WINNIPEG, MB – The popular University of Winnipeg Eco-Kids summer camp has scored a generous gift of $25,000 from the Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation. Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, UWinnipeg President and Vice-Chancellor, announced the gift after taking a camp tour and meeting the kids today.
“We are grateful for the generosity of the Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation,” said Axworthy. “UWinnipeg is very proud that more than 5,000 children have attended this camp since its inception in 2007. We are committed to maintaining its accessibility — and generous partners like the Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation help make that commitment possible.”
“Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation is committed to strengthening our community,” expressed Dwayne Green, Executive Director, Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation. “UWinnipeg’s work with inner-city youth and education programs like the UWinnipeg Eco-Kids summer camp mirrors the initiatives we support that provide positive programming for children and youth and positively impact our community as a whole.”
Over the course of this summer, a total of 1,200 children will attend UWinnipeg’s summer day camp and will participate in fun environmental activities with a focus on Indigenous science. The free camp removes barriers to participation. UWinnipeg provides the camp programming as well as transportation, nutrition, supplies, t-shirts, re-usable water bottles, and canvas bags for each participant — made possible by active private and public sector fundraising.
UWinnipeg also gratefully acknowledges the support of the Manitoba Government, Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development (CAHRD), City of Winnipeg, Marjorie and Morley Blankstein, Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre (WASAC), Actua Foundation, and Manitoba Public Insurance — in addition to generous support from the Winnipeg Foundation and the Moffat Family Fund, which helped launch the camp in 2007.
To date, over 5,000 children have attended UWinnipeg’s Eco-Kids summer camp from 35 inner-city schools, making it the largest day camp for children in the inner-city. It is a key component of UWinnipeg’s comprehensive neighbourhood outreach initiative, which has grown into a Community Learning model aimed at dissolving the line between the campus and the community to break down the barriers to post-secondary education.
