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OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 8, 2009 · 10 Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Phone: 905-337-5560 Fax: 905-337-5571 e-mail: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com Woman tackling Leap of Faith Saturday F acing her first attempt at skydiving is a lot less scary than facing a first weekend at camp, let alone a lifetime with a facial difference. Oakville's Jessica Fitzpatrick has lots to be excited about these days -- and isn't letting a few butterflies in her stomach slow her down. When she jumps out of a plane Saturday, she will be raising cash to send kids to camp. And while they will probably experience the same kind of butterflies before their experience begins, she knows they'll go home from it proud and happy -- as she hopes to do. Having just returned from a 12-destination tour of Europe, the 26-year-old Oakville native is just days into a new job, and days away from her first skydiving attempt. The skydiving will be done to raise funds for her new employer, AboutFace, a national, but not well-known, charitable organization founded in Canada in 1985, that provides support, resources and educational programs to people affected by facial differences. The jump isn't a condition of her employment as community outreach co-ordinator, however. As a long-time volunteer, camp counsellor and then camp director at the Oakville YMCA, Fitzpatrick saw many friends skydive regularly. The graduate of Pinegrove and former Queen Elizabeth Park public schools was intrigued and envious, but not old enough to participate. Last year, the Trent University history and psychology graduate was a volunteer for AboutFace, and stood in a field -- again intrigued and envious -- watching others jump in AboutFace's first annual Leap of Faith event. "I was thinking, `I want to do this,'" said Fitzpatrick. The nine jumpers raised approximately $24,000 to send kids aged 10 to 18 to AboutFace's Camp Trailblazers. Fitzpatrick was taken with the camp, the young people it benefits, and AboutFace and the help it provides -- to the point that she re-evaluated her career and decided to "hound AboutFace" until it gave her a job. Having witnessed firsthand the impact AboutFace and its many programs, particularly Camp Trailblazers, has on others, Fitzpatrick recognized it ignited the passion within her to provide a raison d'etre to her employment. Now it's all coming together as she plans to jump ship -- or rather a plane -- at SkyDive Burnaby in Wainfleet in Niagara. It will be one of eight such fundraising events taking place across Canada in July in support of Camp Trailblazers, which also operate across Canada. So far, $37,000 has been raised so the second annual fundraising event is off to a flying start. Fitzpatrick, too, is working hard to solicit not only the minimum $1,000 donation she needs to make the jump, but also awareness for AboutFace. She encourages anyone who'd like to jump to register or show up on the day of the event with their pledge. Camp Trailblazers offers a safe, non-judgmental environment where, as Fitzpatrick explained, youths with facial differences find themselves in the majority. For the first time, their difference is not a major focus or influencing factor -- they are free to have fun and make JUMPING AT THE CHANCE: Jessica Fitzpatrick will skydive Saturday in Wainfleet, Ontario to raise funds for AboutFace,the agency with whom she is employed and which funds Trailblazers Camps for young people with facial differences. KAREN NEWMAN / OAKVILLE BEAVER See Skydiving page 12 All U Can Eat Over 100 Japanese Foods Freshly Made to Order Serve your Table Monday - Thursday Fri - Sun & Holidays LIVE Lunch $15.95 $16.95 Dinner $20.95 $22.95 1 Coupon For 4 People Exp. August 31/09 10 OFF % Ridgeway Winston Churchhill Look for our flyer in tomorrow's paper LIGHTING STUDIO LESS THAN LEVEL WEEK LONG CELEBRATIONS T.H.E. TR I PLE TH U RSDAYS WITH ALEX B SPI N N I NG BAR AN D G R I LL For all your sports and entertainment needs. Thursday July 9th ALRIGHT ALRIGHT Friday July 10th Saturday July 11th Sunday July 12th Drinks $4 Pitchers $12 Domestic Bottles $4 SPECIALS: TRIPLE ZEUS KARAOKE + $4 DRINKS INI NEW M S ER PITCH $ 7 Momiji Sushi Buffet 3100 Ridgeway Dr. #33 Mississauga 403 355 IROQUOIS SHORE ROAD, OAKVILLE 905-607-6076 Dundas Famous Players Costco 905-845-2461 www.lessthanlevel.ca OPEN JAM NIGHT + FREE POOL 381 Kerr Street, Oakville 905-842-9009 Open Mon.-Sun. 5pm-2am La Lair