Every summer, Canadians head outdoors with their families to enjoy all that nature has to offer. Coby Schleihauf and her family are no different. Every summer they pack their bags and head north from their home in St. Thomas, Ontario to enjoy their annual family summer vacation. But instead of travelling to a cottage or a campsite, they’ve made CNIB Lake Joe their home away from home every summer since 2016.
Born with sight loss, Coby’s son Cash has only ever been able to see shadows. Wearing special prescription glasses and navigating with a white cane, Cash is eager to have just as much fun as everyone else. If only it were that easy.
Coby confides that it can be hard to enjoy mainstream vacation activities together as a family. She happened to learn about CNIB Lake Joe at a CNIB fundraiser in London, Ontario through another family who had children with sight loss. They raved about their experiences at camp and encouraged the Schleihauf family to register with them for a Family Week program. And that’s exactly what they did.
Cash was six years old during his first visit with his parents and his older sister Avery. “Whether you’re young or old, big or small, sighted or unsighted, you’re out there enjoying camp with your family, just like anyone else,” Coby exclaimed. “When we go to camp, it feels like Disney. It’s full of opportunities without limitations.”
Avery loved doing arts and crafts while Cash played the piano in the Rec Hall. One sibling could be splashing in the water while the other was enjoying the sand at the beach. “It was great to see both of them experiencing fun at the same time,” Coby declared. “And while the kids were having fun, we developed a really close relationship with other parents,” she said.
CNIB Lake Joe is able to offer programs to kids with sight loss – and their families – thanks to the generous support of caring organizations like the Westminster College Foundation. Last year the Westminster College Foundation gifted CNIB Lake Joe with $20K in camperships to ensure children with sight loss could enjoy the magic of camp. With financial support from donors like Westminster College Foundation, CNIB Lake Joe is able to offer for these programs for just $150/child, making it possible for parents to afford these life-changing experiences for their children. That fee covers six days of accommodations, meals, and activities plus round-trip transportation from within Ontario.
Ann Ramundo, Executive Director, Westminster College Foundation, understands well the immense value of camp programs in terms of mental health and physical well-being. “A short-term stay at camp can have a deep impact on children,” she explains. “It’s an inclusive space to make new, lifelong friends while developing skills, learning from others’ similar life experiences and gaining independence.”
Thinking about the deep impact camp has had on her family, Coby reflects on their visits in 2024. For the first time, Cash, now 11 years old, came to Summer Camp program week all by himself without a speck of homesickness. And during Family Week, Cash and his older teen sister Avery really clicked. “There was a moment in the Rec Hall,” Coby describes “when Cash was at the piano and Avery picked up a ukelele. They performed the song “Let it Go” from Frozen and played their instruments while singing together. As the kids get older, we don’t have many of these moments together. This is the time we see them bond. It’s pure joy!”
This is music to Ann’s ears. “I see charities like CNIB Lake Joe working so hard and doing such great work,” Ann shares. “When I get reports about the impact our gifts have made and see people receiving support and forming deep relationships, I feel blessed to have the role I have.”