A Message from Kyle Magee
As a former camper, a father to two campers, and a lifelong camp enthusiast, it has been an honour to Chair Amici’s Board of Directors for the past two years. It certainly has been an exciting period!
In 2021, the Board of Directors discussed what needed to be done to ensure Amici emerged from the pandemic in a position of strength and ready to further its mission of supporting children to reach their full potential through the magic of summer camp. Lucky for me, this meant that when I assumed the Chair in early 2022, there was no shortage of projects to tackle!
First, Amici created and launched its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Charter and Strategic Roadmap. I had the pleasure of working alongside a committee of board members and staff as we designed a strategy focussed on making Amici more accessible and inclusive. Although it will be a work in progress, the roadmap has already resulted in many internal changes that will ensure Amici’s practices are more thoughtful and equitable. In addition, as a direct result of the EDI Strategy, Amici added four new partner camps in the summer of 2023, two of which specifically support children with additional needs.
Our second major project was Amici’s new visual identity. The refreshed identity more clearly communicates what Amici does and who it supports. The feedback from Amici’s community has been overwhelmingly positive and, most critically, this investment has resulted in an immediate return; Amici’s incredible staff and volunteers have leveraged the new look to build new relationships with campers, partner camps, and donors.
While we have accomplished a lot over the past couple of years, none of it would have been possible without the support of Amici’s committed staff, donors, sponsors, and volunteers. Thank you all for working with us to advance Amici’s mission and to realize a vision of an inclusive and accessible camping community. I particularly want to thank Amici’s largest and long-standing partners; the camps who welcome Amici campers into their communities year-after-year. Without their support, Amici could not exist.
With Amici well positioned for future growth and success, I am thrilled to introduce Amici’s new Board Chair, Nenone Donaldson. Nenone spent 14 summers at Camp GV where she learned just how powerful the camp experience can be. Now as the Vice President of Advancement at University of Waterloo, Nenone brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in fundraising, communication, and strategic planning. We are very fortunate to have Nenone at the helm of Amici’s next chapter!
As Past Chair, I look forward to continuing to connect with those who make up Amici’s dedicated community. Thank you for creating the magic of camp for more children each year. As you read Amici’s 2023 Gratitude Report, I hope you feel a sense of pride in the role you played in changing the lives of so many children.
With gratitude,
Kyle Magee, Past Board Chair
