PROFILE: Eastview Boys and Girls Club (Holy Cross)

Operating for more than 40 years, the Eastview (Toronto) Boys and Girls Club continues to provide youth with a safe and welcoming place to spend their time during the summer. Their vision, “to be at the forefront of community inclusion, leadership, well-being, participation and healthy development for the Eastview community”, is constantly demonstrated in one of their locations: Holy Cross Catholic School.

Leadership values being taught in-class

As a summer day camp, the Eastview B&G Club runs for 8 weeks during the months of July and August. From 9AM to 4PM, they provide youth with a wide variety of activities that help their campers develop team-building, leadership, and good moral character. These activities give the youth something fulfilling to do in the summer, while on top of all having fun!

A glimpse of what they do in the gym and during free time:

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Their priority is also delivering a wide range of physical activities that keep their campers active and healthy during the summer: camp counsellors host games in the gym or they play sports outdoors. Other activities include cooking/baking, leadership classes, arts & crafts, going on trips, and much more.

The gallery below features campers excitedly baking cupcakes during their indoor activities:

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The Eastview Boys and Girls Club would not have been where it is today without their dedicated staff and supporters, as well as Focus On Youth. Through FOY, the organization is able to use school sites to run camps, and hire devoted staff whom reflect the camp’s values.

FOY Staff (from left to right) Rolph Banawa, Teanna Bujold and Shonie Jasmin

Focus On Youth staff Shonie Jasmin highlights the importance of always being prepared with the campers: with the number of kids they have at camp, “you’ll never know which group you’re gonna get, so you always have to adjust yourself… be energetic, be positive all the time, so they can follow you.” As she continues to work with the campers, she develops patience, building a stronger moral character herself. Fellow counsellor Rolph Banawa says that he loves working with the kids, as they always give him energy. Through the many weeks they’ve worked with the Eastview B&G Club, there was never a dull moment!