Aside from sweets, Halloween isn't a traditional giving holiday, but this year Vanessa Doak is looking to change that – one ghost and goblin at a time.
Doak is the camp director and owner of Healthy Hearts, Healthy Minds, a year-round camp that offers programming and leadership training for boys and girls kindergarten-age through the teen years. A huge component to all of Doak's programming is raising children with a strong consciousness of others, and how they can be of service in the world.
Ensuring all children have access to camp is a project near and dear to her heart.
On Sat., Oct. 27 Doak and her team are hosting Squamish's first multi-age Halloween celebration with lunch, games, and prizes, in order to raise funds for campership — the proceeds providing access to camp for families that have limited means. The best part? The camperships children receive are extended for as long as the child and family want to continue in the program.
"The main thing I want to achieve is to create a space where finances aren't a barrier to attending," said Doak, explaining that she grew up financially disadvantaged and benefited from sponsored camp every year as a child. "That's my main philosophy and everything that I do in terms of campership. I do not want the financial situation of a family to preclude their child from being able to attend any of our programs."
"I would never, ever, have become the person that I am today without campership. I know that in my heart, from my experiences, and what campership provided me. So this is definitely a huge ‘pay it forward' opportunity for me," she said.
In addition to the programming, Healthy Hearts, Healthy Minds offers for boys and girls after school, Doak runs Pro-D day camps, kinder programs, and teen leadership programs. She also offers unique weekend sleep-away camps and summer camps.
Doak is currently working on securing a property from which to run all her programs but has made due in remarkably creative ways. Her first big purchase was a bus with which she can shuttle large groups of kids around seeking out adventures.
While the Halloween party — featuring an upscale photo booth, pumpkin carving, and face painting — is the key event, there will also be an online component including a silent auction and donor campaign. Auction items will also be available at the event, and parents will have a chance to network and meet other like-minded adults, she said.
"It's so nice to have everybody under the same roof. People who are invested in the same thing — consciously building community for our youngsters and young adults, but it's interesting to note that it's not just our kids who struggle. It can be hard to make friends as adults, sometimes, too. This will give parents a chance to just hang out, have a glass of wine, and eat lunch."
Visit https://form.jotform.com/82666629884274 or email healthyhearts@telus.net for tickets to the Halloween party and campership fundraiser on Sat., October 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Squamish Valley Golf Club. Tickets include lunch, games and prizes, and a Halloween-themed photo booth. You can visit Healthy Hearts, Healthy Minds Facebook page for more information on the online auction.
