over 75 per cent of their goal. 

Along the way, the team will be stopping in a number of Northern Ontario communities to receive fresh supplies. This includes a stop in Espanola on Aug. 4 and in North Bay on Aug. 14. 

Fifty percent of the funds raised will be allocated by Food Banks Canada to Indigenous communities across the country. 

“Every night, we get a satellite message that says: 'Dear parents, we reached our campsite for the night, and we are safe. Love, the boys',” said Jacob Heisey’s mother Janet. 

“It’s very reassuring to receive those text messages at night before we go to sleep.” 

All six teens, who graduated from high school this year, worked together last summer at Camp Ahmek in Algonquin Park where they were counselors-in-training and canoe instructors.

This year, they were looking forward to returning to camp, but unfortunately, all overnight camps across the province have been shut down due to the pandemic. 

Instead of getting discouraged, the boys sprang into action. They contacted Food Banks Canada to set up a fundraising canoe trip for a good cause. 

“It’s a very inspiring and infectious – in a good way – initiative. The guys did so much work pre-planning this trip and this fundraiser behind the scenes,” said Janet. 

“Here are six guys who found out that camp was cancelled, but decided that they wanted to raise funds for those affected by food insecurity. I am so proud of them. What an opportunity this has been.” 

Paula Maurutto, the mother of Cailan Robinson, was surprised and maybe a little worried when her son first approached her with the idea. 

“But how do you say no to this? These are six amazing guys who came up with this initiative to give back to their communities, so the only response was to support them,” she said.

“Of course, as a mother, I am worried, but they are all very experienced canoers and trekkers and can portage vast distances. They thought this would be a great way to raise money and raise awareness about food insecurity across the country.” 

The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for many communities, and as of June 15, the total number of jobs lost in Canada totalled more than three million. 

To help alleviate some of the food insecurity that could result due to the pandemic, all six boys wanted to see if there was something they could do to help. 

“With COVID-19 happening, they really wanted to find a way to give back to the community. As part of their canoeing experiences, they have travelled through a lot of small communities in Northern Ontario and a lot of Indigenous communities, as well,” said Maurutto. 

“They wanted to make sure that some of the money they raised went back to Indigenous communities, which could be some of the hardest hit.” 

The Canoe4Covid team is made up of six recent graduates with more than 670 kilometres of canoe tripping experience combined. 

Cailan Robinson, who attended Oasis Alternative Secondary School, is a committed outdoor adventurist. 

He spent one summer as a camp counsellor and led four canoe trips. Cailan has since created a wilderness brand called “SHWACK,” where he sells items like hand-crafted paddles and skateboards. 

In September, he will begin a two-year Outdoor Adventure program at Algonquin College. 

Joining him in the fall is Georges Kirijian, who graduated from Northern Secondary School. 

Over the years, he has completed 157 days on canoe trips, including a 42-day canoe trip in 2016 and a 50-day canoe trip in 2017. He is also a CISA-certified ski instructor and has taught skiing for two years. 

Nolan Aziz, who graduated from Crescent School, will be attending Dalhousie University for the general science program in the fall. 

He is knowledgeable of canoe tripping on large bodies of water (James Bay, for example), and he is comfortable manoeuvring his boat around the dangers of rapids. 

Tim Mulligan has 128 days of canoe tripping experience under his belt, and he graduated from Greenwood College School this year. 

In 2018, he embarked on a 50-day canoe trip through Northern Ontario, where he paddled Lake Nipissing in one day (100 kilometres). Outside of canoeing, Mulligan is a two-time North American Muay Thai champion. 

Will Vyse is a Royal St. George’s College School graduate and he has 173 days of canoe tripping experience. He paddled with Mulligan across Lake Nipissing on the same trip. This fall, he will attend McGill University for bioengineering on a scholarship.

Jacob Heisey, who graduated this year from Ursula Franklin Secondary School, has more than 100 days of canoe tripping experience. 

In September, he will attend the Rowe School of Business Co-op Commerce Program at Dalhousie University. 

“So far, everyone has been really supportive of this initiative,” said Maurutto. 

“They have some amazing sponsors who have made this trip possible, and people from all across the country are donating to the cause.”

As of July 2, the Canoe4Covid team has raised almost $46,000 for Food Banks Canada. 

If all goes as planned, the guys will reach their destination on Aug. 24. 

For more information about the initiative or to donate, visit www.canoe4covid.com. Folks can also follow the team’s journey on social media @Canoe4Covid. 

- Colleen Romaniuk, Local Journalism Initiative, Sudbury Star


About the Author: Colleen Romaniuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Colleen Romaniuk is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, a Government of Canada program, at the Sudbury Star.
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