25 Years of Corey’s Place at YMCA Wanakita

There’s a place at YMCA Wanakita like no other. Sitting along the shore of Koshlong Lake in between Kids Camp and Family Camp, is a reflective walking sanctuary as well as an area for the performing arts. It was built in honour of a Family Camper who loved to perform.

Corey’s place was built 25 years ago in honour of Corey Buffo, a young family camper whose short life was filled with memories of Wanakita.

“The first time Corey went to Family Camp was in August 1991, and we returned each season after that—we made many close friends during those years,” says Brian Buffo, Corey’s dad.

At this time, Family Camp only took place for one week each summer—week nine on the west side of camp—but it was always the best week of Corey’s year.

“It’s a very beautiful and peaceful place,” wrote Corey in 1998, “All my friends go to this camp. We have so much fun when we go there. We get great meals and have great campfires. Everybody swims, canoes and kayaks while we’re there. It’s great. We also do all kinds of creative crafts.”

In 1998, Corey was an outgoing 12-year-old with beautiful brown-auburn hair. He had a smart sense of humour and an energy that made others feel comfortable. He loved cracking jokes and was pretty good with a hockey stick or baseball bat.

That year, just days before they were set to return to camp, Corey underwent some tests that showed he might have a debilitating disease called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, a rare condition characterized by a constriction of the blood vessels within the lungs, resulting in heart failure. The cause is unknown, and the prognosis is unclear.

“The medical team thought the disease was a possibility, but it wasn’t fully diagnosed. They allowed us to go up to camp that year, but Corey had to take it really easy,” says Brian.

An athletic child, Corey was always running around with his friends, swimming, canoeing, practicing archery, and playing games, but he also enjoyed doing crafts and putting on a performance. So, in 1998 he spent a little more time nurturing his creative side.

Near the end of the week, Corey seemed to be struggling. The trip was cut short, and Corey was taken to SickKids in Toronto where he would undergo a series of tests that confirmed the doctor’s suspicions about the disease.

Corey underwent a heart procedure on December 22, 1998. He passed away the next morning.

It was a devastating shock—we certainly weren’t expecting it,” says Brian.

“He had been hospitalized for six straight weeks in the fall and was allowed to return home for a short period of time in early December. Corey returned to Sick Kids on December 18 as he was under duress from heart failure, but we never expected this outcome. It was a shock to our family, his classmates, plus the Smithville and Wanakita communities,” he says.

Following Corey’s passing, the Buffo’s became lifetime supporters of Wanakita, and Brian became even more entrenched in the fundraising work that was happening at camp.

When he was approached by Wanakita’s Director at the time, Steve Heming, asking if he would be interested in leading the new Wanakita Division Strong Kids Campaign just a month after Corey’s passing, he said “it was like finding a light.”

“It was a saving grace because it allowed me to put all of my negative energy into something positive.”

Brian says there was also a feeling around camp that something should be done to honour Corey’s memory, and the idea for Corey’s Place was born. At this point it was unclear what this area would actually be.

Steve, Brian, and camp alumni Dr. Bill Hughs and Ted Thaler met in June of 1999 to clear some trails and create a quiet sanctuary for reflection. After a day in the woods, Steve reflected on the entire area—which included the old Rattray Cottage and the hill behind it—and commented that it was a natural amphitheatre. Family, friends, alumni, and staff volunteered during the 1999 fall 2000 spring work weekends transforming the old building and hill into a dedicated space for the performing arts at Wanakita.

“Corey’s Place was officially introduced in the summer of 2000 at Week 9 Family Camp,” says  Brian.

And while the buildings, the land and the lake will continue on, Trish Buffo says it’s Corey and his story that connects the generations.

"In the early days, Steve Heming would give a talk to all the staff about Corey. So, when we arrived at camp, we’d hear people saying things like, ‘Oh, I’m going to be at Corey’s Place,’ or ‘I’m taking guitar lessons at Corey’s Place.’ We’d be walking along a path or sitting quietly somewhere, and we’d hear it over and over—'Corey’s Place, Corey’s Place.'”

“Some of the senior staff, who knew us, would eventually say to the younger staff or campers, ‘Do you know who this is? This is Corey’s dad.’ And suddenly, there was this moment of connection. The kids would be wide-eyed— ‘Oh wow!’—because now Corey’s Place wasn’t just a name or a location. It became a story, a legacy, a real person they could connect with,” she says.

“That made a huge difference to us. And as time went on, the story kept being passed down from one generation of staff to the next. That’s how Corey’s memory was honored—it lived on through the people and the place. And that meant everything to us."

“For 25 years, Corey's Place has been a cherished theatre, music, and dance program space that has given countless campers the chance to explore new skills and refine existing ones,” says Andy Gruppe, VP of overnight camp and outdoor education at Wanakita.

“The program has become a cornerstone of the camp experience—it's hard to imagine Wanakita without Corey’s Place,” says Andy.

With a connection to Wanakita still running strong, Brian and Trish continue to talk about the importance of camp and the life-changing impact it has. They often find themselves up at camp in the off season, volunteering on work weekends, chatting with staff, and being the unofficial curators of the Wanakita Museum.

And they never forget to spend some time at Corey’s Place.

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