Trillium grant helps expand staff bunkhouse at Sunshine Point Camp

Essex MPP Anthony Leardi stands with Kiwanis Club past president Dan Inveraity after an OTF funding announcement July 29, 2025 at the Sunshine Point Camp.

Since 1947, the Kiwanis Sunshine Point Camp in Harrow has provided the youth of the area an opportunity that they might not otherwise be able to enjoy.

Nestled in a secluded area on County Road 50, it has continued to grow throughout the decades and now welcomes hundreds of campers each year.

Essex MPP Anthony Leardi paid a visit to the camp last Tuesday to officially see what a huge grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation has been used for.

“It’s gratifying to see this camp is continuing. Everyone should be proud of this,” said Leardi.

The Sunshine Point Camp was the recipient of a $198,400 grant which was used to put a large addition onto the staff bunkhouse.

According to Dan Inverarity, Kiwanis past president and fundraising/camp chairperson, the addition will help ease a bit of tension that was being experienced by the staff.

“The problem we had was we were doubling up bunking staff. Now we have five more bedrooms. They work 14 hours a day. This is a major improvement,” said Inveraity. He gave a quick tour of the project to the River Town Times which revealed not only the five single bedrooms but a nurses room and storage facilities.

“When we shut down in the fall we have so much stuff we have to secure.”

Inveraity said there are 20 staff members who provide a camping experience for about 60 youth per week. It stretches for seven weeks running through the months of July and August.

Campers get to enjoy the pool, play games, have campfires and as presented last week, some great barbecue lunches.

“When we hit our maximum number of campers (66) the staff get pretty tired. It’s a lot of work,” he said.

The camp does provide financial assistance. It is located on five acres near Lake Erie and each camp goes for six days and five nights.

Inverarity has been a dedicated director of the Sunshine Point Camp for a decade and his work was recognized by Leardi.

Anyone wishing more information about the camp can contact sunshinepointcamp@gmail.com.

By Fred Groves