Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic I have completed a few initiatives to help others. Firstly, my best friend and I organized a fundraiser for the registered charity, Kids in Camp. Having attended Camp Northland B’nai Brith since I was 8 years old, sleepover camp has become a really important part of my life. It is where I learned to be responsible, independent, a leader, and made me develop a love for the outdoors. Additionally, camp provided me with a safe, fun environment where I have met many lifelong friends. Knowing the impact that camp has had on my life, and the financial burden that numerous families have experienced due to the pandemic, I wanted to do anything I could to help provide the summer camp experience to children in need. After completing an online T-shirt auction and a Krispy Kreme sale, we have raised a total amount of $1250, enough to send 3 kids to camp this summer. With future fundraisers in mind, we plan to continue raising money for children to attend any camp accredited by the Ontario Camps Association this summer. 

 

Secondly, I am the director of a club at Western University called Hope for Relief. Hope for Relief is a federally and provincially recognized non-profit organization that was founded in 2003 by Western University students. Our mission is to provide free tutoring services to children in London, Ontario in financial need. Although I have been director of this club for the past two years, we have had to adapt to the program due to COVID-19. As online school is very difficult for many young students, we wanted to make this adjustment as easy as possible. We launched an online program that provides free tutoring by Western University students to children in need via Skype or Zoom. By running our program online, we are still able to provide free tutoring to children in need, but in a COVID-safe manner. Additionally, this year we have launched a program with a local settlement worker that provides our tutoring services for families that recently immigrated to Canada. With minimal in-person interactions with other individuals due to the closing of schools, many students who are not proficient in English lack the practice they would normally get. Therefore, we provide these students with free tutoring to help improve their reading, writing, and speaking skills, and thus help make their online adjustment a little bit easier. At Hope for Relief we strongly believe that financial status should not be a barrier to education and for that reason we are very proud and honoured to be able to run an incredible program for children in need, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

Lastly, I have been contributing to the science and camp community through COVID-19 research. Firstly, I am a part of a team that is researching COVID-19 outcomes in patients with comorbidities, such as

zdiabetes, hypertension and asthma. I am completing this research remotely in collaboration with CHEMED Health Centre in Lakewood, New Jersey, Rutgers University, and JMED UCLA. I am very proud and honoured that I am able to contribute to the science community and help advance the field in answering questions regarding risk factors for severe outcomes of COVID-19 infection. Additionally, through my research with the camp community, I am helping to plan a safe summer camp experience during COVID-19 for all campers and staff at Camp Northland B’nai Brith.