THUNDER BAY – Camp Quality Northwestern Ontario showcased a classic car today, donated by generous local supporter, Harvey Smith, which has resulted in $57,000 in Canadian funds being contributed to the organization. The 1970 Pontiac GTO Ram Air III was auctioned online and the winning bidder comes from the United States.
The car is a very rare muscle car and was donated to Camp Quality in the summer of 2014 during the organization’s signature week-long camp. With the help of George Badanai of Badanai Motors, also a parent of a Camp Quality camper, the car was put to auction to maximize the money raised. Harvey Smith will be collecting the funds from the sale and passing them along as a cash donation.
“The donation touched the hearts of our Camp Quality family back in July when the car was first brought to us,” said Ashleigh Quarrell, Director of Camp Quality Northwestern Ontario. “The amount that has resulted from this sale has far exceeded our expectations and will greatly help to fund our programming and family support initiatives. There aren’t enough words to properly thank Harvey for his incredible generosity.”
George Badanai, parent of Camp Quality camper Neave, said it was an easy decision to help with the sale. “I know first-hand what an incredible job Camp Quality does in supporting children who have been dealing with cancer. When I received the call from Harvey because of a mutual friend, I was shocked to learn what he was offering to give Camp Quality. From that point on, I wanted to ensure that Camp Quality received the maximum fair value for the generous donation and being an automotive dealer, I felt my expertise would be helpful.”
When asked why he chose Camp Quality as the recipient of his donation, Harvey Smith shared that, “I chose to make this donation to Camp Quality because of the soft spot I have in my heart for children with any disease. Cancer for any child and their family can be a very stressful event. I believe Camp Quality helps them cope with this stress through the great family support and programs they have developed. It is organizations like this that make life a little better for all those going through the hardship of cancer.”
As a non-profit organization, Camp Quality relies 100 per cent on donations from individuals, corporations, community groups and service club to provide year-round programming and support for children with cancer and their siblings.
