Camp Woodeden
Jun 13, 2022
Stacey Law and Howard Botten, Easter Seals Ontario
Camp Woodeden
NOON HOUR ZOOM MEETING
Our speakers will be Stacey Law, Development Officer and Regional Administrator, Ontario West for Easter Seals Ontario and Howard Botten Site Manager, Camp Woodeden. Stacey has been with Easter Seals for over 15 years, and Howard over 10 years. They will bring us up to date on future activities at Camp Woodeden.
In 1922, 100 years ago, our Club was one of 7 Rotary Clubs that founded the Ontatio Society for Crippled Children, later to be renamed Easter Seals Ontario. Our Club spearheaded the Regional Easter Seal Campaign and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in London each year for the provision of services to physically challenged young people.
Camp Woodeden was made possible in 1945 when Clair Wood, a member of our Club, offered his 110 acre estate near Kilworth, including a magnificent home known as "Wood Home", to Easter Seals for a fraction of its value. The camp first open in 1946. Our Club converted the property into a Polio Treatment Centre which became the Thames Valley Children’s Centre. Later Woodeden became a seasonal camp in 1957 with the building cabins, a recreation hall and an infirmary.
In 1922, 100 years ago, our Club was one of 7 Rotary Clubs that founded the Ontatio Society for Crippled Children, later to be renamed Easter Seals Ontario. Our Club spearheaded the Regional Easter Seal Campaign and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in London each year for the provision of services to physically challenged young people.
Camp Woodeden was made possible in 1945 when Clair Wood, a member of our Club, offered his 110 acre estate near Kilworth, including a magnificent home known as "Wood Home", to Easter Seals for a fraction of its value. The camp first open in 1946. Our Club converted the property into a Polio Treatment Centre which became the Thames Valley Children’s Centre. Later Woodeden became a seasonal camp in 1957 with the building cabins, a recreation hall and an infirmary.
Rotarian Doug Parnell was camp chairman from 1968 to 1973. John Eberhard succeeded him as the 8th Camp Chairman from our Club and had the little sense of staying in that position for 17 years! Our Club contributed to the new swimming pool in 1955, a new workshop and laundry facility in 1979 and a new facility that was constructed in 1985, a 2.5 million dollar addition in which we played an active role. Many, many Rotarians over the years participated actively at the Camp or on the Camp Committee until 2003.
Easter Seals assist families with the purchase of essential mobility and accessibility equipment that allows their children to live with greater independence, dignity and freedom in their daily lives. Easter Seals is also a leader in providing inclusive, specialized recreational programming through their two fully accessible camp properties one near Perth and one in London, Camp Woodeden.