Photo courtesy of Campfire Circle
More families affected by childhood cancer and serious illness will soon have the chance to experience camp in Waterford.
Campfire Circle is getting ready to double the number of campers it can welcome to Rainbow Lake through a major revitalization project.
The organization celebrated the start of the project on August 26, with construction set to begin just days later. Chief Development Officer Caley Bornbaum said the work will increase capacity from about 1,000 campers each year to 2,000.
Campfire Circle provides free programs for children and families affected by childhood cancer and other serious illnesses from across Ontario.
The Waterford project will reconfigure buildings and create more space, while also improving accessibility.
The camp features indoor cabins with accessibility features and air conditioning to help support children with different medical needs.
Bornbaum said donor support from the local community and across Ontario has made the expansion possible. Donations also help ensure families can attend Campfire Circle programs free of charge.
For those families, she said camp offers much more than a getaway. It gives them a chance to connect outside of a medical diagnosis while building relationships with other families who understand what they’re going through.
Campfire Circle operates year-round, so the jump to 2,000 campers will be spread across summer camp, weekends and other programs.
Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of June, with families returning to the expanded Rainbow Lake site in July 2027.
Written by Jeremy Hall
