When most children have weekend plans to play with friends or go out with their families, a pair of twins in Saanich have other plans. Charlie and Loki Swenson, 9, wake up early Saturday morning and start baking to raise funds for the Canucks Autism Network.
The Swenson family was first introduced to the Canucks Autism Network five years ago, when Loki was diagnosed with autism. After getting help from the program in navigating the journey with autism, the family decided to give back to the network in any way possible.
“We’ve just been enjoying the program for many years, and the boys, they just love giving back to the community and volunteering,” their mother, Chelsea Swenson, said.
The boys have always been fond of baking, so the family decided a baked goods stall would be the perfect way to raise funds for the network.
Saanich twins bake to raise funds for the Canucks Autism Network as a way of giving back. (Nishadini Fonseka/ Saanich News)
“My favourite food is double fudge cookies, sourdough bread, and milk chocolate chip cookies,” Charlie revealed.
That is how their farm stall was installed in front of their house at 4062 Grange Rd., with their favourite baked goods kept on display.
The menu was decided based on what the boys love to bake, so they have included cookies, sourdough bread, cream puffs, and brownies. Their great aunt, who is a master potter, donates handmade pottery to the stall to be sold. Apart from the baked goods and pottery, their stall also includes plants that have been grown by the boys.
“I think I’m more of a bread guy than plants. We’ve killed a couple of the plants, but we’re trying,” said Charlie.
They still want to grow more plants and sell them at the stall, and are requesting seedling donations.
“If anybody wants to donate their seedlings, they are welcome. We’ve been asking some greenhouses if anybody would like to donate some of their unsellable (plants) or if they’ve grown too many,” Chelsea added.
Visitors can buy the baked goods, clay work or plants and contribute to the boys’ efforts by donating any amount they like.
They first came up with different other names for the stall, like Twin Boys, Twin Breads, and lastly, they decided to call it Bread Boys. When the weekend arrives, the whole family gets ready to start the baking spree by Friday night.
“It’s kind of whatever they tell me to bake that weekend, and we bake together,” Loki said.
It has now been three weeks since they started their stall, and within a short period of time, they have been able to raise about $700 for the Canucks Autism Network. The family is trying to raise funds for the network till mid summer with their stall.
“The boys just wanted to help out as much as they could. We didn’t want to put any pressure on anybody or them for a number. We just want to do our best. We’re just taking it weekend by weekend. If people like it, that’s awesome. The boys just wanted to do something nice for Canucks Autism that has been so kind to us,” Chelsea said.
The family is open to thinking of another campaign to support Canucks Autism Network in the coming years.
“I did want to just acknowledge that they’ve been very supportive of us and have been communicating with us very quickly and getting things set up for the boys and posting about them. They’ve just been amazing for our boys and making sure that our boys are having fun at the same time, as kind of doing something great for the community,” their father, Shea Swenson, added.
The boys said that their neighbours and their families have been helping them with their baking efforts and contributing with other things to sell.
“If people are reading this, please help Canucks Autism Network,” Charlie added.