Living on Salt Spring Island is opening my eyes in so many ways! Last night I hosted my first “gluten-free friendly” birthday party for my daughter, and it was fantastic! And while some people eat gluten-free by choice, most do out of necessity caused by Celiac disease, when the body is unable to digest gluten. Gluten-free kids have to strictly watch what they eat to avoid certain foods; this means the experience of going to a sleep-away summer camp is normally out of reach for thousands of Canadian kids.
I haven’t yet taken the leap into cooking for my daughters friend who has celiac disease, but it is on my list of things to figure out so we are able to include all her friends, safely, into our family activities.
I was excited to hear that Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery™ wants to give some of these children the same chance to go to camp as other kids. Rudi’s is offering 20 children (10 in Canada and 10 in the United States) the chance to spend a week at a summer camp where the food is completely gluten-free through their Happy Camper Scholarship. This is the first year this contest is offered in Canada – what an amazing opportunity for some great Canadian kids. Imagine how great that would be for gluten-free kids to get to go to camp and not have to worry about what they eat!
Winning Canadian kids can look forward to an experience at either the Rod McDaniel Celiac Kids Camp at Camp Kindle in Alberta where campers can take on the ropes course, go hiking, and try new sports, or the Camp Silly Yak at Brigadoon Village Camp in Nova Scotia where kids enjoy swimming, canoeing, hiking and the talent show contest.
Between February 18 – March 18, 2014, Canadian parents* with eligible children ages 8-17, can enter the Happy Camper contest by ‘liking’ Rudi’s Gluten-Free on Facebook helping their child submit a 100-word statement on what makes him or her special. Winners will be notified by April 1, 2014, to allow them plenty of time to plan for the summer camp experience of a lifetime. So simple! Just help your child write about what makes them special, then post it on Rudi’s Facebook page, ‘like’ the page, and wait to see if your child has won a spot at camp!
Rudi’s Bakery is all about living life to the fullest while giving back to its community. Kids – and their parents at home – shouldn’t have to worry about what they eat at summer camp. Instead, they should be able to focus on exploring, making friends and having fun.
Rudi’s Gluten-Free is proud to support kids and help them enjoy a carefree week of camp without worrying about what they eat. Parents of Happy Camper scholarship winners can also rest easy knowing their son or daughter is having a safe, joyful experience fueled with yummy and delicious gluten-free foods.
In addition to the camp scholarships, Rudi’s wants to encourage EVERYONE to enjoy the great outdoors this summer. They are giving away an incredible camping package valued at $250! Enter to win a tent and cooler, so that your family can enjoy nature in style! (entry below)
Prize: LightSpeed Tent that sets up and tears down quickly, has a large front door and two side windows for ventilation, an extended awning for added protection, and more. Tent sleeps 6.
Plus, a cooler with two insulated compartments for both hot and cold storage, and is made with waterproof material.
Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery offers a delicious line of gluten-free products for the whole family, including sandwich breads, tortillas and hamburger buns. Visit Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery website to learn more.