I would like to take a moment to update all of our supporters in all communities who have contributed to the growth of the Dušan Nedelko Foundation and our activities over the past 18 months. As you are aware, we are committed to enabling youth through outdoor activity with a specific focus on youth at risk and without the financial means to participate in outdoor educational programs.
Thank you again for your support and please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] with your comments, questions, thoughts or input.
Best Regards,
Dan Nedelko
Chairman
The Dušan Nedelko Foundation
Fall 2010
Fall Equinox 2010 marked a first for the Dušan Nedelko Foundation, our first financial awards, granted to programs enabling youth through outdoor activity. This was an incredibly proud event for all of us. Supporting groups and organizations is now a reality – and it was your donations and your generosity that will be benefiting large numbers of children.
Dušan would be absolutely thrilled! All of us involved with the Foundation would like to thank everyone who has supported our efforts financially, with their time or well wishes your support is integral to keeping his dreams of fostering youth alive.
Funds were awarded to:
$2000 to Camp Ruskoka – a charity camp for disadvantaged immigrant kids from ex-Soviet bloc countries. Most of the campers recently arrived from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kirgizstan, Belorussia, Uzbekistan, Serbia and Russia. The camp is run entirely by unpaid volunteers, and survives on donations . We are pleased to start an ongoing partnership with Ruskoka in building the first elements of a high-ropes challenge course there and to ensure their leaders are trained to use this equipment to its motivational max. Dušan reportedly made a huge impact on this camp when he visited there in 2009 through work with the Ontario Disc Sports Association and so we particularly treasure this chance to continue to bring positive inspiration to the lives of Ruskoka campers.
$2000 this year for element for ropes /challenge course – up to $5000 over 5 years + $300/year after
Note: This challenge course will be named Dušan’s Dare in his memory
$1445 to Runnymede Collegiate Institute Outdoors Club – the DNF will be supporting some of the costs for excursions outside of Toronto for this secondary school’s club in the upcoming season including cross-country skiing, rock climbing and maple tapping. We appreciate the initiative and found the goals of this club match our mission well as it provides students from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to participate in outdoor activities they may not otherwise have the chance to experience, to expand students understanding and awareness of nature and ecology and foster confidence, health, community and skill-building through these.
$1632.85 to Outward Bound Canada – DNF will be sponsoring a full bursary for a youth in need of financial assistance and who is determined to grow through participating in Outward Bound’s March Break Dog Sledding in Algonquin course in 2011. Interested youth are encouraged to apply with Outward Bound.
$600 to Scarborough Outdoor Education School– DNF will be helping SOES purchase some outdoor clothing to loan to secondary students participating in their overnight expeditions, making these guided experiences more accessible, safe and comfortable.
$500 to Portage Place – Addictions Program – Outdoor program partnership with Outward Bound Canada -this program enabling youth to successfully recover from addictions through wilderness and outdoor therapy in part will be receiving DNF support for some appropriate footwear/clothing to lend participants for 4 season outdoor programming. $ 500 for winter clothing to lend to participants/residents for outdoor programming run in partnership with Outward Bound
$600 to Branford Disc Golf Club Youth League – Request for Edge program that will include equipment and teaching materials. This program will be used to introduce the sport of disc golf to school children in Brantford. Edge program has been developed in concert with school curriculum and will aid teachers to participate and include disc golf in school activities. Complete Edge program package – value approx. $600
SPRING 2011
$2000 to Trails Youth Initiatives – a portion of this year’s costs for an inspiring 4 yr program for 88 vulnerable youth at a time, from both GTA and Northern Ontario communities. Trails serves as a protective factor against poor education, poverty, violence, and exposes participants to experiences, including canoe and camping trips that help to expand and build a solid framework for sustained transformation. The program builds roots and wings, so that budding leaders have the chance to apply what they learn in a safe, trial and error environment, with peer and adult coaches. www.trails.ca
$ 1000 to The P.I.N.E. Project – to support launching their Environmental Leadership Program, engaging local (currently Huntsville & GTA) youth in leadership training in the outdoors. The P.I.N.E. project’s mission: to inspire healthy, lifelong connections between people and nature.
$1400 to SOY / Supporting Our Youth ~ we’ll provide towards a partnership with Outward Bound and others in Toronto, some transportation, tuition and food costs for 20 youth participants in SOY Urban Adventure Program. Queer Youth will focus on developing leadership capacity through adventure, through initiatives and exploration of the local urban environment, the program provides opportunities for personal & social development, community engagement, and awareness of connections to nature.
$500 to Etobicoke Outdoor Education Centre– we’ll support updating equipment youth use for the cross country ski program at Albion Hills Conservation Area.
$500 – to ODSA in Ontario Disc Golf Schools Education Program – set to bring discs, teaching and some outdoor learning time for students at public parks & courses across the province this fall. We join partners Participaction and True Sport and look forward to boosting our support as other partners join in.
Special note:
The DNF application review committee decided to set aside some available and expected incoming funds for Individual youth who may apply for support with parts of the costs of camp or similar outdoor educational experiences in Ontario this summer. In June we awarded 2 youth our first individual bursary awards, a total of $800 towards summer camp fees.
Fall 2011
$1200 to Trails Youth Initiatives (completing to total of $3200 in 2011) – a portion of this year’s costs for an inspiring 4 yr program for 88 vulnerable youth at a time, from both GTA and Northern Ontario communities. Trails serves as a protective factor against poor education, poverty, violence, and exposes participants to experiences, including canoe and camping trips that help to expand and build a solid framework for sustained transformation. The program builds roots and wings, so that budding leaders have the chance to apply what they learn in a safe, trial and error environment, with peer and adult coaches.
$1000 to Camp Ruskoka – (completing $3000 total since spring 2011) Funds have helped disadvantaged new Canadian youth attending this camp through building a ropes challenge course there and contributing to training for their staff of outdoor leaders on programming motivationally with it.
$1500 – directly to a family in need of 3 children for camp tuitions in 2012. This was a direct application to the Foundation.
$3700 in new commitments set aside for short term funding availability until next Spring Equinox/ DNF application reviews. (applications for winter programs, part of tuition fees welcome !)
Spring 2012
Note: We have received application from both – organizations and families, requesting support in excess of $8000. We needed to make some tough decisions given that we had limited funds available.
We chose to support those opportunities in which we could make the most impact, those with lesser means and great potential of providing experiences that will make a significant difference to disadvantaged youth. We were also blessed with donations from colleagues learning of our situation.
We provided $1210 in partial funding for: summer camp fees for 4 children and $200 in campsite fees for one outdoor educational program for a canoe trip in Algonquin Park.
We will be focusing on fundraising over the upcoming season to be able to support more programs and individual youth come next Equinox.
Total awarded to date: $22,687.85
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