Family Events
Families having outdoor fun together, catching fish, eating pizza and ice cream – what more could you ask for! Even though Mother Nature didn’t give us the nicest weather for our Annual Fishing Derby, everyone had a blast! The fish were plentiful, big and hungry! The help and expertise provided by the Galt Sportmens Club members and some special volunteers was paramount to ensuring our young fishermen got the most out of the experience. Our deepest gratitude to all of them for their support. And what’s a gathering of kids without a fire truck to explore? Exactly! Many thanks to the Cambridge Fire Department for being there for our kids. Plans are already underway to make next year’s event even bigger and better! If you missed it this year, be sure to sign up for the 2025 derby!
Help A Child Smile’s 2023 Christmas Party
We once again welcomed our families to our annual Christmas Party on Saturday, December 2. Everyone enjoyed a fun afternoon that included games, crafts, entertainment, facepainting, a pizza lunch and of course a visit from Smiley and Santa!
2023 Family Picnic
On Saturday, September 16, families gathered at Colton’s Fun Farm for a day of unity and celebration. Picnic lunches, a petting zoo, horseback rides, games, a corn maze, and crafts filled the day with laughter and bonding.
The petting zoo brought smiles and wonder as children interacted with farm animals. Horseback rides provided an empowering adventure. Outdoor games and a challenging corn maze tested teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Crafts allowed for creative expression, leaving behind tangible memories of the day. However, the true magic of the event lay in the connections forged among families facing similar challenges.
As the day came to a close, hearts were full of gratitude, and families left with cherished memories and a network of support. The Help a Child Smile Annual Family Picnic was a testament to the power of community and the resilience of the human spirit.
2023 Fishing Derby
What a great way to kick off our summer (ok late spring) family events! We couldn’t have asked for better weather for our annual Family Fishing Derby at the Galt Sportsmens Club. While the fish were a bit slow to start biting, the mosquitos made up for it! But, there was plenty of insect repellant available to protect everyone, so they soon gave up and left. J
The club members and event volunteers took care of all of the messy stuff, like baiting the hooks, untangling lines and cleaning the prize catches. And they all did a great job! Of course, some of our families chose to ‘catch and release’ and the volunteers were at the ready to quickly remove the hooks so the fish could safely be returned to the pond.
Just when everyone had worked up quite an appetite from all the fresh air and exercise around the pond, a delicious lunch of pizza, salads and cold drinks was served. No need for anyone to go hungry or thirsty!
Besides a great day of fishing, every family was also presented with a Cineplex gift card and, in the spirit of enjoying the great outdoors, a tent!
We want to say a most sincere thank you to the club and all those responsible for making this day such a great experience for our families. We can’t wait to come back next year.
2023 NHL Alumni Hockey Game
On Sunday, January 15 our families were invited to attend the 2023 NHL Alumni Hockey Game.
The Alumni Benefit Tour is proud to support Help A Child Smile (www.helpachildsmile.com) is a volunteer-run charity dedicated to bringing joy into the lives of children being treated for cancer at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. Helping over 1400 families by providing welcome packages which include a parking pass, gas card and meal vouchers and much more at the hospitals. They organize and fund day trips to Wonderland, African Lion Safari, Disney on Ice, sporting events, Bingemans Big Splash, Niagara Go-Karts and much more.
Our Help A Child Smile Alumni member, Olivia MacNamara spoke to the audience on our behalf and shared about her battle with cancer and how Help A Child Smile supported her and her family. She was joined at ice level by her father, Sean. Olivia’s parents, Sean and Sheryl are board members and continue to work to assist us with fundraising and programming to support families affected by childhood cancer.
