Camp Easter Seal is a beautiful place

Not everyone appreciates camping.  I have friends who require indoor plumbing and a minimum 400 thread count sheets on their beds in order to be comfortable.  I get it; I appreciate  these things too. 

However, there is magic when we spend time outside, breathe in fresh air, and connect with nature. Growing up, my family camped a lot.  My Dad, the innovator extraordinaire that he was, renovated a school bus into a camper that had a full kitchen, bathroom, and could sleep at least 7.  He also painted it green.  Often next to my maternal grandma, in my soft caramel-coloured sleeping bag that always smelled slightly musty, I had some of the best sleeps of my life in that bus.  However, when I saw that many of my friends were excitedly preparing to go to camp, the kind of camp where you with other kids and where you were away from your family,  I wanted that experience too.  It was hard to learn that kids who used wheelchairs were not always welcome - accessibility was very different then - and that if I wanted to go to camp, it would need to be with other people in wheelchairs.

I learned about Camp Easter Seal and despite the fact that I did not know a single other person with a disability, I wanted to go.  No one had to convince me.  However, I remember how nervous I felt driving with my parents to Watrous, Saskatchewan, because I had not realized just how far it was (a couple hours drive) from our family farm.  It must have been equally difficult for mom and dad to drop me off since they were used to being my primary caregivers.  It must have taken courage to place that trust in someone else's hands.  But drop me off they did.

In short, I had a wonderful time.  My camping friends and I boated, swam, went horseback riding, gathered around late-night bonfires, sang camp songs, and although we had cabins to sleep in most nights, we also slept outside under the stars once, making wishes on the countless shooting stars that streamed across the inky black sky.  When I woke up the next morning I had more mosquito bites than I could count.

Everyone should have the chance to camp, to experience the wonder and beauty of our natural world.  Camp Easter provides this for kids -and adults- who otherwise would not get that chance.  And it is more than that.  It is also a chance to be independent from one's parents, to make relationships with others who have disabilities too, and arguably most importantly, to have fun.  There is no sugar-coating it - having a disability is not always fun.  There are more moments of stress, anxiety, and barriers than most people should ever have to endure.  Going to Camp can be an escape from all of that.

Today in Saskatchewan, Boston Pizza will be donating 10% of total net sales that day to Camp Easter Seal through the Boston Pizza Foundation.  If you are from Saskatchewan, please seriously consider supporting this, and if you are not, perhaps take a moment to learn about the accessible camps in your own community, province, or state, and think about supporting them.  

wishing you beautiful outdoor experiences,
hk