05-07-2025
Action-packed camp experience awaits six-year-old
In a few weeks, Thania Bazan's son will have an experience she never did —heading off to summer camp for outdoor adventures and a chance to make new friends.
Bazan, a single mother of three, Luciano, 22; Paula, 20; and six-year-old Sebastian, never had the opportunity for leisure activities outdoors as she grew up in Mexico.
She says she's grateful Sebastian will have that chance when he arrives at Camp Assiniboia later this month. It's one of many summer programs organized by Camps with Meaning, the camping ministry of Mennonite Church Manitoba.
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Thania Bazan is excited to be able to send her son Sebastian to Camp Assiniboia later this month.
'He really likes nature, so I'm sure he's going to enjoy it,' Bazan says. 'I'm happy and very thankful that he'll be able to join to have that experience, and I'm sure he's going to be willing to go every year after this.'
The camp, located 17 kilometres west of Winnipeg, has plenty of activities for campers, such as canoeing, kayaking, swimming, archery, zip-lining, wagon rides, rope courses, and scavenger hunts.
She says Sebastian is most excited to be around the water.
'He absolutely loves the water, and he's an amazing swimmer as well,' she says. 'He never took swimming lessons, I've just taught him since he was a baby, which is why he loves it so much.'
Bazan says this camp experience will mark the first time Sebastian will leave the city without her.
She says he was nervous to be by himself because he's shy, so she arranged for one of his friends, Vlad, to attend camp with him.
'Once he heard his friend was coming too, he got even more excited.'
Sebastian's opportunity to be a camper is made possible thanks to the support of the Sunshine Fund, which has helped low-income families send their children to camps in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario for 45 years. Already 465 children have signed up this year due to the fund, with more applications being processed to date.
Bazan says she hadn't known about the fund.
She scrolled through multiple summer camp options and saw that the price was out of her range until she read up on Camp Assiniboia and noticed a subsidy option provided by the Sunshine Fund.
'It's impossible to pay for everything as a single mom, so it was very nice to see that,' she says.
Bazan believes one of the amazing aspects about Canada is that there are always activities in place for children regardless of the family's economic status.
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'That's something that I really appreciate about Canada. People and organizations are always making sure that every child has the opportunity to attend.'
Bazan, who has lived in Winnipeg for 20 years, is trying her best to make ends meet by working part time as an early childhood educator and collecting a disability benefit.
While she recognizes supporting her family hasn't been easy, she's also grateful for everything she has.
'In other countries, being a single mom on disability, I wouldn't have any access to a camp or anything like this. I have never felt that, 'Oh my goodness, I'm so poor that I can't afford anything, here,'' she says. 'I'm just pleased my son gets to join activities that other children can join when both parents are working full time.'
