Donor Stories
At six years old, William McDermott is the youngest person to donate to the
Islands Trust Fund. William and his family live on Salt Spring Island. His favourite
spot on the island is the beach on Price Road, where he spends hours
trekking, collecting shells and rocks, and investigating all the wonderful wildlife
on the beach and in the tides. A close second to the Price Road beach is the
fairy walk on the Mt. Erskine – a place he calls “magical”. He’s protective of
the natural world – picking up trash from the beach and watching out for “critters”.
He’s been known to rescue a crab or two.
Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods identifies strong correlations
between children’s experience in the natural world and their ability to learn
and develop physically and emotionally. Across Canada, many children do
not have access to natural areas where they can play and explore, while incidences
of learning disabilities and physical diseases continue to rise. Here on
the islands, however, communities have worked to protect the natural areas
where William and other island children play. Now, with his donation to conservation,
William is continuing that island tradition of investing in the future.
William’s gift came in the form of nickels, dimes and quarters – a portion of his
allowance he hopes will save habitat. To be realistic, William is probably not
thinking about the long-term signifi cance of his gift, but we hope his donation,
along with the contributions of other like-minded individuals, will ensure that
all of our islands’ six-year olds continue to find magic in the great outdoors.
To help William invest in the future, please donate to the Islands Trust Fund
and help us protect beaches and forests for the children of tomorrow.
Contact Information
To learn more about the projects the Islands Trust Fund is raising money for, please contact:
Communications and Fundraising Specialist
(250) 405-5171
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