Save Our Space Camp!

[SpaceCanada]

Random Space Camp News that hits *VERY* close to home:

Space Camp Canada isn't in trouble, but the Space Camp dreams of many children in my community are! Kids in my community have the opportunity to visit Space Camp Canada every year, and have for the past ten years or so. This year, their trip is in jeopardy because the travel agent they've been using for the past ten years took their money this year and closed up shop before booking the trip. Kids are devastated (that's an understatement!), as their four days at Space Camp was the highlight of this trip. Obviously, officials are trying to do something about it, but the date for their camp is fast approaching.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1231241/stude ... -vanishes/
https://www.facebook.com/SOSC2014

I spent time with the teacher organising their very first Space Camp Canada trip, helping them to understand Space Camp and how to prepare students for the experience in ways you don't find in the brochures.

Any thoughts or ideas to help these kids? As a Space Camp alumni, and someone who helped this programme get off the ground so many years ago, I feel obliged to help out in some way.

[Phoenix PK]

This is a sickening development, Braids, I'm so sad and mad this has happened. What's the
word on a legal/government remedy? What's the local media coverage like, do you hear
about any donations coming in? This is often done down here, like when a playground is
burned down by an arsonist or Christmas toy donations are stolen.

[SpaceCanada]

I have been following all of the updates. It's hard not to in such a small community: 100 kids is a significant number of our youth population.

The school board has officially cancelled the trip so parents can file claims with their credit card insurance and trip insurance (if they bought it outside of the trip). Some parents will recover funds that way, but not all. A group of parents is trying to keep the trip alive, with the same itinerary and regulations for the school (so it will be approved again should they have funding), and trying to raise funds to make it possible for these children to go. If they do not raise enough money, they will donate the funds raised to a local school breakfast programme for children in need. The account has several signing authorities to ensure the money is used accordingly.

The big ticket item right now is flights. At $800+ each, and full payment due to book the flights, that's a HUGE chunk of change. WestJet has offered them group rates. Other tourist attractions they are set to visit have offered reduced rates or free admission due to the circumstances, further reducing the cost of the trip, but it still stands around $2100 per person with those discounts. Not all of the original 100 participants are willing to continue with this trip after what happened, but they're hoping most of them will.

They have set up a trust account for donations:
Bank: ATB Financial
Name: Save Our Space Camp
Institution: 219
Branch: 08689
Account: 00270878700

I can take PayPal funds and donate it if anyone would like to help and cannot make a donation through their own bank. I'm not sure if you can make an international transfer to a trust account.

I am asking the parent group if the tuition to Space Camp Canada has been paid already and if not, how much will it be per child. I would be willing to donate scholarship money to Space Camp Canada to pay for at least one child's tuition. (Plus some WestJet gift certificates I have at home if they choose to fly with them...)

[SpaceCanada]

FYI - The balance owing to Space Camp Canada for this trip is just over $23 000. I am going to find more information to see how I (we!) can possibly sponsor scholarships for these children, so that even if their trip is cancelled (rather, they don't get enough funds to make it happen), at least some of them will be able to go at a later date.

[SpaceCanada]

Here's the link for online donations:
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/41715 ... space-camp

If this goes against the forum policies, you may remove it. (Just trying to help some kids get their trip to Space Camp back.)

[Steve]

So sorry to hear this has happen to your community. Children are our future, letting them experience Space Camp can change their life, giving them some life skills & showing a path for them to pursue. Please know, we stand with in this time.

[SpaceCanada]

Thank you for all your support, for Vincent posting this to the front page, and the donations some of you have made.

[SpaceCanada]

This being the biggest story around town this month, and with HUGE support from local (and not-so-local) businesses and supporters, they have now raised approximately $50 000 towards their new goal of $140 000, and all in a very short period of time. With such great progress, and several more exciting fundraisers in the coming days, it looks like their trip is going to happen! They're not out of the woods yet... and if you haven't pitched in your $5+, I encourage you to do so. These kids deserve it.

[SpaceCanada]

More fantastic news for these kids: local businesses rallied together and made a donation of $50 000!
http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/ ... 998/-1/sag

[Saint]

That is wonderful news!

[Steve]

Great, happy for all the kids!!

[SpaceCanada]

Space Camp has been saved!! All of these kids will get a chance to go to Space Camp! Thank you to everyone who supported and believed in them.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1276019/st-al ... after-all/

[p51]

We're all glad to hear this, no doubt.
I hope someone takes legal action against the company that took all the money, though...

[SpaceCanada]

We're all glad to hear this, no doubt.
I hope someone takes legal action against the company that took all the money, though...

There are legal actions being taken, but they would not result in action fast enough to get these kids to camp on time, and even credit card refunds and investigations are just now coming in, mere days before their departure date (and after major payment deadlines were due). Thus the fundraising. When all is said and done, any excess funds raised will go to a local school breakfast charity.

[p51]

Oh, I get the whole findraising thing in regard to the timing, I just didn't want the scum who ripped them off to get away with it...

[SpaceCanada]

Graduation day was yesterday. Thank you to everyone who supported this group of kids!


- photo linked from their Facebook page

And after looking at their photos, I really need to make an effort to visit Space Camp Canada one of these days... if only they had adult camps... (Otherwise, it's a 4+ hour expensive plane ride away. But it looks really neat!)

[Steve]

So happy that everything work out. I know they had a blast of a time!!!