2 B.C. Easter Seals camps to close next year due to lack of funds

Two Easter Seals camps in the province will not be operating next summer due to lack of funding.

The B.C. Lions Society for Children with Disabilities and Easter Seals BC/Yukon (Society) say the camps at Shawnigan Lake and Squamish will not operate and only Camp Winfield near Kelowna will be open.

The Society lost more than $1 million last year, forcing it to make the decision to reduce operations and spending.

“While we have decades of successes to celebrate together, we also have to recognize that, in recent years, the charitable landscape has changed dramatically. Today, we all face rising costs, aging assets, large capital expenditures, technological advances, declining philanthropic giving and reduced government support,” the Society said in a statement.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "While we have decades of successes to celebrate together, we also have to recognize that, in recent years, the charitable landscape has changed dramatically. Today, we all face rising costs, aging assets, large capital expenditures, technological advances, declining philanthropic giving and reduced government support," the Society said in a statement.

The Easter Seals camp program operates for five weeks each year with the cost to run one camp between $700,000 and $900,000 per year. The costs are high for this camp due to the need for more staff, nurses, accessible facilities, equipment and specialized meal plans for the campers.

The Society says it is now time to change the way it operates its programs in the hope of re-opening the other camps.

“We understand that this will be disappointing to our camp families and supporters and, for that, we are very sorry. This is a last resort. Our camper families are very precious to us and we remain a Society dedicated to enriching the lives of children with disabilities.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We understand that this will be disappointing to our camp families and supporters and, for that, we are very sorry. This is a last resort. Our camper families are very precious to us and we remain a Society dedicated to enriching the lives of children with disabilities."

The Society says it has developed a new five-year strategic plan, which will hopefully bring in the needed funds and adjust the way the camps operate.

They are asking anyone interested in helping them reach this goal to join a planning committee or help fund kids from Vancouver and Vancouver Island who want to attend Camp Winfield as it will be far for some families to travel.

The Society has worked for 65 years in B.C. to raise funds in support of thousands of families with children with disabilities through many programs and services.

Any campers wanting to attend an Easter Seals camp in 2018 are encouraged to apply at Camp Winfield. Registration opens on April 1, 2018. The process remains the same and spots will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.

If anyone would like to join a planning committee, email Reimagine@eastersealsbcy.ca.

Donations to Easter Seals camps can also be made here.