Important Announcement from our Leadership Team, Looking Forward to 2025 onwards

Dear Friends of Camp Kivita,

It is with great excitement that we write to share with you a significant change we are embarking on for Camp Kivita. When Kivita was established in 2008, our dream was to create an incredible camp experience for as many recipients of solid organ transplant as possible. As we look long-term, we are excited to share our plans for the future.  

Campfire Circle (formerly known as Camp Ooch & Camp Trillium) has invited the Camp Kivita patient population to participate in their programs. We are so thrilled that children living with organ transplantation and end-stage organ failure will have an opportunity to attend their summer camps as well as benefit from the many other programs offered by this wonderful organization. For summer 2025, Campfire Circle will provide a week-long overnight camp experience from August 3-9 for kids with solid organ transplant and end-stage organ failure at their Campfire Circle Muskoka site, near Rosseau, Ontario. Campfire Circle has a 41-year history of providing medically supported overnight camp experiences to kids with cancer or serious illness and their families. 

Camp Kivita was established 16 years ago at the CNIB Lake Joe site with 30 campers in our first summer.  As we grew, we transitioned to Camp Wenonah in 2013 and now provide camp to approximately 100 campers each summer.  This could not have been possible without the tremendous support of our many donors and generous supporters, healthcare team volunteers, and the courage, love and support from our campers and their families who provided the trust and inspiration to keep us going. With immeasurable gratitude, we would like to thank Jeff Bradshaw for welcoming Camp Kivita to Camp Wenonah and being our camp home for the past 11 years. Under his stellar leadership, Jeff put a tremendous team in place, including our Camp Kivita Director, Dan Harrison, who offered a wonderful camp experience and memories that will last a lifetime to hundreds of our campers. Thank you to all of the incredible Camp Wenonah staff who have provided an amazing experience to our campers – your love and dedication to Camp Kivita has meant so much to us and Camp Wenonah will always hold a special place in our hearts.

This next chapter where we transition to Campfire Circle will ensure that children living with organ transplants and end-stage organ failure will be part of a dedicated charitable organization with a mandate to provide year-round community, in-hospital and overnight camp programs, all offered free of charge to camper families. Guided by their Medical Advisory Committee and healthcare partners, Campfire Circle will provide a secure future and the opportunity for continued growth, connection, support and FUN! We are absolutely thrilled to be joining this community, and we will continue to work closely with Campfire Circle during this transition and in the years to come.  

We wanted to share this exciting news with each of you. As a friend and supporter of Camp Kivita, we hope that you will consider supporting Campfire Circle in the days and years ahead as they seek to offer more program opportunities for kids with solid organ transplants. Donations can be made at https://give.campfirecircle.org/page/159140/donate/1.  

It has been a great privilege to serve as Camp Kivita leaders and to support the transplant and organ failure community. We are so thrilled that Campfire Circle will continue this amazing magical journey.

With love from the bottom of our hearts, lungs, livers, kidney and bowels,

 Stacey, Emily, and Christina