Hundred local kids head to Tim Hortons camp

NEWS RELEASE

TIM HORTONS ONONDAGA FARMS

************************* Sault area students continue to discover their best at Tim Hortons camp

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON (October 20, 2010) - Building upon the success of last year’s first Ted Nolan and Tim Horton Children’s Foundation leadership camp, 100 Aboriginal children from the area will again be traveling to St. George, Ontario to participate in the second year of a five-year partnership between the two foundations.

Half of the group attended the inaugural camp last year, while the other half, many of whom have never left their native reserve, were selected from Sault Ste. Marie, Blind River, Espanola, Wawa, Chapleau, Massey, and Thessalon First Nations to attend the five-day camp at the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation camp just north of Brantford.

The partnership between the two foundations is a perfect fit, as both aim to provide children with opportunities beyond their communities.

The program is based on the Youth Leadership Program that Tim Horton Children’s Foundation runs each summer for thousands of campers from across Canada and the USA.

The experience is designed to help campers develop responsibility and resiliency through various wilderness adventure activities, team building games, leadership sessions and environmental programs.

The partnership with the Ted Nolan Foundation blends this program with traditional Ojibway teachings to strengthen the campers’ ties to their past while they strive to achieve the best in their futures.

This year, campers will also get to interact with 30 Aboriginal students from the Hamilton area, as they do group activities with NYA:WEH (Native Youth Advancement with Education Hamilton), a group that provides culturally based educational and personal support program for Aboriginal youth in the Hamilton’s Catholic Secondary School System through the amalgamation western and traditional education.

“I had some people over the years that made a big difference in my life, so I’m just hoping that this will make a positive influence over these students and perhaps be a life-changing experience for them,” said Ted Nolan, president of the Ted Nolan Foundation and former NHL player and coach. “We are a small foundation without much staff or a board of directors, so it’s a lot of hard work to pull off something like this. But it’s all worth it, just seeing those kids hopping on the bus. I know it means a lot to them and I truly hope it’s an unforgettable experience for each and every one of them.”

Nolan, a former NHL coach of the year and native of Garden River First Nation, is vice president of hockey operations for the AHL Rochester Americans.

He established his charitable foundation in 2004 to promote healthy lifestyles among First Nations youth.

“The first camp we ran with the Ted Nolan Foundation was such a success that we are thrilled to see the campers return for their second year, and find out how they have put last year’s skills into action. Whether they spend five days or five years with us, these young leadership campers will discover themselves and their potential, making a lasting difference for them, their families and their community,” said Dave Newnham, vice-president and executive director of the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation.

“We are sure that the great stories the campers shared within their community is a big reason that we had so much interest from a new group too. Not only are campers from the Sault Ste. Marie area coming back to Tim Horton Onondaga Farms, but when word spread of how successful and rewarding the program was, our camp in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia partnered with Ted Nolan to run their own leadership camp with the St Mary’s First Nation of New Brunswick. We are excited to see how these programs and partnerships grow and develop over the future.”

The Aboriginal youth leadership camp will be held at the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation camp in St George, Ontario from October 20 through October 24.

A large crowd is expected at the John Rhodes Community Centre as two Tim Hortons coach buses will depart Sault Ste. Marie at 9 a.m. on October 20 with a send-off from families, school board representatives, and community leaders and chiefs.

The Ted Nolan Foundation is a registered charity that has been working since 2004 to establish leadership programs for First Nations youth.

The foundation combines the traditions, values and wisdom of the First Nations with the latest in training skills from corporate, educational, health, sports and recreation to encourage Aboriginal youth to pursue academic growth and foster healthy lifestyles.

The Tim Horton Children’s Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization committed to providing an enriched and memorable camp experience to economically disadvantaged children, free of charge.

Since 1975, more than 135,000 youth have attended one of six Foundation camps across North America.

Tim Horton Onondaga Farms is situated in Brant County, Ontario.

The site encompasses 400 acres of breathtaking wetlands, rolling hills, farmland and wood lots.

Funding for the Foundation camps comes primarily from donations from individual Tim Hortons restaurant owners, Tim Hortons parent company, valued suppliers and from public donations collected through counter coin boxes.

In addition, the foundation's largest single fund-raiser is Camp Day, a one-day event when Tim Hortons restaurant owners donate their entire coffee proceeds and funds raised throughout the 24-hour period to the Children's Foundation.

Native Youth Advancement with Education Hamilton (NYA WEH) is dedicated to the progressive development of Hamilton’s Aboriginal community through educational success.

NYA WEH is responsible for providing a culturally based educational and personal support program for Aboriginal youth in the Hamilton Catholic Secondary School system through amalgamating western and traditional education.

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