Things have been pretty hectic lately. Transitioning my son to a new school, trying to get several pieces of seating equipment covered for him (ugh). But, I have some fantastic news! I'll post the article that came out today, rather than going into detail, but I'd like to say that our small community is absolutely amazing, and this is exactly the reason I love it here, and plan on raising Cameron here!

HAMPTON - Balloons, cake and smiles. For eight-year-old Cameron Fiander, it wasn't a birthday party that brought him to the Hampton Save-Easy Aug. 21, but he was the centre of the celebration nonetheless.

by Charlene MacKenzie / Kings County Record

Aug. 21 was a happy day for the Fiander family of Hampton as they received a $20,000 Presidents Choice Charity donation toward a wheelchair van for eight-year-old Cameron Fiander. On hand for the event were (left to right) Hampton Save-Easy owners Alan, Coleen and Tony Damon, Jennifer and Corey Fiander, Cameron and his sisters Kennedy (left) and Peyton.
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Cameron, his parents Jennifer and Corey Fiander and his sisters Kennedy and Peyton were guests of honour as grocery store owners Coleen, Alan and Tony Damon happily handed over a $20,000 donation to the Hampton family toward their purchase of a wheelchair van.

Cameron has Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder named for Harry Angelman, the doctor who discovered it. Children with the disorder are generally happy with sweet dispositions. Although developmentally delayed with little or no use of words, they're easily excitable and frequently laugh and smile.

Cameron has these symptoms as well as physical symptoms, which require his use of a wheelchair. The family of five has been using the family car to get around, but it takes some manoeuvring to get Cameron in and out of his wheelchair and in and out of the car.

Guy LeBlanc, of Dartmouth-based Atlantic Wholesalers, was there to witness the culmination of a regional fundraising effort through the President's Choice Charity.

"Staff from Save-Easy stores can donate whatever they want, it comes out of their pay, and when customers go through the cashier we ask if they'd like to donate $1 or $2 to PC Charity," said Alan Damon, "and everything we raise here stays in Atlantic Canada."

Jennifer Fiander learned of the charity last year and sent in the required forms and information about her family's need for a rear-loading wheelchair van for Cameron. The forms asked for the name of her local Save-Easy, so she had a feeling she might be hearing from the store. A couple of weeks later, she got a call from Coleen Damon.

"She was so excited. She said, ‘I have something to tell you try not to cry!'" Fiander said as her family, store employees and customers enjoyed cake after the cheque presentation.

"This small community's been great," she said.

Coleen Damon echoed her sentiment.

"It's such a small town, it takes no time to get everything organized," Damon said, adding the Lions Club and Rotary Club are working on a community fundraiser for later this fall to raise the balance of funds required for purchasing the van. About $8,000 in government funding is available, leaving the community with a fundraising goal of about $12,000 for the specially-equipped van worth about $40,000.

Since 2002, Jennifer Fiander has run a home-based business, Lil' Angel Gifts, which allows her to care for Cameron at home, while sharing her experiences and advice with other parents of special needs children. Through her business, she also promotes awareness of Angelman Syndrome.

Inspired by her son, she started by producing instruction manuals for babies, then created a special needs record book, and expanded into the lucrative bridal and stationery markets.

Over the years she has developed her product line into a collection that includes a variety of journals, note cards and other items. She conducts most of her business online.

Her company logo was even designed to look like Cameron a smiling little boy with brown hair and glasses.

A Cameron Fiander Trust Fund has been set up at the Bayview Credit Union and anyone interested in donating should do so there.