It makes me feel very warm inside to know that kids will be able to spend their days surrounded by grass, water, and trees.

Even though I’m 76 years old today, I look back on my childhood like it was yesterday. My earliest memories were of living with my family near the corner of Pharmacy and Danforth in east Toronto. I recall all the pavement and concrete there – and so little green anywhere. In fact, the school in our neighbourhood had an asphalt baseball diamond!

But then when I was nine, my family moved to Willowdale, near Sheppard and Yonge. Back in the 1950s, it was still mainly farmland. There were forests and streams to explore – and grass everywhere. I was in heaven! It was in those years that I learned how important the outdoors is to kids. 

As I got older, I started donating to Scott Mission. I was particularly enthused about their summer camp program for disadvantaged kids. 

“Not long ago, I decided to leave a gift in my will to support the summer camp program at Scott Mission. I wanted kids in this huge city to experience the same joy I did so many years ago. Now that I’ve made this gift in my will to Scott Mission, I feel a deep sense of satisfaction.”

It makes me feel very warm inside to know that kids will be able to get away from the concrete, traffic, and crime and into the country and spend their days surrounded by grass, water, and trees. 

If you support The Scott Mission as I do – and if you appreciate what summer camp can mean to children’s development – I hope you will consider making a gift in your will to Scott Mission. I am pretty sure that when you do, you’ll be very glad you did. 

Thank you for reading Paul’s story. If you would like more information on how to leave a legacy at Scott Mission,
please contact Kendra Hickton at khickton@scottmission.com.