Our time with our amazing Q2 GIVER, Easter Seals Alberta, is coming to a close and we were recently invited to see their program Camp Horizon in action and see one of the incredible avenues our GIVE'R rides have raised money for.
Easter Seals Alberta is dedicated to giving Albertans living with disabilities life-long tools and resources to be unstopABLE. Camp Horizon does this in the outdoor camp dream! Campers of all ages (youth to age 99) can come to Bragg Creek for one of Camp Horizon's many summer or year round camps and find all the aid they need and leave with a new sense of confidence, adventure, team building and leadership skills.
Their Adventure Education Approach means that campers experience adventure activities such as rafting, high ropes, a giant swing, and more to provide experiences that children and adults would never have the opportunity to do in their everyday life. These activities strive to push the campers outside of their comfort zone (to the extent that they are willing) to further develop interpersonal and life skills.
Camp Horizon is also a place where campers meet and see their best friends every year, is a vacation full of sleepover parties and campfire songs and is for many, the best place on earth.
We heard so many beautiful stories of campers who have come back 40+ years in a row and still get so excited to attend camp every year! Campers come from near and far and leave with friendships, romantic connections and an enhanced sense of self-confidence and ability in themselves! That made our hearts sing and our eyes swell. Stepping into Camp Horizon you feel immediately welcomed and unconditionally loved and it is a cause we are humbled and honoured to have been a small part of these last four months.
Going forward, Camp Horizon plans to offer more respite camps for families impacted by disabilities or medical conditions, as well as working to enhance partnerships with their current camp partners groups to provide a broader spectrum of support for children with medical needs and disabilities.
Though our Q1 time with Easter Seals Alberta is coming to a close we can't wait to see the wonderful achievements they continue to do and will most definitely be taking a trip to Camp Horizon to ride on that giant swing and sing songs around the fire!!