A Burnaby RV park is helping brighten the futures of children living with life-threatening illness as a part of a Make-A-Wish Canada lantern-lighting campaign this weekend.
On Saturday, Burnaby Cariboo RV Park and Campground will participate in a national celebration to raise money for Make-A-Wish. Lanterns will be available for purchase on site, with all proceeds going to the foundation. Campers will write their wishes for sick kids on the lanterns and light them to create a “Wish Garden.”
This is the second year the B.C. Lodging and Campgrounds Association will be fundraising for Make-A-Wish Canada, and the first time a Burnaby park has been involved. In 2015, $20,000 was donated to the foundation through a similar campaign.
“There hasn’t really been any charitable initiatives at all in the camping and RVing industry (prior to this),” said Joss Penny, executive director of the association.
Penny said they decided to make their charitable involvement an annual endeavour because the association wanted to give back to youth who, due to illness, may not be able to experience the joys of camping.
“Camping and RVing is all about bringing families together and connecting them back to wildhood. … So it was important for us to give back to those kids who may not be as able-bodied,” he said.
The event takes place as part of Canadian RVing and Camping Week from Tuesday, May 24 to Sunday, May 29. Camping week offers discounted camping rates, to encourage the public to stay at participating Canadian campsites during the campaign. Nearly 50 RV parks across the country have united to support the initiative.
Lanterns will be lit at 10 p.m., Saturday May 28. Burnaby Cariboo RV Park and Campground is located at 8765 Cariboo Place.
