“Many years ago when I was doing my Master’s degree at McGill University in Montreal, I was required to do a practicum. I decided to do my practicum at the Learning Centre – a joint project of Montreal Children’s Hospital and McGill, working with children and adolescents with learning disabilities. 

We had an amazing person in charge of the program – Dr. Renee Stevens. One of the things they had us do was take the kids on a 4-day camping trip. At the time I didn’t understand why we were wasting these four teaching days, not teaching math and reading, and all the other things that these kids needed to get caught up on. Once we were out there, I understood what Renee was trying to show us. These kids that are so hopeless and helpless within the four walls of the classroom can have so many talents and abilities when you take them out into another environment that allows them to show their skills and their strengths. 

That lesson stuck with me. And that was really what inspired me to get Camp Kodiak started.”