Inclusion Weyburn received a one-thousand-dollar donation from Weyburn Dodge. The funds came from their Mopar Madness Car Show and Swap Meet. Jackie Wilson, president of Inclusion Weyburn says the funds will go to support their summer camps for youth with intellectual disabilities.
“The biggest thing with those camps is the one-to-one staff that we provide so those kids can be at camp. The summer camps are our biggest funding concern. And these donations, like the one that Jeff out here at Dodge and James, have donated to us it means so much to us. That's how we live, mostly through donations and grants.”
Wilson says the camp serves many needs around the community. Not only does it make camp more accessible for those with disabilities, but it offers a respite in the summer to their parents. The camp is mostly staffed by high school students who, Wilson says, are greatly impacted by the experience.
“Having a summer experience where they're working full time with kids with disabilities is a big eye opener for them. And they just really, I think I can say that they learn to appreciate life in a whole new way through the eyes of these young people they're working with. Because you can't help but work with these guys without appreciating them so much. They teach us so much about enjoying life and being happy and not being judgmental. So, for our young staff, it's a very positive thing.”
Wilson appreciates support from the community like they’ve received from Weyburn Dodge as it helps to create “a safer community for everybody.”
Jeff Tosczak, owner of Weyburn Dodge, says this will not be their only contribution to Inclusion Weyburn describing how he can sense Wilsons passion for the kids she works with.
Cheryl Bell emphasized her appreciation for the organization as her son, Owen Bell, attended Inclusion Weyburn’s teen camp this summer.
“Owen has always talked about going to camp, but he's never really had the opportunity because he hasn't had the one-on-one support. And we do a lot of stuff together as a family, but what was missing was the peer relations that he needed to experience and foster those friendships. And yeah, we have made a trip into Weyburn to come to this camp 25 times this summer because it was that important to our family and that important to Owen. And he goes home happy every single day and is looking forward to the next day.”