Camp and Recreational Choices Funding Program

Specially trained Easter Seals camp staff facilitate summer camp programs for children, youth, and their families at two fully accessible camps in Ontario.

Easter Seals Individual Camp Program details include:

• 10-day program for children and youth between the ages of 6 – 18 years (as of July 1st of the program year)
• Fully accessible camp sites
• Camp staff ratio is 1:2 to ensure that your child is well looked after
• Each camp has a well-equipped health facility that is staffed by registered nurses
• Campers choose the activities they want to participate in, so they can try everything or focus on their favourite activities
• Easter Seals camps offer a wide range of programs including: swimming, sports & games, archery, arts and crafts, life skills, environmental studies, leadership skills, overnight trips, sailing, camp fires and much, much more.

Special programs are offered at each camp:

• Easter Seals Camp Merrywood – canoeing, kayaking, extended out-trips and white water rafting (space in both of these programs is limited)
• Easter Seals Camp Woodeden – sledge hockey and a fully accessible high ropes course

Dates and Sessions:

Merrywood

Age	Length	Cost	Session	Date	Merrywood Code
6 - 12 years	10 days	$2000	Explorers	July 4 - 14	ME1
				July 18 - 28	ME2
				August 1 - 11	ME3
13 - 18 years	10 days	$2000	Pathfinders	July 4 - 14	MP1
				July 18 - 28	MP2
				August 1 - 11	MP3
12-18 years	6 days	$600	Out-trip Adventure Camp	August 14 - 20	MOT
6-12 years	5 days	$1000	Discovery Camp	August 15 - 20	MD

Woodeden

Age	Length	Cost	Session	Date	Woodeden Code
6 - 12 years	10 days	$2000	Explorers	July 11 - 21	WE1
				July 25 - Aug 4	WE2
13 - 18 years	10 days	$2000	Pathfinders	July 11 - 21	WP1
				July 25 - Aug 4	WP2

Eligibility and Application Process

While camp is a great experience, it is definitely not for everyone. Campers live in a group setting with many other children/youth who have a physical disability. The setting will be quite active and full of sounds

. Campers need to be able to successfully function in such an environment. To best determine a camper’s eligibility and appropriateness, Easter Seals staff will carefully review each camper’s application prior to acceptance. The camp’s nursing facilities are limited and by the nature of camp, are remotely located. Camp is typically NOT able to meet the needs of children/youth who require skilled nursing care. Easter Seals has the right and duty to rescind an acceptance or to send a camper home early due to health, medical or behavioural reasons.

Use this information to decide on the best session for your child:

• Decide which camp you would like your child to attend – keep in mind that transportation is the parent/guardian’s responsibility.
• Select your first and second choice of sessions and write the corresponding codes on the front of your child’s application form in the space provided.

Individual Camp Criteria

Easter Seals camps provide outdoor recreational experiences for children and youth. Therefore, the camper must:

• be registered with Easter Seals Ontario and be age 6 - 18 years as of July 1st of the camping year;
• be able to make choices, follow directions, and be aware they are participating in a recreation program;
• have the physical and mental stamina to participate in a challenging outdoor program;
• have a desire to fully participate in the daily activities of camp.

Camp has increased risk associated with it in comparison to home or school. To ensure safety, campers must:

• have a signed medical statement from their primary care physician or nurse practitioner at least 21 days prior to the start of camp. The form will be sent to you with your confirmation package;
• have no recurring history of problems with respiration, swallowing, or choking;
• have a well-established communication system, verbal or augmentative, that allows for effective peer and staff interaction;
• have a consistent ability to indicate ‘yes’ and ‘no’;
• be able to comprehend their own needs, ask for assistance when necessary, and indicate when they are in distress;
• be able to receive assistance with physical care (i.e. feeding, changing, etc.) from more than one caregiver, including camp counsellors and program staff.

Please note:

Easter Seals camps are thrilled to offer exciting non-traditional camp programming. Please be aware however, that for safety reasons, specific criteria exist for participation in: white water rafting, out-trips and high ropes activities. Not all campers will be well- suited for these activities.

Camp is a group experience and, therefore, campers are required to:

• exhibit no inappropriate behavioural tendencies toward themselves or others;
• be able to actively participate in a group environment with a 1:2 ratio of staff to campers; please note that there is no 1:1 care provided at camp;
• be able to enjoy group meals in the dining hall without being disruptive to others;
• be able to sleep in a cabin with a group of campers without being disruptive to others.

Easter Seals Ontario reserves the right to deny any child/youth admission into the camp program who does not meet the criteria OR for whom it cannot be established that their needs will be safely met, AND deny admission to any camper whose medical, physical and behavioural condition upon arrival at camp is significantly different to that which was disclosed in the application form or was advised in writing, prior to camp.

Applications are available by mid December.

Please visit our downloads area for the Individual Camp Application.