Variety Village isn’t a place people simply outgrow. It’s a haven that continues to nurture and empower, even as childhood fades. It’s where I first encountered Cameron “Cam” Purdy in 2013 – a determined 13-year-old navigating an obstacle course in his wheelchair, a quiet smile playing on his lips.
I asked him about his aspirations. His response was immediate and profound. Variety Village had unlocked a confidence he didn’t know he possessed, teaching him abilities he’d never imagined within the confines of his wheelchair. He wanted to pay it forward, to become a teacher, just as the Village had taught him.
Now, at 25, Cam is living that dream. He joined the Variety Village team this fall as a program instructor, a man with the same wheelchair and wry smile, but now radiating purpose. His mother, Corinna Taylor, watches with quiet pride, remarking, “Well, look at him now.”
His days are filled with guiding groups of children and adults, each facing a unique spectrum of challenges. The “Wicked Wednesday” program, for example, involves lively conversation, pool time, collaborative meal preparation, and energetic play in the expansive fieldhouse. It’s a demanding role, requiring a boundless capacity for empathy – a gift Cam possesses in abundance.
Cam’s empathy isn’t simply a skill; it’s deeply rooted in his own story. Born nearly two months premature, he battled for his first breaths, his lungs underdeveloped, his mother unable to hold him for three agonizing days. Months were spent lying on his back, gazing at the ceiling, a silent struggle for survival.
He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at ten months, and speech didn’t come until he was three. Yet, his mother saw a spark, a quiet intelligence shining in his eyes. “I could see in his eyes that he was smart,” she recalls, a testament to his unwavering spirit.
At eight years old, Cam underwent a grueling surgery to break and reset his hips, stabilizing them with plates and bars. It was then that his family discovered Variety Village, a place that immediately felt different. “I liked the way they made me feel as soon as I went in the building,” Cam explains. “I felt like I belonged.”
Unlike other places that claimed accessibility but fell short, Variety Village embraced inclusivity. At five, he began swimming, eventually mastering eight lengths of the pool using only his upper body. He joined a wheelchair basketball team and, after high school, became a dedicated volunteer, lending his support to fundraising events. He even received a Toronto Sun Award for his outstanding leadership.
Volt hockey, a fast-paced sport played in specialized electric carts, has become his passion. Despite limited vision in one eye, he excels as a calm and strategic defender, earning a silver medal at the 2023 World Cup of Volt in Sweden. Those who know him simply call him “Calm Cam.”
In his twenty years at Variety Village, no one has ever witnessed him lose his composure. This remarkable ability proves invaluable when working with children facing invisible challenges. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t know how to interact with kids with developmental disabilities,” Cam admits. “Variety taught me. I usually go off facial expressions, how they react to things. I think that’s why we get along. I kind of get into their world.”
He delivers this insight with his signature understated style, a voice that’s both relaxed and intensely focused. Walk through Variety Village on any given day, and you’ll likely find Cam – at Volt practice, at work, or simply present, a quiet anchor in a vibrant environment. He’s a Village lifer, once requesting donations to Variety in lieu of birthday gifts.
“It has given me a place to be myself. It’s a community. You see smiles on people’s faces,” he says, his voice filled with genuine warmth. “That’s why I like to work here. The smiles.” A teenage girl named Simone, who has Down syndrome, regularly leaves him notes after “Wicked Wednesdays.” “Thank you Cam. Love Simone.” He carefully preserves each one.
“I think I’m really helping,” he says, a quiet affirmation of a life dedicated to empowering others. He’s not just an instructor; he’s a testament to the transformative power of belonging, a living embodiment of the Village’s enduring spirit.
