Seven-year-old Grace Judge loves her swing so much, her passing feet have razed the grass beneath it.
“Look at the hole,” she exclaims of the two ruts under the swing, as she runs over to the blue and yellow play set in her backyard.
The large, colourful contraption is the result of an application to the PC Children’s Charity by her grandmother Vicky Judge, with the help of Cheryl Smith from Point in Time.
The charity provides funds to help kids with disabilities and Vicky Judge thought this particular set would be perfect for her granddaughter, who needs extra help in developing her gross motor skills.
“It offered everything that we needed,” she said.
Grace, who points out she will be eight on Aug. 9, likes the motion of the tire swing, but also likes climbing up the ladder and looking out the telescope.
She spins the steering wheel and contemplates whether she’ll still fit under the multi-coloured canopy at the top of the play set when she’s a teenager.
PC Children’s Charity provided the money to buy Grace’s Rainbow Play Systems deluxe swing set, and Todd’s Independent grocery store owner Steve Todd hopes more people in the community apply to the fund.
“If nobody applies in our community, we don’t get any of the funds,” says Todd, who hosts charity events throughout the year.
Todd says his charity events never raise less than $1,000 and he donates between $3,000 and $5,000 to the cause in total from several fundraisers throughout the year.
On Wednesday, July 25, the store is having another fundraiser during their Check Out Summer Tour, where several PC trucks will be occupying the parking lot, giving out free samples and encouraging donations to the charity.
Grace Judge herself has been invited to attend.
The event runs from 3 to 7 p.m. at Todd’s Independent on County Road 21.
For information on the PC Children’s Charity, including how to apply, go to www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/aboutUsCharity.jsp or contact Steve Todd directly at 705-455-9775.