Easter Seals (Canada)
Encyclopedia
In Canada, Easter Seals is a group of charitable organization
s which provide opportunities for children with physical and/or mental disabilities
. Founded in 1922 by a group of ten Rotary Clubs, it sought to emulate the success of the American Easter Seals
program. In 1945, the first Canadian Easter Seals was introduced in Alberta
. Today, licensed agencies work across Canada
to provide programs and services to over 40,000 children and their families. Easter Seals Canada is considered to be well-funded and more known than their American counterpart.
The most well known services are the camp programs. There are 12 camps across Canada providing camp opportunities to over 4600 kids with physical and/or mental disabilities. These camps provide children with opportunities to do activities such as: sledge hockey
, archery
, arts & crafts, music & drama, campfires, accessible High Ropes, camping in a tent, other fun sports, swimming, pottery
, and much more. Camps are provided to children at little or no cost to the families. Easter Seals also provides services such as mobility aids, adaptive computer
s, communication aids, and wheelchair
-accessibility modifications to vehicles and homes.
Common disabilities that Easter Seals helps are cerebral palsy
, autism
, muscular dystrophy
, and spina bifida
, among many others.
Easter Seals Camps
.
Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador has a long, rich history of service to the community in NL, dating back to 1937 when the then Rotary Sunshine Camp Association was formed with a mandate of establishing a summer camp for children. Offices are currently located in St. John's and Corner Brook.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
s which provide opportunities for children with physical and/or mental disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
. Founded in 1922 by a group of ten Rotary Clubs, it sought to emulate the success of the American Easter Seals
Easter Seals (US)
Easter Seals is a nonprofit charitable organization that assists more than one million children and adults with autism and other disabilities and special needs annually through a network of more than 550 service sites in the United States, Canada, Australia and Puerto Rico...
program. In 1945, the first Canadian Easter Seals was introduced in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Today, licensed agencies work across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to provide programs and services to over 40,000 children and their families. Easter Seals Canada is considered to be well-funded and more known than their American counterpart.
The most well known services are the camp programs. There are 12 camps across Canada providing camp opportunities to over 4600 kids with physical and/or mental disabilities. These camps provide children with opportunities to do activities such as: sledge hockey
Sledge hockey
Sledge hockey is a sport that was designed to allow participants who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. Ice sledge hockey was invented in the early 1960s in Stockholm, Sweden at a rehabilitation center...
, archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, arts & crafts, music & drama, campfires, accessible High Ropes, camping in a tent, other fun sports, swimming, pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, and much more. Camps are provided to children at little or no cost to the families. Easter Seals also provides services such as mobility aids, adaptive computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s, communication aids, and wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
-accessibility modifications to vehicles and homes.
Common disabilities that Easter Seals helps are cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and hamper locomotion. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue.In the 1860s, descriptions of boys who...
, and spina bifida
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, among many others.
British Columbia
The BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities www.lionsbc.caEaster Seals Camps
New Brunswick
The New Brunswick Easter Seals helps to support thousands of New Brunswickers living with a disability. One of their most noted programs is their summer camp Camp Rotary.Alberta
Alberta Easter Seals: Easter Seals Camp Horizon is the only Easter Seals camp in Alberta, and is located near Bragg CreekBragg Creek, Alberta
Bragg Creek is a hamlet in southern Alberta under the jurisdiction of Rocky View County in Division No. 6. It is also recognized as a designated place by Statistics Canada....
.
Mission
Easter Seals Ontario is dedicated to helping children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities achieve their full individual potential and future independence. Easter Seals funds disability solutions through financial assistance, summer camps (Merrywood and Woodeden), the Recreational Choices Funding Program, research, advocacy, and public and consumer education.Additional information
Easter Seals Ontario main offices are located in Toronto. The Provincial office houses a team of almost 40 individuals working for children with disabilities. A number of events runs throughout the year. These events are organized to raise funds for Easter Seals' kids. Some of these events include: Conn Smythe, Gala Ball, Regatta, 24-hour Relay, Snowarama.Newfoundland
Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador is a charitable organization which is dedicated to maximizing the abilities and enhancing the lives of children and youth with physical disabilities through recreational, social and other therapeutic programs, direct assistance, education and advocacy.Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador has a long, rich history of service to the community in NL, dating back to 1937 when the then Rotary Sunshine Camp Association was formed with a mandate of establishing a summer camp for children. Offices are currently located in St. John's and Corner Brook.