At the official launch of the Camp Tillicum renewal project, Bill Hagborg, fundraising director for the Rotary Club of North Bay said that many fellow Rotarians and community members who have donated to the Camp Tillicum renewal project had the pleasure of attending the camp as children, and have seen generations of their own families flourish into young adulthood along the shores of Lake Nipissing where the camp is located.
So far, thanks to generous donations from Redpath Mining, the Rotary Club and other contributors, $700,000 of a goal of $1.5 million has been raised. It will take $1 million to get the project fully underway, so the group is actively seeking private and business donations.
Said Hagborg, "We've already started doing some preliminary work on the drawings and design for the new facility. What we want to do is ensure that we've got a good chunk of the funding in place before we break ground."
The new facility will be approximately 5,500 square feet in size and will be fully accessible.
"We haven't set a firm date for building, but I would say that it will be within a couple of years. Our club has made a pledge of $200,000 over four years," said Hagborg.
Asked about trying to raise funds in an unstable economy, Hagborg replied, "It's amazing how generous and how supportive the community is. There are a lot of people who are connected to this camp in some way."
For more information on fundraising for Rotary's Camp Tillicum renewal, click here.
George Flumerfelt, President and CEO of Redpath Mining was on hand to help unveil the plans for the new Redpath Youth Centre.
"We are particularly interested in doing things that help young people. This is a continuation of our founder, Jim Redpath's legacy. When we heard about this opportunity, it excited us a great deal. We are extremely proud to be involved, it's a terrific project aimed at developing youth," said Flumerfelt.
The camp, which offers sponsorship programs, is located in Callander and is a not-for-profit camp for boys and girls. Camp Tillicum is a joint initiative between the Rotary Club and the YMCA that in 2016, saw 550 children attend and take advantage of opportunities to forge friendships and be active in a safe environment.
